How to style your backyard is very similar to designing any room in your house yet it’s kind of more fun I think anyway. Why? because all those luscious plants that you get to play with at the garden center to add color!

Where do you start?  Answer: With a piece of inspiration, which is what I do with any room. It can be your patio set, a favorite outdoor fireplace, a picture that you want to hang outdoors, outdoor pillows that inspire you.

There are so many ways to have fun here. Just have fun with it, try not to stress out about it being perfect. It’s not about perfection , its about fun, enjoyment and creating a space that YOU and your friends and family will love to be in.

Last year, I wanted to buy all new patio furniture and really do a makeover in the backyard but by the time I got to it, the delivery times were so backed up, I wouldn’t get the items until the Fall. So, I said, “okay, how can I create something new with the furniture I have ? How can I bring it to life again?

Here is what I did…

Pick a color theme from an inspiration piece

  • My furniture is brown, so I went to complimentary or contrasting colors with that and decided on blue as the color I would work with. I wanted to create a serene space that took some hints from the beach as I was yearning for that beach front cottage I have always dreamed of.
  • I bought a new light blue umbrella and replaced the old orange one.  My bedroom window overlooks my garden and every time I looked down upon it, I wanted to see a peaceful, serene space. So I choose a light blue. The old one was pretty beat up and needed to go anyway.
  • Bonus -It was relatively affordable, so I was able to keep within a budget.

Upgrade your Existing Furniture Inexpensively

  • Cushions, what should I do with those? I searched and searched for replacements, yet it’s hard to find replacement cushions that are,  (1) the size you need for a patio set you have had for years; (2) affordable and (3) that have a wide variety of fabric selections.
  • I stayed with the old grayish cushions and then bought throw pillows of blue and gold to play off the blue umbrella. It was later in the summer and moving toward Fall, so I thought this would be perfect!
  • The gold creates a warmth to the space and I found a matching throw for those chilly nights we would begin to have in the fall. I never thought of having a throw blanket outside, but you know what – I love it!

Use Plants and Flowers as your Accessories

  • I always like to coordinate my flowers with my decor. I know crazy right? It doesn’t always work but I try. The flowers in my container pots allow me to change them up each year. The perennials and rose bushes are just some of my favorite colors of yellow and red. They are main stays in my garden. When it comes to How to style your backyard start to think of flowers and plants as paint colors to choose from and  you get to change it up every year!
  • Play with height and texture of your plants. I love higher plants for corners of my patio, they help create a little border and coziness to the space. However, the plants in these pictures got a little too high! I didn’t expect that.. But they were fun and they taught me to ask the nursery about the height the next time!

Find little ways to add interest each year

  • As with my indoor rooms, I am never really done with a room. I always find ways to add little decor items here and there or I change the pillows and throws each season to change it up.
  • This year I will add some string lights across the garden and perhaps some pictures and maybe a bar area.

Do you have your own tips on How to Style a Backyard? I would love to hear them! Have you done a backyard makeover? or upgrade this year? If so, please share, I would love to see what others are doing.

Kimberley

P.s.) Cats in the windows always make for a fun design feature! lol!