Spruce Up Your Outdoor Space with These Low-Cost Décor Ideas

The weather is warming up and now is the time to get your outdoor spaces ready for summer entertaining. Revamping a patio, deck, porch or pool area can be costly, but you don’t have to spend a fortune to give your space a fresh look. There are plenty of easy, affordable DIY projects that have maximum impact with minimum expense. Following are some of the best ideas to get you celebrating summer in no time!

Flower power

 Photo courtesy Ciera Design

Nothing says summer like brightly colored flowers and fresh greenery! But you don’t have to go for broke buying new planters. Check out these this adorable tin can fence garden made from empty food cans. Just drill holes in the bottom, spray paint with your favorite color (or colors), screw them directly to your otherwise boring fence and fill with flowers. Super affordable and it makes a dramatic impact in your yard!

Be sure to think outside the box when planting flowers in your yard. Almost any kind of container would work, from upcycled watering cans to rubber boots to rain gutters and old bathtubs. There are also plenty of ideas for transforming basic terra cotta flower pots (either ceramic or plastic) into colorful and creative masterpieces. You can cover them in bright wallpaper or shelf liner, paint them, or wrap them with rope or other textured materials.

Tiles and superglue is all you need to make these cool Moroccan planters from Pillar Box Blue. Glue four tiles together, pop in the bottom of an empty two-liter bottle and voilà – you’ve got a eclectic planter in under ten minutes (and under five bucks!)

Add a pop of color

Photo courtesy Dazzle while Frazzled

Nothing brightens up an outdoor space more than adding a burst of bright color. One of the easiest ways to do so is by adding a few new outdoor pillows to the rotation. Depending on your level of craftiness, you can make an outdoor pillow out of just about anything – old rugs, blankets, drop cloths and even old umbrellas. But if your sewing skills are rusty (or non-existent), check out this creative AstroTurf pillow. The only skill you’ll need to make your own is the ability to use a staple gun. You can even add some artificial flowers for that kitschy punch. These pillows are even stuffed with plastic bags for the ultimate in upcycling!

Another great way to add color is with a little paint. You can freshen up faded resin chairs by spray painting them in bold colors, or update a wooden side table with a coat or two of chalk paint – no sanding needed. You can even shoo away the gray of winter by painting your worn patio cushions. A little exterior house paint in the same color as your existing cushions can make your furniture new again. You can even use a watered-down fabric paint to modernize less-than-awesome patterned cushions – watch the tutorial.

You can even paint a basic outdoor rug to make a unique statement on your patio. A little painter’s tape, spray paint and a bit of creativity is all that’s needed for this colorful DIY outdoor rug from Design Improvised. And it was all under $50!

Light it up

Lighting is one of the quickest ways to create ambiance in an outdoor space. From twinkling string lights to accent lighting and garden lanterns, there are numerous affordable – and easy – options to personalize your space with lighting. Even something as simple as tucking strings of battery-operated string lights in a mason jar can make a bold statement.

Draping twinkling string lights over your outdoor seating area is another way to spruce up your space for summer. Not only do they provide much-needed light for dining after dark, they also set the mood. Feel free to get creative here – it’s ok to mix and match styles, sizes and shapes for a personalized look.

Fresh candles are another way to spruce up your outdoor space this summer. But there’s no need to settle for boring white tea lights. Check out these colorful balloon-dipped citronella candles from Sugar and Cloth. All you have to do is pour melted wax spiked with citronella oil into glass tumblers or stemless wine glasses (picked up at the dollar store), then stretch a vinyl balloon over the bottom. They look hand-dipped and oh-so-cute!

Drink up!

Who doesn’t love to sip a crisp rosé or summery cocktail on an outdoor patio? Make it easy to serve your guests all of the above with this easy outdoor DIY pallet bar. All it takes is two pallets, some paving stones, a splash of paint and a little elbow grease. It only takes about two hours and you can customize it with the paint colors and accessories you want.

You can also repurpose items you already have on hand to make entertaining easy. Check out this outdoor bar cart make out of an IKEA changing table. All it took was a coat of paint and some casters. You can even make a functional farmhouse-chic outdoor coffee table using a galvanized metal bucket and a pre-fab tabletop. Stained or painted in your favorite color, it will bring new life to your patio, plus keep bug spray, blankets and other outdoor essentials hidden away underneath.