High or Low
High/low: BBQ-ready backyard patio
Image: Michael Nangreaves / Producer: Andrea McCrindle
High or Low
High/low: BBQ-ready backyard patio
We've designed a backyard patio to suit a casual hangout or a summer bash.
This summery backyard party pad was perfectly prepped on two different budgets. can you tell the difference?
LOW: $1,692
HIGH: $5,546
1 Gas grill, Lowe's, $1,299; 2 Sconce, Sescolite, $533; 3 Armchair, Casalife, $495; 4 Toss cushion cover, Williams-Sonoma, $195; 5 Candles, Pottery Barn, $118 US; 6 Candle holders, CB2, $90; 7 Napkins, Pottery Barn, $28 US; 8 Armchair, Jardin de Ville, $499; 9 Patio tiles, The Home Depot, $11 per tile; 10 Side table, Jardin de Ville, $699; 11 Glasses, Williams-Sonoma, $135 per 6-piece set.
Create a room like these no matter your budget with a few key tips:
1. Planters aren't just for plants.
Our clever High or Low stylist Andrea McCrindle has taken the ubiquitous wall-mounted planter and turned it into a smart ice bucket to keep tropical fruits and refreshments chilled and ready for guests. It’s easy to add more planters to keep the drinks flowing well into the evening.
2. Let your fete determine your dishes.
Civilized soiree or rowdy (read: drunken) free-for-all? China plates or plastic? An alfresco shindig requires a little forethought. While style is, of course, at the top of your priority list, it doesn’t hurt to prepare for spills along with the thrills. Good thing there are great options for each: Our High dinner plate is a handmade glazed ceramic piece from Paris, perfect for fancy-pants fetes, while our Low version has the look of handcrafted china but is actually made of sturdy melamine – much more suited to the dining habits of those rabble-rousing former university roommates.
3. Invest in a reliable BBQ.
A Canadian summer party’s just not a party until the food hits the table, so a barbecue needs to be able to take the heat (ha!). Weber’s new Genesis II grills are primed and ready to cook everything from pork to pizza to pineapple. Both the models shown here have Infinity Ignition, which ensures the burners light every time, plus an easily accessible grease tray and Flavorizer bars that vaporize smoke and cooking juices, which infuse the food with even more taste. The High version also features a lit handle and control knobs so when those late-night burger cravings hit, you’re in business.
4. Incorporate the new It-mineral into your space.
Move over, malachite – your day is done. The latest hot decorating trend is agate, with its swirly patterns in colourful shades. These pretty plates featuring the mineral’s distinctive marbleized look are a natural match for a patio party’s summery aesthetic.
5. Use spray paint to give an otherwise ordinary item a more opulent look.
You’d never know the brilliant green shade of our industrial-look Low sconce was the result of a quick paint job on the shade of an aluminum lantern.
6. Choose a table with a secret.
With the firm grip of a pair of hands, the tops of these tables magically come off (how naughty!) – to become serving trays, of course. They’re the perfect summer entertaining sidekicks for carrying food and drinks. Scroll through the slideshow below for some of our favourite patio tables.
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