Inspired Outdoor Living with Patio Flooring

Lisa, a housewife from California, asks: “We have a good amount of space outside our home, and I want to transform it into a living space where we can relax, hang out, and eat. Now, I’m considering using patio flooring. What are my best choices?”

Many options present themselves when it comes to the  kind of flooring you should have for your outdoors. You will need to weigh important factors, including safety, maintenance, and your budget. Outdoor flooring does allow  for both functionality and attractive décor;  so choosing the type that best fits your needs should not be difficult if you know what you are looking for.

Paint

If the foundation of your patio is in good shape and you reaure an inexpensive flooring option, you can paint. Concrete paint is available at home improvement stores and paint stores. Wash your concrete patio to remove dirt and debris. Use an acid wash solution to thoroughly clean and prepare the concrete. Allow the concrete to dry before applying primer. When the primer has dried,  you can begin the paint process. Sealing  and painting the floor will ensure the elements for up to 5 years before you will have to repaint again.

Tile

Always a classic choice, tile brings color and texture to your outdoor space. For temperate climates, you can use porcelain or granite like the JointStone Granite Tile Bright Grey - Set of 10 Boxes by Infinita. You can also use ceramic tiles; but not in climates that have extended periods in which the temperature drops below freezing as the tile will crack. Spanish or Saltillo tile is also a great flooring option. However, both of them require annual sealing to maintain their color and to prevent cracking.

Wood

Floors made from Brazilian walnut or teak will tolerate being exposed to the elements. Decking tiles like the Le Click Flex Teak Tiles (Set of 10) by Infinita are squares of wood with a support system on the underside that allows you to snap the squares together. The tiles can be installed directly over your concrete foundation, creating the look and feel of a deck without actually building one.

Carpeting

Outdoor carpeting is manufactured to withstand the element. Usually made of synthetic materials like olefin and polyester blends, the provide  color and comfort, and are  very easy to install. You can add an outdoor carpet like the  to your patio floor using an adhesive specially designed to hold the carpet to the concrete foundation. Home improvement stores may have installation services available that include installing outdoor carpeting if you do not want to do it on your own.

Stamped Concrete

You can use this option if you are installing a new patio foundation. When the concrete is poured, the stamp or stamps can be applied to create different faux stone effects. Stamped concrete is an art form, and there is little room for error. It is also one of the more expensive options for patio flooring; the cost is in the labor and the price of the stamps. 

Ideas for Replacing Glass on Patio Dining Tables

Glass patio dining tables are a reliable piece of furniture for the outdoors. They are relatively easy to clean, as opposed to a wooden table that is prone to  warping  and weathering over time. These also look very stylish and are much easier to maintain than most of the other table styles. Here are a few beautiful examples of glass outdoor dining tables.

• Bermuda Dining Table by Nuevo Living. With a frame made from natural and durable Teak wood, this dining table has a clean brown finish that is topped off with a rounded clear glass top. It suitable for both indoor and outdoor use.

• Venice Round Dining Table by Vifah Modern Patio. Made of cast aluminum, this modern dining table features a Desert Bronze finish to complement your outdoors. It captures a piece of that wonderful California sunshine and casual lifestyle.
• Kross Square Table Incl. Glass Top by Sifas In-Outdoor Living. Authentic and weather resistant, this table offers rustic simplicity and expressive strength. This creation in "ultra light" forged aluminum allows it to resist the worst outdoor conditions.

The glass from  a patio table, however, can become scratched and worn and may need to be replaced. There are a few ways to do this, including changing what the surface of the table is actually made from.

Replace the Glass

By simply replacing the glass in a patio table, you will have removed the weathered look and made your table look as good as new. Depending on the size of your table, replacement glass, textured or clear, cost around $250 to $350 to cut and ship to you, complete with a hole in the center for your umbrella. You might also want to consider buying colored or painted glass to change up the whole look.

Replace with Synthetic Resin

Because glass tables are a bit fragile, replacing a glass patio tabletop with a plastic one  might appear to be a great option. These table tops are more durable to shocks and scratches penetrating  their surfaces. Plastic tabletops are made of acrylic Plexiglas and are almost unbreakable. They can be patterned, textured  or clear in their design. This is an inexpensive option that that will save you in the long run.

Stone Tabletops

A much more expensive but also more expressive and aesthetically pleasing alternative to a glass patio is a round stone-top patio table. These tables are usually ornately designed out of mortar, stones and cement, with patterns of different colored tiles and stones decorating their tops. Durable to both weather and human abuse, these tables will outlast the house itself, if given the opportunity. However, if you are just replacing the glass on your patio table, a stone tabletop may not work, as they need rather specific frames. Most stone tabletops have supports holding them that are made out of a strong metal. Many glass and plastic patio tables have plastic supports holding them up, as they are designed to hold much less weight. 

How to Decorate with Modern Wicker Patio Furniture

Many homes feature modern wicker patio furniture. Aside from the fact that it is inexpensive and durable, it also lends itself to many decorating styles. Indeed, you can find wicker furniture in homes on the beaches of the East Coast as well as in homes that strive to recreate British Colonial décor. Wicker is a natural choice for many rooms of the house, because it not only looks lovely in its natural state, but it can also be painted and adorned with colorful blankets and pillows to completely change the look of your outdoor space.

Decorating your patio, porch or garden with patio furniture is pretty easy, for as long as you have a plan or vision on what you want your space to look like and you follow through with it. Still, many homeowners find themselves at a loss on how and where to get started. If you are one of them, do not get frustrated just yet. Read on and learn from these tips.

1. Decide how you would like to use the wicker furniture in your space. For example. Many decorating styles, including beach and British Colonial, use wicker furniture as a key element. Once you have made a decision about the decorating style, you will not have such a hard time choosing pieces that complement the wicker furniture.
2. Consider painting your picker furniture. Many pieces of wicker furniture are painted already (usually with white – like the Club 6 Chair by Lebello) but you can pull different decorative elements together in your space by adding a painted trim to your wicker piece.
   
3. Buy smaller furniture pieces made from wicker. Look for items like wicker trunks (the Lexington Wicker Large Storage Box by Tortuga Outdoor is one fine choice) or a wicker footstool (like the All-Weather Wicker Ottoman with 1 pc. Rave Cherry Cushion by Outdoor Greatroom Company). If you have opted to paint the trim on some of the larger wicker furniture pieces, consider painting these items completely one color.
   
4. Add an element of comfort to your wicker couch by investing in an abundance of throw pillows of various sizes. If you are painting your wicker furniture, look for pillows with patterns that feature your paint colors to pull the decorative elements in the room together. Then choose a few pillows in contrasting colors to add a bit of visual interest through contrast.
5. Remember the smaller details in your decorating scheme by incorporating pictures and mirrors with wicker frames into your room.
6. Break up the wicker-only look of the space by buying larger pieces of furniture that complement wicker. For example, British Colonial style decorating uses a lot of wicker, but it also incorporates heavy mahogany tables or dressers.
7. Shop for accessories like handmade quilts or cotton afghans at local flea markets or country fairs. These accessories add color to your wicker if you opt not to paint it and bring an inviting and homey look to the room as well.