Backyard Bliss

Now that the weather is warming up... I am craving an outdoor space where we can eat, drink, and relax. Living in a townhouse shouldn't limit your outdoor experience but it can be tough to bring the indoors out when space is tight. We have a small deck that leads down to our small yard... but I'm determined to make our little plot of land an oasis for the summer. Here's the vision:

Backyard Bliss by coffee22 on Polyvore.com

It all starts with a new patio... stone pavers in alternating sizes will set the perfect platform for a dining, grilling, and drinking area. I've been trying (not so successfully) to convince Jared that we can tackle a patio ourselves... but the trouble is our sloping yard. It's definitely our biggest challenge.

But I won't let it kill the dream... a dining table for four, two Adirondack-like chairs that we already own (they sit right in the grass as of now, and it's good enough but looks a little trailer park if you ask me), a few new planters, lanterns, and a big ol' bucket-o-beer (with ice). I'd be perfectly happy sweating out the summer months in my own backyard.

My parents promised us their old wrought iron dining table (they just upgraded to a larger one) and I found chairs that would match perfectly for only $22 at Costco. Have any of you done a patio project? Is it something you'd leave for the pro's or would you fearlessly commit to building it on your own?