#DIYButMakeItProfessional

[mosaicbuild]

Patio Envy & the Art of Outdoor Living

This weekend, I sat on my back porch and sighed.

Not because it was a bad day—the weather was perfect, birds chirping, coffee in hand—but because my "patio" is basically a slab of concrete with two sad lawn chairs. Meanwhile, my neighbor’s yard looks like a resort: string lights, a fire pit, built-in seating. I’m over here with a folding table from Target like, How did I become the outdoor space peasant?

So, I fell down a rabbit hole of patio inspo. Pinterest, Instagram, local blogs… and eventually, I landed on Mosaic’s outdoor patio and deck services page. They had this gorgeous example of a tiered deck with a pergola and stone accents—elevated (literally) but not over-the-top. It made me realize I don’t need a full-blown kitchen out there (though, wow, those exist). Just something intentional.

Key takeaways:

Zoning matters. A dining area + lounging space makes it feel like an extension of the house.

Materials don’t have to break the bank. Stamped concrete vs. pavers? Decisions, decisions.

Lighting = magic. Solar path lights? Yes. String lights? Double yes.

I’m now obsessing over the idea of a circular fire pit surrounded by built-in benches. Or maybe a pergola with climbing vines. Or both? Either way, my concrete slab’s days are numbered.