I’ve been spending more time outside since quarantine to enjoy fresh air, sunshine, and nature while staying at home. These days, a designated outdoor space can be perfect for entertaining, conversation, relaxing, or even as a zen workspace.
Is yours the space you’d like it to be, or is time for a quick refresh?
Underneath the fallen leaves, overgrown weeds, chipped paint, and stray garden hose is the potential for a dreamy patio, greenspace, or balcony.
You have so much flexibility and freedom to create an organic, beautiful space outdoors!
Could you imagine enjoying yourself and the lovely fall weather by the weekend?
Read on to learn how.
4 Steps to Decorating Your Outdoor Space
Step 1) Planning
First things first: Planning.
When it comes to this step, you’ll find that giving your outdoor space a makeover is pretty similar to any other area of your home. So before you tackle this design project, try asking yourself how you will use this space.
How do you want to feel when you step into it? What kind of purpose do you want it to serve?
Feel free to go into further detail with your planning. What kind of features are you looking for? Will you use your outdoor space mostly during the day or night? Do you have young kids or pets to accommodate? How much privacy do you prefer?
The easiest way to identify what you’ll need is to make a list of the most important activities you want to use your space for. For example, things will look different for outdoor family movie nights versus a calming, productive space working from home or a flourishing garden area to recline in.
Having a functional space that looks stunning and feels good to you is the ultimate goal.
This stage is one of the most fun, so take your time brainstorming, searching for ideas, and gathering inspiration.
And when you’re ready to start bringing your vision to life, move on to the second step!
Step 2) Prep + Housekeeping
To prep your outdoor space, start with some cleaning and sprucing. How much you’ll need to do depends on the area’s current state.Your housekeeping may be as simple as sweeping the deck and removing any yard tools or clutter lying around. Or it may require more in-depth preparation such as pressure washing, repairs, pest/bug treatments, weeding, and so on.
Once your space is clear (the perfect blank canvas!), you’re ready to do any foundational work or structural changes.
(Note: If your space doesn’t require renovations or if major changes aren’t allowed, you’ll likely be able to skip step 3 and go straight on to decorating.)
Step 3) Renovations + DIYing
This is where you’ll make any structural renovations to the area! Refer back to your activities list to decide what changes you’ll need. These include any work or features that must be built before styling or decorating. Some examples include:
- Screening
- Decking
- Pavers
- Lattice
- Fencing
- Storm Doors or Pet Doors
- Ponds or Water Features
- Firepits
- Electrical Needs
- Chemical Treatments, Waterproofing, Staining, etc.
Be sure to follow any necessary regulations, and if you’re unsure about something, hiring a professional is the way to go! I love a good DIY project, but safety comes first. This will help prevent any costly issues down the line. During this phase, make sure to learn about the maintenance required for these features. Many outdoor fixtures have special requirements from in-home renovations, so keep them in mind.
Step 4) Landscaping + Greenery
With nature, plants, and greenery as the main perks of an outdoor space, landscaping deserves its own section.
Before you stock up at your local nursery, make note of the weather conditions you’ll have in your outdoor space. For example, a full sun patio differs from the shady environment of a screened-in space.
You’ll also want to decide the level of maintenance, upkeep, and gardening you’d like to do. Will you want full landscaping with shrubs, flowers, and garden beds, or are you more inclined to grow vegetables and herbs? Or perhaps you’re looking for a few plants that you can set and forget (for the most part).
Have a compact area? Wall gardens are increasingly popular and take up less of your precious patio space. And depending on your outdoor space, normal indoor/houseplants could do well outside also.
In addition to plants, don’t forget to consider other landscape features like patio pavers, gravel, astroturf (fake grass), etc.
Step 5) Styling + Decorating
This step is where you can really let your personality shine and create the mood you’re looking for! Four main elements for decorating an outdoor space are furniture, textiles, lighting, and miscellaneous pieces.
Furniture
Since outdoor spaces are typically designed for lounging and comfort, patio furniture is a staple element. After measuring your dimensions, you can create different arrangements and layouts on paper. High quality, durable, and weatherproof pieces are recommended when selecting furniture for outdoors. Also, remember that your space’s functionality relies heavily on this choice. Picnic tables, swing chairs, lounge seating with storage space – all are great options depending on your needs.
Textiles
Pillows and cushions and rugs – oh my! Picking out textiles is a lot of fun and perfect for adding pops of color or cozy, serene textures. Outdoor spaces afford a lot of flexibility to play around compared to the rest of your home, so don’t be afraid to make a bold choice!
Lighting
Of course, the sun provides natural lighting during the day, but you can really set the tone at night with light fixtures. String lights are an easy addition to any space and look magical. Flood lights and outdoor lamps work well too. You can even try softer lighting such as torches or candles if it’s safe to do so.
Misc. Decor
Finally, choose the miscellaneous decor that makes you smile. Is it a quirky planter or garden pot? How about an elegant tableware setup? Little features like these really bring a space together, and the possibilities are endless.
That’s it! You’re done.
We all know spending time outside comes with tons of benefits. Lowered stress as well as a boost in creativity, energy, focus, and mood are all associated with being outdoors. And now, with your freshly decorated outdoor space, you’ll be able to enjoy everything about going out – all while staying home.
So what’s your favorite way to spend some leisure time outdoors?
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