Spring is a time for cleaning for many, but for others, it’s also a time to rearrange and redecorate in the home. If refreshing your living room is on your to-do list this season, let one or more of our ten living room upgrade suggestions serve as inspiration for your home project.
We selected highly rated furniture and decor from some of our favorite home retailers, including Amazon, Wayfair, Anthropologie and more. These home items would work in living spaces big and small, and suit a variety of decor styles.
10 ways to upgrade your living room
Best console table in 2024: West Elm Profile console (48″)
West Elm
One of the best ways to enhance the look of your living room is by getting a console table. A console table allows for plenty of storage to display decorative items or mementos, such as candles, vases, picture frames, plants, books and more.
This West Elm console table has space for all of that and more, with its three open storage shelves. The design elements, including the staggered vertical lines and fun color options, add greater impact than your average metal console table.
You can get this in green-gold, a deep teal, white or black.
And if you live in a smaller home, know that the 22-inch version of this console table is also available.
Best couch in 2024: Burrow Range 4-piece sectional sofa
Burrow
This sectional modular couch from Burrow allows for multiple configurations, making it a great addition if you’re looking to shake up your living space.
The Range sofa comes with three seats that are deep and extra stuffed to ensure the greatest comfort. It also comes with an ottoman, giving you the opportunity to really stretch out and get cozy on this couch.
The couch is lined with a stain-resistant fabric, while the cushioning is made of materials that are CertiPUR-US certified, meaning they’re made without harmful substances such as formaldehyde and lead.
You can get this one of six colors, and have the option to choose the finish of the legs too. Just know that some color combinations are sold out.
Best coffee table in 2024: Convenience Concepts Soho coffee table
Amazon
This coffee table from Amazon stands out for its dedicated book storage shelf. Most coffee tables with storage come with flat shelves or drawers, but the shelf on this Convenience Concepts model is uniquely slanted. This not only makes grabbing books easier, but also makes the coffee table more eye-catching.
The coffee table comes in several neutral colors, including white, black, wood grain patterns and even marble options. Price varies by color.
The Convenience Concepts Soho coffee table has a 4.5-star rating on Amazon.
One reviewer wrote, “I’ve never loved a living room table the way I love this one. It’s so sleek and modern & the shelf underneath is perfect for so many things—books, dog toys, video games, vinyls, etc. It’s truly such a versatile furniture item you can use anywhere!”
Best bookcase in 2024: Ebern Designs Nyajiah corner bookcase
Wayfair
Give your books a new home with the Ebern Designs Nyajiah Corner bookcase. We really like this bookcase for its ability to make use of corner space, which can be hard to fill in the home.
The bookcase includes six tiers, offering 10 dedicated places to store books, or a mixture of books and display items.
It’s also designed to be anti-fall, so you can rest easy knowing this can be anchored to the wall. You can get this bookcase in one of three colors, including white, wood grain and dark gray.
The Ebern Designs Nyajiah corner bookcase has a 4.5-star rating on Wayfair. One reviewer wrote, “Great corner bookshelf. Heavier and more well-built than I was expecting. Love the natural wood finish. Easy to assemble.”
Best plant stand in 2024: Mudeela five-tier plant stand
Amazon
If you are looking to upgrade your living room, but don’t necessarily need (or want) a new piece of furniture, the next best thing is a plant stand.
Plants add lots of life to living spaces. We like this Mudeela plant stand for its multiple tiers, and the fact that it’s tall and thin enough to live in a corner, a space in the home that is hard to style.
The brand says that the surfaces of the shelves are water-resistant and non-slip, making them a safe place for your plants to call home. This plant stand is available in three colors, including black, coffee and natural.
Price varies by color. Make sure to add the available 10% discount to get the greatest deal.
Best sconces in 2024: Battery-operated wall sconces, set of two
Amazon
Switch up the lighting in your living room by getting battery-operated wall sconces. This set of two from Amazon went viral on TikTok again and again for good reason: They give people the opportunity to add elegant wall lighting without needing additional wiring.
All you have to do is install the included wall bracket, hang it and — that’s it. Assembly is complete.
From there, you can use the remote control to adjust the brightness and color temperature, in addition to turning on and off. You can keep these lights on continuously for 12 hours until they need a recharge. Price varies by color.
The Jengush battery operated wall sconces have a 4.4-star rating on Amazon. One reviewer wrote, “I love these lights! The battery lasts forever and the remote makes it so much easier to turn on and off. The power recently went out from a big storm and these two lights saved the day! I also love the adjustable brightness.”
Best window treatment: HPD faux linen room darkening curtains
Amazon
More sun for spring means you’ll need thicker window treatments to block out the light. These HPD curtains are perfect for that, with the brand saying their faux linen curtains can block out 80 to 85% of light.
They also come in a whopping 30 colors and eight sizes, so these could suit a wide variety of decor tastes and window sizes.
The HPD faux linen room darkening curtains have a 4.6-star rating on Amazon.
One reviewer wrote, “I wanted some thicker, linen-looking curtains for our room, but could not find any in the right color, look, or length. This hit all three and went well beyond my expectations. They hang wonderfully, look fantastic, and block out all light when closed. I’ve gotten several compliments on them and the color.
“I highly recommend these curtains.”
Best mirror in 2024: Anthropologie Primrose mirror
Anthropologie
Anthropologie’s Primrose mirror has been one of the brand’s best-selling home items for years, boasting 852 reviews from customers.
And it’s easy to see why. The vintage-inspired design will add elegance as well as the illusion of extra space (a common reason why people add mirrors to rooms) to any space it occupies. It’s also hand-crafted, making this mirror feel even more like a piece of art.
The Primrose mirror comes in two colors, cold and black, and four sizes, including two floor-length options.
This is certainly a pricey mirror, but one that will last a lifetime. Several reviewers believe it is worth the splurge. One customer wrote, “After eyeing this mirror for almost a decade, I decided to take the plunge and splurge on it for my living room. The mirror is huge and heavy and adds so much glamour to my space. While pricey, it’s one of the biggest statement pieces in my condo and I still love it every time I walk by. You wont regret investing in it!”
Best digital picture frame in 2024: Aura Carver digital picture frame
Aura
Like a plant stand, another small way to upgrade your living room is by adding framed photos of loved ones or cherished memories. But instead of going through the trouble of getting smartphone photos developed, upgrade to a digital picture frame, which allows you to upload them instead.
The picture frame is pricey, but considering its unlimited storage capacity, and the fact that you can display videos (with sound) too, it’s worth it. Plus, you can invite friends and family to upload photos (via the Aura app) to your frame. This device works with Apple and Android and comes in five frame styles and colors.
The Aura Carver digital picture frame has a 4.8-star rating on Amazon.
One reviewer wrote, “Bought as a gift. This frame is pretty, blends in with decor, is well made, works beautifully. The photos show up nice and crisp. This is really worth every penny to make someone happy viewing their memories. Thank you!”
Best rug in 2024: Safavieh handmade Venice shag Djenka 3-inch-thick rug
Bed Bath & Beyond
One of the best ways to add an extra level of coziness to your living room is by getting a thick, fuzzy rug.
This Safavieh rug fits the bill with its long piles and polyester material that the brand describes as “silky” in feel. Sinking your feet into this after a long day will no doubt yield instant relaxation.
The rug comes in four colors and 20 sizes, including squares, rounds and runners. What’s more, it’s pretty affordable as far as rugs go, even if it wasn’t currently 44% off.
This Safavieh rug has a 4.7-star rating on Bed Bath & Beyond. One reviewer wrote, “Really nice shag rug! Fits perfect in my guest room. My guests have wanted to sleep on the rug! LOL! Very full, soft and no smell. Looks very expensive. I would recommend!!”
Rachel Center
Rachel Center is a writer with more than eight years of experience creating lifestyle content for brands such as Better Homes & Gardens, Real Simple and Apartment Therapy.
Ahead of India’s general elections that begin April 19, critics of West Bengal state leader Mamata Banerjee shared a photo collage they falsely claimed depicted her faking an injury. But the pictures — one showing her with a bloodied forehead while the other showing a different part of her face bandaged — were from two separate incidents. A spokesman for Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress party told AFP she was wounded when she slipped and fell at her home in March.
Warning: This story contains images of an injured woman
“What kind of drama is this? The injury is in the middle of forehead and the bandage has been applied on the side,” said the Hindi-language caption to the collage shared on Facebook on March 16, 2024.
Banerjee, a fierce critic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has been in power for over a decade in West Bengal state that is home to 90 million people.
Her Trinamool Congress (TMC) will battle Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for seats in the lower house of parliament in upcoming elections that start mid-April.
Screenshot of the false Facebook post, taken on March 22, 2024
The photo collage was also shared alongside a similar false claim on Facebook here and here, and on social media platform X here.
Comments on the posts indicated social media users believed the claim.
“Election gimmick,” one wrote. Another said: “Why does such drama happen just before elections?”
Separate incidents
Reverse image searches on Google found the pictures in the collage were taken from two separate incidents that happened in different months.
The picture that showed Banerjee with blood from a wound on her forehead was among the three photos published by her party on X here on March 14, 2024 (archived link).
The post said: “Our chairperson @MamataOfficial sustained a major injury. Please keep her in your prayers.”
Below is a screenshot comparison of the picture in the false posts (left) and the one shared by TMC (right):
Similar pictures were published by local news websites here and here which reported Banerjee fell in a room at her house on March 14 and was rushed to a hospital (archived links here and here).
The image showing her with the bandage on her face, however, was from an incident that happened over a month prior. It corresponds to a photo published by news website Indian Express on January 25, 2024 (archived link).
The report said the West Bengal chief minister sustained a head injury at the time when her car made a sudden halt to avoid hitting another vehicle.
A video report uploaded on regional Bengali-language news outlet ABP Ananda’s YouTube channel on January 24 showed Banerjee briefing the media about the incident (archived link).
The visuals from the 2:05 mark of the report showed her with the same bandage as in the picture in the collage.
Below is a screenshot comparison of the photo in the false posts (left) and the video uploaded on ABP Ananda’s YouTube channel (right):
Responding to the posts, Trinamool Congress spokesman told AFP on March 28 the collage showed “two very different incidents”.
“Mamata Banerjee hit her head on the windshield and sustained minor injury on January 24,” Dutta said, referring to the picture of her with the bandage.
The more recent injury, caused by her slipping and falling at home in March, caused “a major gash on her forehead” and several other cuts. “There were four stitches that were applied to her. Later she was at home, under treatment,” Dutta added.
AFP had previously debunked misinformation targeting Banerjee here and here.
Beyond giving your patio a good cleaning now that spring is here, our in-house team of outdoor living experts have curated this roundup of easy ways you can enhance your outdoor living space. From upgrading patio furniture, adding some smart lighting for enhanced ambiance, installing an outdoor TV, indulging in a new outdoor grill and coming up with a way to deal with pesky bugs, you’re about to discover 10 way to transform your patio into a better outdoor space to relax and entertain.
And when you’re ready to enjoy a good night sleep, be sure to check out our coverage of 10 ideas for the perfect spring bedroom makeover. Or if you want to better organize your closets, we have some strategies and ideas for that as well. Check out our recently updated article about how to organize your closet. The article showcases 10 ideas and storage essentials. And for all of your spring cleaning needs, we’ve put together the ultimate checklist to help you get started.
10 ideas to upgrade your patio this spring
Whether you have hundreds or thousands of dollars to spend on a patio makeover this spring, incorporating a few of the following strategies can easily upgrade your outdoor living space to make it more comfortable and functional. By taking advantage of one or more of these strategies, you’ll enjoy spending time in the sun or under the stars as you discover new ways to utilize your outdoor living space.
Best patio furniture in 2024
You have a lot of options when it comes to outdoor furniture that’s comfy, sturdy and cute. Here are a few outdoor furniture sets and options we particularly like for their aesthetics, functionality and quality.
West Elm Portside Wood collection
West Elm
The timeless and elegant Portside Wood outdoor furniture collection from West Elm includes more than 90 pieces you can mix and match to create your dream patio setup. From an outdoor and expandable dining table to dining benches, outdoor sofas, lounge chairs, a sectional, coffee table and chaise lounges, each piece is available in your choice of three wood finishes.
The mahogany and eucalyptus woods used to create this stunning collection are moisture-resistant and sustainably sourced. And when you take advantage of West Elm’s white glove delivery service, whatever outdoor furniture you purchase, from any of the company’s collections, will be brought to you home and fully assembled.
The Portside Wood furniture collection from West End is comfortable and premium quality, so you can expect it to last for many years.
8-piece outdoor patio set with propane fire pit
Amazon
Amazon offers different patio furniture sets from a range of brands. This one caught our attention because of its beautiful appearance and hundreds of five-star ratings. Based on your available space, you can purchase this set in a variety of configurations, from six pieces up to 16 matching pieces. And you can choose from seven color options.
The affordably priced eight-piece set includes four middle sofas, two corner sofas, one coffee table and a 43-inch outdoor gas fireplace table. it’s perfect for family and friends to gather for a campfire on the patio.
The minimalist furniture design is made using a strong coated aluminum frame and all-weather PE rattan that’s durable. All of the cushions are padded with high-density foam for flexibility and breathability. They’re made using UV-protected and water-resistant olefin fabric covers.
Rattaner 6-piece patio furniture set
Amazon
This six-piece outdoor furniture set includes a couch, two chairs, two ottomans and a coffee table. All are constructed using all-weather wicker and an anti-rust steel frame.
The cushions are made using breathable 250G polyester fabric that’s anti-UV, stain and water repellent. The set is available in three colors. Some assembly is required.
If this furniture set doesn’t match the vibe of your patio, Amazon has dozens more to choose from, including a three-piece set from Devoko that includes two rattan wicker chairs, cushions and a table. This set is a bestseller on Amazon. It’s available in four colors and is priced at just $90 (which is currently 25% off its usual price of $120).
Lviden Store outdoor PE wicker chaise lounge set
Amazon
If you don’t need a whole living room-style layout, consider a few super comfortable chaise lounge chairs. This set includes two adjustable chaise lounge chairs with cushions and as small table. All are constructed using durable and attractive rattan.
Four color options are available. Each chair has a strong, rust-resistant steel frame, with all parts welded firmly together. The lounge chairs can hold up to 400 pounds. Each is adjustable into six positions. Furniture covers are included.
Best outdoor smart lighting in 2024
When it comes to adding ambiance to your outdoor living space, smart lighting is a low-cost option with a very high payoff. Customize your patio’s lighting using color, animated light patterns, or white light of varying temperatures and brightness. With smart lighting, as your mood changes, so can the lighting with a few taps on your smartphone.
Philips Hue outdoor floodlight
Amazon
A typical smart light used for ambient lighting can produce millions of colors and display either stable light or a customizable, and animated light sequence.
We’re fans of the Philips Hue smart lights because the company offers a vast product line, with all light fixtures and smart bulbs controllable using the same easy app. You’ll need one Hue Bridge that connects to your modem or wireless router. Then it’s as simple as pairing and remotely controlling all of your Hue smart lights.
The Philips Hue outdoor floodlight is one dazzling outdoor smart light option. It’s a color-changing LED light that can display multiple shades, temperatures and brightnesses of white light, or any of more than 16 million colors. You can set up one of these lights or several of them on your patio and control them all individually or as a group. You can also set timers or schedules.
The required Hue Bridge ($43) is not included with the outdoor floodlight, so you’ll either need to purchase it separately or buy a Hue smart lighting set that comes with the bridge.
Govee smart outdoor string lights
Amazon
Govee is another well-established smart lighting brand that distinguishes itself by offering dozens of high-quality, affordable products. And their smart lights do not require a separate bridge or hub to function with your home’s Wi-Fi.
This 96-foot long outdoor string light set includes two 48-foot lines of smart LED bulbs that can display more than 16 million colors each. From the Govee mobile app, you can adjust the color, animated light pattern and brightness of these lights, as well as set timers and schedules.
There are 47 animated lighting sequences integrated into the Govee mobile app, along with a music-sync mode. The lights also respond to voice commands. The same Govee smartphone app will control all of the Govee smart lights you install inside or outside your home.
Govee outdoor patio lights
Amazon
While the Govee outdoor string light set is designed to be hung, these outdoor pathway lights go on the ground to create multi-colored ambience around the perimeter of a patio, yard or walkway.
Each smart-light pillar can display fully adjustable white light or your choice of 16 million colors. The mobile app has 43 animated light presets.
This landscape lighting is IP65 rated for water and weather resistance. It’s made of durable aluminum with a lacquered finish. Compared with solar powered pathway lights, this wired set is brighter — up to 250 lumens.
Each set comes with four wired light pillars that get plugged into a single power source. Control them wirelessly using the Govee mobile app or with voice commands.
Best outdoor TV and music speakers in 2024
Bring your living room onto your patio with an outdoor TV. Add a few outdoor speakers so you can stream your favorite music.
Samsung’s 65″ Terrace smart TV
Samsung
Samsung’s Terrace is weather-resistant and designed to be installed outdoors — in areas where there’s only partial sunlight. The TV is available in multiple sizes, from 55 inches up to 85 inches. For most patios, the 65-inch model is plenty adequate.
The Terrace boasts an anti-reflective coating and is rated IP55 for protection against dust and water. That said, keep your TV covered and protected when not in use.
The TV offers Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, works with A.I. assistants like Alexa, and features built-in apps for Netflix, Amazon Prime and other popular services you subscribe to. The TV runs on Samsung’s recently updated Tizen operating system. It comes with a remote control, but can also be controlled using Samsung’s SmartThings app.
The Terrace TV uses QLED technology to deliver a sharp and vivid picture with more than 1 billion colors. When you’re not watching native 4K content, the Terrace uses AI upscaling to enhance lower resolution programming to as close to 4K as possible.
Whether you want to host a movie night under the stars from your patio, or watch a live sporting even while you barbecue, the Terrace is one of the very best outdoor TVs on the market.
Polk Audio Atrium 8 outdoor speakers
Amazon
Since not everyone can afford an outdoor TV (or even wants a television set on their patio), for a lot less money you can install wireless speakers for streaming music or audio from your mobile device and fill your outdoor space with robust and clear audio.
The Polk Audio Atrium 8 outdoor speakers are each sold separately. One speaker will fill a patio space with clear, but mono only, sound. When you use two or more of these speakers, you can play vibrant stereo sound.
These speakers are weather resistant and can generate powerful bass without a separate subwoofer. They also create a wide soundstage. Each speaker is equipped with a 6.5-inch dual voice coil, dynamic balance aerated polypropylene cone, along with two one-inch anodized aluminum dome tweeters. And these speakers can generate up to 250 watts of audio power and come with an easy-to-install mounting bracket.
Best grills in 2024
We’re big fans of the latest outdoor smart grills that let you control your cooking with a smartphone. Using the latest smart technology, it’s almost impossible to overcook or undercook your food. To learn all about the best smart grills, check out our coverage of the six best smart grills for spring 2024.
If you’re looking for a traditional charcoal, propane, natural gas or wood pellet grill, you have a lot of models to choose from — from brands like Weber, Master Cook, Cuisinart, Royal Gourmet and Char-Griller — that are available from Amazon and The Home Depot.
Brisk It Origin-940 wood pellet smoker smart grill
Brisk It
Whether you need to prepare food for a family of four or a gathering of 15 or more, the Brisk It Origin-940 is ready to deliver the flavor that only a wood pellet grill can produce. This grill handles smoking, barbecuing, baking, searing and braising on its vast 940 square inches of grilling space.
Even if you don’t consider yourself an outdoor grilling master (yet), the Origin-940 will fix that quickly. It pairs with your smartphone, so you can discover delicious recipes and grilling techniques, and then be guided every step of the way through the cooking process.
This well-designed grill uses AI to maintain precise temperatures and sends notifications to your phone when it’s time to flip the food. Simply by following the on-screen advice and taking advantage of the grill’s sensors and probes, it’s almost impossible to overcook or undercook.
This grill will definitely make your neighbors jealous. And once the grill helps you build a reputation as a grilling master, don’t be surprised if people invite themselves over when they smell the incredible aromas that fill your outdoor space.
The Brisk It-940 was our pick for the best smart grill overall within our coverage of the six best smart grills for spring 2024.
Ooni Koda 16 gas pizza oven
Amazon
Who doesn’t love gourmet pizza? The portable Ooni Koda 16 gas pizza oven makes crafting delicious homemade pies a breeze. Whether you’re cooking for yourself or hosting pizza parties, it’s perfect for the job.
This outdoor oven heats up to 950 degrees Fahrenheit within 15 minutes, and can then cook a Neapolitan-style pizza in about a minute. Setup takes less than two minutes. It comes with everything needed (except for the pizza ingredients).
Best mosquito repellents in 2024
Nothing can ruin your time outdoors faster than a bunch of mosquitos and annoying bugs. Sure, you can douse yourself with bug spray and hope for the best, but there’s an easier way.
DynaTrap mosquito and flying insect trap
Amazon
What we like about the DynaTrap mosquito and flying insect trap is that it offers up to one-acre coverage. It measures just 13 x 13 x 20 inches and provides three-way protection, using UV light and a TiO2 coating that lures flying insects to the trap. The powerful, whisper-quiet fan then sucks the bugs into the basket.
This system is designed to rid your outdoor space of mosquitoes, biting flies, house flies, moths, no-see-ums, June beetles, wasps, yellow jackets, stink bugs, gnats and biting midges.
You’re able to keep the DynaTrap continuously running all season for non-stop insect protection. It should be placed three to six feet above the ground and between 20 and 40 feet away from people.
Once plugged in, the only maintenance involves emptying the catch basket as needed.
Best hammocks in 2024
Whether you have the space to permanently install a premium hammock on your patio or in your backyard, or you want a more portable option, there’s nothing like the feeling of lying in a hammock outside on a warm day to relax, read, nap or watch the clouds float overhead.
The Vista from Yellow Leaf Hammocks
Yellow Leaf Hammocks
If you’re going to invest in a hammock, we recommend buying one from a company whose sole specialty is just that: premium hammocks. We’ve discovered that the folks at Yellow Leaf Hammocks meet this criteria. The company offers an impressive selection of hammocks, including The Vista.
The Vista can be set up virtually anywhere in minutes and stores nicely in a convenient backpack-style bag. The hammock itself extends more than seven feet, so it’ll engulf your body and make you feel like you’re floating.
The hammock’s frame weighs just under 12 pounds and you can choose from eight colors. An optional cup holder and storage punch for your belongings are sold separately.
Since the frame is made from jet-grade aluminum, it can hold upwards of 330 pounds. The Vista will make the perfect addition to any patio and quickly become the most popular piece of furniture out there.
The Throne from Yellow Leaf Hammocks
Yellow Leaf Hammocks
The Throne is a custom-made piece of furniture, suitable for indoors or outdoors. It features a metal base, wooden arms and a premium hammock.
The 46-inch swivel base can rotate 360 degrees, and the hammock stretches over seven feet, creating a floating sensation.
You can customize the metal color, wood finish and hammock color when ordering online, with delivery in four to eight weeks.
This is not just a luxury hammock; it’s a high-quality piece of furniture that can become a statement piece in a room, on a porch, or in a backyard.
Best fire pits in 2024
Whether you’re making s’mores or just hanging out on a warm spring or summer night, sitting around a fire pit creates a casual and cozy ambiance.
Breeo X Series smokeless fire pit
Amazon
There’s something very special about sitting around a fire pit. The Breeo X Series smokeless fire pit is 22 inches wide and made from heavy-gauge stainless steel. It’s a wood-burning, outdoor fire pit that can be used to create a backyard bonfire.
Thanks to a proprietary airflow design, this fire pit generates very little smoke and won’t permeate clothing with that all-too-familiar campfire smell. The unit weighs 62 pounds and measures 27.5 inches across and is 14.75 inches tall.
It’s durably made in the USA and arrives with a shiny, blue-steel facade. Over time, it will develop a unique patina.
Best outdoor planters in 2024
Add some color to your outdoor space and bring nature to you. Home Depot, Walmart and Amazon all offer a vast selection of decorative and handy raised garden beds that make it a snap to grow vegetables, flowers, herbs or any type of plants.
Depending on your space, or plants some small trees in pots. Fast Growing Trees offers more than two dozen tree options that can grow nicely on a patio and that require minimal maintenance.
Ames Flexgarden storage planters
Walmart
Even if you have limited space on your patio, chances are there’s room to grow flowers, herbs or vegetables using these Ames D80 Flexgarden storage planters. Each kit includes three planter boxes and two connecting legs that allow for multiple configurations.
As space permits, you can link multiple sets together to create your own garden oasis. These planter boxes are constructed from fade- and crack-resistant material. Some assembly is required, but the tool needed is included.
This is just one option for raised planter boxes that are ideal for a patio setting. You’ll find many more at Home Depot and Amazon.
Glizhome decorative tiered outdoor water fountain
Amazon
The Glizhome decorative tiered outdoor water fountain with LED and planter is 40 inches tall and within a relatively tight space allows you to incorporate a plant and fountain into your patio decor and create a peaceful relaxation spot.
The fountain is made of sturdy polyresin and stone powder. This provides a strong construction and weatherproof design that’ll keep the fountain looking new over time. The rustic stone water fountain features modern and minimalist curving, combined with streamline falling water.
We love this Glizhome fountain because it brings a touch of rustic charm and the sound of soft cascading water to your outdoor living space. A built-in screen prevents the fountain from splashing, while the internal pump can be adjusted to prevent loud water sound.
Right now, this $400 fountain is on sale at Amazon for 12% off, so you’ll pay just $351. It measures 14 ×14 x 40 inches, has a water capacity of 3.7 gallons and a flow rate up to 225.5 gallons per hour.
Bloodgood Japanese Maple from Fast Growing Trees
Fast Growing Trees
Fast Growing Trees is a nursery that sells hundreds of trees and plants suitable for any patio or lawn.
To bring some vivid color to your space, we suggest this Bloodgood Japanese maple. This four- to five-foot tall tree gets shipped right to your home and will thrive in most regions in the USA.
This tree can become the focal point of a landscaped area or patio. It can be kept trimmed to fit within your patio space, or you can let it grow to its full 15-foot height. It will grow nicely in partial share or full sun.
Right now, when you use code SAVEMORE25 at checkout, you’ll get 25% off this tree. This brings the price of this gorgeous $220 tree down to just $165.
Best outdoor umbrellas and retractable awnings in 2024
Unless you’re working on your tan, it’s nice to enjoy your outdoor space without risking sunburn. Based on the size of your patio, consider a retractible awning or an oversize umbrella.
Lausaint Home 12′ outdoor patio umbrella with base
Amazon
When the heat of the sun gets too much to handle, simply open this 12-foot outdoor patio umbrella and enjoy some shade. The umbrella can be rotated 360 degrees.
To match the decor of your patio, it comes in nine color options. The pole of this cantilever patio umbrella is made of extra-thick aluminum which is lightweight, yet strong and durable. It comes with a base that must be filled with at least 220 pounds of sand for stability.
The umbrella itself is made of a heavy-duty, polyester fabric. There are vents on the top to help air circulate and for added stability. The crank lift mechanism makes it easy to open and close the umbrella in seconds.
Patio umbrellas come in a wide range of sizes and designs. You’ll find hundreds of other options, from dozens of manufacturers, available from Amazon and Home Depot.
Aecojoy manual retractable awning
Amazon
You may find it easier and more visually appealing to install a retractable awning. These awnings are available in many sizes, colors and designs. Some use a hand crank to manually open and retract the fabric awning, while others use a motor.
The Aecojoy manual retractable awning shown here comes in four size options — 8.2 x 6.5 feet, 10 x 8 feet, 13 x 8 feet or 13 x 10 feet — and in your choice of four colors. The awning is made of 280g polyester and PU-coated fabric that’s water resistant, anti-ultraviolet, resistant to sun fading and it offers 30UV+ solar protection.
Its frame is build with rust-resistant, powder-coated aluminum that’s lightweight, but durable, so it can resist up to 30mph wind. The retractable mounting brackets have double strand steel rope. An included hand crank is used to open and retract it, so no power is required.
Invite the birds
Adding a bird house or bird feeder to your patio lures local birds that you can enjoy watching as they chirp and enjoy some food. Whether you shop at Amazon, The Home Depot or Walmart, you’ll find bird houses and bird feeders that’ll fit perfectly around your patio and yard. We’re fans of the latest smart bird feeders that have a built in camera, so you can see a live feed on your smartphone and immediately have the bird feeder’s app identify the birds you’re viewing.
Birdsnap smart bird feeder with camera
Amazon
Adding a bird feeders and bird house is a great way to attract colorful visitors to your outdoor living space. When it comes to bird feeders, we love the models that have a camera.
They’re also app-controlled, so when a bird visits, you can get a live and up close view on your mobile device’s screen. At the same time, the app will instantly identify the bird’s species and display information about it. More than 10,000 bird species are included in the app’s database.
The PAV smart bird feeder comes with a 64GB SD memory card to locally store recorded video footage. The built-in camera offers 1080p resolution and a 160-degree wide field of view.
The bird feeder offers a 1.8 liter capacity for bird food, but also includes two fruit forks and two hummingbird feeders, along with one jelly box that will attract hummingbirds, orioles and other more exotic birds.
Whether you’re looking for a smart bird feeder or a more traditional model, you’ll discover hundreds of options on Amazon.
To discover even more great deals on the products you want and need, be sure to read all of our latest and continuously updated home, kitchen and outdoor coverage. To learn about high-tech ways to care for your lawn, be sure to read our just-published roundup of the best robot lawnmowers and other smart lawn-care tech.
Jason R. Rich
Jason R. Rich (www.JasonRich.com) is an internationally recognized consumer technology expert with more than 30 years’ writing experience. He’s also an accomplished author and photographer. One of his most recently published books, The Remote Worker’s Handbook: How to Effectively Work From Anywhere ($24.99, Entrepreneur Books) is now available from Amazon and wherever books are sold.
Germany’s former chancellor Gerhard Schröder says he can still imagine that his friendship with Russian President Vladimir Putin could contribute to ending the war in Ukraine.
“We have worked together sensibly for many years. Perhaps that can still help to find a negotiated solution, I don’t see any other way,” Schröder said in an interview with dpa.
Schröder has been friends with Putin since his time as chancellor from 1998 to 2005 and continues to work for the majority Russian companies operating the Nord Stream pipelines through the Baltic Sea. Although he has described the Russian attack on Ukraine as a “fatal mistake,” he has not renounced Putin.
The leadership of his Social Democratic Party has marginalized him for this reason, but an expulsion procedure against him failed.
When asked why he is maintaining his friendship with the Russian president despite tens of thousands of deaths and Russian war crimes in the Ukraine war, Schröder replied, “It’s true that this is a dimension that is different.”
It had once looked as if his personal relationship with Putin could be helpful in solving an extremely difficult political problem. “And that’s why I think it would be completely wrong to forget all the positive things that have happened between us in politics in the past. That’s not my style and I don’t do that either,” he said.
Schröder was alluding to his mediation mission in March 2022 shortly after the Russian attack on Ukraine, when Schröder said he first met then Ukrainian parliamentarian and current Defence Minister Rustem Umerov in Istanbul and travelled on to Moscow for talks with Putin. However, the initiative failed.
The Kremlin welcomed Schröder’s statements.
Good, constructive relations on a personal level like those between Schröder and Putin could help to solve problems, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted as saying by Russian news agencies on Thursday.
The Kremlin spokesman added that when it came to those in power in Germany today, he did not see any willingness to end the war in Ukraine.
Schröder also indicated that he is in favour of a new attempt at mediation in the Ukraine-Russia conflict at the government level.
“France and Germany would have to take the initiative. It is obvious that the war cannot end with the total defeat of one side or the other,” the former chancellor said.
Schröder described speculation that Putin could start a nuclear war or attack a NATO country on the eastern flank as “nonsense.”
In order to nip an escalation towards such scenarios in the bud and prevent the population from becoming more worried, serious thought must be given to a solution to the conflict in addition to support for Ukraine, he emphasized.
Germany’s current chancellor, Olaf Scholz, has not spoken to Putin on the phone since December 2022.
In an interview with the German daily Märkische Allgemeine published on Thursday, Scholz pointed out that there had been repeated discussions with Moscow about, for example, the agreement on the export of Ukrainian grain, security at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant and the exchange of prisoners.
“A number of countries, including Ukraine, are currently discussing at the security advisor level what something could look like that would lead to a peace process,” he said. “But let me make one thing very clear: peace is possible at any time.”
“Putin just has to stop his barbaric campaign and withdraw troops,” Scholz asserted.
Germany’s former chancellor Gerhard Schröder says he can still imagine that his friendship with Russian President Vladimir Putin could contribute to ending the war in Ukraine.
“We have worked together sensibly for many years. Perhaps that can still help to find a negotiated solution, I don’t see any other way,” Schröder said in an interview with dpa.
Schröder has been friends with Putin since his time as chancellor from 1998 to 2005 and continues to work for the majority Russian companies of the Nord Stream pipelines through the Baltic Sea. Although he has described the Russian attack on Ukraine as a “fatal mistake,” he has not renounced Putin.
The leadership of his Social Democratic Party has marginalized him for this reason, but an expulsion procedure against him failed.
When asked why he is maintaining his friendship with the Russian president despite tens of thousands of deaths and Russian war crimes in the Ukraine war, Schröder replied, “It’s true that this is a dimension that is different.”
It had once looked as if this personal relationship could be helpful in solving an extremely difficult political problem. “And that’s why I think it would be completely wrong to forget all the positive things that have happened between us in politics in the past. That’s not my style and I don’t do that either,” he said.
Schröder was alluding to his mediation mission in March 2022 shortly after the Russian attack on Ukraine, when Schröder said he first met the then Ukrainian parliamentarian and current defence minister Rustem Umerov in Istanbul and travelled on to Moscow for talks with Putin. However, the initiative failed.
Today, Schröder is in favour of a new attempt at mediation at the government level.
“France and Germany would have to take the initiative. It is obvious that the war cannot end with the total defeat of one side or the other.”
Schröder described speculation that Putin could start a nuclear war or attack a NATO country on the eastern flank as “nonsense.”
In order to nip an escalation towards such scenarios in the bud and prevent the population from becoming more worried, serious thought must be given to a solution to the conflict in addition to support for Ukraine, he emphasized.
Germany’s former chancellor Gerhard Schröder says he can still imagine that his friendship with Russian President Vladimir Putin could contribute to ending the war in Ukraine.
“We have worked together sensibly for many years. Perhaps that can still help to find a negotiated solution, I don’t see any other way,” Schröder said in an interview with dpa.
Schröder has been friends with Putin since his time as chancellor from 1998 to 2005 and continues to work for the majority Russian companies of the Nord Stream pipelines through the Baltic Sea. Although he has described the Russian attack on Ukraine as a “fatal mistake,” he has not renounced Putin.
The leadership of his Social Democratic Party has marginalized him for this reason, but an expulsion procedure against him failed.
When asked why he is maintaining his friendship with the Russian president despite tens of thousands of deaths and Russian war crimes in the Ukraine war, Schröder replied, “It’s true that this is a dimension that is different.”
It had once looked as if this personal relationship could be helpful in solving an extremely difficult political problem. “And that’s why I think it would be completely wrong to forget all the positive things that have happened between us in politics in the past. That’s not my style and I don’t do that either,” he said.
Schröder was alluding to his mediation mission in March 2022 shortly after the Russian attack on Ukraine, when Schröder said he first met the then Ukrainian parliamentarian and current defence minister Rustem Umerov in Istanbul and travelled on to Moscow for talks with Putin. However, the initiative failed.
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The Kremlin has embraced a challenge in the wake of last week’s deadly terror attack in Moscow: pinning the blame on its enemies.
Russian officials have stepped up their efforts to point the finger at Ukraine and the West — a task made more difficult by a lack of publicly presented evidence, denials by Kyiv matched by claims of responsibility by the Islamic State terrorist group, and contradictions in the narrative put forth by the Kremlin’s hawks.
Although President Vladimir Putin offered early hints of the claim that Ukraine was in some way involved in the concert hall attack, the Russian leader and his propaganda machine have doubled down on those claims in recent days. The head of the country’s Federal Security Service (FSB) even suggested Tuesday that it was not just Kyiv but the United States and Britain that were behind the attack, which has now claimed at least 140 lives.
Ukraine and its allies have dismissed the accusations, while the U.S. has said ISIS was solely responsible for the attack.
Four Tajik nationals charged in the attack appeared severely beaten in a Moscow court Sunday, raising questions about how reliable any testimony they give will be. On Monday, Putin admitted for the first time that the attack had been carried out by “radical Islamists,” while again suggesting that Ukraine was involved.
The Russian leader has suggested Ukraine was involved without presenting any evidence.Valery Sharifulin / AFP – Getty Images
FSB chief Alexander Bortnikov took it further Tuesday and said that “primary data” received from the suspects so far points to a “Ukrainian trace” because “the Islamists alone were unable to prepare such an act.” Bortnikov also accused Kyiv of training militants in the Middle East.
His words were echoed by another high-ranking official in Putin’s entourage Tuesday: the secretary of Russia’s National Security Council, Nikolai Patrushev. “Of course, Ukraine,” Patrushev said, answering a question from a journalist about whether ISIS or Kyiv was to blame for the attack.
But the Kremlin accusations, while increasingly definitive, have lacked any evidence, details or clarity.
“Overall, there’s an odd disconnect. The official line, that Ukrainians recruited jihadists, is being parroted, but often with little conviction,” Mark Galeotti, head of the consultancy Mayak Intelligence and an honorary professor at University College London, wrote on X. “Despite talk of consequences, nothing is really emerging, leaving the authorities looking rather weak.”
Russian propaganda has dismissed the ISIS claim of responsibility since the night of the attack, when observers feared that the Kremlin might seek to exploit the situation by blaming its enemies in Ukraine and the West.
That has been borne out in the days since.
On Wednesday, the pro-Kremlin newspaper Argumenty i Fakty splashed across its front page the faces of President Joe Biden, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the leaders of Germany, France and the United Kingdom against the burning Crocus concert hall in the background, with a tagline that read: “We know the masterminds of the terrorist attack in Crocus. … Let them tell each other the nonsense about ISIS.”
When asked why Zelenskyy, who is Jewish, would be in league with Islamist extremists, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov suggested it was not so far-fetched. The Ukrainian leader is a “peculiar” Jewish person who sympathizes with Nazis, Peskov said Tuesday, resorting to the Kremlin’s baseless trope about Zelenskyy and his government.
Russia’s Investigative Committee also said Wednesday that it would look into an appeal by several lawmakers to investigate how the U.S. and other Western countries are allegedly organizing, financing and carrying out terror acts against Russia.
Pushing that narrative could serve several purposes.
It detracts from any meaningful discussion about the failure of Russia’s own security services, which have been busy cracking down on domestic dissent and seemingly missed an attack that was clearly well planned and that the U.S. had warned about weeks in advance.
Three people have been killed in Israeli army operations overnight in Jenin in the West Bank, the Israeli army reported.
Israel’s military said it conducted an anti-terrorist operation in the town on Tuesday night, during which Palestinians had thrown explosive devices. The soldiers responded with gunfire, killing one person. The 19-year-old who was killed was shot in the chest and thigh, the Palestinian Health Ministry in Ramallah said.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) also said it had attacked and killed two other armed Palestinians in Jenin, with the health authority reporting that two people had died in an Israeli drone attack in the refugee camp there.
The IDF said its forces had destroyed a vehicle containing ready-to-use explosive devices. They also arrested two suspects who had previously been in the vehicle.
The health authority reported a total of four Palestinians injured in the course of the operations and confrontations with the IDF in Jenin. The town is considered a stronghold of Palestinian militants, and the Israeli army repeatedly carries out raids there.
Since the start of the Gaza war following the Hamas massacre on October 7 last year, the situation in the West Bank has become ever more tense.
More than 430 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli military operations, confrontations or their own attacks since then, the health authority said.
At the same time, there has also been an increase in violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians.
People take part in the funeral of Palestinians who were killed during an Israeli army operation in the Jenin camp in the West Bank. Three people have been killed, the Israeli army reported. Ayman Nobani/dpa
People look at a damaged car after an Israeli army operation in the Jenin camp in the West Bank. Three people have been killed, the Israeli army reported. Ayman Nobani/dpa
People look at the site of the bombing after an Israeli drone attack in the Jenin camp in the West Bank. Three people have been killed in Israeli army operations overnight in Jenin in the West Bank, the Israeli army reported. Ayman Nobani/dpa
ZIGUINCHOR, Senegal (AP) — Mariama Sonko’s voice resounded through the circle of 40 women farmers sitting in the shade of a cashew tree. They scribbled notes, brows furrowed in concentration as her lecture was punctuated by the thud of falling fruit.
This quiet village in Senegal is the headquarters of a 115,000-strong rural women’s rights movement in West Africa, We Are the Solution. Sonko, its president, is training female farmers from cultures where women are often excluded from ownership of the land they work so closely.
Across Senegal, women farmers make up 70% of the agricultural workforce and produce 80% of the crops but have little access to land, education and finance compared to men, the United Nations says.
“We work from dawn until dusk, but with all that we do, what do we get out of it?” Sonko asked.
She believes that when rural women are given land, responsibilities and resources, it has a ripple effect through communities. Her movement is training women farmers who traditionally have no access to education, explaining their rights and financing women-led agricultural projects.
Across West Africa, women usually don’t own land because it is expected that when they marry, they leave the community. But when they move to their husbands’ homes, they are not given land because they are not related by blood.
Sonko grew up watching her mother struggle after her father died, with young children to support.
“If she had land, she could have supported us,” she recalled, her normally booming voice now tender. Instead, Sonko had to marry young, abandon her studies and leave her ancestral home.
After moving to her husband’s town at age 19, Sonko and several other women convinced a landowner to rent to them a small plot of land in return for part of their harvest. They planted fruit trees and started a market garden. Five years later, when the trees were full of papayas and grapefruit, the owner kicked them off.
The experience marked Sonko.
“This made me fight so that women can have the space to thrive and manage their rights,” she said. When she later got a job with a women’s charity funded by Catholic Relief Services, coordinating micro-loans for rural women, that work began.
“Women farmers are invisible,” said Laure Tall, research director at Agricultural and Rural Prospect Initiative, a Senegalese rural think tank. That’s even though women work on farms two to four hours longer than men on an average day.
But when women earn money, they reinvest it in their community, health and children’s education, Tall said. Men spend some on household expenses but can choose to spend the rest how they please. Sonko listed common examples like finding a new wife, drinking and buying fertilizer and pesticides for crops that make money instead of providing food.
With encouragement from her husband, who died in 1997, Sonko chose to invest in other women. Her training center now employs over 20 people, with support from small philanthropic organizations such as Agroecology Fund and CLIMA Fund.
In a recent week, Sonko and her team trained over 100 women from three countries, Senegal, Guinea-Bissau and Gambia, in agroforestry – growing trees and crops together as a measure of protection from extreme weather – and micro gardening, growing food in tiny spaces when there is little access to land.
One trainee, Binta Diatta, said We Are the Solution bought irrigation equipment, seeds, and fencing — an investment of $4,000 — and helped the women of her town access land for a market garden, one of more than 50 financed by the organization.
When Diatta started to earn money, she said, she spent it on food, clothes and her children’s schooling. Her efforts were noticed.
“Next season, all the men accompanied us to the market garden because they saw it as valuable,” she said, recalling how they came simply to witness it.
Now another challenge has emerged affecting women and men alike: climate change.
In Senegal and the surrounding region, temperatures are rising 50% more than the global average, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and the UN Environment Program says rainfall could drop by 38% in the coming decades.
Where Sonko lives, the rainy season has become shorter and less predictable. Saltwater is invading her rice paddies bordering the tidal estuary and mangroves, caused by rising sea levels. In some cases, yield losses are so acute that farmers abandon their rice fields.
But adapting to a heating planet has proven to be a strength for women since they adopt climate innovations much faster than men, said Ena Derenoncourt, an investment specialist for women-led farming projects at agricultural research agency AICCRA.
“They have no choice because they are the most vulnerable and affected by climate change,” Derenoncourt said. “They are the most motivated to find solutions.”
On a recent day, Sonko gathered 30 prominent women rice growers to document hundreds of local rice varieties. She bellowed out the names of rice – some hundreds of years old, named after prominent women farmers, passed from generation to generation – and the women echoed with what they call it in their villages.
This preservation of indigenous rice varieties is not only key to adapting to climate change but also about emphasizing the status of women as the traditional guardians of seeds.
“Seeds are wholly feminine and give value to women in their communities,” Sonko said. “That’s why we’re working on them, to give them more confidence and responsibility in agriculture.”
The knowledge of hundreds of seeds and how they respond to different growing conditions has been vital in giving women a more influential role in communities.
Sonko claimed to have a seed for every condition including too rainy, too dry and even those more resistant to salt for the mangroves.
Last year, she produced 2 tons of rice on her half-hectare plot with none of the synthetic pesticides or fertilizer that are heavily subsidized in Senegal. The yield was more than double that of plots with full use of chemical products in a 2017 U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization project in the same region.
“Our seeds are resilient,” Sonko said, sifting through rice-filled clay pots designed to preserve seeds for decades. “Conventional seeds do not resist climate change and are very demanding. They need fertilizer and pesticides.”
The cultural intimacy between female farmers, their seeds and the land means they are more likely to shun chemicals harming the soil, said Charles Katy, an expert on indigenous wisdom in Senegal who is helping to document Sonko’s rice varieties.
He noted the organic fertilizer that Sonko made from manure, and the biopesticides made from ginger, garlic and chilli.
One of Sonko’s trainees, Sounkarou Kébé, recounted her experiments against parasites in her tomato plot. Instead of using manufactured insecticides, she tried using a tree bark traditionally used in Senegal’s Casamance region to treat intestinal problems in humans caused by parasites.
A week later, all the disease was gone, Kébé said.
As dusk approached at the training center, insects hummed in the background and Sonko prepared for another training session. “There’s too much demand,” she said. She is now trying to set up seven other farming centers across southern Senegal.
Glancing back at the circle of women studying in the fading light, she said: “My great fight in the movement is to make humanity understand the importance of women.”
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The Associated Press receives financial support for global health and development coverage in Africa from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.
