I have a navy & white runner between my island and sink/countertops at our lakehouse. There's plenty of foot traffic back there, and lots of food prep. Everything has washed off that rug - spaghetti sauce, blueberry jam, spilled coffee, etc. I've had it for 4 yrs. I spot clean it and vacuum regularly. Early spring and late fall I put it out on the deck on a nice day and give it a good sudsing w/ detergent, hose it off and let it thoroughly dry in the sunshine. It looks practically new. My daughter has the black and ivory striped one under the dining table where her family (w/ 2 little ones) eats every meal. She cares for hers much as I do mine. She's had it for 2 yrs and it looks great. Between us we own 8 Dash & Albert rugs. Two are woven cotton & the rest indoor/outdoor. I can highly recommend, but would advise a rug pad for the runner to prevent slipping & sliding.

Add more photos taken from farther away that show more of the space and how it relates to the rest of the house. Add them by adding a comment just like you did above, except add photos instead of words. There is a little camera labeled "photo" at the bottom of the comments box. Click on that, navigate to the place you stored the photos on your computer, click on the photo you want, wait until it appears in the comment box, and then repeat for as many photos as you have (up to 10). Then click the submit button. You can do this now or wait until holiday celebrations slow down. With added photos you will most likely get other suggestions and ideas here. You could also look at Houzz photos (link in the upper left corner of this page) and on the photos page there is a link under landscape for patios which may give some ideas.

Can we see the actual house that might help us? also the ceiling height, if you can draw a floor plan, what the doors lead to that would also help. Is that a carport? The first thing I would do is pressure wash everything, Then I would think about how to disguise the metal fencing, perhaps with planters and low light plants. Just stand back a bit more so we can get more feel how the space relates to the rest of the house.

Pavers and pots may save you from weeding but will set your up for frequent watering, depending on your rainfall snd temperature. (Do we know where you are??) I have a similar courtyard that is paved with bluestone but generous cutouts for trees and shrubs. I’ve planted creeping phlox That extends over the stones. None of this requires watering. Have you identified everything that’s planted there yet? You may be able to prune and revive to make use of it. Have you studied how rain falls and if there are spots it never reaches? Does it drain well? These are important considerations to address at the outset.