We did it: da patio redo! When we moved in, our backyard patio was an unappealing mix of concrete slab, bricks, and mismatched stepping-stones. After the brick layer was removed, we discovered more concrete slab underneath. In order to fit our 14 ft long swimspa, our contractor had to extend the patio by pouring yet another four feet of concrete. Yech! We hated the idea of our backyard turning into a concrete ocean, not to mention that the original concrete was cracked, rough and had a sun-bleached brick pattern on it. Our long term plan is to someday replace all the concrete with sleek interwoven pavers or tile. Our short term solution, however, had to be quick, easy, and DIY! Nothing says fast fix like fresh paint. Here's how we turned our blech concrete slab into our phatty-oh-patio in four steps.
1. CLEAN UP. We used a leaf blower to get all dirt & dust off the slab, then used a long-handled scrub brush to apply concrete cleaner/etcher. 
2. PRIME. Using a long-handled roller, we applied a concrete primer/bonder. It goes on clear.
[2.5 RUN don’t walk to the ice cream truck! It’s important to take breaks in hot weather. Sorry for the blurry pic, I was running to get my waffle cone!]
3. PAINT. Use specialized concrete paint (we got ours at Home Depot) and have it tinted to your fave color. Roll on generously.
4. DÉCOR. Add gazebo, furniture, rug, solar lights, and plants.
Here's a few close-up shots:
