Do you want to enjoy lazy summer days by your pool? Today I’m sharing simple ideas to style a pool patio area!
Are you ready for summer?
It’s the most wonderful time of the year!
Well…nope I guess that would be Christmas! LOL
But summertime is definitely one of my most favorite times of the year too!
What about you?
Do you love summer too?
We’re so excited to team up with 25 of our favorite bloggers to share our summer outdoor spaces.
Be sure to check them all out using the links at the bottom of this post.
If you’re visiting from Amy at Cuter Tudor, or if you’re new to our blog, Welcome!
I’m AnnMarie (darker hair), one of the moms of Simply2Moms.
My bestie Anne (light hair) lives right across the street from me.
We work together to share simple and budget-friendly ideas for decorating, recipes, DIY projects, and tips for life with older teens (and beyond!).
You can read more about us here.
Enough about us…the pool is open and we’re ready to jump in…
Our Pool Patio
Let’s start by going way back to 2008!
When we moved to North Carolina from New Jersey 12 years ago our realtor was surprised that a pool or even a community pool wasn’t on our family’s wish list when looking for a house (okay…maybe they were more than surprised…maybe they thought we were a bit crazy).
Little did we know just how hot it can get here in the summer months!
We moved into our new home in July and spent that first summer sitting in the garage (for shade) watching the kids run through a sprinkler set up in our driveway.
Why the driveway you may ask?
Oh, that’s because we had no grass in the yard because it was so hot nothing would grow until the fall.
After that steamy first summer, we decided that we may need a pool in our backyard after all.
How to Make the Best Use of Backyard Space On a Hill
Our backyard is a BIG downward slope and we weren’t sure how we were going to be able to get a pool back there without building up the backyard.
We decided to have the pool sit between two levels of retaining walls rather than building up the yard and having a bigger drop-off behind the pool.
And since we needed so much hardscape we went with a more affordable keystone block option.
The other obstacle we had was building the retaining wall and patio around the septic tanks that were behind the house.
The wall was built on an angle to provide the required distance from the underground tanks.
This meant a smaller patio space but a larger garden space.
Since plants and trees could be more easily removed if we ever have an issue with our septic.
Creating Outdoor Seating Areas Around the Pool
Two chaise lounges along the angled wall make a perfect area for sunbathing.
A couple of colorful striped pillows brighten the neutral chairs.
For your convenience, I’ve included links to some items used in this post. These are affiliate links which means we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. You can read our full disclosure policy here.
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Across from the lounge chairs, the outdoor living area is a fun spot to hang out with friends while enjoying a cold drink.
The wicker outdoor furniture has super thick comfortable cushions for a day of lounging by the pool.
A few blue throw pillows brighten up the neutral couch cushions.
Umbrellas are a must to protect from the hot Carolina sun.
This large 11-foot cantilever umbrella provides shade over the seating area.
We also have a smaller 9-foot umbrella we can bring out when we need more shade by the chaise lounge chairs.
How to Decorate a Pool Patio
Plants and flowers are the ultimate accessories to create a pretty outdoor space.
I even added a few faux plants mixed in with all the real plants and flowers.
Can you tell which are faux?
I mean you really can never have too many potted plants, am I right? LOL
Candle lanterns are another decor item that adds texture and ambient lighting to an outdoor space.
I use battery-operated candles in our lanterns and then just put them away with our cushions in outdoor storage bins after using them for the night.
Another lantern and a few plants on a galvanized tray are a fun idea for the coffee table centerpiece.
Using a tray allows me to move my decor out of the way when we want to bring out some snacks
How to Light Up the Area without Electricty
Since we don’t have any electrical outlets near the pool patio we had to get creative to provide some lighting for the area.
Tiki torches to the rescue!
I attached several tiki torches to the outside of our fence surrounding our pool patio with zip ties.
Then I filled them with citronella torch fuel which helps with the bugs in the evenings but more importantly they provide a beautiful glow around the pool at night.
I didn’t get a photo of them lit at night.
Remind me to take one soon and share it on Instagram with you.
How to Landscape Around a Pool Patio
We planted trees and shrubs in the garden area between the house and pool patio including these beautiful hydrangeas and pampas grass.
We also added several Leyland cypress between the trees in the side yard beyond the pool patio which have grown so much in the past 10 years and gives us privacy from our neighbors.
And because our yard is so sloped we didn’t clear too far behind the pool.
So when the trees all fill in during the summer it feels like an oasis with all the greenery surrounding our backyard.
Backyard Spaces that Lead to Our Pool
Although it would be wonderful if we had a level yard we’ve been able to create different outdoor spaces taking advantage of the slope as much as possible.
At the back of our kitchen, we have a door that leads out to our deck.
We added an outdoor tv to our deck area that we are really enjoying.
Then down the steps from the deck, you come into our patio in our side yard (actually behind our driveway).
Take a look at how I styled the patio with a fire pit area and pergola and then updated it a little the next year.
And then down the last set of stairs to our pool area.
I hope you’ve enjoyed taking a look around our backyard pool and patio.
Be sure to check back often for more ideas and inspiration.
And you need to see Anne’s gorgeous pool and pergola space…it’s just perfect on a nice flat backyard!
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Summer Outdoor Spaces Blog Hop
The Summer Outdoor Spaces Blog Hop continues with Bree from Rain and Pine Blog and her gorgeous stamped concrete patio!
For even more inspiration, be sure to check out our talented friends!
Continue your Summer Outdoor Spaces Blog Hop using the links below.
Be sure to visit all these fantastic blogs for more summer outdoor ideas!
More Posts You May Enjoy:
- Tips to Create the Perfect Outdoor Patio
- Simple Summer Styling for your Patio
- Summer Front Porch Refresh
- Patriotic Summer Farmhouse Fireplace
- Patriotic Summer Tiered Tray
- How to Decorate your Fireplace for Spring & Summer
- Simple Summer Fireplace Mantel
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