Recently my friend mentioned she would love some help putting together her patio. Her house is quickly becoming the go to hangout for us so I emphatically agreed. I literally had a dream about her patio. I mean, it was no Martin Luther King ground breaking dream stuff, but it stuck with me. It was all black, white, kelly green and natural wood.

She wanted a refresh, but on a budget. The best way to stay on a budget is to use pieces you already have, or find lightly used ones that have good bones. She has some wicker furniture which is in pretty good shape. All it needs is a couple coats of paint, and some new cushions. I found these black and white striped cushions on sale. Black and white is a great base for any future updates she may want to do. Pretty much every color goes with black and white.  I am obsessed with this banana leaf print. I have been seeing it a lot recently on everything from wallpaper to maxi dresses. Its a classic print that is timeless, and even though it is trending hard right now it will always be in style. These pillows are perfect for an outdoor setting, and the mix of pattern and print give the patio a real hip feel.

Naturally, the easiest way to get pops of green is to have lots of plants. I choose a big banana leaf palm and some smaller natural wood and concrete planters. I think an herb garden wall would be so great. Something like the above picture would be perfect. The green really pops in the white and silver planters, and I know her husband would love an herb garden. This would be an easy DIY (that I think I might do sometime soon so be sure to check back for that). This natural wood garden stool adds some nice natural wood texture, and some much needed space to put your cocktail or morning coffee. Its a bit pricey for my budget so an alternative would be a ceramic garden stool (either new or used) and some kelly green spray paint.

I was tempted to use an astroturf rug because the color would be perfect, but I found this great tutorial for making a bland, inexpensive rug your own.  I still think the astroturf rug would be so hip, but maybe not for everyone. A live edge coffee table is all you need to finish off the space.

I love this patio and think it would be a great place for a cocktail, or two. Oh, who am I kidding, several cocktails!

We would love to learn something from you. Please leave comments, ask questions, and even answer some of ours!