Pining for a great outdoor space

I stayed home from work sick today since whatever's been going around finally hit me. I've started to feel a lot better this afternoon though, and it also happened to be about 70 degrees today (in December, in the DC area, crazy!). All I really wanted to do was lounge outside.

Our sad little patio

But this is our patio. It's... well...at least it's a patio, and I'm thankful that we have some sort of outdoor space (and being on the ground floor is a definite plus with a dog!). But it's so small, and the furniture we have out there is fine for a quick meal but not comfy to relax on. It's also not at all private - it's right by the parking lot and there are always a bazillion people walking by (or in today's case, a big noisy truck and workmen). Not exactly the outdoor retreat I was craving today.

We ended up taking a little walk to the dog park just to get outside a bit, even though lounging outside sounded a lot better than walking.

Even after we got back, I just kept thinking about how amazing it would be to have a nice outdoor space... like a REALLY nice outdoor space... like one of these...

Mediterranean Patio design by Los Angeles Architect James Glover Residential & Interior Design

Traditional Patio design by Seattle Landscape Architect Alderwood Landscaping

Mediterranean Patio design by Other Metro General Contractor London Bay Homes

Traditional Patio design by St Louis Architect Mitchell Wall Architecture & Design

Mediterranean Patio design by Santa Barbara Architect J. Grant Design Studio

Traditional Patio design by San Francisco Landscape Architect Derviss Design

Contemporary Patio design by Denver Architect ROWLAND BROUGHTON ARCHITECTURE & URBAN DESIGN

Mediterranean Patio design by Orange County Landscape Architect AMS Landscape Design Studios, Inc.

Modern Patio design by San Luis Obispo Landscape Architect Jeffrey Gordon Smith Landscape Architecture

Contemporary Patio design by Chicago Interior Designer jamesthomas, LLC

Tropical Patio design by Other Metro Interior Designer Z3 Diseño

Contemporary Patio design by San Francisco Photographer Bernard Ande Photography

Mediterranean Patio design by Sacramento General Contractor CLK Construction

Contemporary Patio design by Toronto Photographer K West Images, Interior and Garden Photography

Modern Patio design by Orange County General Contractor Patterson Construction Corporation

Mediterranean Patio design by San Diego Architect Elevation Architectural Studios

Traditional Landscape design by Chicago Landscape Architect Romani Landscape Architecture

Traditional Landscape design by Portland Landscape Architect beautiful bones and purple stones

Ok - stopping myself there. I could look at outdoor spaces all day - firepits and outdoor chimneys, pools and hot tubs, built-in barbecues ..ahhhh, so nice! Once we move into our house, I realize it'll be a long time before we have much going on in the backyard - but we will have a yard, and I can put a comfy chair in it, and I won't be disturbed by people on the sidewalk 10 feet away - and that is plenty for me to look forward to!