Thought we spent the long weekend lounging and eating burgers? Not entirely. We did fire up the grill, but we also transformed the back patio into a welcoming and useful outdoor room—perfect for grilling, reading, relaxing, and roasting s’mores. We’d mentioned wanting a cozy outdoor spot, and this weekend we finally turned that idea into reality. Before Memorial Day the patio was pretty sad: just an old Target table and a chair set we’d bought a couple of years ago.
After a few hours of assembling furniture, potting plants, and building a small fire pit, the space felt like a brand-new outdoor room. We finished quickly enough to enjoy the rest of the long weekend outside—mission accomplished.
A few months ago we ordered two lounge chairs from Walmart with birthday money from our families. They were backordered for a while, but they were worth the wait—and worth their combined $277 price tag. Excited to get them, John assembled the chairs Friday evening so we could start using them immediately.
I really couldn’t wait to try one out—even in the dark—so we set one up that night. Yes, we’re nerds about outdoor comfort.
We made a simple, safe fire pit by stacking heat-resistant pavers in an area clear of the house and low branches. It’s small, contained, and perfect for cozy nights and marshmallow toasting.
To add greenery we brought in two black planters from Ikea and planted $6 boxwoods in each. We also added a green lumbar pillow from our porch makeover to one lounger for a pop of color. We liked it so much we’re thinking about getting another one for the second chair.
We already owned a fairly large stainless-steel grill we’d bought for our backyard wedding, but we rarely used it—mainly because the patio wasn’t inviting. Since the makeover we’ve grilled at least four meals in three days. It’s great to actually use the equipment instead of letting it sit covered for years.
The new layout works well for a compact space: there’s room to walk around and distinct areas for lounging, grilling, and a fire-pit hangout. Making a small space multifunctional encourages us to use it frequently—one of our favorite tricks to get more life out of the yard.
Burger, our pup, immediately claimed both loungers and alternates between them every twenty minutes. He’s a big fan of the update.
John and I do get to reclaim the seats sometimes to read with a cold drink beside us on a makeshift side table. We repurposed an old Ikea stool from the garage, painted it black, and sealed the top with outdoor polyurethane—now it’s the perfect spot for a drink, a snack, or a book.
We tested the fire pit that first night and made s’mores after dinner from the grill. There’s nothing quite like a toasted marshmallow and melted chocolate between graham crackers—definitely one of life’s simple pleasures.
John agreed—he enjoyed his s’more immensely while Burger watched from the shadows, hoping for a dropped treat.
Here’s a quick budget rundown. We expected to spend over $500 because the patio is larger than our front porch, but by repurposing items and using family gifts for the chairs, we kept costs low.
- Lounge chair set: $277
- Two black Ikea planters: $30
- Two boxwoods for the planters: $12
- Side table: repurposed Ikea stool (originally $19, functionally free)
- Grand Total: $319.00
So what did you do over the long weekend? Tackle any projects, take a trip to escape chores, or enjoy a s’more or two? Tell us about your weekend wins.