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Styling and Decor Tips for Townhome Patios

By Rachel

published 05/18/2023

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Last Updated on October 23, 2024 by Rachel Granholm

These styling and decor tips for townhome patios will transform your outdoor space into a cozy retreat!

This time of the year is so exciting. The trees don fresh leaves, Tulips and Daffodils are around every corner and all of the bird life is back with anticipation. I don’t know about you but during these warm and sunny months, the patio area becomes an extension of my living space. With the long summer months ahead, it makes me feel good for my outdoor area to look and feel inviting. Come along as I share styling and decor tips for townhome patios!

Table of Contents

Create an Outdoor Oasis on a Budget

Once the warm weather arrives here in the North, I live for being outside. I want to be outdoors as much as I possibly can, soaking up the sun and basking in the warmth. Whether that be out on my paddle board, riding my bike, or sitting on the patio with a tasty beverage, my soul longs for this time of year. Heck, I even find that I’m more productive if I sit outside on my computer and work rather than at my desk!

So, because hubby and I (and Tilly) all spend much of our time outside, I designate many hours at the beginning of the Spring season to clean and refresh this area. Our patio becomes an oasis for relaxing, quality time together.

My hope is that the ideas that I’m sharing today will bring you inspiration for outdoor living whether you live in an apartment, a townhome, or a single family home.

Shop the Look

Styling and Decor Tips for Townhome Patios

Let me walk you through how I transformed my patio from drab and dirty to fresh and full of life in a matter of hours! I’ll share my cleaning process, how to plan out pots for low light and how to tie everything together with simple decor.

For years, I’ve had mis-matched pots and planters with no real plan as to what I was doing. I was basically treating our outdoor space as an after-thought, not as an extension of our living area. The ‘mish-mashed’ look of it all drove me a little batty last season. So, I decided that this Spring was going to be the year of a cohesive and well thought out patio.

Let’s rewind a little so I can share the planning process I used.

About a month or so before Spring arrived, I started thinking about my patio area and how I wanted it to look.

Here is what the list in my head looked like:

loads of greenery from vines and Ferns
a new patio rug with green accents
matching terra cotta pots
creating privacy through a hanging garden
pops of yellow and coral or pink

Tip: Look on Pinterest for color or patio theme inspiration. Or, you can make a list like I did. This really helps to narrow down what you want for your patio, especially if you have a small patio. Watch for sales on items that you would like to purchase to help with costs and budget.

In preparation for Spring planting and patio organizing, I purchased some new items that correlated with the list above.

First, I bought two terra cotta planters. They are from Walmart and are exactly the look I was going for. The little pedestal feet are adorable and I love the simple texture around the rim.

Then, for the lattice, I purchased two sets of these half-sphere hanging planters from Target.

These planters will also allow me to pot more flowers and greens without sacrificing ground space.

A few days before I had planned on starting the patio refresh, I went to the store and picked up all of my flowers and greenery.

My patio is a bit tricky because it faces East, only allowing for a few hours of direct sunlight each day. I’ve had success with Ferns, Coleus, Begonias and various vines.

Tip: Before you buy any flowers or plants for your patio, be sure you know how much sunlight your space gets throughout the day. This will help guide your purchases at the garden center.

Small Space, Big Style: Inspiring Design Ideas for Townhome Patios

Step 1: Clean the Entire Patio.

Let’s start with a few ‘before’ photos, shall we?

The winter is so harsh and cold, leaving my outdoor space messy and worn-out.

The siding needs to be wiped down, the concrete is full of dust and there is usually a pile of old leaves stuck in the back corner.

It seems overwhelming with all that needs to be done but I just choose a place to start and go from there.

The first thing I did was bag up the leaves that were left from Fall and stuck in the back corner.

Just that simple task makes the patio look so much cleaner!

Then, I spent some time sweeping the rug and concrete.

I also used a rag and cleaner to wipe down the couch, fence, windows and siding.

Step 2: Plan Out Pots and Planters.

The next step is to ‘stage’ the pots and planters, which is basically figuring out what plants and flowers to put in each pot.

I do this so that the color is spread out over the whole patio, not just limited to one area. Staging or planning out your plant placement before potting them also allows you to see which plants look pleasing together.

I moved the plants around to different pots until I was happy with how everything looked.

The lattice is one area that I’ve struggled with since we’ve resided in our townhome.

We live on the end which is amazing because we have a super large yard space but that also means the road is not that far away.

In the past I’ve used a flower box on the outside of the lattice. However, I was never able to see the flowers on that side so I couldn’t enjoy them.

This year, I’m trying something new and using the half-sphere hanging pots on the inside where I can see them. My hope is that the vines and flowers will get big and tall, helping to create privacy in the form of a hanging garden.

Tip: If you live in a home like mine and are struggling with patio aesthetic, try using a lattice or something similar for your pots. Using this method will allow you to bring life and color to your outdoor area without sacrificing ground space.

Step 3: Plant and Pot.

After I had each planter and pot ready, I simply added potting soil!

I didn’t take many photos during this process because this part of the patio refresh was super relaxing for me.

I got into a zone and was just one with the dirt and flowers 🙂

However, I did capture my sweet hubby helping me pot the large planters with Ferns. The landscaping around the property is not great, basically just these rocks everywhere.

A few years ago, I made some flat spots in the rocks to place these large blue pots. The green that the Ferns bring to this otherwise boring space is life-giving.

The half sphere pots for the lattice look so pretty with the flowers and vines planted in them!

Fun fact! I propagated this Coleus plant!

It was just a little sprig when I plopped it in this blue jar in October. Look at it now! I’m pretty proud of myself for keeping this alive all winter:)

The roots became so long that I had to cut them quite a bit so that the Coleus would keep growing in it’s new pot.

I hope it does well!

Step 4: Arrange the Planted Pots.

To add some contrast to my long patio, I set this white planter at an angle. The Fern in this one ties into the blue pots outside the fence as well as the hanging baskets above.

I placed the terra cotta pots in a few distinct areas on the ground.

One is set on the left side of the patio and the other one near the middle.

My hope is that these plants will get to be tall, which will help to draw your eyes up.

The lattice hanging pots turned out better than I had hoped!

They add such beautiful color to that brown wall.

I spaced them out equally across the lattice, arranging them in an ‘every other’ pattern. The ‘S’ hooks are extremely sturdy so I’m not worried about them falling off.

I hung two of the Fern hanging baskets above the lattice.

These will get pretty big over the summer, adding to the privacy that I’m trying to achieve on this side of the small patio.

Step 5: Add Patio Accessories.

The last step in this patio refresh is to add accessories. These are the items that really make the patio your own, achieving a unique and personal outdoor space.

I created a small water fountain by using a galvanized bucket and a fountain kit. The sound of the trickling water is soothing, creating tranquility in an otherwise noisy world.

Tip: If you live in an area with lots of traffic or have loud neighbors, consider putting a small water feature on your patio to help drown out the noise.

There are many types of patio accessories that you could choose from including:

Whatever you choose to use on your patio, make sure you are using it for a specific purpose. Especially on small patios like a townhome or apartment, every inch of space is crucial.

I have found that, by being very intentional with what you put on your patio, it helps to keep the space clean and minimal, leaving breathing room to enjoy the plants and nature around you.

Step 6: Enjoy Your Oasis!

After all the hard work of refreshing an outdoor space, it’s about time to sit down and relax, don’t ya think?!

When you pay careful attention to the smaller details of an outdoor space, you create an inviting ambience.

By choosing colors and textures that uplift you and bring joy, you can live daily in a harmonious outdoor atmosphere.

I love to come out here to relax and unwind. My small but mighty patio brings such refreshment after a busy day.

Closing Tidbits on Styling and Decor Tips for Townhome Patios

I sincerely hope that you found help ideas through styling and decor tips for townhome patios. Know that you don’t need to do this all at once. It’s taken me years to be able to figure out how to best style and decorate my patio space.

The best piece of advice I can give you is to start small. Choose one pot or one flower or one accent piece and go from there. Be encouraged to go take a step forward, slowly but surely, finding small victories along the way!

Leave me a comment! How do you decorate your patio for the season? What are your favorite plants or flowers to pot? I love hearing from you!

Just click the red button in the left corner!

If you are new here, I’m Rachel, the writer and content creator here at The Antiqued Journey. I’m so happy to have you! I encourage you to stop by the ‘about me’ page to get to know me a little more. Here on the blog, you will find loads of inspiration for decorating with vintage and antique decor, simple DIY crafts and many thrifting adventures. If that interests you, I invite you to sign up for my e-mail. You will receive a free digital download as a thank you!