Turning Our Back Patio into a Modern Outdoor Oasis

With warmer weather here, we’ve been itching to put together our back patio. The last part of the puzzle was getting some comfortable pieces to create our ultimate modern outdoor oasis.

We are very excited to partner with AllModern who sponsored this post. As always, all opinions are my own.

When Travis and I envisioned our back patio, we wanted a space that would feel like an oasis. We talked about having it be an extension of the modern furniture in our home today, so the transition would feel natural. That feeling of walking from an indoor living room to an outdoor living space was most important. Our vision was a place that we could gather with friends and family, and enjoy the back patio under the towering maple and ginkgo tree. While perusing AllModern, we selected pieces that were a reflection of those ideas.

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AllModern‘s collection of outdoor furniture had several modern designs to choose from. As we started to narrow down our design choices for the living space next to our outdoor dining table, here’s what we came up with.

Concepts for the Modern Outdoor Oasis

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The Size
First and foremost, we wanted the furniture to fit a minimum of 6-8 people. This was important as our interior living room is small so we wanted the extra space. We love to host and the spring and summer months in Sacramento are great for being outdoors.

The Style
Clean lines and minimal design is our go-to for furniture. We love pieces that feel balanced between modern and comfortable. Modern design can still be very cozy and that was our hope. With a brick house, it was important that the furniture complimented it as well.

The Color
Having already purchased the dining set which included black dining chairs and a grey wood table, we wanted to continue this color story. I personally love the color of darker wood tones with pops of white and beige. The other appeal of the richer color to us is that has a Japanese feel to it. The color of black wood always reminds of Shou Sugi Ban (Japanese blackened wood) which we came to love through our travels in Japan. So it was an easy choice to go with darker furniture in the backyard when it came down to it. We have some different colored wood fencing around the garden, so I wanted the wood tones to match it accordingly as well.

Important Pieces
The most vital part of this was recognizing the cemented patio area needed pieces that would fit it. At first, we thought we had wanted to get a large sectional. The more we thought about it, it felt too heavy in the space and wanted something that had a few different configurations. It was also important to have some side tables for drinks. Lastly, we wanted a sleek, modern firepit at the center of it all — somewhere that would be a great spot to end the night.

Here is a quick look at the patio before the furniture arrived!

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The Final Selects

The Multi-Functional Sectional
The sectional we ended up choosing was this Hammond Sectional. It can be arranged in several patterns which for us made it a very easy decision. Opting for the slate blackish-grey wood, it went well with the existing color tones. On the patio, you can see we arranged it into two pieces across from each other instead of one long sectional. It creates an encircled area where everyone can face each other.
More Outdoor Sectionals Here.

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The 3-Piece Set
To complement the sectional, the next piece that went great with it was this 3-piece sitting set. It includes two seats and a matching table which is perfect for more seating. I’ve always loved the rounded rattan chairs, so I went with a more modern version of that to go with the rest of the selections. One great thing I found with buying a 3-piece set is that they come with their own side table, so no need to buy extra tables for drinks.
More 3-piece sets here.

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The Fire Pit
There are several fire pits that you can consider for a back patio which made the decision challenging. For me, the biggest element I was interested in was the texture of the material and the shape. It was a hot debate (no pun intended) as we were considering options. Ultimately, we loved the Howland Cast Iron Fire Pit as the cast iron has a wonderful texture to it. Plus the shape is incredibly unique for a fire pit — it almost looks like it is floating!
More fire pits here.

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Overall

The design process of the back patio living space has been a fun process. It’s a space that we hope will be a special place to gather with friends and family here in the future. Looking forward to creating new memories in the backyard. A big thank you to AllModern for sponsoring this!

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