9. June 2026

Title: Patio Makeover Part 1: Introducing the Space (The Before)

Like most projects around our home, our patio makeover has taken a little longer than expected.

We’ve been slowly chipping away at outdoor projects since moving into our home five years ago, but there are still plenty left on the list. If you’re in the season of raising young kids, you probably understand. It often feels like we’re constantly living among unfinished projects—inside and out. Finding the balance between productivity and rest has always been a challenge for us. We’ll spend weeks tackling a project head-on, burn ourselves out, take a much-needed break, and then somehow feel guilty for taking that break in the first place.

Our patio has been a work in progress almost since the day we moved in.

The original space had good bones but wasn’t especially functional. There was only one door leading outside, awkwardly positioned off the house, and a tiny red fabric awning just above it. The patio itself was generously sized, which made it easy to see its potential. Around the same time, we were planning to remove the  bay window to expand the kitchen footprint, and because that bay projected into the patio space, removing it would make the patio feel larger and more usable as well.

This was the view walking up to the patio from the driveway.

This was what the backyard and home looked like from standing behind the pool( which hadn't been filled/used in over ten years).

And this was the view looking out from the patio into the yard( at deer one morning).

The patio also had two built-in corner planters facing the yard. While charming in theory, they made furniture placement difficult, so we removed those too in favor of a more open layout. Additionally, we removed the decorative, pyramid shape bricks that were located at the corners and stair entrances(as you can see in the two photos below).

This was the night before construction started.

The first major update was replacing the small red awning with a roof that covered the entire patio footprint. During that same construction project, we removed the existing door and bay window and replaced the entire wall with three sets of glass double doors.

Progress at the end of day one. Roof Structure is up.

And the bay window/doors came out the next day and this was the last meal I cooked in that kitchen! Demo started the next day of the kitchen, bathroom, pantry, laundry area.

My husband has always loved the look of modern bifold door systems that completely open a wall to the outdoors. While I agree they’re beautiful, they simply didn’t feel right for our colonial home. One thing I’ve learned through renovating this house is that every design decision feels more timeless when it respects the architecture that’s already there.

The second major addition was the privacy wall on the left side of the patio. It serves two purposes: creating a place for an outdoor television and providing a little separation from our neighbors, whose house sits fairly close to ours on that side. We designed the wall to mimic the horizontal lines of our home’s siding so that, once painted white, it felt like it had always belonged there. If we lived in a brick home, I probably would have approached the design differently and leaned toward something more transitional. Architectural details always look best when they feel connected to the house itself.

At that point, we had a covered patio, new doors, and a functional outdoor living area. It was enough for us to shift our attention back inside, where we were simultaneously tackling our kitchen renovation.

Our Patio for the past three years-

Considering we were operating a temporary kitchen out of our dining room while parenting a one-year-old, finishing the interior quickly became the higher priority.

The downside of that pivot was living with the original patio pavers for another three years. They were in rough shape, with missing pieces, uneven spots, and more than a few tripping hazards.

This spring, Dan finally decided he was ready to tackle the patio and replace the pavers once and for all.

And that’s where I come in.

For years, many of our rooms have functioned as what I call “good enough” spaces. Furnished, functional, but never fully designed. Our dining room, living room, and office all ended up as collections of pieces carried over from previous homes while we focused our time and budget elsewhere.

But this patio felt different.

Both boys’ bedrooms are finished. The playroom is finished. And for the first time in a long while, it felt like my turn to create a space simply because I loved it.

A space designed around my own style, favorite colors, collected pieces, and the way I want our family to live outdoors.

This week I’ll be sharing the full design plan, and honestly, I can’t wait to show you where this space is headed.