Practical & Budget-Conscious Outdoor Patio Refresh
Having a cozy, atmospheric backyard has always been a dream of mine. You know the ones I’m talking about. The ones with the cozy couches, decorative pillows, flickering candles, ambient lighting, and flower-drenched pergolas. Yeah, that type.
That type takes the two things we don’t have a lot of: money and time.
This summer, I made it my mission to cozy up our backyard space on a tight budget.
Here are my top suggestions —
Add in ample seating
Source on sale and/or used. I frequently scour Facebook marketplace. The only downfall with marketplace is you have to be patient but once you find what you’re looking for, you have to act quick. Like really quick. We grabbed with entire outdoor patio set for $150. The frame is in great shape. Once we got it home, I soaked the cushions in oxi-clean, gave them a good scrub, and they’re (almost) as good as new. Actually, it’s better than new because I don’t have to stress about my kids getting it all dirty since it’s already a bit used.
Offer a reprieve from the heat
We’ve gone through our fair share of patio umbrellas over the years. I’ve bought the frilly, tassel-draped ones and the aesthetically pleasing white ones but you know what? Regardless of how pretty they are in May, they always end up pollen-covered and green by the end of the summer.
I’ve found THIS umbrella to be the greatest bang for your buck. It comes in several colors so it’ll fit just about anyone’s outdoor vibe. It is also 9ft so it covers a great amount of space, offers ample shade, and doesn’t totally break the bank.
Provide Ambient Lighting
Lighting really is everything. It’s everything inside and outside of your house. Outside, I love using THESE solar bistro lights. I like these ones in particular for a few reasons.
Pros:
We’ve had them for 2+ years and they still work fabulously
The charge lasts for several hours (they’ve never died while we’re out and still enjoying them)
They have an on/off switch so you don’t have to waste the life of the solar panel on nights you know you won’t be out and using them
They come in a variety of lengths to best fit the space you’re trying to cover
Cons:
They’re highly sensitive and it takes quite a bit of darkness to get them to turn on. This is great for saving their overall lifespan but it’s a bit frustrating on a long, hot summer night. To combat this issue, we purposefully install the solar panel in a place we can easily reach. When we want the lights to come on, we “manually” turn them on by covering the panel up with a hand towel.
I also love THESE outdoor firefly lights for planted pots and THESE solar spotlights in garden areas.
Get rid of those pesky bugs
Nothing ruins the ambiance of an outdoor space quite like bugs. If you know anything about New England, you know we have bugs (and lots of them). Mosquitos and ticks seem to flourish here. Combine that with a house surrounded by woods and you have a not-so-perfect, perfect pairing.
I love the soft glow of a candle but have found that most citronella candles are rather industrial-looking and burn out way too quickly. I most often use THESE white or THESE black torches from Amazon. I love the detail in the base and the neutral color. I also love THESE table torches or THESE table fireplaces from Walmart.
I’m also looking into THESE portable TIKI options that offer a few different height options. I like the idea of being able to put them around our yard and not always needing a table for them.
This new technology by DynaTrap is unmatched. My parents have one in their back yard and it works so, so well! It doesn’t zap the bugs so you don’t have to listen to each and every single insect going into it. They have different sizes depending on the size of your area. There is one for 1/2 an acre or for 1 acre.
Add in some green
I think we can all agree that plants make any space more elevated. The problem I have with “decorating” with plants is that the seasonal, annual options kill your bank account. Annual plants cost lots of money and aren’t created to last beyond the season. My hack (especially for decorating during the summer months) is to repurpose my houseplants. This is a win-win situation. I love it because I’m not spending hundreds on single-season plants and my houseplants love it because they get some extra sun and humidity.
We have a north-facing back patio so I put almost all of my ficus and hoyas out here. They get a bit of direct light in the morning when the sun is the weakest and none in the afternoon.
Plant: Ficus Audrey
I’m obsessed with THESE new planters from Target. I hope they continue coming out with new colors and sizes. Here are a few other attainable options:
Layer in accent colors
Paint is honestly the easiest and most cost-effective way to change up the look of any space. Try out some fun paint colors on accent places like your back door, a fence, or other small spaces.
House: Chelsea Grey by Benjamin Moore
Door: Plum Royale by Benjamin Moore
Trim: Alabaster by Sherwin Williams
Add some fun
I hope this gives you some inspiration for your own outdoor spaces. Remember, you don’t need a giant backyard to implement any of these cozy elements. Apartment balconies, hardscape patios, and smaller lots all work perfectly with this! In fact, smaller spaces may work even better because they’re naturally more cozy.
