3 DIY Backyard Ideas to Beautify Your Outdoor Space

July 19, 2017

These backyard fixes work for any budget, home and boost home value

This might sound familiar: You finally purchase your dream home and spend countless hours planning, shopping for and implementing your design strategies to create an indoor living space you adore. Maybe you also took the time to optimize the curb appeal of your front yard. But when you glance out your perfectly treated rear-facing windows, you realize your backyard is a giant blank space! And you do not have endless funds to support your wildest backyard makeover dreams.

It is surprising how the value of a home can be affected by the state of its backyard space. Today has some great information and tips to help you start thinking about your space from a fiscal standpoint, but how do you maximize that space and come up with doable backyard ideas on a budget?

Here are some low-cost, DIY tips for performing the ultimate backyard makeover to increase the value of your home. Some require time and others are more advanced projects, but the beauty and value these ideas will bring to your home is well worth the effort.

Build your own feature element

Constructing your own wow factor for your backyard design is a great way to add value without breaking the bank. High price features like living fences are easier to build than you might think!

A living fence is actually called an espalier, a name as fancy as the finished product! An espalier is simply an array of plants that have been trained to grow along a flat surface such as a wall, fence or freestanding support, often in a symmetrical pattern. They are elegant, impressive and not so difficult to build. If you have a fence or bare wall to work with already, half the project is complete! You can also build your own support for added control over the size and location of your espalier. For example, you might create a quiet, meditative retreat or a social area with your espalier as the focal point. This project requires time, however; plants require yearly pruning and training.

You can also create a dreamy, Instagram-worthy DIY garden gate that looks adorable and requires minimal woodworking skills. You build three ladder structures that will be fitted together to create a gate or entryway. You can use scrap wood, then distress and stain it for that rustic charm. Find full instructions on constructing your gate here.

Once your gate is constructed, you can use lights, fabrics and other design elements to build a beautiful space around it. A tranquil backyard retreat is certain to impress guests and, later, prospective buyers.

Go rustic with inexpensive materials

When you are looking for backyard ideas on a budget, your best design friends are repurposed materials like simple wood pallets and upcycled items like tin cans and spare tires. Landscaping adds tons of value to your home, but instead of paying a professional service, you can create DIY window boxes, raised flower gardens and planters.

You can also upcycle tubs or old wagons—even bicycles for DIY lawn decorations and plant holders. You would be surprised what a new paint job does to a rusty old garage sale find! And do not forget the ultimate backyard DIY rustic design feature: the tire swing. What family is not charmed by a throwback tire swing? Okay, maybe not many, but still.

And save money on paving by going the gravel or crushed rock option. It will give your space a laid back vibe and mesh with your rustic DIY design. And if you are missing that green space, add symmetrical patches of artificial grass to your space.

Build your own patio furniture

Oh no. Right about now you are having flashbacks to your humiliating days in woodshop class, but we do not actually expect you to become a woodworking expert and build your own patio set. Instead, you can use more repurposed materials and some low cost additions to create simple tables or benches.

For example, dry stack concrete blocks and add a foam pad or cushion to create an easy DIY seating area. Create a seating-serving bar area by stacking concrete blocks and laying off-the-shelf decking slats on top. You do not have to build an entire outdoor living room, but a well-placed bench and side table can go a long way toward making your backyard space inviting and valuable.

If you think your DIY tribe would appreciate these tips, share this blog with them!