With the official start of summer, and people itching to get out of their homes, I know many of us have outdoor spaces on our minds. I definitely do. We have to redo our deck (another whole story I’ll save for later – imagine warped composite decking that holds pools of water), and I’m really looking forward to having it done. Several years ago we did a massive backyard transformation project in our backyard by taking out a pond and adding a paver patio.
But today I’m going to share a round up of some more great outdoor makeovers – I hope you find something that inspires you!
Add a Fireplace or Fire Pit
One of the items I still want to add to our backyard is an outdoor fireplace, and the outdoor fireplace tutorial that Kristin put together at My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia is one that inspires me! Outdoor firepits and fireplaces just draw me in every time, and hers is gorgeous!
Fire features seem to be winners when it comes to creating a warm and welcoming outdoor space, and the circular feature of a fire pit just invites conversation and storytelling. So, if you want to tackle an outdoor fire pit area yourself, you won’t want to miss my friend Lisa’s step-by-step Fire Pit and Pea Stone Patio Tutorial at Shine Your Light. She walks you through the process, and you can see the results throughout, and the end result is a great backyard retreat!
Decks and Patios
With our deck redo on the horizon, I’m loving this deck and patio redo at Love our Real Life. What a huge difference – and loads of usable space to enjoy the outdoors. You need to see how far this space has come to fully appreciate it!
If you’re looking to add a paver patio of your own, Crafted by the Hunts has you covered with a DIY Paver Patio. So sophisticated!
I know a lot of people are looking to give their patios a bit of a facelift, and this one at Rooms for Rent is so inviting, it has me wanting to lounge for a couple of hours with a glass of wine with friends.
Talk about charm and character in an outdoor space – check out this backyard makeover at Love and Renovations. I can already imagine a lazy evening of long talks under the outdoor lights with friends, can’t you? There is an ambiance with outdoor lights that just can’t be beat!
Light it Up
How about creating an outdoor living room for warm summer nights with friends and family? This outdoor living room at Jessica Wellington Interiors is a perfect spot for outdoor entertaining or just plain relaxing.
I really think outdoor string lights add so much ambience to backyard entertaining, and they’re a relatively inexpensive addition too. Check out this post creating a DIY Patio Arbor with String Lights from The Honeycomb Home on how to add it to your home. It never ceases to amaze me how lighting can transform a space – even if it’s a backyard transformation.
I’ll have to share the string lights we added underneath our deck (once our deck is redone). They really add some ambiance to a space that could end up being dark and uninviting. Outdoor lights are like fireflies – they just make it feel like, summer, don’t they?
I hope you’ve found something that might inspire you to spruce up your own outdoor space and create your own backyard transformation project!
Jenny
2 Comments
Nan Schnabel
May 27, 2020 at 7:52 pmWe’re in the midst of a patio redo right now too. I put in pavers over a period of about 8 years from my front porch all around my house. They still look pretty good but the steps could use some updating, they’ve been cleaned and will later be stained after all repairs are completed and we’re adding a new color edging. Most people are surprised when they hear that they’ve been down 25-30 years because they really look good overall. I’ve kept weeds out and the had a great installer to begin with but still look forward to the new look. My husband will be updating the landscape lighting too…..exciting!!!
Cristina
May 28, 2020 at 10:13 pmSo many great ideas! I’m on planning mode for a second story deck, so I’m taking notes.