Bring the colors and feel of the southwest to your patio.
Give your patio a southwest feel with colorful plants, accent pieces and features that remind you of a peaceful, quiet evening in New Mexico or Arizona. Change out furniture cushions to those that feature classic American Indian blanket patterns, or choose a cushion color from the desert palette of sand, sage, cactus and terra cotta. Leave a throw with bold blues, reds and golds on a cushion to ward off an evening chill. Does this Spark an idea?
Fire Feature
Add a kiva or chiminea to your patio for instant warmth and southwest style.
Bring southwest style to your patio by installing a built-in kiva fireplace or featuring a portable chiminea. Made of traditional materials of stucco and clay with large rounded bases and a chimney, these fire sources once were used to cook food, warm your patio and add southwest ambiance. If you opt for portability, chimineas are available in table-top and floor models, which sit in wrought iron bases. Chimineas made of iron and aluminum offer durability, but If you want true southwest style, stick with classic clay.
Wall Art and Fountains
Add southwest wall art or a fountain to the space.
Hang wall art that depicts the southwest sun or popular Zuni and Navajo symbols, such as the Kachina or Kokopelli. In clay, tile or wrought iron, these pieces can be hung on a solid wall or fence. Another wall option is to install a small tile or clay fountain. Flat-backed, wall-mounted models add soothing sounds of water to the space. Electric models need only to be filled with water and plugged into an appropriate outdoor outlet to add instant ambiance to the patio.
Plants
Succulent plants balance bright colors of flowering vines.
Bring in plants that feature colorful flowers and vines of the southwest. Plant them in a wide variety of clay and glazed pots, and place them on the patio and plant stands. Place your pots in groupings and at different heights to add interest. Choose pot colors that pop, such as bright blues, or the oranges and yellows found in a southwest sunset. Hibiscus, trumpet vine, yellow roses, lobelia, bougainvillea and jasmine work well for flowering plant choices. Bring in succulents to add shades of sage green to the patio. Aloe vera and flowering ice plant work well.
Tags: your patio, southwest style, flowering plant, patio southwest, that feature
