pinterest ideas: brick patio

So, this is what I'm doing during the Super Bowl: posting house stuff on my blog and planning projects for this year.

A few weeks ago, Alex found an article in The Family Handyman about covering an existing concrete slab patio with bricks. We have a slab. And we have tons of bricks left by the previous owner.

These are horrible photos of the backyard from right after we moved in:

We tried the bricks around the patio. It was really annoying to maintain. So now, using Alex's newly acquired handyman skills, my spatial layout skills (I made that up), and Pinterest, I've decided we should cover the patio AND add a pergola. Someday. Cover the patio first, then see where we're at. 

Our patio is obviously small and we may not be able to get away with a lot. But I know I want potted plants, seating (probably the small table and chairs we have), and some lights. I bought a ton of string lights a few years ago at Target and haven't used them. (What a waste!)

Because some of these Pinterest links lead to dead ends, check my "Garden" board on Pinterest. One great link that DOES work is this helpful chart of brick layouts.

I'm confident we can lay the brick and get a nice patio layout before (late) summer. I am not confident that we'll get a pergola figured out. Maybe 2014?