I haven't used the tilt feature very often but my umbrella is in a table so there isn't much need to tilt it. But if it were standalone then I think it would be more useful. My umbrella has a powder coated metal pole so I don't have to worry about rust,etc. I don't know if a wood pole would be prone to cracking but that's what I would worry about. I'm on my 2nd umbrella and here's what I learned from the first one. Of all the things to consider I never thought about the fabric. Unfortunately that's what ended up biting me in the end. Unless it's Sunbrella or something just like it the color is going to fade badly in the sun. I noticed a neighbor's awning faded from a lovely eggplant shade of purple to lilac. Not pretty. My first umbrella was a very colorful floral but after only a couple seasons under the hot California sun the colors were gone with only an imprint left in a most unattractive pukey yellow. How red and green can fade out to muddy mustard is a mystery to me. But it was so ugly I couldn't stand looking at it, even if the mechanics were still in good working order. I replaced it with a new umbrella. This time my #1 criteria was that it be made with SUNBRELLA fabric. It's been about 4 years now and the blue is still the same beautiful shade of sky blue it was when I bought it. The brand is called "Treasure Garden". I bought it at a patio store, can't remember how much I paid for it though. I couldn't be happier with the quality. Oh, the split fabric is very good to have if the umbrella is left open in windy weather. Both my umbrellas had the crank which I like.

I would start by extending the four switches from their junction boxes to see if anything 'looks wrong'. 'Very old' installations can accumulate insulation, debris, corrosion, etc that can provide a high resistance path for limited current to flow through, especially if it gets damp. Corrosion can be internal to the switch(es) so replacement, as mentioned by Greg, is something I'd plan on. BTW, if you are not familiar with four switch hook-ups, you'll need two three-way and two four-way switches.

I would also love to see bigger planters, but they are expensive and not currently in the budget. I'm planning on large heavy concrete planters where the dinky ones are now, and also near the steps to give a little extra stabilization to people who need it entering and exiting. We've always worked with what we had as a proof of concept until we're ready to tackle the permanent solution, hence the little ones for the time being. I can easily move them as I determine where I want the permanent ones, and how many I want. I think the hubby would kill me if I tried to paint his new patio cover. I might need to give him a few years before attempting that. It's alumawood, so not sure how well painting would work. I'm filing that away for future reference though. We had a local grocery store who painted their ceilings a sky blue, even all the exposed pipes and what not and it really was a nice feeling. They even added a few cutout clouds, it was a really cute design. Summers here are regularly over 100, so every bit of cool helps. I found an amazing umbrella at World Market, but when I went to go buy it today they're now out of stock. Here's hoping they find some more. You guys are amazingly helpful, thank you so much!

As solutions can range wildly in price, quality and appearance, with your question should be a rough budget figure that you are trying to keep within. At the low end would be patio string lights that are run generally around the patio perimeter or across overhead, from poles that are installed permanently, seasonally or for an event. The more peramanent it would be, the more expensive it would be. It is many small light sources that distribute the light more or less uniformly and looks festive. This "system" is often comprised of poles that are installed in planter tubs that are weighted with soil. There is not room on the patio for such tubs so you'd need to affix them somehow to the ground outside of the patio. Another possibility would be a 10' or 12' yard pole down-light, probably located on the grill side, just off the patio edge, about equivalent with the landing of the steps. If more light was desired, a second pole could go on opposite side of patio. There are a variety of fixture styles. Would be higher quality, permanent and more expensive. A third possibility would be to span the patio, over the landing area, with a 4-post pergola and conceal lighting within the upper "bridge" section. This would be the most expensive option as it requires construction and lighting installation. But it would allow for the light sources to be concealed and only the effect of lighting seen. There would be a spreading pool of light. Probable cost range: a couple hundred $ to a few thousand.