September 21, 2021

Rentfluencer Episode 4: Brit and Haley’s Patio

Watch the full video episode here.

Photos by Canary Gray for HGTV.

On episode 4 of Rentfluencer, I had so much fun working with two adorable friends Brit and Haley. They live in a duplex in a trendy neighborhood of Minneapolis. They have really great outdoor space but needed my help to spruce it up!

Their style is opposite, Haley likes pink and girly, but Brit likes dark neutrals. What they both love though are bonfires and wine nights!

MY PLAN FOR THEIR BACKYARD AND HOW YOU CAN GET THE SAME LOOK:

Easy DIY planter makeover
Take up dead grass and put gravel and stone to create a patio space
Create an appealing planter with posts to hang string lights over the patio
Refresh secondhand furniture

1. DIY Planter Makeover

Brit and Haley had a lot of old planters sitting in their basement. We gave them new life with this easy and fun DIY to add inexpensive style to their patio. All you need is some baking powder and paint.

Step 1: Add 1 teaspoon of baking powder to your paint. This provides a nice texture to the paint so it looks like it’s handmade.

Step 2: Paint the planters with the mixture. We used flat BEHR paint. *tip: use an inexpensive coarse paintbrush for added texture.

2. Take up Dead Grass and Put Gravel and Stone to Create a Patio Space

We were happy to get permission from their landlord to do this. He was actually really excited because this is going to add value to his property.

Step 1: Measure carefully and mark off the line with spray paint so you know the boundary. We’re doing approximately a 12 x 12 patio space.

Step 2: Take up the dead grass. A “sod kicker” is an easy way to remove grass. They rent for under $20 a day! Take out all the sod and then rake it so it is nice and flat.

Step 3: Put down the weed barrier to prevent grass from growing back and into the rocks.

Step 4: Lay down concrete pavers from Hedberg, a local center. They look like natural stone but cost a lot less (concrete pavers $4.25/sqft. vs. natural stone $11.00/sq.ft).

Step 5: Install no-dig edging to keep the gravel in place.

Step 6: Fill with pea gravel and rake it to even out and look nice and flat. You want the gravel to fill all the space between the stepping stones. Finally, brush the gravel off of the stepping stones.

3. Create an Appealing Planter with Posts to Hang String Lights Over the Patio

When you live in a rental you can’t necessarily dig a hole in the ground for a pole. A great solution is attaching a post to a planter. Stumbled upon this idea via Pinterest from Laine and Layne and Jenna Sue Design.

Step 1: Take a whisky barrel and attach the post at the bottom.

Step 2: Mix up quicksand concrete and then pour it into the barrel. Make sure it’s enough to weigh down the barrel and hold up the string lights.

Step 3: Pour in potting soil and start adding plants for an appealing design

*tip: figure out how much sun your planter will get, and choose appropriate plants. Petunias and geraniums love the sun!

Step 4: Drill a hole on top of the post and add a hook for the string lights. Note: LED string lights will be heavier so make sure the poles can handle the weight.

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4. Upgrade Existing Furniture

You don’t need all new patio furniture to spruce up the space. Evaluate what existing items can be enhanced through a simple DIY approach. For instance, I transformed Brit and Haley’s window boxes by adding 2×3 wood legs – all for a total cost of $32!

We also painted their benches white to make the patio feel more fresh and bright!

For some final touches, I got some throw pillows to represent each of the gals’ style, white planter with a palm tree, and a cute lantern. Let’s look at the before and after photos! Can you even believe we accomplished this budget-friendly makeover in one day???