A Guide to Budget Friendly Outdoor Decorating Ideas

Create a low-cost, beautiful, and relaxing outdoor space

When you are decorating your home, it is easy to forget about the great outdoors. But, if done right, you can extend the living space of your home to the outside with comfortable and cosy seating areas and clever decorating ideas. Of course, this can add up to a pretty penny if you purchase everything from a high-end store or catalogue. Luckily, there are budget-friendly ways to create a homey atmosphere without breaking the bank.

This great collection of inexpensive and DIY outdoor decorating ideas can help you turn your patio, porch, or lawn into a beautiful extension of your home, providing extra space to entertain or unwind in a personalized setting.

Creative Outdoor Design

A pop of color lends creativity to outdoor design

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Outdoor living spaces don’t have to be limited to a complete table and chair set placed on a deck or patio. Creating an outdoor room can mean a seating area under a favourite tree, a bistro table, and chairs nestled in the garden, or a lounge set by the fire pit. Look around your garden and find a space that seems cosy or pretty, basically an area that you would like to spend time in, and then think creatively when it comes to furnishings.

Budget Outdoor Furnishings

Outdoor furnishings from the thrift store to protect your wallet

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Outdoor furniture can become very expensive, especially when you’re looking at lounge sets made up of sofas and chairs. But there are ways to find cheap patio furniture you’ll love, like scouring estate sales, consignment stores, and antique shops. Also check out your local online tag sales (through Facebook or another app), eBay, and Craigslist. And remember that metal and plastic furniture can be spray painted fresh new colours and covered with new cushions and throw pillows, bringing old tired pieces to life.

Creative Outdoor Decorating

Plants make decorating outdoor spaces easy and cheap

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Sometimes it is the little touches that make a room—no matter if that room is inside or outside. Charming accents like lighting, planters, and small furniture can take a space from bland to beautiful in no time. But that doesn’t mean the items need to come from the high-end outdoor design shop—there are actually several projects you can do yourself to create high-end looking decor!

Don’t toss those wine bottles—they can be sophisticated tiki torches. And before you give away that wire ​wastebasket, spray paint it a coordinating colour, flip it over, and add a surface (like a round cutting board) to create a cute side table. You can also add character to a terra cotta pot by wrapping it with rope.

Cheap Curb Appeal

A house with high curb appeal looking inviting from the sidewalk

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If first impressions are your concern, then maybe improving your home’s curb appeal is what you are after. Good thing is that you can do this without breaking the bank. Refresh your front door with a coat of paint, change or add interesting house numbers to the front of the house, or swap out old, outdated light fixtures for some that make a statement.

If it’s the landscaping that needs some help, sometimes just edging and cleaning up the beds is all you need or adding colourful flowers on either side of the entryway. There are many simple budget-friendly ideas for instant curb appeal that anyone can do.

By Tonya Lee