Fall is my favorite season. Hands down. I could have sworn someone was burning leaves outside the other day (ahhh that smell!) and my heart nearly skipped a beat. Pumpkins, foliage, scarves, football, chili...I love it all. But one of my favorite things about fall days are the temperatures--when it's a little cool in the mornings and evenings but perfect during the day. Yes, that's what I'm dreaming about. So even though we're still having temps near 100, I can't help but fantasize about relaxing on the patio during those cool, autumn days to come.

If you're like me though, your patio may need a little love to revamp it from these long summer days. And now is actually a great time to give your patio a little refresh. Stores are ready to move out seasonal merchandise, which often leads to great deals. You can use much of what you may already have and give it an update with a few key items. Here's what I'm dreaming of for my patio facelift:

one /// two /// three /// four /// five /// six /// seven /// eight

1. Cafe lights add instant charm and give the perfect nighttime glow.

2. Pillows are one of the simplest ways to update a space, especially with one as beautiful as this. Use your existing summer blues and add in some warmer tones and patterns to compliment them (see number 4).

3. Black and white stripes. You. Can. Never. Go. Wrong. Sophisticated and classic without being too stuffy.

4. See number 2. :)

5. These red tumblers are the perfect color for fall and the "seeded glass" looks so real you'd never know they are plastic!...which means worry-free for accidents!

6. I've had a fire pit on my wish list for quite some time now. I love that this one is open on the top AND the sides to offer the maximum heat for those chilly nights. It's also great for s'mores and ambiance.

7. You need a good tray for serving your drinks and food in style, and this one fits the bill.

8. Plants (and planters!) bring life to a space. I love the unique shapes and heights of these offered at Crate & Barrel.

It doesn't take much to really transform your patio and make it a space where you'd love to spend time this fall!

I've shared my favorites. What's on your outdoor wish list this fall?

As I have blogged about before here, my backyard is a huge work in progress. Originally there were a ton of trees planted randomly, which let in little light and was a breeding ground for mosquitoes. We have since cut down a few trees and fixed the irrigation system. Another issue we have, our patio looks out into the neighbor's bathroom and bedroom windows. The plan is to add some privacy by building a large fireplace wall. But before we can do that, we have to regrade the backyard, cut down a mammoth of a tree that is starting to lean towards the house, and re-lay the patio.

Recently, the neighbors behind us put up cafe curtains in their bathroom. They keep the curtains parted open and I have disturbingly seen the mister standing at his toilet more times than I care too. This brings us to our topic of the day, Outdoor Privacy Screens. We need to put one up ASAP. Something that won't be too expensive to put up since eventually it will be replaced with a fireplace wall.

After combing the web for some ideas, here are a few of my favorites.

I really like the look of these laser cut panels. It would be a cool way to add some design interest to the backyard.

OUTDECO is a company that specializes in outdoor screens and many of their designs can be purchased online at Home Depot here. Home Depot also has these privacy screens.