Does your backyard need a makeover? If you’re looking for some budget-friendly ways to make your backyard look incredible this year, you’ve come to the right place! We all drool over those Pinterest lawns with their luxury chicken coups, frilly she-sheds, and elegant climbing plants, but who can afford that right now?
In this article, I’ve gone on a mission to find stunning backyard makeover ideas that can be done on a budget! Obviously, “budget-friendly” is relative, but my hope is that you can take these ideas and bend them to fit your financial situation. We’ll focus on small changes rather than huge construction projects and look for ideas that allow you to use those pour paint skills too! Let’s do some decorating!
15 Fun and Budget-Friendly Backyard Design Ideas
As you dive in to these fifteen ideas, remember to always keep your own vision at the forefront of your mind. You likely have a dream backyard, whether you can accurately describe it or not. As you scroll, think about how you can implement these budget-friendly ideas into your vision. Change them. Tweak them. Paint them. There’s no wrong way to create a space that you love, so don’t be afraid to experiment!
1. Turn your used furniture into garden masterpieces!
One of the best ways to save money on unique projects (and do your part for the environment too) is to upcycle an old piece. If you’ve got a cheap tray table, TV stand, or plant stand with a flat top, you can turn it into something amazing in just a few minutes. With just three of four colors of acrylic paint and some weather-resistant resin, you can create one-of-a-kind patio tables in a jiffy, just like the one shown above.
Cover your new artwork with a clear resin to resist the outdoors, or use 3-5 coats of a more budget-friendly clear coat like water-based polyurethane.
For more furniture transformation ideas, check out “Painting Furniture with Acrylic Paint“
2. Put a new twist on terracotta.
Buying new flower pots can get expensive fast, especially if you want ceramic or porcelain ones. Thankfully, you can get that upscale Mediterranean look with some glossy acrylic paint and our tutorial on pour-painting terracotta pots. This project is easy, fun, and budget-friendly. To make it even cheaper, see if you can reuse some old flower pots you have lying around, or look at your nearest thrift store.
Pro Tip: Terracotta is an extremely porous material. If you choose to repaint plastic, metal, or ceramic instead, do a quick spray coat of an appropriate primer first! Then, as always, finish your project with at least two coats of spray-on clear protectant.
3. Don’t lose track of time with this unique outdoor clock.
In this project, we transformed vinyl records into working clocks! This idea works perfectly for a centerpiece above your outdoor fireplace or an accent in your she-shed. By utilizing these principles, you can turn just about anything you have lying around into a functional timepiece. Use a tabletop, a picture frame, an old book, a cutting board, or a large bowl. The opportunities are endless!
4. Get creative with new paving stones.
A well-manicured flower bed is quite possibly the fastest and most impactful statement you can make in your backyard. You don’t even need to change all your plants either (that can be a wallet buster for sure!) All you need is a few festive acrylic pour pavers to brighten up your garden!
Get creative with these little guys. You can use cheap ceramic tiles from your big box store or stone pavers. Create a walking path to a new seating area or use them to construct a stone area rug! Tile a tabletop, make a mosaic piece of art, clad your outdoor fireplace with them, or use them under your plants to protect your patio!
5. Let there be light!
No decor scheme, indoor or outdoor, is complete without proper lighting. I absolutely love these modern, yet funky spherical lights from Grandin Road! They work perfectly on a staircase as shown, lining your flowerbed, or interspersed about your seating area. The best part about this budget-friendly edition is that they’re completely battery-powered and mobile, so you can change your arrangement any time you’re in need of a fresh look!
6. Bring in nostalgia with a fence photo wall.
There’s nothing more nostalgic or fun than a Polaroid photo…except maybe an entire wall of them!! If you have a protected area under your patio or a pergola of some sort, use that space to display your favorite candid photos. Polaroids are inexpensive. They make a big impact, and they’re easily changed out each year as your family grows and changes!
7. Change the ambiance with an outdoor dining space.
One of the best ways to create ambiance and encourage people to gather is to incorporate food. An outdoor dining area can be an inexpensive addition though. In this tutorial, we take a handcrafted table, made by one of our artists at HomebodyHall, and transform it with an acrylic pour-paint runner. The entire project cost under $200, and with its heavily sealed top, it could easily be set up outside for dining al fresco.
P.S. You don’t need to keep the table decorated at all times. Just pop a vase with some weather-resistant faux flowers in the center and call it good!
8. Build a tablescape with clear vases.
A clear glass vase is about as simple and cheap as it gets in the decor world. However, they are also immensely valuable because a collection of simple glass vases can transform any space over and over again. Whether you choose a consistent grouping like these from Temu, or choose some vintage pieces from your local antique store, you can dress up or dress down clear glass in a number of ways.
If you get sick of that look, add some ribbon, some twine, or some chalk paint. Decorate them with stickers, or place photos inside. Fill them with colored water, or glass beads. The options are endless, and we love that! Using a collection of small items in a group is an innovative way to create a big statement without spending big bucks.
Pro Tip: A case of Mason jars will do the trick too!
9. Set the mood with some agave.
If you adore the Southwest vibes, then you must grab these painted iron agave fixtures. They make a strong statement in a grouping, but can also hold their own when solo. They come in several colors that you can create a garden with, or intersperse amongst your outdoor seating. Buy them all, or just grab one large piece to use as the focal point of your outdoor table! You can find these at Shopou for less than $30.
10. Create your own upscale patio.
Pavers and decorative stones are not cheap! However, with a few bags of concrete and one of these intricate paver templates (available for super cheap at Jardioui), you can create your own focal point walkway. This project will still set you back a few hundred dollars as concrete isn’t exactly cheap, especially once you include stain and sealer, but it will look like a million bucks, and that’s a good return on investment!
11. Create a floral yard sign.
Utilizing your initials, or the first letter of your last name, is a very common decoration for front doors or the mantle of your fireplace, but what if we make it big? Like…big enough to stand on its own as a space divider, centerpiece for a seating area, or large art piece for the outside wall of your home?
Some letters are easier to build than others, but all are possible and fairly cheap to craft with a common 1 x 6 board from your local hardware store. Once you’ve built and sealed it, fill it with your favorite collection of faux flowers for a bold and beautiful look. You can change out the flowers every season to keep it looking new year-round!
12. Build your own outdoor benches.
When you think of a comfy, cozy backyard, the first thing that probably comes to mind is a space filled with outdoor furniture. It’s a nice dream, but patio furniture is certainly not cheap! If you’re looking to create a seating area on a budget, you’re going to need to get creative. Take some inspiration from these cinderblock and 4×4 benches by The Saw Guy. Plop on a custom-made cushion, and you’re good to go!
13. Install some hanging chairs.
We’ve all drooled over those elaborate hanging chairs from Anthropologie, but if you’re reading this, I’m going to assume that you probably can’t hand over that kind of cash for one backyard chair.
Take a look at these hanging hammock chairs from Nestingwithgrace instead. They aren’t quite as structured as the high-dollar ones, but that’s actually not a bad thing. These can be easily removed and brought inside when the weather turns ugly!
14. Create cohesion with an outdoor rug.
Just as they do in your living, an area rug outdoors can completely transform and unify a space. You want to choose one that is made from a sturdy fabric like jute or even plastic. For that luxe look, ensure that your rug touches the furniture on either side of your seating area (i.e. it should fill the space!)
Area rugs can run you thousands of dollars, but they don’t have to. Most big box stores have decent options for a fair price, and you can even order outdoor rugs from budget sites like Walmart (source pic).
15. Go vertical with a DIY wall planter.
For a minimal budget, you can make a big impact by building your own wall of fence planters like these by Angela Rose Home. I love this idea because it is so versatile.
You could build taller and thinner to get that ladder look. It can be bolted to your fence, leaned against your house, or become a sort of wall between your patio pillars. It can serve as the back to a low-lying sofa or as a freestanding art piece. Change out the plants seasonally and you have a continually evolving look.
Wrapping Up Your Budget Backyard Makeover
I hope you enjoyed these 15 budget-friendly ways to make your backyard look incredible! While these ideas don’t necessarily make a cohesive design, I’ve chosen them because they are all so adaptable. You can very easily put your own spin on each of these, adapting them all, or choosing a few, to build a space that is uniquely you!
As always, we at Homebody Hall encourage you to test the waters of creativity. Take these ideas and bend them to your own vibe! Let us know in the comments what you decide to create! We look forward to hearing from you.
For amazing home rejuvenation ideas, check out our newest blog addition: Art in Your Life!
