patio decor Archives - StyleCarrot

Wayfair Sponsored Post Firepit Patio

I’ve been sheltering with my family on Cape Cod. After isolating in our condo in Boston for two weeks, we decided to pack our cars with food and supplies, and head to our house in the woods. We have plenty of space here, which we appreciate given we have two teenagers, along with fresh air, and no communal doorknobs. We are very lucky. I hope you are also healthy at home.

While the magnolias bloom in Boston, the Outer Cape landscape is quite a bit starker. Normally, we arrive here in early June, always surprised to see that the plantings around our patio are still sparse. Sometimes it’s much colder and rainier than one expects in June, even in New England.

April has gifted a few gorgeous, crisp and sunny days, along with many stormy ones. There are some daffodils (which seem out of place for the environs; much too manicured for the wilds of the National Seashore) and some forsythia. I’ve even seen a spot or two of dark purple. The only true moments of color, other than the sky and ocean, are the pine trees and lawns. As you can see from these pictures, my yard is no exception.

I added a firepit to my patio on Cape Cod

When StyleCarrot partner (and Boston-based company)Wayfair suggested we collaborate on a patio refresh post this season (last year’s patio post is here), I immediately started browsing for the outdoor living section for propane fire pits.

Sure, we could use some sofa-like seating for entertaining, since we only have two loungers and a bistro table, but even more, we need warmth. Since we’re out here in what feels a bit like winter, I figured, let’s try to make the most of it. So a fire pit it would be.

I love the concrete fire pits you see at boutique hotels, but good ones can be pricey. I wanted something that would last. I settled on a large square propane fire pit. It’s a bit bulky, but it’s sturdy and gets the job done.

Firepit with cheese platter

Yesterday was our nicest yet. I assembled a plate of snacks and wine from our local winery. (I shot this during the day, prompting my son to ask if I was day drinking.) The platter made for a nice lunch; I actually set the wine aside for later. I’m always on deadline. The fire threw enough heat that I could work outdoors, actually.

Backyard Ideas with A Fire Pit

Polyresin + stainless steel propane fire pit by Orren Ellis, Wayfair.

MORE: See StyleCarrot’s patio refresh post from last July
for flowers in bloom + ombre summer sky.

Photos by Marni Elyse Katz/StyleCarrot, LLC

I am lucky that I get to spend summers on the Cape. Even luckier that I work from home, which means I can work at the beach, on the sofa, or if the weather is just right, on the patio.

We have a couple of really solid teak chaise lounge chairs that we bought years ago when we lived in D.C., which have held up beautifully. But the hunter green umbrella and navy cushions, never looked quite right, so I took this opportunity from Wayfair to update the outdoor patio decor.

Wayfair Summer Living Cape Cod Patio Refresh

The starting point of the new color scheme, is the new turquoise color market umbrella. Our exterior windows are actually this color (for real), so it is a really fun touch.

I swapped out the cushions on the teak chaise lounges for neutral grey ones. (There’s also an upstairs deck with an old lounge that desperately needed a cushion – we went with a pale green/blue spa color up there.)

Tired of the hard-lined geometric trellis patterned outdoor throw pillows, I opted for more organic shape patterns, as well as global-inspired patterned throw pillows.

Finally, some new planters add structure and color that ties back to the flowers along the rail. Given we’re on the Outer Cape and not California, I didn’t go for the full-on outdoor room thing, with a rug and lights. Because, seriously, thunder storms are just too frequent. It’s trouble enough to drag the cushions indoors.

The patio looks really cheerful. Now, if only the mosquitos would disappear.

Wayfair Summer Living Cape Cod Patio Refresh