The garden patio makeover is finally finished and we are so happy about it! We turned our unused, and unloved space into our little corner of paradise!
Garden Patio Makeover
It took months to hand-paint that checkered pattern on our newly laid concrete, but it was totally worth it! Don’t you agree?! Our family loves the fact that the black and white pattern was inspired by mine and Rick’s relationship. Yes, that’s right! My husband and I are a shining example of “opposites attract,” hence the black and white theme you’ll see more of here at The House of Mag!
My favorite part of the patio has to be the added seating we now have in our home! Our tiny house has a breakfast nook inside, but here we plan to host many more parties! I can’t wait to feed even more family, and friends throughout the year!
Home is Where the Heart Is
Many of the details I chose for the space reflect memories of our loved ones and a focus around family. We planted a baby orange tree at the patio entrance as a sweet homage to our hometowns of Mesa and Gilbert, Arizona. Since all the oranges are off the tree for the season, we decided to remember our childhood homes and grandparents who raised us with this fruity breakfast. Ricky’s house was never without watermelon, and my Tata always had canteloupe (or mel-ón) in the morning! 
Some of you know that our goal is to pay off the actual house of Mag. I just couldn’t live with the brown, contractor-grade gravel the house was built with for another 2-3 years! Plus, my living space really affects my mood, so it was really important to make the most of our small, 1,000 square feet patio yard with this garden patio makeover. If you ask me, we nailed it! Because Arizona is already at volcanic temperatures, Rick and I will have to wait until next year for those climbing roses and wisteria we originally wanted. I have to admit though, this Bougainvillea and Elephant Food succulent bush from Whitfill Nursery look super cute here!
And I just love how this little vignette came together! This ivy planter lady SPARKS JOY! So much joy! I had spotted this pretty girl at a Scottsdale home decor shop, but then I found her for a fraction of the cost on Amazon! No joke. And let’s just take a moment of silence for the back up dancer in this photo I like to call Air-conditioning Fence. He is tall. He is strong. Also, he was discovered on Amazon!
Good Things Take Time
Before & Afters of Our Garden Patio in Progress
You can see the inspiration photos for my garden patio makeover HERE. I envisioned the floor immediately, and couldn’t wait to fill the space with flowers. At first, Ricky wasn’t sure about laying down more concrete. He was dreaming of a lush, green and grassy yard. They say marriage is all about compromise. And, in this case, “they” are wrong. I was thrilled that my art of persuasion helped Rick see that adding grass wouldn’t allow the outdoor seating we both truly wanted. Once I helped him realize that nobody would be playing catch in this space, he laughed, and whispered those sweet little words every wife loves to hear: “You’re right, babe.”
After we finished painting the ENTIRE house the lightest version the HOA allowed (unfortunately, black and white was not permitted), we painted the concrete exterior wall “Arboretum” by Dunn Edwards. Rick totally helped us out here. I am the worst at matching color swatches to my own Pinterest boards! Then, we rented a giant concrete truck and hired a few friends. You can see the BEFORE and AFTER here below.
It took 2 months of weekend labor to paint the black & white border, and the checkered pattern onto our new concrete.
There’s nothing like working hand-in-hand with your significant other under the hot, Arizona sun for multiple hours, becoming more dehydrated with every ray of sunshine that hits your sweating face. Let’s just say 60+ hours of painting with rollers and edgers nearly burned up all our patience. 🙂
*TIP:
We found Frog Tape to work best on the concrete floor, and Scotch tape to work better on stucco. Frog Tape did an outstanding job of creating those hard and crisp edges. Scotch tape worked well to adhere to the exterior of our home so we could refinish those windows. If you want to do your own makeover, painting concrete is a great, budget-friendly alternative to tile. Just be sure to purchase exterior paint like THIS, and you’re good!
*TIP:
Do NOT – I repeat – DO NOT use clear epoxy over your uncovered surfaces. We did this believing it would protect the paint like it did in our art studio garage. Although it added this beautiful shine temporarily, today, we are learning the hard way! The UV light from the sun has slightly yellowed the clear coat! Our white checks are already turning off-white! Yes, I am dying. I had a 15-minute – ok fine – 50-minute, worry sesh about this last night. We did a little research though, and are praying that some purchased acetone later today will remove some of the epoxy and undo the slightly golden tint.
Although the final furniture layout is a little more snug than I originally wanted, due to the slightly larger antique wood table I found on sale HERE, I think we really utilized every square inch of the space to it’s full potential! I love how the table and sofa balance out the space, and elongates the patio. After considering the cost of the newly painted house, and all the furniture, we couldn’t bring ourselves to purchase new windows. (If we had, our fake dad, Dave Ramsey, might have given us a nasty stink eye! – or at least reminded us that we care about our retirement). After all the online orders for the décor were placed, we did decide, however, to update the windows with THIS paint!
The results almost brought tears to my eyes. It’s crazy how a little paint can go a long way!
Our English Bulldog, Luffy Magdaleno passed away last year. He was Rick’s most trusted grilling companion, so we decided to set him close to Rick’s new All-in-One PitBoss. More on this later!
The House of Mag garden patio now features a handsome console area with an arched brass mirror to create the illusion of depth. The mirror reflects the light and adds more space for your eyes to travel!
*TIP:
Mirrors, especially in longer rooms, make rooms look even bigger! I wanted the mirror to help people feel like they were traveling through the patio instead of just walking around on it. Our garden patio now also features this sturdy table for six, plus a lounging area with fireplace for toasting mallows or chilling with a magazine. (I’ll save our grilling station for another fun and exciting post later this week!) I love all the little details!
Do I keep my Trader Joe’s plants alive? No. Can I grow a green thumb? Hmm, maybe also no, but a girl can dream. I’m over the moon thinking about standing here at this special potting table, with its lovely laced-edge detail, in the sweltering sun. It’s been so fun to bump elbows with the hubs here. Can I tell you – Ricky really did bring tears to my eyes. Yesterday, he told me he’s “looking into garden potting classes” for us since our space limits what we can grow in the ground. Like, ok, Rick I already married you, but YES, I will totally fall in love with you again over lessons about dirt. 🙂
These Mariachi Flowers crack me up for being named after the type of band we hired at our wedding. Don’t they just sing?! I could stand here all day.
What use to be a sore spot in the yard, has now become what Rick likes to call our “makeover corner.” I simply call it our herb garden, ha! I can’t wait for those vines behind the bench to grow up onto the walls. It’ll make the space even more lively. It currently smells like heaven … or almost-made guacamole. Which, actually, might be the same thing.
I finally found a place for Petunia and Paiget the peacocks! We change the P-names of these love birds every time we talk to them. I can’t remember the names of their original owners who gave them to me. I worked as their interior designer when I first moved back to Phoenix from Philadelphia. These sterling sculptures remind me of one my very dear friend’s words to me. He said once that I’m like a little peacock – spreading my love around like the rainbow.
Here’s hoping my little labor of love here will inspire you to refine what is possible for your own house, and spread the love wherever you call home.
Find all the sources for The House of Mag garden patio makeover here below!
Paint for concrete //Frog Tape// Paint for Windows //Window Tape // Distressed Black Console Table // Brass Arch Mirror // Glass Cloche // Dog Statue // White Urns // Florals // Galvanized Watering Can// Antique Miniature Urn on console // Brass Lion Planter // 5′ Topiary // White Topiary Planter // Shades of Light Light Globe in White// Boxwood Plant with Terra Cotta Planter // Rattan Plant Stand // Planter Stand // Patio Lights // Moss Half Umbrella // Umbrella Stand //Marble Bistro Table // White Outdoor Sofa // Rattan Side Chair // Black & White Stripe Pillow //
Velvet Slate Green Pillow // Woven Pink Pillow // Sunbrella Sage Stripe Pillows (set of 2) // Air-Conditioning Fence // Lady Planter Bust // Antique Wood Table // Blue & White Chinoiserie Planter // Brass Heart Tray // Fireplace // Firewood // Brass Antique Planter // White Milk Planter // Black & White Bistro Chairs // White Outdoor Chairs (set of 4) // Jute Natural Woven Seat Cushions // Ivory Natural Table Runner // Pink Floral Centerpiece Pot and Roses // Brass Gold Cutlery // Green Vintage Cups // Kate Spade Coffee Cups //
Marble Coasters // Anthropologie Geo Coasters // PitBoss Grill // Potting Table // Grey Bench// Lavender Plant // Terra Cotta Pots // Garden Hose // Gardenista Book // White & Natural Pot Planter with Handle// Weathered White Garden Box // Citronella Candle // Faux Oranges // Decorative Gold Ball // Garden Herb Signs // Sage Garden Boxes// Cream Watering Can // Patio Entrance Rug // Terra Cotta Large Planter // Garden Finial as doorstop similar// Brass Lion Gate Charm similar // Cast Iron Door Sign //
Do you all love these types of posts?! I’m thinking of doing more home giveaways – or maybe even re-doing a small space for one of you! Thoughts? I’d love to hear ‘em! Please share below!
If you haven’t found me on Instagram, you can visit me, Meg Mag, HERE, for even more peeks into my life and my house!
Thanks to everyone who supported us throughout this little project! Home renovations can sometimes test your patience, your wallet, and your sanity. Thank you for all your positive vibes when Rick and I wondered if we’d ever finish painting that floor!
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