This is what I’m talking about!

My May 17th article was all about creating your home getaway, and now I’m thrilled to share with you the creation of one inspired reader.

The scene is a condo in the city, with a unique and generous (for a Toronto condo) outdoor space. It is a raised ground-floor condo with a patio that looks out onto a busy street. There is a lot to love about this patio, but I especially love that it’s not only a destination, but that the owner has also created a view from the indoor living space.

Here is the before and after:

BEFORE

AFTER

This oasis came together on a limited budget. Starting from the ground up, the rug, lantern, and candle holder were free, the result of stooping.  Have you heard of stooping?  According to the dictionary definition from OxfordLanguages, Stoop has two meanings.

1. “In American English, a stoop is a small staircase ending in a platform and leading to the entrance of an apartment building or other building” – you never know what you might find on a stoop

2. “To bend one’s head and body forward and downward”. Bending one’s body is not only good exercise but you never know what you might find on the ground.  Yes, one man’s trash is truly another man’s treasure.  

The plants were accumulated over time and moved from inside to outside.  In the winter they will be returned to their cozy nook on the inside. The table and chair were Facebook Marketplace finds, and with all the savings there was enough money left over to splurge on the stool and a few more plants because you can never have too many plants.

We have some more long weekends coming up and inflation has risen by a few points since my May article, so if you haven’t yet created your home getaway it’s not too late. How about setting up a cozy fall balcony with a heater and some fluffy throws?

I love getting feedback from my readers; please send me pictures of your garden, patio, or deck creation.