The summer of 2022 is in full swing, and many homeowners are enjoying improvements to the outdoor space they established in the cooler months. Don’t feel left behind if your yard looks precisely as it did last year. There is still ample time to make renovations that will have your home barbecue and pool “party ready.”
Here is a list of outdoor upgrade ideas to get anyone into the mood for home improvement. Not everyone has plenty of time and cash to sink into last-minute summer projects, so we have included a price and difficulty breakdown for each item on the list. Plenty of low-cost options can make a huge difference in your outdoor ambiance.
1. Makeover Your Lawn Furniture The Simple Way!
Depending on the local climate, cushions for lawn furniture can start looking a little drab and worn long before their structural integrity is compromised. Instead of replacing or washing the whole pillow, grab a set of cushion covers for an entirely new look.
They’re so affordable you may want to replace them every summer. Ikea, Wayfair, and H&M are great places to start your shopping. Amazon has a great selection too.
2. Lighting is Key
A good set of lights can provide enough background stimulation to set the mood for parties. Fortunately, they are no longer expensive or hard to come by. Amazon is not just for color-changing dorm room light strips. You’ll be pleased to find plenty of sophisticated looks for less online. Here are just a couple of examples:
alitade Outdoor String lights $20
Grab a staple gun and line your fence, wrap support beams, or drape them from your roof!
3. Add a Fire Pit
- Price: $$-$$$
- Difficulty: 1-5
Fire pits are great because they can meet you wherever your budget might be and add a new congregation hub no matter how much you decide to spend. Everyone is drawn to a crackling fire; it’s likely encoded into our ancestral DNA for survival. You know exactly what I mean if you’ve caught yourself staring at a campfire too long.
Roast s’mores with the kids, or throw a grate on top for some flame-grilled BBQ. If you enjoy the smell of woodburning, you can expect to pick up an external manual firepit for anywhere from under $100 to about $250. Gas fires that start with the flick of a switch start at $500 and go up to several thousand.
4. Concrete Paint
You can scrub and pressure wash your concrete surfaces, but concrete floor paint makes it look freshly poured. This one takes a bit of labor but costs you next to nothing. Be warned, a fresh coat of paint over your concrete may inspire you to fix up your lawn, garden, furniture, and just about anything else. You can grab this brand on Amazon for $35 a gallon.
5. Just Look Down
- Price: $-$$
- Difficulty: 1/5
Floorspace is often overlooked in backyard settings, but rugs can play an essential role in upgrading your connection hubs. If you live in a climate with dry summers or have a canopy, you can lay one center under any firepit or outdoor coffee table. You can look for a patterned rug to match your pillow covers or spray paint your own rug if you feel artsy. A nice rug makes any outdoor set all the cozier.
6. Faux Ivy Privacy Screens
Privacy screens are used to keep out nosy neighbors or obscure an unsightly view. Thankfully you don’t have to add an eyesore to cover up an eyesore. You can purchase a 94 x 39 inch roll of faux ivy from Amazon for $40. This is an excellent choice for yards with greenery that can’t quite seem to cover the entire fence line. You can also use this to patch up gaps in your live ivy until it catches up.
7. Light Up Flowers
The term “fairy garden” doesn’t do these flowers justice. Each set has its own waterproof solar panel that powers tiny lightbulbs within the petals through the night. Luminescence can bring just enough wonder and ambiance to the blandest outdoor spaces. These are especially wonderful for those with an abundance of flowers.
Tuck these in sporadically amongst live flowers and bushes, and you might just convince a guest or two that you’ve discovered a new species! You can grab a two-pack of these flower bundles for only $20 on Amazon.
8. Rocking Chairs
- Price: $$-$$$
- Difficulty: 1/5
A cold glass of lemonade and porch rocking chair just screams summer. If you have a favorite spot on your property to watch the sunset or love taking your morning coffee outdoors, a rocking chair with a small table offers a perfect spot for ritual and reflection. Wayfair has a long list of rocking chairs sure to fit any décor and color palette. They range from about $150-$600.
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