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6 ways to create a stunning backyard without picking up a power tool.
Come summertime, backyards become important extensions of our living space. They turn into our entertaining space and refugee, our stargazing platforms and outdoor kitchens. Little wonder creating a backyard oasis ranks right up there on many homeowners’ lists. Who says you need a big budget to create a gorgeous outdoor space? We’ve found some incredibly easy ideas to create a stunning backyard without even having to pick up a power tool.
First, choose your style. If you’re not sure what kind of space you want to create, check out House and Home or Pinterest for inspiration. Decide if your style is country casual, modern and minimalist, bohemian or formal. This will serve as your starting point for the rest of your decorating ideas.
Second, create rooms. Look at your space and consider how you might divide it up into “rooms” to eat, gather for cocktails and conversation, or just laze about with a book. Then arrange your furniture into different areas. Now you’re ready to start enhancing your look with some of these DIY ideas.
1. Fill in any missing furniture.
A complete set of lawn or patio furniture can be expensive. But as long as you have a few key pieces, you can easily fill in the rest with some simple DIY ideas. Need a side table? Create an inexpensive one using an oversized terracotta planter from your local garden centre.
Need more seating? Here’s how to build a stylish bench using cinderblocks without lifting a power tool[DP1] . However, if you are feeling the urge to turn on the power drill, HGTV has all easy tutorials on how to make furniture using wooden shipping pallets from your local big box store.
2.Create a floor show.
Just like indoors, rugs help bring pieces of furniture together. Ikea and Home Depot carry inexpensive outdoor rugs.
Alternatively, you can create your own by starting with a simple beige rug, some weather-resistant paint and heading to this website for step-by-step instructions on stencilling on your own design[DP1].
For a different vibe, purchase rope from your local big-box store, grab a hot glue gun and create a gorgeous sisal rug.
3. Turn up the flower power
Plants and/or flowers add layers of texture and visual accents to your backyard space.
But equally interesting are the pots you plant them in.
Get creative and scour garage sales and thrift shops for creative containers.
This site has loads of ideas: upcycle wooden vintage toys, old boots, wicker baskets, watering cans, even vintage mailboxes
4. Go vertical.
Cover up a fence or camouflage a wall by creating a vertical garden.
Facebook Marketplace is a treasure trove for finds like vintage ladders and lattices at ridiculously low prices. Just adorn your find with plants, flowers or herbs in pretty pots.
5.Turn up the light show.
Nothing creates atmosphere like twinkling lights or flickering candles on tables, pathways or scattered in flower beds. Create your own twine lanterns by wrapping glue-soaked twine around balloons, let then dry, then pop and fill with twinkling string lights. Or fill mason jars with Epsom salts or rocks and nestle a votive candle inside. To make a huge statement, decorate a hula hoop with white Christmas lights and hang overhead.
6.Light a fire.
While candles and twinkly lights go a long way in creating ambience come nighttime, a fire pit takes it took a whole new level. Obviously, you could buy a fire pit or fire table if you have an unlimited budget. But with a little effort, the right materials and an immersion blender (this doesn’t count as a power tool in our book), you can create your own fabulous fire pit!
Whether you’re breathing new life into your current backyard or are starting from square one in a new house (Call AMJ Campbell to help move you there!), there are lots of ways to create a backyard oasis without breaking the bank. As for great DIY ideas for the inside of your home, you might find these articles useful.
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