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bellandromeda Patio umbrellas are great for events. Placing them with outdoor party lights are also cool, I find some in legendsdirect https://www.buytikitorches.com/store/index.php?route=product/category&path=65 If you do not to place some umbrellas, table and a sort or temporary roof can be built. But lights in the patio especially if you will party all night can twist it all.

janerc As with all things depends on your budget. Basics weed and tidy any plant beds add interesting plants and coloured stones to top which will help with weeds in the future as well. If the driveway which is to form your terrace cant be paved then concrete paint is the cheaper option to clean up and cover the stains. If the covered area is not going to be extended then add some drapes along the fenced side and the corners to create an inviting area, lighting will play a big part on the final look so you need to look at how bright or soft you want this area, solar border lights in the plant beds and along the drive would be a good starting point if you have not got any external power points. Make sure you plan your colours to coordinate, drapes, stones floor paint etc.

olldbobbi With some paint and elbow grease, this space could be stunning! Start by painting the underside (ceiling?) of the patio cover blue and the rest of the structure paint white. Instead of hanging paper lanters, you can use canning jars to hold large candles and wire them so they hang from the ceiling. Beg, borrow or rent tables and chairs and unite them with the same color tablecloth.

Here's a great narrow patio for inspiration:

Josh Greulich An

olldroo Hire a gurney and thoroughly clean your concrete and external walls of your house. Tidy your garden and trim the groundcover. Your area doesn't look wide enough to accommodate any pots to add lush plants but you could consider half baskets on the fence filled with colourful annuals or rich greenery, but depending on your weather they may not grow in time to give you a really lush look and established plants can be expensive. Once you put additional seating in it will fill the area and add some fairy lights and/or solar lights in the garden for atmosphere. Remember it will be dark if you are having it at night so lighting has the biggest impact and really sets a party mood. If there is a chance of cold weather be ready to hire some portable gas outdoor heaters.

olldbobbi roo, in the U.S. a gurney is a hospital type bed on wheels, I doubt that's what you mean?

olldroo I wish you lot would learn English :) !!!! OK it is a motorised gadget that increases water pressure to a pressure jet to blast dirt and muck off buildings and paving and such hard surfaces.

olldbobbi Aha! A power washer!

olldroo I thought that was you!!!!

angariel Thank you all for your suggestions. Im afraid of painting the cement- heard so many stories of having to maintain it often but havent really researched it. I like the border lights idea and the drapes! Im debating on either plants along the edges or ground cover- what do you all think? And which ones. Maybe some hydrangeas? Btw...I live in Los Angeles. That area is full sun except for the patio portion. I agree-this place could be stunning i just dont have the creativity to achieve it!

onthefence Regarding the cement - I agree about the maintenance once it's painted. Have you looked into staining it? I've never done it but I understand it requires far less maintenance.

olldbobbi angariel, of course you have the creativity to achieve it! Just take it a section at a time, you'll do fine.

I painted my back yard concrete stairs last year and I've had no issues whatsoever. You just have to make sure you get paint formulated for concrete, anything else will chip and peel.

janerc Hydrangeas look pretty when flowering but need watering and can get untidy (think long term), as you are in LA you can go for something more exotic which would look fantastic , ask at your garden centre for something low maintenance, ground cover along the edges would look best and you can always put some low level solar lights in-between. Concrete paint is very effective you just need to buy the right product, they use it in industrial situations as well so it is very durable. Plant suggestions: , ornamental grasses can be used for border, agapanthus look beautiful in a plant bed.

jannielee Have plentiful and comfortable seating whether benches, ceramic garden seats (a favorite of mine) or outdoor dining chairs? Don't forget about indoor/outdoor rugs. They can bring color, pattern and help define spaces. Colorful blooms wil be great but do add some specimens in ground or in colorful pots that will have some height. Do paint the structure white with a sky blue ceiling as suggested before. It will transform the space very quickly. I like the idea of either colorful paper lanterns strung under the structure or candle lanterns. Tiki torches around the perimeter will add a festive mood. Fill big tubs with iced beverages that will look inviting for your guests and don't forget the music. Take time to make some party playlists. Music will pull it all together. Once you have the grill emitting wonderful aromas, you'll have all the senses covered.

angariel Great ideas! I like the idea of painting the structure white but wouldnt that need more upkeep than brown? I had my hubby start with a brownish color because the gate is brown (last pix). i thought that would match a little better. Then again all my trim is white....

I had also planted climbing roses on the side of one of the beams but who knows what happened-it never bloomed- now its just there!

the list of plants i have for that area are: lavender, white crape myrtle, lilac, calla lily, and would like two small rooted trees that i can keep in containers to cover the neighbors view! What do you all think? Am i on the right track ? what else do i need to make it look lush? I love this picture! would this work in my space or too much?

angariel hmm not sure what happened to the picture I posted but I have it in my ideabooks appropriately titled "sideyard" :)

cocinera Good size lavenders are on sale right now for $6 a pot at TJ's up here in northern CA . If they've got them down there, buy yourself a dozen and get them in the ground. Remember to cut them wa-a-ay back after blooming so they don't get leggy.

Consider a large shrub called poor man's rhododendron (impatiens sodenii.) Bears flowers much of the year, likes the shade, tolerates drought, and will grow from a cutting stuck in the ground.

What's up with that fence? Is that extension legal? (Usually the police require that fences be no higher than six feet.) I think it's ugly but I'm guessing you're trying to block the view. How about bamboo roller shades--available at HD--mounted to the roof support and then unrolled a foot or two--just enough to keep the neighbors from peering in.

BTW, your window frames are pretty. How about painting them a contrasting color to call attention to them?

janerc Do you have IKEA stores in America if not judging by all the amazing web sites I have seen for stuff you can buy that we cant get here in the UK it is really easy to dress outside spaces without a great expense. I have a friend who used basic calico drapes to dress a similar structure which looks very effective against a wooden structure and leaves you free to use what ever colour for any other seating or soft fabrics you want to use. Someone mentioned painting the structure white can be done but depends on your base colour and might need several coats to cover what is there, if you decide to go this route there are products that can be used as a base coat that are supposed to cover in one base coat before you paint to the colour you want I have bought a product but as yet have not tried it, it wasn't cheap but came highly recommend from an expert supplier. Good luck with what you do and would love to see a photo the end result.

angariel LOL- cocinera- thanks for your honesty! (i think) I dont mind the fence- it works and doesnt look bad. I know once everything else is fixed that will not be the focal point.

We do have IKEA stores here Ill check them out for drapes. thanks!

olldroo angariel - not sure where you intend putting your Crepe Myrtle but they do grow very big. The one bonus is that they are fast growing. There are smaller varieties of Magnolias that are excellent for areas where you want shade in summer but have sun in winter. They are a better specimen tree and look more lush than a Crepe Myrtle, plus you can have the bonus of a perfumed flower.