Days are often tiresome. How relaxing is it to spend a day in repose after that hectic work schedules, having hot tea and your favourite snacks with your favourite people ? And that too in the dream space of your home.
Patio or backyard is the extreme private home space to spend time with your family and friends. Yet, decorating outdoor space is the most overlooked factor when it comes to designing homes. We are often told when interior decoration itself digs a hole in our pocket, we can’t even think of outdoor. But you can change the shape of your outdoor kitchen using design software that’s free and generates an outdoor space to cook in and delight guests and family alike.
Not all outdoor decorating ideas are highway robbery ! We have formulated 10 easy steps to idealize your dream outdoor space that is both fabulous and budget friendly.
The first step to friendly outdoor decorating ideas is to choose the right space to setup your dream backyard. It can be near your garden, pool or your porch. To choose it wisely, you need to decide upon your needs first.
Are you going to use this for a small private family gathering or to throw up occasional parties for your friends ? Do you need it for enjoying your private moments or to entertain your guests ?
Choose the size of your outdoor space setup based on your needs. To spend a relaxing evening in your backyard, watching your kids play may want you to build it near your kid’s play area.
If you are using it for private gatherings, opt for a smaller space than large. More space equates to more resources and thus more money.
List out your needs first and keep it as a guide to choose other outdoor décor ideas. Once you have chosen the right space for your backyard, we can move on to the next step.
Foundation is the right place to start decorating your outdoor space. In outdoor room ideas, choosing the right flooring is the trickiest part. When plenty of options are available in the market, it turns out to be even more confusing.
With proper planning, it is not as daunting as it seems to be. In step one we have chosen the right space to set it up. Now it acts as a guide to select suitable flooring. If it’s near the pool, you want it to be slip resistant. For those near to the garden, flooring has to match its aesthetic appeal. If it is to accommodate more people, your flooring must be less prone to wear and tear. Considering the complexities involved in selecting the right flooring for your outdoor space, it can be beneficial to seek the expertise of a professional flooring contractor who can guide you through the process and ensure that you make an informed decision.
Commonly used outdoor flooring is concrete pavement. Features like low maintenance, easy to clean and durability make it a good choice. You can also hardscape concrete slabs and decorate it by leaving space between them to grow pavement-friendly plants like creeping thyme to add lush and beauty. You can also use colourful pebbles to fill these gaps.
Those who prefer a classic look for your patio can go for wooden flooring. But woods are expensive, right ? Yes, but those who prefer wooden flooring can go for local hardwood which is budget friendly. Not every solution has to be expensive !
And what if you are more into traditional designs ? Brick flooring may be the right option for you. With its relative slip resistant nature it can fit your budget too as it is of low maintenance lasting for decades.
If you opt for tiles as your patio flooring, go for ceramic tiles which are ideal for outdoor flooring.
The most popular outdoor flooring type is flagstone which is long lasting and affordable.
What if your flooring is already done ?
Interlocking deck tiles are to your rescue ! It fits well with your already done concrete flooring and you can have plenty of options in design and colour variations.
Furniture takes the major space of your outdoor setup. Your needs and plans for your patio should be the buying guide for furniture.
Size of your furniture should match your patio size. It furniture is huge, it takes up most of your patio space leaving a congested appearance. If you have very limited space for outdoor, invest in space friendly furniture like floor cushions and floor tables which gives an illusion of more space. This is ideal for those who are living in apartments with small balcony. Scented candles and coloured flower pots can elevate its overall appearance.
If you are with medium spaced outdoor area, you can be bit more lavish by placing dining table and other seating to accommodate more members. For larger spaced patios, swinging furniture and random vintage chairs can act as a great reading space.
Affordability doesn’t demand us to compromise on quality. Invest in furniture with quality, durability and with low maintenance. Your furniture must be weather-proof to handle all those harsh outside clime elements. Moveable and multipurpose furniture is bit more convenient for outdoor seating and acts as great storage space too. Folding type furniture is more flexible if you are using outdoor space for various purposes. Browse through the products of Outdoor Art Pros for affordable and durable furniture.
Plastic chairs may seem to be appealing at first due to their affordability and availability. But it deteriorates over time and forces you to replace it in another 2 years’ time which doubles the investment cost in the long run.
Synthetic resin (also known as all-weather resin) is the most ideal option for outdoor furnishing. It has UV inhibitors which protect the furniture from fading due to harsh sunrays and is extremely scratch resistant. The features such as lightweight, durability and stain resistant make it a long term investment too. Make sure you choose High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) wicker instead of cheap PVC wickers. HDPE is eco-friendly too for those into green life !
If you favour wooden material, teak is the best choice for patio furniture. It is weather proof, durable and with good finish and can last as long as for 50 years. The downside of wooden furniture is its high maintenance.
When it comes to metal garden benches, aluminium is the winner.
Once the selection of outdoor furniture is made, the next sub part is its fabric. Invest in good quality, all-weather, comfortable, durable fabric in vibrant colours and designs to match your outdoor patio theme.
Black and other vibrant coloured fabrics tend to fade faster than lighter colours. While lighter coloured fabrics are more susceptible to stains, its ideal to mix and match cushions and covers with both lighter and darker shades. Play with designs and prints that match your patio theme.
The preferred fabric choice for outdoor furnishing is woven acrylic which is extremely resistant to fading.
If you are low on budget you can invest in more reasonable furniture or can re-purpose your old commodities. Benches, new or old painted with vibrant colours to suit your outdoor patio is inexpensive. You can decorate it with coloured cushioned surfaces. If you have old unused chairs at home, you can re-purpose it with colourful slip-in covers and cushions. Anything old is new here !
Landscaping not just adds beauty to your outdoor space, but is essential to direct water source and provides shades and breeze for your patio. Choose plants and landscaping with lively colours that can lift up your mood. Make sure it is not bulky taking all the extra space in your garden.
Plants with beautiful scents make the time you spend outdoor even more beautiful. Small trees and ornamental grasses add colour and vibrancy to your lawn and garden. Paint your plant pots with different colours to match your outdoor theme. Shapes like circle and square add definition to landscaping. Tree trimming service from the local tree experts can be availed to keep your trees visually appealing.
This step rhymes with previous step of landscaping and is one of the best cheap backyard ideas. Decide the type of outdoor lighting in advance, as most of these are underwired and pass through landscaping. Waterproof lighting must be your ideal choice and make sure you get it installed by a professional electrician.
Choose warmer shades of light over brighter ones to make your evenings more relaxed. Light colours are ideal for furnishing, as dark colour fits well for accents. Fairy lights are an excellent choice and you can spread it over walls, trees, plants and furniture. Invest in small beautiful LED’s which is both energy and cost efficient.
Vintage lanterns and chandeliers are desirable for those bitten by creative bug.
Summer sun is a bit alarming. You need good shade to enjoy your time outdoors. Expensive pergolas must not retreat you from shading your dream patio. An oversized umbrella or a DIY shade made with 4 poles and fabric attached to it can give good shading. Setting it up under the shade of your garden tree is zero expensive. Keep your eye out for the broken branches though !
What if you have a neighbour who peeks in your patio every time asking for your hot tea and spicy pav bhaji ? You need a privacy shield, isn’t ?
Cover your patio with fabric of stripes to give it an elongated look. Prints make it bulkier. An old bed sheet is enough. Budget friendly room separators give your patio an indoor room like feel. If curtains are your choice, make sure it is made of outdoor fabric which is weather proof. Fabric colours can add definition. Bamboo walls are great for people who are eco-friendly.
Walls aren’t a pass over, right ? Add a touch of green to it by growing edible or climbing plants. Arranging coloured hanging plant pots vertically over the wall is a stellar idea too. If you are a bit more artistic, create colourful spray paint patterns over the wall. Sky is the limit when it comes to outdoor wall decoration !
Outdoor kitchen is a bit swank for some people. But for others it’s an essential extension of their patio. Though suitable for larger spaces, you can make it budget friendly by using reclaimed stones, pavers etc. Setting up a DIY grill in it adds spice to your weekend evenings.
Contrast to indoor decors, keeping your outdoor decors to the minimum is the key here. Space is vital to give more relaxed feeling when it comes to outdoor space decoration. There is a thin line between adding charm and overdoing the outdoor decors.
Invest in reflective decors that reflect attractive colour combinations when stricken with natural lights. You can also recreate it with used wine bottles painted with different colours.
That hardware shop near your home can serve you with old hardware pieces which can be converted to bench seating. Paint it with vintage colours and arrange colourful cushions on it.
Colour the entrance and exit for your patio with red or similar shades to liven up the entire space.
Collect old unused items from your friends and paint it with vintage colour combinations and make your own outdoor decors.
Hanging garden is another go green patio decoration.
Next time you think about running to that posh restaurant to spend your weekend evening, just drag your eyeballs to your home patio. These 10 steps to budget ideas for small outdoor spaces can make patio decoration fun and easy.
The cool breeze, scented flowers and the view of the garden at the comfort of your home is better than any other space in this little universe.
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