Back in March when we realized we would probably be homebound for the summer I decided to make the most out of our outdoor living areas. Our new house is still undergoing a massive renovation so, my parents have gotten to have us around for a little while longer. It’s actually been really nice to be quarantined with them. I can’t imagine not being able to see them on a daily basis. Their house is nicely sized so, it’s never felt cramped, but with the boys, they do tend to take up a lot of space with their stuff. So many toys or cardboard box castles that Grandma has allowed in her dining room for over a week. It was always my aim to give them lots of outside time once the weather got nice and let’s face it I wanted a nice space as well! Last year I tackled their backyard patio and it came out beautifully and we use it all the time. There happens to be a lot more grass in the front yard and luckily there is also a patio space as well. The reveal came at the perfect time to share it in this years, It’s a Colorful Life Summer Tour hosted by Jennifer of Dimples and Tangles and Jewel of Jeweled Interiors !

Now, are you ready to see how I tackled some colorful outdoor living?

Of course, because we see the beauty shots we need to see what we started with!

BEFORE: It was pretty much a blank canvas. My mom just had 3 planters on there that came with the house. The kids were using the space mainly for chalk drawings.

AFTER:  I added lots of seating and color! The happiest place in the house and a great place for socially distant visitors. We will typically stay on the patio and then have guests hang out on the front lawn.

The first step was figuring out seating. Outdoor furniture can get pretty pricey! So, I’m happy I was able to score a deal on this set. I ordered my set back in April before the summer season even started. I was able to grab it for $309!!!! I thought that was pretty incredible for a 4 PC set including the ivory cushions. The set is by Safavieh and it’s currently still available, but the price has gone up to $362 depending on the color of the cushions I have even seen it for $700.

Once we had the outdoor furniture figured out I needed to figure out the rest of the design. I love happy colors with a preppy twist and immediately my thought went to Annie Selke. They make beautiful pieces in beautiful colors and patterns including a multitude of stripes! Immediately I fell in love with their Mellie rug. I loved the french blue, lime greens, and orange/coral stripes. It paired perfectly with my favorite Hot tamale pillows that I already had my heart set on! Then to break up all of that color I added their classic striped lumbar pillows into the mix. It all arrived last week and I think you can agree that it looks right at home.

As you can see the hot tamale pillows have an amazing abstract design on them in a beautiful mix of colors. The pattern is from artist Laura Park and her whole collection with Annie Selke is perfection. Highly recommend these pillows, they are indoor/outdoor, zippered and come with the insert.

I love it when my flowers coordinate with my home decor!

Don’t the stripes work beautifully with the colors in the pillows! I think so!

I picked up this outdoor umbrella a couple of years ago at Five Below of all places. I thought it was full size, but it turns out it’s actually meant to be clamped on to the chair. I never ended up using it until now! This space gets a lot of sun and provides a nice amount of shade if you want to cool off.

It’s been the perfect space to go out and watch the boys play, read a book or enjoy a snack!

This is the view of the patio from the street:

Want to know the person that has enjoyed the space the most? My dad! He goes out everyday in the afternoon and enjoys it for hours. He makes phone calls, reads a book, scrolls through Facebook! He runs cold so he really likes sitting out here and getting some sun!

It’s been a welcomed addition to the house. It’s always nice when you can add a little extra sq footage to a house with a couple little additions.

Make sure you head over to Tiffany at My Eclectic Nest to see her tour! Below is also the calendar of everyone that has participated! All of the tours are beautiful with so much inspiration to get your summer into high gear decor-wise!