Decorating & Design
15+ Easy Ways To Update Your Outdoor Space In A Weekend
Published on July 8, 2022
Whether you have a garden, terrace, balcony or deck, you’ll want to make the most of it this summer. We’re sharing some quick ideas to amp up your outdoor rooms and make them feel even fresher — without stealing too much time away from your well earned R&R.
Scroll down for easy tips on how to update your outdoor space in a weekend!
1. Fire Features
Fire tables, pits and bowls come in a huge range of styles and price points. They add an instant gathering point when entertaining, and make city s’mores a weeknight perk.
2. Hammocks
For the ultimate in relaxation, hang a hammock. It brings a hint of boho fun to a backyard and is a great place to snuggle with kids, meditate or get lost in a summer read. You don’t need to attach them to trees, many come with their own stands so they can be set up anywhere.
3. Water Features
Water features bring another dimension to gardens, but that doesn’t mean you have to dig out a koi pond. In this birdbath, water hyacinth floats happily and sprouts purple flowers.
4. Outdoor Sectional
Forget the flimsy lawn chairs, a generous sectional maxes out space and brings everyone together.
5. Set Up A Play Space.
String up a net, ping pong table, or bust out the croquet set, there is no better way to enjoy your garden than engaging with friends in the fresh air.
6. Potting Station
Creating a potting and staging area for plants not only makes it easier to perform tasks like repotting, it creates a pretty focal point. Set up an impromptu herb garden and enjoy fresh herbs all summer long!
7. Install A New Light
Whether it’s a delicate strand of fairy lights or something more substantial like these woven pendants, use lighting to shift the focus day and night.
8. Add Ferns
Flowers can be finicky but if you want instant lushness, drop a fern into a planter. You won’t have to worry about deadheading or pruning and it’s not hard to find them at garden centres looking mature and impactful.
9. Hang Drapes
Instant drama is as close as a billowing breeze: drapes affixed to hard structures like pergolas, tents or even porches define outdoor rooms. Try white fabric shower curtains that can withstand rain, or inexpensive ready-made versions in gauzy cotton that will dry off quickly.
10. Bring On The Beach Vibes
Canvas is crisp, but a tropical tiki umbrella adds an instant beach resort vibe. Prices range from $20 up — these examples were found at a drugstore!
11. Repot Plants
Replace a mishmash of planters with a uniform style in a variety of sizes to make a small condo balcony seem more cohesive. Another trick for making an outdoor space look orderly and serene is the use of symmetry. H&H’s Joel Bray bought two cedars to frame the urn and give this space a polished, landscaped look.
12. Switch Up Pillows And Throws
There’s no easier (or economical) way to bring new life to outdoor seating than pulling together a new palette. Update older pieces with pillows in on-trend global inspired boho pillows in sunset hues, as Sarah Keenleyside did in her Toronto deck.
13. Bring Indoor Furniture Outside
Hardy, fade-proof and water-resistant indoor objects (such as ceramic drum stools) can have a second life outside. Designer Mazen El-Abdallah stacks his Toronto deck with a favorite mosaic coffee table and the hyacinth shower stool (seen at left near the table), which are pulled inside in the fall.
14. Add Statement Seating
Conjure the exclusive vibe of a boutique hotel pool with expansive lounge seating that commands some respect. This cushioned, shaded chaise has A-list cred, with enough room for two.
15. Set Up A Sculpture
A classical piece can make a garden seem like a little piece of Versailles, but you don’t need to commit to a Grecian goddess. A modern piece or nature inspired-sculpture turns a dark or neglected nook into an artful discovery.
16. Add A Rug
Unroll an outdoor carpet to quickly define a space and add color and pattern. On this deck, the graphic rug ties together the sharp black and white palette.