apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

You read my mind! I just started up again on taking a patch of weeds my landlord likes to call "a yard" and making it my outdoor patio. Can't wait for more tips.

I have a nice, manageable yard - but I live in Phoenix so I won't be using it until about October. Half of it is covered in pavers. They are very faded and worn and we need to inject some color (the color of the walls around the yard is dictated by the HOA and when I inquired about painting just the inside (possibly a cobalt blue) the HOA manager responded that I could paint it any color, as long as it was Desert Navajo White. ack!)

So, we were thinking of maybe staining the pavers to add some pizazz. Would a concrete stain work? Any ideas for colors and/or products?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nikki_larsen/530648821/
BTW, this is a picture from before we moved in - we have since eradicated the railroad ties.

I haven't tried it myself, but ReadyMade magazine has a how-to on staining cement patio pavers:

http://readymademag.com/printarchive/article?id=737

Three of your favorite bright colors painted here and there should do the trick.

ooooooooooohhhh...that looks like a definite possibility! thanks a bunch!!