Transform your outdoor space

METRO DETROIT — With Summer in full swing, it’s the perfect time for a staycation in your very own backyard.

However, creating a comfortable patio setup can be daunting for those living in apartments or condominiums, since there’s less real estate than in your typical suburban backyard. Yet the feat is not impossible, and with a little creativity, you can create an outdoor oasis that offers the perfect backdrop for your morning coffee or sunset cocktails.

Utica resident Raymond Patrick began his patio project four years ago when his son and daughter-in-law gifted him a hummingbird feeder. Since then, he has been working every year to improve the backyard of his townhouse and welcome pollinators.

“It was all mud when I moved in there. I built the deck, and I had grass down below the deck that was wonderful walking on barefoot. It felt like carpet. And then I decided to get into the flowers, and I haven’t stopped,” Patrick said.

The backyard that was once all mud has been transformed into a well-manicured wildflower garden and patio setup complete with a deck, 20 plants, a table and chairs with an umbrella, a grill and the hummingbird feeder that started it all.

Patrick explained that he began his garden by researching online what plants are good for attracting butterflies and hummingbirds and are also perennials. Through trial and error, Patrick realized that purchasing most of his plants online wasn’t the best approach, so he shifted toward purchasing from local sellers. For Patrick, part of the learning curve was considering placement and which plants needed full or partial sun.

Observing the beauty of hummingbirds, butterflies and bees that visit his garden has become one of Patrick’s favorite pastimes.

“I was sitting at that table last year, and all of the sudden, a hummingbird flew up and was about a foot away from my face. I thought he was going to touch my glasses. Then he flew right around me. I could feel the air from his wings on my ears. And then he stopped over on my right shoulder and just kind of hovered there for a minute and then finally left,” Patrick said.

Patrick expressed that he wants to inspire others to utilize their outdoor spaces regardless of how much room they have to work with.

“You don’t have to have a big backyard. You can, and then you can go wild, but you can do it in a small space too,” Patrick said.

Sylvia Finnigan, who resides in Shelby Township, has made the most of her apartment’s balcony, which measures 6 feet by 9 feet.

Finnigan has always had an eye for design and a passion for making the world around her more vibrant. She described her current balcony as “simple yet classy” and one of her most important and favorite spaces.

“Every move I’ve made, I have a balcony. And I’ve always made it a fun, lighthearted, whimsical thing, because I really needed that. Let’s put it this way,” Finnigan said, “because a lot of the time, the apartments were smaller, that space had a lot of value. Plus, it also gave you an opportunity to sit out there and enjoy a morning coffee, an afternoon iced lemonade or a nightcap.”

For Finnigan, every new space provides an opportunity to express her creativity. She added that she even wants to start helping others who live in apartments or condos create stylish and affordable patios. Finnigan joked that she has a hard time understanding why some people choose to use their balconies as storage for trash.

“There are ways that you can take that space and utilize it and make it private and yet fun and relaxing,” she said.

Finnigan affirmed that having a well-decorated balcony or patio doesn’t have to be expensive. When she set out to design her balcony, she made a conscious effort to only purchase items on sale or clearance. A good way to accomplish this is to shop for next summer at the end of this season or shop secondhand, which is also a more sustainable choice. Her favorite solar-powered lights were purchased at Costco last summer for around $30, her chairs were gifted to her as a Mother’s Day gift and are from Target, and her rug she bought at Sam’s Club.

For those looking for a simpler layout, Finnigan added that if she could only have three things on her balcony, there would be a chair, a rug and solar lighting because “that’s everything you need.”

Finnigan advises that decorating should not be rushed, and it’s crucial to pause and consider how each piece will fit together in a space during the design process.

“I think when you start looking for something, the universe has a way of putting things that you think you might need or want out there for you,” she said.