This post is sponsored by Aquascape®.
Patio design and opinions are my own.
You guys, I can hardly contain my excitement—our side patio now has a patio pond and a bamboo pouring fountain! This small outdoor upgrade has already made the area feel like a peaceful retreat just outside our kitchen door.
If you need a reminder, the side patio sits beyond our Dutch door. I’ll share a full before-and-after in a future post, but for context you can see where we started. The transformation has been dramatic; I barely recognize the space.
door to the patio from our kitchen
This project wasn’t without hiccups, and it’s still not completely finished, but even with a few loose ends it’s far more welcoming than it was a few weeks ago. Adding a patio pond makes a huge difference—there’s something instantly calming about the sound of flowing water.
We’ve lived here for almost two years, and until now this side patio has mostly been an unfinished zone. When the sun finally returned, we decided we weren’t going to miss another season—so we cleaned up, concealed a few unfinished spots, and made the area usable. Imperfect can still be beautiful, and we wanted to enjoy this space this summer.
The recent stretch of sunny days in Seattle reminded us why we love living here. Our neighborhood is peaceful, and from our yard you can see toward the Puget Sound. With minimal humidity and few bugs, this small patio can feel like an urban oasis.
I’ve always wanted a patio pond and fountain, so that vision helped motivate the rest of the space makeover. The goal was to create a private, soothing spot—especially important since we share a fence with neighbors and our Goldendoodle, Jack, can be sensitive to passing dogs and sudden noises.
To make the patio feel like an outdoor room, I arranged familiar room elements: a rug to define the seating area, our sectional, side tables, and layered cushions. The umbrella provides shade and acts as a “ceiling,” which helps the space feel more intimate. Plants, garden stools, and a few decorative accents bring texture and function.
We used a mix of outdoor and indoor cushions (the indoor ones sit in a shaded corner to avoid sun damage). The sectional we moved from our previous home still fits the space nicely, and a striped umbrella adds a playful touch while increasing privacy.
An Outdoor Room
Designing this area as an outdoor room means it’s usable for long stretches of the year. We’ll leave it set up through summer and fall, bringing cushions inside if heavy rain is forecast. Simple elements—seating, shade, and layered textiles—make the patio feel as comfortable as an indoor living room.
Patio Pond
The patio pond is the new focal point. The basin, paired with a bamboo pouring spout, creates soothing water sounds that can be heard from the kitchen—an inviting cue to step outside and relax. The pond was straightforward to install: a basin, a pump, and a spout. Aquascape includes clear instructions and video guidance, making it an easy project even for non-DIY experts.
Decorate Your Pond
We have two different bamboo spouts to choose from, and the pond accommodates floating plants and potted water plants on a built-in shelf. Over time we’ll add more plantings and consider lighting for evening ambience. The pond can even support fish if you follow proper setup and care instructions.
For now, though, we’re keeping things simple and pet-safe—Jack and Lily aren’t exactly pond-friendly when it comes to fish. Still, the sound and sight of water have already turned this small patio into a favorite spot for morning coffee, working outdoors, or relaxed dinners in the evening.
We’re thrilled to have this space ready for summer. I’ll share more about the patio, including progress shots and how we handled the concrete dyeing, in an upcoming post.
ENTER THE PATIO POND GIVEAWAY!
Be sure to enter the Aquascape Patio Pond giveaway in my blog comments, below! You do NOT have to have a website or blog to enter (Winners can be from U.S. and Canada only). One winner will be selected June 15, 2017.
How to Order a Patio Pond:
If you want a patio pond and fountain of your own this summer, you can find ordering details from Aquascape. The model shown here is a 27-inch gray slate basin. Other outdoor items used in this space are available from the sources listed below.
OUTDOOR FURNITURE AND DECOR:
You can shop all of the outdoor furniture and decor sources used in this space.
PAINT COLORS:
The house paint color is Reserved White (Glidden) and the Dutch door is Blue Note by Benjamin Moore.
Related Posts:
My Backyard Fire Fountain
The Side Yard Project BEFORE
P.S. I’ll go into more detail about the patio project in a future post, including how we handled the concrete dyeing after an uneven pour. Yes—you can dye an existing patio, and I’ll explain how, what worked, and what to consider next time.