With Chicago’s temperatures heating up, we’re beyond excited to reveal this space in partnership with Frontgate! Looking for city outdoor patio inspiration and patio ideas? Given that we’re spending more time at home than ever, I hope this post sparks new ideas for the patio area of your home!
It’s no secret I love spending time at home, and we always want to update the exterior patio area of our home to feel comfy and chic. This also happens to be our first home with a decently sized patio for a city lot. Therefore, we’re excited to add a seating area with throw pillows, a dining area, and other fun accents like pendant lights and string lights.
City Outdoor Patio Inspiration and Ideas
In the past, we’ve had TINY front porches or nothing at all. Since we’re spending so much time at home, this patio space has given us a chance to get outdoors and try new patio designs. In fact, we’ve been spending a lot of nights lounging on these pieces, and we even want to invest in an outdoor fireplace at some point. Earlier this week, fireflies were dancing in the sky as we sat outdoors with glasses rosé; it was a slice of heaven!
City Outdoor Patio Inspiration
Like most major cities, Chicago home lots are quite narrow. In fact, most city blocks have buildings immediately next to one another (AKA no privacy). The first step was finding a way to make our space feel secluded yet stylish.
Surprisingly, we decided to add faux boxwood around the patio to create a pop of green and texture. I love this version from Frontgate that comes in 4′, 5′ or 7′ height options. Next year, we’ll do a full DIY video with how we install the boxwood on the porch!
Design-wise, I wanted to transition the beautiful blue striped wallpaper from the family room into our outdoor space. Sure, it’s a bit “matchy-matchy,” but that doesn’t bother me one bit! Haha! When our back window is open, the two spaces feel like one.
Frontgate Outdoor Umbrella
We were especially inspired by Frontgate’s Market Stripe Umbrella. In my opinion, Frontgate has one of the best selections of outdoor umbrellas on the Internet. Plus, the quality is IMPECCABLE. I’ve been super impressed. The key to any outdoor umbrella is to have a sturdy, weighted base. We opted for the Belmont Umbrella base in white. It comes in a bunch of colors – I love the black and brown versions, too.
Outdoor Sectional Sofa
After measuring our patio, we opted for Frontgate’s Cadence Modular Sectional in snow. While they have SO MANY phenomenal outdoor collections, the Cadence topped the list thanks to the deep seated style, all-weather wicker with a corrosion-resistant frame, and the fact it’s designed for slightly smaller spaces.
As you know, at times, Chicago’s weather is no joke, so we needed something that could withstand the seasons. Also, sectionals are the most expensive investment for outdoor furniture.
Therefore, you don’t want to get it wrong! Thankfully, we really lucked out with the Cadence 3-Piece Modular Set. It’s SO comfy! Sure, we opted for an all-white option. However, it’s so simple to clean! What happens if a drink spills? Simply remove and wash the covers – easy!
The Cadence collection comes in a variety of options, such as the 3-piece loveseat set, the sofa, and beyond. I also love the selection of fabrics. We chose the white snow fabric since it’s stocked and ships quickly! But definitely checkout their other options including sunbrella styles, stripes, patterns, and beyond.
Outdoor Decorative Pillows
I’m a bit of a decorative pillow fanatic! To match our umbrella, we opted for these stunning striped square pillows and solid lumbar pillows. One of my favorite aspects of Frontgate’s outdoor pillow selection is that you can customize the trim. We chose a simple piping, but they also offer fringe, cording, and boxed options. I had so much fun playing around on the website to visualize the options!
City Outdoor Patio Inspiration Rugs
Since our family room reveal, I’ve come to value rugs within a space. Beyond grounding the room, rugs add texture, add color and boost vibrance. I wanted an outdoor rug that we adored. This sunbrella indoor/outdoor diamond rug by Frontgate was an easy choice! Beyond completing the existing umbrella and accent pillows, this rug is fade, stain and mildew resistant. Sign me up!
Frontgate Accent Tables
For some reason, outdoor tables always conjure images of ugly old 1980’s furniture for me. Haha! Well, let’s just say design has come a LONG way since then. Case in point, this beautiful barrel wood side table from Frongate. Amelia, our interior design, taught me awhile ago that you always want to play with textures.
Matchy-matchy furniture is fine, but you should add items that add warmth and add that unexpected element. This table was the perfect solution! It feels completely natural in an outdoor space while adding a different feel.
The same can be said true of this GORGEOUS Linguard accent stool. The pop of orange is a stylish surprise and adds a different print in the mix. I’m seriously obsessed with this piece and it’s incredibly sturdy!
Accent Chairs
Similar to the accent tables, we wanted to add unexpected accent chairs in the mix. Sure, we could have done an entire set of Cadence, but since we have a smaller space, we wanted to add layers of prints and patters. These marvelous Maxen Swivel Chairs were the answer! Yes, they swivel 360 degrees! Most outdoor furniture tends to just say in one place. I love you can lounge in these seats with ease and they’re incredibly durable.
Frontgate’s Customer Service
Friends, Frontgate has the BEST customer team. After a full year of redesigning countless spaces in our home, I can truly say we’re experts on the good, bad, and ugly of home company customer service experiences.
Frontgate easily tops the list of one of the best of all time – especially for an outdoor area, outdoor dining and a patio area. Since the beginning, we have had a flawless experience with them. Moreover, the shipping is FAST for drop ship pieces, the quality of each item is superb, and the fabrics are durable yet chic. I kept waiting for an issue to arise, but time after time – they rose to the occasion (and still do).
However, most Frontgate items have shipped quickly. The nice thing is they give you dates on the site for each product so you know if it’s available immediately.
What’s Your City Outdoor Inspiration?
Meanwhile, how are you designing your outdoor space this season? I highly recommend checking out Frontgate’s gorgeous selection of outdoor furniture, accessories, and beyond. You won’t regret it! They also have the most lovely throw pillows and dining table options – even outdoor sets, pendant lights, string lights, and everything in between.
Frontgate Outdoor Furniture
Below, I’m excited to share some of our top picks for Frontgate outdoor furniture. The colors are SO fun for outdoor dining, seating areas, lighting and beyond! Overall, I’m thrilled with the way it came together. Furthermore, I am excited to change out the accent pillows, throw pillows, and umbrella color next summer! We’re even on the hunt for a landscape designer to bring the outdoor space even more to life.
All in all, it’s fun to see how patio furniture and outdoor areas can be personalized to create the ultimate outdoor rooms.
Frontgate Maxel Swivel Chairs
Friends, the Maxen Swivel Chairs are SO good. They’re the perfect addition to an outdoor dining or seating area of patio spaces. Plus, you can easily add throw pillows to change up the look. Moreover, these pack a powerful punch and statement to outdoor sets and patio areas. Amelia, our interior designer (who’s also helping us find a landscape designer), always recommends changing up a seating area and patio furniture with unique pieces.
Matching outdoor sets and patio furniture are outdated! Mix things up with different design ideas for patio furniture, outdoor dining, and general outdoor areas of the home. We’re thrilled with the Maxen Swivel Chairs as part of our patio furniture.
We love having extra seating for guests. Furthermore, they’re made out of all-weather wicker is handwoven with an aluminum frame. Plus, the premium wicker construction resists mold and mildew making them ideal for patio designs. After one summer, the color is still vibrant and feature. No fade factor!
Frontgate Barrel Wood Table
Looking back, one of the hardest decisions was picking accent tables. On one hand, I wanted something clean and more. However, after one look at the Barrel Wood Table? I was sold. Additionally, the silhouette adds a touch of texture to the space, and it replicates the look of vintage wood. Instead, it’s made out of all-weather resin and stone.
Striped Outdoor Pillows
It’s no secret I love decorative pillows – both indoor and outdoor. As such, we opted for Stripe Square Indoor/Outdoor Pillow. Even though it was nearly impossible to pick between the patterns, we opted for the blue and white stripes.
In Closing
Lastly, are you redesigning your outdoor space? As shown above, you can have a lot of fun doing so! Particularly, don’t be afraid of color, prints, and patterns! In particular, have fun with accent pillows and accessories. Additionally, we’re looking into adding a fire pit to our outdoor rooms and patio area.
Do you have any favorite outdoor fireplaces that you’d recommend? I’m also shopping for additional outdoor pendant lights and throw pillows to change up the look of the outdoor space. Keep me posted below with any fun finds from your outdoor area, outdoor dining and patio spaces. I’m open to ideas!
Lastly, I’m hoping to find a way to do an outdoor kitchen. Sure a fire pit and outdoor fireplace area lovely, but an outdoor kitchen will round out our patio design in the best way. Stay tuned for more!
Thank you to the team at Frontgate for partnering on this blog post. They generously gifted select pieces for our patio. Partnerships like these make Style Charade possible!
