Alfresco meals, twinkly lights, verdant gardens—Italians know how to do summer nights right. But living la dolce vita can be yours for less than the cost of a ticket to Rome. Take this patio, which designer and fervent DIYer Heather Chadduck, the style director at Southern Living magazine, put together in back of a house in Birmingham, Alabama.
Using an overgrown pergola from the movie Under the Tuscan Sun as muse, she added a simple iron structure and let wisteria grow wild. A long copper-topped trestle table edged by a medley of metal and woven chairs begs guests to sit and stay awhile under the glow of lights she fashioned from pickle and okra jars. Wicker-wrapped bottles act as vases and wine decanters; a fireplace supplies needed warmth on cooler evenings
Products for a Tuscan Style Outdoor Space
Here are a few items that you can use to create a Tuscan-style outdoor space.
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The Arlington Italianate House
Demijohn
River-rock tile
The homeowner got a custom patio for a fraction of the usual price by laying mesh-backed stone tile in large diamond shapes and having a mason pour concrete in between. About $9 per square foot; Home Depot
Outdoor hearth
The homeowner’s stuccoed cinder-block fireplace sends a glow down the copper-topped table. This wood-burning steel version offers an easier setup. About $193; Home Depot
Wick-wrapped wine jugs or carriers
Jar lighting
Outdoor cord kits and black paint turn pickle and okra jars into rustic pendant lights. Or just purchase a fixture like this one. About $120; Home Depot
Tub chair
Climbing vines
Grapevines grow more quickly than wisteria, but they provide the same shade and bear fruit to boot. About $40; Home Depot.
Leafy prints
Copper sconce
Cast a wide glow over the party with this copper-finished steel fixture that has an old-world look. About $96; Home Depot.
