The early patio season is officially upon us and the home goods stores are rolling out their trendiest displays of outdoor seating, dining, and lounging options. People are eager to soak up every minute of fresh air that they can right now, and like you, we are dying to pay for an overpriced sangria on a patio somewhere. Until that’s a reality, the simpler solution is to create your own beautiful patio space at home. Don’t have a backyard" Believe it or not, you don’t need one. If you rent a space, transforming a small balcony or patio area is a great way to make it feel like home. We browsed countless catalogs and Pinterest feeds to round up the best tips and tricks, and then compiled them into 10 simple rules to nail your perfect patio design this year. The H&M Home Collection is perfect for styling a modern bohemian escape. Image by H&M Home on Facebook.

1. Clean Your Space
Winter and all of its weather are on the way out but what’s left behind is streaky windows and dead plants. Before you begin decorating your patio or balcony space give it a good old fashioned power-clean. Do any cleaning or minor landscaping you need to and rinse off all the debris when you’re done, then you’re ready to bring in the decor!
2. Install Weatherproof Flooring
If you’re lucky enough to have a nice wooden deck, you can skip this step altogether. If you don’t have a deck space, chances are you’re dealing with concr...