As much as I love our little patio, I don’t spend as much time out there as I’d like. It’s a shame really, because living on the third floor at the back of our building means we get a whole lot of breeze. Now that the stifling Georgia summer has given way to a much milder fall, I plan to spend a lot more time out there. And hopefully, the newest addition to our patio means I’ll have some company.

As a Walmart Mom, I often get to try products and projects I may not have attempted otherwise. In this case, we were asked to try a simple craft: Make Halloween ornaments from birdseed.

This was a fun, simple assignment that my daughter helped me with one afternoon after school.

We used:

• 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons Great Value light corn syrup
• 1/2 cup water
• 4 cups Pennington Wild Bird Food
• Halloween shaped cookie cutters
• Yarn

Note: This makes about 16 ornaments, which is a lot. If you don’t want to make so many, consider cutting the recipe in half.

We simply mixed all the ingredients in a large bowl. Next we laid out a cutting board covered by wax paper. We spooned the birdseed mixture directly into the cookie cutters, and used a small piece of wax paper to press and flatten it.

We did spray the cookie cutters with cooking spray to stop the mixture from sticking to them. We also used a straw to create holes we would later use to thread yarn so we could hang the ornaments.

The next step was simply to let them dry. We left them on the wax paper until about 9 p.m., then turned them over to let the other side dry overnight. When my daughter returned from school the next day, we threaded orange yarn through the straw holes and tied them.

Finally, they were ready to go. My daughter and I took turns hanging the birdseed ornaments on a plant hanger on the patio. Now, we’re just waiting patiently for the birds to figure out that we’re trying to feed them so I can snap some pics of our feathered friends enjoying a free meal.

Given the number of birds we hear singing all day long in the trees just behind our building, we shouldn’t be waiting much longer.

Disclosure: I am a member of the Walmart Moms program. Walmart has provided me with compensation for sharing this birdseed ornament project with you. Participation is voluntary and as usual, all opinions are my own.

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Over the years, we’ve owned our fair share of patio furniture. Some of it broke, some of it was given away, and some of it just weathered in ways that weren’t very attractive. I love the look of wood outdoor furniture when it’s new, but wood can rot, split or crack depending on weather conditions, and the patina wood develops after time isn’t always nice to look at.  Finding a balance between style and durability can be a challenge. So when the folks at Trex Outdoor Furniture recently offered me the chance to try out their recycled plastic furniture, I was eager to see it in person.

However, we’d recently purchased furniture for our small patio, and didn’t have room for it. Instead, I opted to give the Trex furniture to my sister, who has had a front porch for many years with no place to sit.

This furniture is design to be very low maintenance. As in hose it off once in a while if you have a high-pollen day or wipe with some soapy water.  It doesn’t have to be painted, stained or sealed. I knew my sister would appreciate this particular feature, because I know she doesn’t have time to constantly clean and maintain it.

More than 90% of the material used to make the furniture, produced in partnership with POLY-WOOD™, is made from post-consumer recycled plastic, such as milk and detergent bottles or other HDPE post industrial material. HDPE is short for High Density Polyethylene, a very durable plastic with infinite recyclability.  Since any plastic that currently exists will be around for generations to come, I can’t think of a better, more permanent use for it.

Trex offers great customization options for all their furniture in varying styles: You can select the color of the furniture body, as well as the color of the seat (and sometimes back) cushions.  My sister chose the Trex Adirondack chair and ottoman in Sand Castle with a cushion in Linen Chili. If you’re not into the Adirondack style, there are more modern deep seating styles, counter height seating, and even a swing and rocker. My sister also found a couple of similar chairs at Big Lots (shown above). The quality is nowhere near the same as Trex, and they’re not made of recycled plastic, but the look is so similar that she couldn’t pass them up.

So here’s the big question: Is this chair comfortable?

According to my sister — and her dog, Gizmo — it is wonderful. The ottoman really made the difference in comfort. Because who doesn’t want to put their feet up when they’re relaxing outside?

My biggest qualm about these pieces is the pricing. While I understand that they’re designed to last literally for decades, I imagine it would be cost prohibitive for many families to spend so much for a single chair.

Why It’s Green:

• Made of 90% post-consumer plastic

Price: Adirondack chair, $455.98; Ottoman, $155.98

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In our previous apartment, we had all these grandiose plans about making our patio space beautiful. We planned to add planting boxes, gorgeous furniture and solar lighting. Alas, none of that ever came to pass. We never even bought chairs, and as a result, we rarely spend any time on the patio.  Now that we’re in a third floor apartment with fewer bugs and more breeze, we were determined not to let the same thing happen twice.

Our patio has a wooden slat floor with the slats spaced a little further apart than I would like. We can look down and see everything on our downstairs neighbor’s patio. Presumably, that also means they’d be able to look up and see everything on our patio. We decided that the first order of business would be to buy an outdoor rug.

You might recall that a few years ago, my husband and I furnished my mother’s front patio as a surprise. Well, the recycled plastic rug shown in the photo above did NOT hold up well to the elements. Even though it was used infrequently, it started breaking apart after a couple of months and had to be thrown away. There was nothing we could do to save it. Eco-friendly or not, if it lasted only a couple of months, it’s not really “sustainable” at all. So we knew we wanted something more durable this time, and also something softer under our feet. We opted for a nylon outdoor rug in a fun, graphic pattern (aff).

I was also determined to find us some seating so we can actually enjoy the patio. With the Fourth of July coming up, we plan to watch the nearby fireworks from our balcony, so chairs were a must. But inexpensive, eco-friendly chairs are not easy to come by — particularly when you’re shopping for individual chairs rather than a full set. We went with a “lesser of two evils” approach: We passed up the plastic chairs and went for chairs made of powder-coated steel, though the seats are made of polyester (aff). All steel contains recycled content, and powder-coating is a no-VOC process.

Finally, we had to do something to keep my daughter happy. We grabbed a Topsy Turvy Strawberry Planter, a bunch of strawberry plants and some potting soil so she can get a taste of gardening, even without a yard. I have no idea how they’ll turn out, but we’re hoping we’ll soon have a robust crop of strawberries to pick from whenever we choose. The exterior of our building is being painted in the next week or so, so we’ll hang it once that’s done.

We’re not done out there, but for now, at least we have a space we can use rather than a patio that will never live up to its potential. And as I’ve come to realize, sometimes functional is much better than perfect when it comes to decorating.

Disclosure: I am a member of the Walmart Moms program. Walmart has provided me with compensation for sharing an outdoor project with You. Participation is voluntary and as usual, all opinions are my own.

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We’re fortunate to live in Georgia, where consistently warm weather returns much sooner than it does in locations further north. As often happens around this time of year, I’m itching to spend more time outside. The gorgeous, FSC-certified outdoor furniture from Jensen Leisure makes that desire even more prominent. In fact, they also make me wish we owned a home worthy of such beautiful pieces.

See for yourself:

These look like the type of pieces you’d see at a high-end tropical resort.

Why It’s Green:

• Jensen uses ONLY FSC-certified Ipé wood

Price: I have no idea how much these cost, but if the quality is as great as their website implies, I don’t expect these pieces to be cheap. You can use Jensen’s store locator to find sellers near you.

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I can’t be the only one who looks forward to West Elm’s announcements that they’ve released new products. My excitement is doubled, however, because of the fact that West elm is one of the mainstream retailers of home goods that seems to be truly committed to providing greener product options for their customers. To be sure, this doesn’t apply to their entire product selection, but they consistently include products that are sustainable in some way.

Here are some of my favorite green products from their latest release:

1. Stria Bed and Storage Collection, $299-999. Made in India of  reclaimed solid saal wood drawer fronts, solid mango and acacia wood frame. The wood was reclaimed from railway trestles, and the irregular, stacked wood look is fabulous!

2. Organic Reflections Duvet Cover + Shams, $24.00 – $109.00. Made of organic cotton. Thankfully, you can also snag organic cotton comforter and pillow inserts from WE.

3. Poppy Seeds Pillow Cover, $29.00. Made of hemp.

4. Dexter Outdoor Dining Collection, $199-1295. Warmer weather means more time spent outside, and this collection of patio furniture is a beautiful incentive to do so. Made of solid FSC-certified wood.

5. Stray Dog Designs Side Table and Chandelier, $149. Handmade of papier-mâché made of recycled newpaper.

6. Organic Lily Pad Duvet + Shams, $24–$109. Made of organic cotton.

7. Recycled-Glass Stacking Vases and Votive Holders, $4-19. Made in Spain of recycled glass.

Beautiful, though not as green as I’d like

1. Jaipur Printed Dhurrie Rug, $29-199. Handwoven in India of 80% wool, 20% cotton.

2. Rainbow Napkins, $16. These are eco-friendly if they replace paper napkins, but I wish they were made of organic cotton or some other sustainable material.

There are more, but those are my picks. What do you think of West Elm’s sustainable product line? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

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At the moment, the walkway to our front door is one of the least loved parts of our home. Sure, I could blame the property manager for not power washing the dust and cobwebs. But really, we haven’t paid a whole lot of attention to it either. Right now, we have a sorry excuse of a pleather doormat that we’ve had for years that does nothing to remove dust/grime/anything from the bottom of our shoes. And you know me… If we’re going to buy a new one, it has to be pretty, right? These coir doormats by India Rose via Burke Decor are a great start.

I love the color and patterns, though the orange honeycomb mat would probably be the best fit for our current decor. Honestly though, any of these would be a great choice and an easy way to spruce up the entry. We can’t paint the door or change the style of our apartment numbers, so the changes will have be small. Between a doormat and a few flowers or plants, I think we can make it happen.

Why It’s Green:

• Made of coir fibers, which are made from discarded coconut shells

Price: $32/ea.

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At the moment, our patio resembles a disaster area. Bikes and scooters are strewn everywhere, with a couple of potted plants, gardening tools and a grill thrown in for good measure. Suffice it to say it’s not exactly the type of place where I’d want to sit and spend a lazy evening. The hubby insists he’ll take care of it, but I’m not holding my breath. I know there are about a million other things that are more important at the moment. I AM, however, imagining the way the space will look when it’s done. Of course, in my head it’s about three times its actual size and there would be room for a full dining set, but I digress.

I am absolutely in love with the Reclaimed Contempo patio furniture collection from Viva Terra.  It features clean lines and feels ultra industrial, but in a great way. I do wonder how comfortable it is, because it honestly looks a little stiff. But then again, a lot of wooden patio furniture looks hard, but feels comfortable. I do love the rough-hewn look of the wood, which was salvaged from old barns and farm buildings. And even better, it is made by artisans right here in the USA.

So hubby, if you’re reading this, nudge, nudge. I want a place for us to sit and snuggle when the normally oppressive Georgia heat finally gives us a break.

Why It’s Green:

• Made in the U.S.A. of reclaimed wood

Price: $429-898 through June 24, regularly $475-995 (aff)

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Since I started this blog nearly 2 years ago, my family has moved four times. And each time, our lives have been disrupted for a time afterward. This time, however, the reason we were moving trumped any disruption: We needed to be closer to my daughter’s doctors.

We’ve been here for almost 2 weeks now, and our lives are finally beginning to return to “normal,” whatever that means. And as if to remind us that this is a new beginning for us, the weather has started to change, with 75 degree afternoons replacing chilly mornings, and air conditioning replacing heat. What that means, of course, is that we want to get outside and enjoy the weather. Our patio is currently bare, but for a few bikes and my husband’s beloved grill. And you know what blank canvasses do to me. They make me want to fill them.

This very simple, very budget-friendly Charleston glider bench could be a great building block for a comfortable patio for us — a great place to enjoy the warm Georgia nights and enjoy coffee in the early morning. Even without cushions, an FSC-certified glider bench made of solid wood for just $150 is an incredible deal — one I can see us taking advantage of in the near future. I did tell my husband he could do with the patio as he wishes, so I’ll have to sneak in this suggestion gently, but the price really does make it attractive.

In any case, Happy Spring everyone, and posting will be hack to normal soon. And Ja’Naya’s room reveal is coming soon too!

Why It’s Green:

• Made of FSC-certified eucalyptus

Price: $149.99 (aff)

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I know that the time for spending lots of time outdoors has long since passed for many of us. But there’s no time like the present to start planning for next spring and summer. One of the things I miss most about living in a house is the outdoor space, and this awesome teak bench, which doubles as a flower box, is making me even more reminiscent.

I love the simplicity and functionality of it, and teak works beautifully outdoors. I can picture the boxes filled with beautiful arrangements of colorful blooms, though it would make sitting still interesting with all the bees it would attract.

Nonetheless, this bench is a great buy at this price, and it don’t expect it to cost so little once warm weather makes a permanent return. Noone ever said you couldn’t spruce up your outdoors during the winter, and this is a great incentive to do so.

Why It’s Green:

• Made of sustainably-harvested, plantation-grown teak

Price: $179.99 (aff)

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Remember how I said I couldn’t find any eco-friendly outdoor pillows when I was sourcing products for my patio makeover? Well, guess what I found when I walked into Target just three days after buying a set of 3 non-sustainable outdoor pillows from Home Depot? Green outdoor pillows.

I wasn’t able to find these pillows at their website or find a website for the manufacturer, Comfort Earth. However, the product tags say that the fabric covers are made from recycled nylon and polyester waste, and that it is recyclable up to 10 times over. The pillow fill is also made of 100% recycled plastic bottles.

The pillows were on an endcap display in the Target seasonal outdoor decor section if you’d like to see them for yourself.

Why It’s Green:

• Made of recycled, recyclable fabric and 100% recycled fill

Price: $19.99/ea. (may vary by location)

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I’ve been excited about bringing this Green Room in a Box from an idea to reality ever since I first posted it. It’s amazing how easy it is to get sidetracked on a decorating project. If it took my husband and I 2 months long to complete a patio makeover, I can imagine how long it would have taken us to do a kitchen!

To be fair, we wound up making cosmetic changes that we hadn’t anticipated, like buying bags and bags of mulch to prettify the planting beds and just generally make the front of the house look a lot better. That blew a giant hole in our original budget, so it took us longer than expected to re-budget for all the accessories we wanted to get. Coincidentally though, my mother returned from the Virgin Islands yesterday, so we were able to do the “big reveal” for her before I do it here for you, and I’m happy to say that she loved it! Click on the thumbnails above to see more photos of the finished design. RSS and email users, you may have to click through to the site in order to see the gallery.

Just so you’ll remember where we started, the original “before” photo is shown above. Most of the items we planned during the Green Room in a Box reveal did end up in the final design, with a couple of exceptions.  So here’s the final shopping list and some notes:

1. Radiance Imperial Matchstick Rollup Shade from Walmart | $34.88/ ea.; $69.76 for 2 | Made of bamboo. I hand-painted the flowers I originally envisioned onto the shades. What do you think of the result? I plan to post a tutorial on Monday.
2. Recycled Green Lemonade Carafe and Glass 5-Piece Set from Walmart | $19.98 | Made of recycled glass.
3. 3 Piece Acacia Bistro Set with Cushions from Walmart | $148 | Made of FSC-certified acacia wood.
4. Coir Coastal Doormat from Target | $14.99 | Made of coir, which comes from discarded coconut husks |  We changed the color scheme of the room, so this one no longer made sense. We also wanted one that was a little bit more affordable, so we opted for this simple, but colorful design from Target.
5. Solar Lights from Walmart | $4/ea.; $16 for 4 | Solar-powered | They aren’t shown in the photo because we haven’t yet figured out how to actually get them to work, but we did buy them (Not available at Walmart.com; Only in stores)
6. Sheraton Low Deep Seating Chair from Walmart | $146/ea.; $292 for 2 | Made of FSC-certified Eucalyptus wood.
7. Plantation Patterns Outdoor Pillows from Home Depot |  $12.49/ea.;  $37.47 for 3 | The pillows we originally wanted from Sears were no longer available when I finally went to order them, so we got these from Home Depot instead. The online price is $30 for a set of 2, but in the store, we paid $12.49 per pillow. And remember how I said I couldn’t find any eco-friendly outdoor pillows? On Monday, I’ll reveal how I did find some…2 days after I had bought these pillows and all the matching accessories
8. Plastic Planters | As I mentioned my mom had 2 of these for a few years. We painted them and added flowers to really spruce up the space. And as you can see, we added lots of other potted plants, herbs and flowers. Actually, my husband did. I may have the eye for the design, but I do NOT have a green thumb
9. Recycled Plastic Sunburst Rug from Bambeco  |  $35  |  Made of recycled plastic  |  As soon as I saw this rug and how beautifully it coordinated with the pillows we chose, I had to have it! In the product photo on the Bambeco site, the rug looks purple. In person with an up-close view, it looks purple because the rug is made of a combination of red and blue woven plastic. It still looks great though!  |  BONUS: Use coupon code “gyd09” to get 20% off any order from Bambeco! (aff)

TOTAL: $633.20 | The final cost is about $20 higher than it was originally intended to be, and with supplies (a few cans of spray paint and a small paint sample, a pair of hedge clippers, etc.), the total cost (excluding the mulch) is probably right at $700. Not bad, eh?

So what do you think of the final design? We still plan to paint the front door black (if my mother will let us) and stain the concrete patio so it looks like the discoloration is on purpose…lol. Leave your compliments comments below!

If you are a new reader, you may want to consider subscribing to Green Your Decor via RSS or email newsletter to make sure you don’t miss the other great rooms in the “Green Rooms in a Box” series! Also, follow me on Twitter to find out how you can get a customized Green Room in a Box for free so you can turn your “before” into a beautiful “after”, or purchase a room design consultation now at my steeply discounted rate!

(sponsored opp) – Walmart provided a gift card to purchase the patio furniture as part of the ElevenMoms program

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This is the last hint I’ll give before I finally reveal the patio makeover you’ve all been waiting for so patiently. One of the very last things on my shopping list was a doormat.  Yes, it is completely functional, but there was no reason I couldn’t hold out for one that is also beautiful and green as well. I did a lot of searching on the internet for sustainably-made doormats.

For the most part, that will either mean they are made of coir, which is made from discarded coconut shells, or recycled rubber. I wasn’t fond of the idea of recycled rubber, so I’d been looking for coir. These mats caught my eye early on, but it turns out that none of them worked with the final color scheme of the patio decor. Still, they are so beautiful that I had to share my find.

Available in 3 colors schemes with 3 patterns for each colorway, these heavy duty coir doormats are definitely something special. And the best part is the price. At just $17 apiece, it would be reasonable to buy more than one to switch out your mat as your mood or outdoor decor changes. It’s really hard to say which colorway is my favorite, what with the graphic floral and damask patterns and elements on each, but I think I’m leaning toward the blue series. Some of the patterns are currently sold out, but there are enough others to go around.

Why It’s Green:

• Made of coir

Price: $16.99 per doormat in the red, black & white and blue colorways

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Sooo…it’s been a long while since I was supposed to finish the green patio makeover I started with the Green Room in a Box more than a few weeks ago. I promise I haven’t been procrastinating. I’ve just been agonizing over my accessory choices and waiting for my brand new Nikon D40 digital SLR camera to arrive in the mail so I can take high-quality photos of the finished patio. I’ve finally decided on some pillows and I’m going to pick them up today. They aren’t eco-friendly (I couldn’t find any green outdoor pillows), but they are beautiful. And as soon as I saw these solar soji lanterns, I knew they would be the perfect finishing touch. Too bad they are outside the budget and I don’t feel like waiting for them to ship to me

I have found some solar paper lanterns that I think I’m going to use, but they can’t even compare to the beautiful texture and patterns to be found on these Soji Modern lanterns from Allsop Home & Garden. I love the soft glow they emit, which would be a marked improvement over the harsh, bug-attracting outdoor light we’re using now. And there’s the little benefit that they don’t use any electricity. I just may have to add them to the design later, because I really can’t get them off my mind.

They are big enough to be noticeable at 9″ x 9″, and they’re available in three patterns: Pure White, Pearl Motif (white with white floral pattern) and Mineral Motif (white with grey floral pattern).

And speaking of Green Rooms in a Box, my husband asked me to create a design for a room that I knew would challenge my furniture sourcing and room design skills. You’ll get to see the final result in a few hours…

Why It’s Green:

• Solar-powered

Price: $39.99/ea.

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I am getting restless about finishing up the patio makeover that began a few weeks ago with a Green Room in a Box plan. I’d been searching high and low for a couple of key accessories to finish the look that were both affordable and eco-friendly. The two that had eluded me most successfully? An outdoor rug and sustainable accent pillows. Thanks to some late-night searching, I think I finally may have found a rug that works.

The Melange Recycled Outdoor Floor Mats are made of recycled plastic, which means that they are durable. They are also made by a company I know of and respect, Koko Company, which also makes beautiful eco-friendly pillows. At less than $50, the price is certainly right, as is the size. The only thing that gives me pause is the color. I wanted to purchase the accent pillows before buying a rug to make sure they coordinated. But at this rate, I may be better off buying the rug first.

Does anyone have suggestions on a color that would work in this space? I have a choice of red, green and blue, and I’m leaning toward the red or the blue. We put down red mulch last weekend to replace the black recycled rubber mulch that is there now.

Why It’s Green:

• Made of recycled plastic
• Made by Koko Company, which is committed to sustainability

Price: $49.50/ea. (aff)

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Clearly, retailers are anticipating the permanent return of warm weather as much as I am, because everywhere I turn, all I see is outdoor furniture and more outdoor furniture. I received an alert this week that Room & Board has a pretty large clearance sale on outdoor furnishings. I wasn’t too hopeful that the sale would include any eco-friendly pieces, but it turns out I was wrong.

About a year ago, I featured the GO Club Chair by Loll Designs, which is made of 100% recycled polyethylene. Room & Board has the entire GO collection on sale for 50% or more of. Not bad at all.  This includes the GO sofa, cocktail table, and side table. There are several pieces from Loll’s other collections, including the Emmet Ottoman, and the Brighton chair for just $49.99 and table for $199.99.  The Brighton pieces are made of 50% recycled plastic, 50% recycled paper-based fiber composite, better known as Richlite.

If you love the clean lines of modern furniture, I’d suggest you head over there in a hurry. I’m told the prices will last all summer long, but I’m guessing that the inventory won’t.

Why It’s Green:

• All products made from 100% recycled post consumer HDPE (high-density polyethylene)
• Furniture is recyclable

Price: $49.99-399

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