There’s plenty to love about spring; warmer temperatures, gorgeous blooms, and sweet spring fragrances, to name just a few! Spring marks the beginning of many months spent enjoying some outdoor living on the patio. Make the most of your time in the great outdoors with comfortable patio furniture and functional outdoor features to match your lifestyle and personality. Need some inspiration for your backyard makeover? These four themes are easy to achieve with a few simple accents and high-quality patio furniture from Lehigh Valley Home and Garden.
Mediterranean-Inspired
A Mediterranean-inspired patio design will transform your Allentown outdoor living space into a European paradise, and who wouldn't want to feel like they're on vacation every time they step outside? If you've ever been to the Mediterranean, you'll know that they use light, neutral colors in their designs. Incorporate stone walls, columns, and pavers in shades of cream, beige and brown, and add a pop of color with Mediterranean tile accents. If you're really committed to it, you could even include an outdoor stucco wall!
If ever there was a place that terra cotta belonged, it's with a Mediterranean-themed patio. Fill them with tropical (or tropical-looking) plants, like Yucca or Mediterranean Fan Palm, to finish off your look.
These dining sets are perfect for enjoying dinner al fresco:
Hanamint Tuscany High Dining: We love the elegant chair back design and rust-colored cushions of this four-chair set.
Alfresco Home Barcelona Wicker Dining: This dark wicker set is both stylish and comfortable, and seats six people—great for hosting weekend brunch!
Or, relax in true European style with Alfresco Home Barcelona Deep Seating. The deep seating and comfortable beige cushions of this Barcelona set make for an incredibly comfortable and on-theme addition to your backyard. Complete the look with the Hanamint Tuscany Wood Burning Firepit. This innovative design is simple yet stylish with its rounded shape and intricate detailing.
Mid-Century Modern
"Mid-century modern" refers to design styles that emerged following the Second World War. It's all about sleek, sophisticated designs with clean, sculpted lines. It's simple, fun, trendy, and functional. To achieve this aesthetic, look for patio furniture and accents with strong edges, interesting curves, or unique shapes. Following a color palette is recommended—we recommend a scheme of earthy tones or neutrals, with one trendy accent color, like turquoise, mustard yellow, or burnt umber.
Large, sculptural plants, or specimen plants with unique foliage, are ideal for this design. Airy spaces are a cornerstone of mid-century modern style, so don't overwhelm your patio with plants—a large, singular statement plant, like a Colocasia (Elephant's Ear), should do the trick. Dine like a mid-century maven with the Alfresco Home Kate Karri Gum Dining set. The simple design and clean lines of this dining set will accentuate your "MCM" style. It doesn't hold out on function, either, as it comfortably seats seven guests (plus yourself!) at dinner parties or family BBQs.
You can complete your mid-century modern patio with the matching Alfresco Home Kate Karri Gum Deep Seating set. Just don't forget the matching coffee table to set down your hand-painted ceramic mug or vintage glassware!
Mid-century modern design is all about understated warmth, so the Castelle 36" x 52" Live Edge Fire Pit makes a perfect complement to your gathering area. This rectangular fire pit is all about sleek edges. Situate your lounge set around this gorgeous, dark stone fire pit for a cozy, comfortable summer evening outside.
Nautical Theme
If your heart belongs to the ocean, this is the theme for you. Turn your back deck into a boat deck with stylish beach decor, white furniture, and navy/red or beige/turquoise accents. With this look, soaking up the summer sun on your patio will be almost as relaxing as lying in a beach chair by the ocean.
Emphasize your nautical style with tropical flowers and other coastal plants. Consider adding ornamental grasses, like Cordyline or Blue Fescue, which will create movement and emulate the sea breeze in your backyard. Brightly-colored coastal flowers like Moroccan Sea Holly, Sea Thrift, and Sea Lavender (you see the trend here), are also great additions. Enjoy the catch of the day with the Jensen Leisure Fanback Dining Group. This wooden dining set features a rounded table with four lawn-chair inspired chairs—comparable to what you might find on the patio of a beach-front restaurant.
Castelle Bayside Deep Seating. The dark frame of this lounge set is accented by bright cushions and a wicker side finish—a classy look that's also perfect for the poolside!
Castelle Bordeaux Deep Seating. If you're looking for something a little more subtle, we also love Castelle's Bordeaux Deep Seating set. It's got a light gray wire frame and bright cushions that will jive well with the rest of your nautical theme.
Then, warm up around the Castelle 36" X 52" Rectangular Coffee Table Fire Pit. This rectangular fire pit matches both lounge sets well, and its light gray finish won't drag down the rest of your beachy aesthetic.
Casual Contemporary
While contemporary designs can encompass a pretty wide range of styles, it's more relaxed and more casual than modern designs. While the clean lines and smooth surfaces remain a part of this patio style, the lines are softer, and the shapes reflect a more relaxed vibe. Natural materials are the foundation, with light woods, clean glass, and stainless steel acting as staple materials. Color palettes are also pretty neutral, with white, cream, taupe, and brown being the most common. Like modern designs, there's usually an accent color to brighten up the scheme. Since contemporary styles are simple and minimalist, avoid an overabundance of showy plants. Stick to a few container gardens, specimen plants as focal points, or a mass planting of a single species. We recommend planting ornamental grasses, foliage plants, and native flowers in the area.
Capture this casual aesthetic with the Patio Renaissance Greenville Dining Set. A simple, dark brown dining table surrounded by wicker-wrapped chairs offer the simplistic style and earthy tones that bode well with contemporary designs.
Love to host? These lounge sets will put everyone at ease.
Woodard Canaveral Seating. This charcoal grey wraparound set is made from wicker material, and can comfortably seat up to 9 people! Its pleasant, curved form is attractive and great for surrounding a fire pit.
Patio Renaissance Del Mar Curved Sectional. Another wraparound option, this lounge set offers deep seating and wedged armrests (plus hidden storage!).
Winston Nico Sectional Deep Seating. Limited space? No worries! This versatile corner sectional can be styled in many ways to maximize the flow of your patio design.
Add a warm and cozy focal point with the Winston Slat Top Fire Pit. This slat-top table conveniently doubles as a fire feature—another excellent choice for those with limited space!
As our garden begins to spring back to life, it becomes a much more inviting place to be. With the right patio furniture and outdoor features to top it all off, you'll be entertaining your family and friends from now until fall! If you're looking for new patio furniture in Allentown, be sure to check out all of our dining set and fire feature recommendations online or in-store.