Summer is one of the best times to get together with friends and family–and what better way to spend it than outdoors? For some, this means creating a personal outdoor space at home. Luckily, whether you own a home or live in a rental, there are several things you can do to create DIY outdoor living spaces. Keep reading to learn about budget-friendly DIY outdoor living spaces and how you can create your dream backyard oasis.
How to Create Budget-Friendly DIY Outdoor Living Spaces
Outdoor living spaces can be extremely expensive to furnish and decorate. However, you don’t have to break the bank to make your outdoor space look cozy and inviting. DIY methods and finding deals are vital in creating a budget-friendly outdoor retreat.
DIY means do-it-yourself, so that’s precisely what you’ll do to create your perfect outdoor living space. First, plan out where you will start building your oasis. Then, have an idea of what you’re going to put there. For example, most people choose furniture, plants, a fireplace, an outdoor cooking station, etc.
The next step is slowly incorporating each piece by looking for sales or budget-friendly prices. Sometimes, you can find outdoor patio furniture like tables and chairs for a reasonable price at a hardware store.
Once you have furniture for your outdoor space, look for more items to tie it all together. For instance, you’ll want an entertainment center, outdoor lighting, and visually appealing elements to make it your dream outdoor space. Here is what you’ll want to include to create unique DIY outdoor living spaces.
Elements of Outstanding DIY Outdoor Living Spaces
To create DIY outdoor living spaces that are budget-friendly and visually appealing, it’s crucial to find just the right pieces to bring it all together. Whether you’re a renter or a landlord, you can implement small changes to make your outdoor areas more inviting. Here are some ideas to get you started.
- Find the Right Furniture
- Add an Entertainment Piece
- Implement Vertical Gardens
- Choose Optimal Outdoor Lighting
- Pull It Together With Accessories
Find the Right Furniture
The right furniture can make or break your outdoor oasis. First, you need enough comfortable seating to fit your family and guests. Then, you want to think about outdoor dining tables, side tables, or ottomans. A good, cozy outdoor area may even have a swing or hammock set up.
You can find outdoor furniture at nearly any hardware or department store and many places online. Additionally, you can easily find high-quality outdoor furniture at second-hand stores or sold online by another person.
Add an Entertainment Piece
Every outdoor space needs an entertainment piece. After all, if you’re having people over to socialize or hang out, you’ll need something to entertain your guests. An entertainment piece could mean a television, fireplace, fire pit, pool, etc.
Now, some of these solutions can be expensive. However, building a fire pit or mounting an outdoor television are some more budget-friendly options. In addition, you may be able to find a used or discounted TV for an even better price.
Implement Vertical Gardens
Nothing ties together an outdoor oasis like gardens with beautiful plants and flowers. These days, vertical gardens are extremely popular. Whether you want a privacy plant wall or a wall of fresh herbs outside your kitchen, a vertical garden can do wonders for your rental.
Additionally, if you don’t have room for a full garden in the backyard of your rental, you can start an herb garden along a back wall or gate. After all, you don’t have to have much space to make your outdoor living area look visually appealing.
Choose Optimal Outdoor Lighting
Outdoor lighting is a huge factor in making a comfortable seating area for family and friends. After all, a patio or balcony can always benefit from creative lighting. Luckily, you can get extremely inexpensive string lights from nearly anywhere.
You can quickly get creative with string lights and other outdoor lighting options. For instance, you can hang them from balcony railings, deck posts, ceilings, or other outdoor fixtures. Additionally, you can easily take them down or move them when you’re done with them.
Pull It Together With Accessories
Once you have all the main pieces of your DIY outdoor space, it’s time to accessorize. Whether you want to add an outdoor rug, blankets, decorative pillows, or table garnishes, it’s all up to you! While accessories aren’t completely necessary, they are a great way to personalize your outdoor space and make the outdoors more comfortable.
Additionally, accessories are often the least expensive–and the most fun–to buy. After all, you can find inexpensive decor online or use an old indoor rug for your DIY outdoor living space. Creativity is key while crafting your personal outdoor getaway.
How Much Does It Cost to Create a DIY Outdoor Living Space?
Hiring contractors to fix up your backyard and make it beautiful can take time and cost a lot of money. However, when you opt for DIY outdoor living spaces, you can create backyards just as beautiful–and way less expensive.
Whether you own a rental property or you’re renting, you can do several small, inexpensive things to personalize your space. For instance, you don’t have to buy everything at once–you can slowly start to incorporate more furniture and accessories into your space as you accumulate them.
You don’t have to get the most expensive items to decorate your space. If you’re doing a DIY project, you’ll want to be creative and find inexpensive ways to make your area look good. For instance, some furniture goes for cheap, or you can wait until a furniture store has a sale.
Here are some budget-friendly options if you’re looking for inexpensive patio furniture, entertainment options, lighting, and accessories.
- Purchase a complete outdoor patio set for under $200
- Learn how to build a DIY firepit
- Start a garden or plant flowers to add color
- Find the best outdoor lighting for your rental
- Repurpose some of your old interior decors for your outdoor space
Can You Add Whatever You Want to a Rental Property?
If you’re a tenant living in a rental home, you can’t always do what you want. After all, you don’t own the property–your landlord does. So, if you’re planning to make any major changes or adaptations to the property, it’s best to contact your landlord or Philadelphia property manager first.
If you reach out to your landlord or property manager first and ask permission to add a fireplace, pool, or other large outdoor addition, they will be more open to the idea. On the other hand, if you take it upon yourself to install a pool in the backyard, you may have some issues with your landlord.
As such, always talk to your landlord first, whether you’re making small changes or large improvements. Perhaps they’ll want to help you with your DIY project or even pay for outdoor enhancements to be completed. Either way, an open line of communication is best, especially when you’re living in a rental property.
Manage and Maintain Your Properties With Ease
Owning and managing every aspect of a rental property takes time, patience, and skill. If you have more than one rental property, it can get extremely overwhelming quite quickly. Most busy landlords hire rental property management services to help maximize their business goals.
Bay Property Management Group offers comprehensive rental services, so you don’t have to worry about the small day-to-day tasks of owning a rental. Contact BMG today if you need management services in Baltimore, Philadelphia, Northern Virginia, or Washington DC.
