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What’s in My Cart:
Outdoor Finds for Finishing Our Patio

May 8, 2025

What I’m Ordering to Actually Finish Our Patio This Year

(because it has bugged me since last summer) 

For Context …

We bought these outdoor sofas last year, and I really do love them. They’re comfy, they’ve held up well, and the neutral tone works with everything. But honestly? That’s about as far as we got. No side tables, no layered lighting, no extra details that make it feel intentional or layered or lived-in. Just … a good start.

And of course, once fall hit, the whole space sort of sat there unfinished (and cold). So, now that the weather’s shifting and we’re outside more, it’s something we have to fix ASAP.

A cozy backyard patio featuring wicker sofas, wooden dining furniture, and white umbrellas beneath tall pine trees at dusk — the space shows potential for a complete outdoor living setup.

What I’m hoping to create …

This spot is right off our picnic table/dining area, so I want it to flow. After dinner, guests should feel like they can carry their wine over to the couch, kick their shoes off, and just hang for the rest of the night. Conversations, desserts, cozy drinks, maybe a board game. Not too “firepit zone” and not too “dining space”—just easygoing and cozy.

The vibe I’m going for

I don’t want to overdo it, but I also want it to feel done. So, I’ve been eyeing pieces that are relaxed and beautiful, but also functional. Think:

  • a low coffee table where you can rest a drink or plate
  • soft lighting (maybe lanterns, hurricanes, or outdoor-safe lamps?)
  • cozy textiles like throws and pillows that make it feel more like a living room
  • definitely a drink tray or two, because no one likes to balance glasses on the arm of the couch
  • a few pots to cluster around

The Finds

I’ll be sharing all the pieces you might like, from the practical to the pretty. Some of them are already on their way to me, and others I’m still deciding on—but if you’re in the middle of a refresh as well, hopefully this will give you some inspiration.

I’m linking everything in the post so you can shop what speaks to you. And, if your patio has been feeling a little half-finished like ours, maybe this is your sign to finally give it that extra attention.

A cozy, cushioned outdoor rocking chair with matching ottoman, perfect for relaxing on a porch or patio.

We bought these rocking chairs with ottomans for another project and I instantly fell in love. I wasn’t sure at first—they look kind of funny when no one’s sitting in them—but they’re so comfortable. You can sit upright or rock back a bit, and the little ottoman is perfect for lounging. They’re budget-friendly, too.

A sculptural round outdoor dining table made of concrete, ideal for hosting meals al fresco.

For a coffee table, I went with a 40″ diameter concrete-style option. The scale is perfect—big enough for drinks, snacks, or even a full grazing board on dinner party nights. It also comes in gray, but I picked the creamy white for a softer look.

A natural rattan dome food cover with tray, used to keep dishes protected during outdoor dining.
Photo: Crate & Barrel

I’ve been eyeing this basket tray and cloche from Jake Arnold’s collab with Crate & Barrel since it launched. The twisted iron handle is such a nice touch—and it’s going to be perfect for keeping bugs off the before-mentioned charcuterie platters ?

Outdoor string lights in a mossy forested area set up during dusk with a table setting.
Photo: Terrain

Last summer I kept telling Derrick we needed better lighting out here, and he kept pointing to our house sconces. But they just weren’t cutting it. Once the sun sets, it’s pitch black on the patio (which is part of Bend’s charm, honestly). So this year, we’re finally stringing these lights overhead to add a soft layered glow.

Clouz Houz | Interior Design Studio | Bend, Oregon | Small Tabletop Accents | Home Decor | Home Refresh | Home Essentials | Chargeable Light | Cordless Lamp | Lighting

And then there’s this battery-operated lamp I will never stop sharing—it’s one of my favorite things. I move it all over the house and now it’s coming outside. I used it on our coffee table for late-night conversations and it brings such a nice vibe.

Set of Aged Terracotta Pots – A set of three aged terracotta pots with a weathered patina and embossed detailing, perfect for displaying fresh herbs, flowers, or greenery indoors and out.

Lastly, more greenery is a must. I shared a blog post recently about all the best pots—because finding good ones is surprisingly hard. I grabbed two sets of these mossy-looking ones to line our long picnic table. I’ll fill them with herbs and dainty flowers to bring some life to the table.

Need a little more direction?

Are you struggling to define your style or figure out how to pull your space together? That’s exactly why we created our Clouz Houz Design Guides—to help you design a space that feels cohesive, elevated, and personal … without hiring a designer.

Click here to explore the five curated styles, complete with inspiration boards, designer tips, and product links that make sourcing simple. 

Not sure which one’s for you? Take our free quiz to discover which aesthetic best suits your space.

We’re here to help you move forward with confidence, and create a home that truly feels like yours.

P.S. If you’re new to Clouz Houz and want to be in the know on all things home and lifestyle, subscribe now so you don’t miss a post. As a bonus, you’ll receive our exclusive 42-page ‘Paint Guide,’ which will help you select the perfect shades for your home. And, you’ll also receive as our weekly newsletter including special finds that are not on the blog — they’re only for subscribers. ? 

Life is short. Make it beautiful!

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This breakfast nook is a perfect example of why I believe a good design plan can actually help you spend smarter, not more.

We intentionally paired a more affordable lacquer dining table with timeless wicker dining chairs and a statement light fixture. By saving in one area, we were able to invest where it mattered most. The end result still feels layered, custom, and collected because every decision was made with the bigger picture in mind.

That’s one of the biggest misconceptions about hiring a designer. People assume we’re here to encourage a bigger budget.

Honestly, we’re here to educate you where to save so you can spend on the things that matter the most.

Knowing where to invest, where to save, and how those decisions work together is what keeps a project feeling intentional—and helps avoid expensive mistakes later.

I think a lot of people assume they need to wait until they have more money, or the entire house figured out before getting started. But I’ve found the opposite is often true. One thoughtful plan for one room creates momentum for everything that follows.

If you’ve been putting off a room because you don’t know where to begin (or you’re worried about making the wrong decisions), we’d love to help.

Comment “PLAN” and I’ll send you the link to schedule a one-hour consultation so we can kick your project off on the right foot.

19 2
Open
This breakfast nook is a perfect example of why I believe a good design plan can actually help you spend smarter, not more. We intentionally paired a more affordable lacquer dining table with timeless wicker dining chairs and a statement light fixture. By saving in one area, we were able to invest where it mattered most. The end result still feels layered, custom, and collected because every decision was made with the bigger picture in mind. That’s one of the biggest misconceptions about hiring a designer. People assume we’re here to encourage a bigger budget. Honestly, we’re here to educate you where to save so you can spend on the things that matter the most. Knowing where to invest, where to save, and how those decisions work together is what keeps a project feeling intentional—and helps avoid expensive mistakes later. I think a lot of people assume they need to wait until they have more money, or the entire house figured out before getting started. But I’ve found the opposite is often true. One thoughtful plan for one room creates momentum for everything that follows. If you’ve been putting off a room because you don’t know where to begin (or you’re worried about making the wrong decisions), we’d love to help. Comment “PLAN” and I’ll send you the link to schedule a one-hour consultation so we can kick your project off on the right foot.

When we first started designing our primary suite at the Sixth Street Bungalow, these were the images I kept coming back to. A bathroom that feels collected over time. A bedroom that feels quiet and restorative. Spaces with character, warmth, and a sense of permanence.

I’ve always believed that the best design starts there-not with a specific tile or paint color, but with how you want a space to feel when you walk into it.

The funny thing about renovation is that the vision is usually the easy part. The middle is where the work happens. The demolition. The decisions. The samples spread across every surface. The moments when you’re trying to imagine beautiful spaces while standing in a construction zone. We’re still very much in that season.
Choosing flooring. Finalizing cabinetry details. Adjusting lighting plans. Working through tile layouts.

Making hundreds of small decisions that most people will never notice individually, but together create the feeling we’ve been chasing from the beginning.

I’ve learned through the years that beautiful homes are rarely the result of one dramatic design decision.
They’re built through thoughtful choices, made over and over again.

We’re sharing much more of this renovation journey over on Substack-the sourcing, the design decisions. the changes, the lessons learned, and all the behind-the-scenes moments that don’t always make it to Instagram.

I’d love for you to follow along.

14 1
Open
When we first started designing our primary suite at the Sixth Street Bungalow, these were the images I kept coming back to. A bathroom that feels collected over time. A bedroom that feels quiet and restorative. Spaces with character, warmth, and a sense of permanence. I’ve always believed that the best design starts there-not with a specific tile or paint color, but with how you want a space to feel when you walk into it. The funny thing about renovation is that the vision is usually the easy part. The middle is where the work happens. The demolition. The decisions. The samples spread across every surface. The moments when you’re trying to imagine beautiful spaces while standing in a construction zone. We’re still very much in that season. Choosing flooring. Finalizing cabinetry details. Adjusting lighting plans. Working through tile layouts. Making hundreds of small decisions that most people will never notice individually, but together create the feeling we’ve been chasing from the beginning. I’ve learned through the years that beautiful homes are rarely the result of one dramatic design decision. They’re built through thoughtful choices, made over and over again. We’re sharing much more of this renovation journey over on Substack-the sourcing, the design decisions. the changes, the lessons learned, and all the behind-the-scenes moments that don’t always make it to Instagram. I’d love for you to follow along.

Comment “PIN” and I’ll send over tonight’s Design Board when it goes live. Or find it later in Between the Layers through the link in our bio.

I think people assume designers spend all day choosing furniture. The truth is, we spend a lot more time studying why certain rooms stay with us.

Why one staircase feels timeless.
Why a stripe can completely change the feeling of a room.
Why adding one modern piece to a traditional home suddenly makes everything else fee more interesting.

That’s what this month’s Design Board explores. It’s a peek inside the ideas shaping our work long before they become finished rooms. Some may be having a moment. But I have a feeling they’ll be just as beautiful ten years from now. That’s always the goal.

Fair warning: you may leave wanting to tent a room. I can’t be held responsible.

118 27
Open
Comment “PIN” and I’ll send over tonight’s Design Board when it goes live. Or find it later in Between the Layers through the link in our bio. I think people assume designers spend all day choosing furniture. The truth is, we spend a lot more time studying why certain rooms stay with us. Why one staircase feels timeless. Why a stripe can completely change the feeling of a room. Why adding one modern piece to a traditional home suddenly makes everything else fee more interesting. That’s what this month’s Design Board explores. It’s a peek inside the ideas shaping our work long before they become finished rooms. Some may be having a moment. But I have a feeling they’ll be just as beautiful ten years from now. That’s always the goal. Fair warning: you may leave wanting to tent a room. I can’t be held responsible.

This is your sign to finally create a plan for the room you’ve been avoiding.

I think a lot of people assume they need to wait.
Until they have more time.
More money.
A bigger budget.
The entire house figured out.

But I’ve found the opposite is often true... Sometimes all it takes is creating a vision for one space.

One room that feels calmer.
More functional.
More beautiful.
More like you.

Because a home isn’t transformed all at once. It’s shaped through a series of thoughtful decisions over time.

If you’ve been circling the same room for months and aren’t sure what to do next, comment ‘PLAN” (or visit our website to get started) and I’ll send you the link to schedule a one-hour consultation.

0 0
Open
This is your sign to finally create a plan for the room you’ve been avoiding. I think a lot of people assume they need to wait. Until they have more time. More money. A bigger budget. The entire house figured out. But I’ve found the opposite is often true... Sometimes all it takes is creating a vision for one space. One room that feels calmer. More functional. More beautiful. More like you. Because a home isn’t transformed all at once. It’s shaped through a series of thoughtful decisions over time. If you’ve been circling the same room for months and aren’t sure what to do next, comment ‘PLAN” (or visit our website to get started) and I’ll send you the link to schedule a one-hour consultation.

If you’ve been circling the same room for months and aren’t sure what to do next, comment ‘PLAN” (or visit our website) and I’ll send you the link to schedule a one-hour consultation.

This is your sign to finally create a plan for the room you’ve been avoiding.

I think a lot of people assume they need to wait.
Until they have more time.
More money.
A bigger budget.
The entire house figured out.

But I’ve found the opposite is often true... Sometimes all it takes is creating a vision for one space.

One room that feels calmer.
More functional.
More beautiful.
More like you.

Because a home isn’t transformed all at once. It’s shaped through a series of thoughtful decisions over time.

1 0
Open
If you’ve been circling the same room for months and aren’t sure what to do next, comment ‘PLAN” (or visit our website) and I’ll send you the link to schedule a one-hour consultation. This is your sign to finally create a plan for the room you’ve been avoiding. I think a lot of people assume they need to wait. Until they have more time. More money. A bigger budget. The entire house figured out. But I’ve found the opposite is often true... Sometimes all it takes is creating a vision for one space. One room that feels calmer. More functional. More beautiful. More like you. Because a home isn’t transformed all at once. It’s shaped through a series of thoughtful decisions over time.
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64654 Cook Ave Suite 3,
Bend, OR 97703, US

Located inside Tumalo Home

(503)422-5682