6 Backyard Makeover Tips You Should Always Follow, According to DIYers

Outdoor DIY projects can be a lot of fun, but there is always some pressure to complete them quickly. After all, you could easily hide that unfinished accent wall inside your home, but this partially built cinder block garden is on display for the neighbors to see.

Instead of a list of backyard decorating ideas that might be too complicated to pull off, here are a few ideas from people—professionals and hobbyists alike—who have done really well with their desire to improve their outdoor living space.

See if you can take inspiration from their success and apply it to your own backyard.

A Drought-Tolerant Landscape Saves on Your Water Bill

Digging up dry grass in the backyard of his Los Angeles home began as a way to relieve stress, but it became a transformative experience for Marek Bowers’ yard and his life.

He wanted to create a drought-tolerant landscape, so he applied for and received a significant rebate from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power’s turf replacement program. Positive DIY experiences led him to start his company, Bolder Green, to teach others about sustainable landscaping.

Bowers says you can enhance your landscape by adding trees and shrubs that match your hardiness zone. Don’t worry about blowing your budget on expensive plants—Bowers loves to “rescue plants” or buy plants on sale at your local home improvement store.

If you want to take on a larger project, find funding. “Look for rebates from utility, municipal and state-owned electric and gas companies,” Bowers says. “It can save you a lot of money.”

You Can Upcycle Items Already in Your Yard

Have you ever found random rocks, bricks, or other objects in your yard that you don’t know what to do with? Consider using them in your landscaping to give your yard a new look.

Bowers found old bricks buried in the yard, so he dug them all up and used them to outline his new landscape.

Not Every Deck Refurbish Needs a Pro

Joshua and Degenae Parrish are the couple who founded the home improvement company Hammer & Handsaw. The birth of their first child inspired them to transform their outdoor living space, starting with the deck.

In addition to a new set of patio furniture, they also expanded and maintained their deck. Extending a deck is a big task that can be daunting for first-time deck builders, but Joshua advises that the project can be completed with the right equipment.

“Do-it-yourselfers can renovate their decks as long as they have the necessary tools and materials to do the job correctly and comply with local municipal regulations,” he said. “Most homeowners today are only limited by how much work they want.” work comfortably,” he said.

Painting Exterior Window Trim Makes a Big Impact

This is another project that masquerades as a renovation but can also contribute to the aesthetics of your yard.

The Parrish duo applied a fresh coat of bright white paint to the exterior window trim, making a big impact on the updated floors, not to mention the appearance of their home.

“A fresh coat of paint is always an easy way to improve a space, both inside and out, as long as you have a good technique for creating crisp, clean lines,” says Joshua.

Build a Children’s Playhouse with Room to Grow

Stephanie Brown and her husband have completed countless DIY projects over the years, but the one that brought them the most joy was building a playhouse for their children.

The crafty duo have been building the foundation for an above-ground structure that can accommodate multiple families over the years, and they recommend keeping this in mind for any backyard project.

“We took inspiration from Japanese garden teahouses,” Brown explains. After it was finished, we joked that when the kids grew up, we would turn it into a wine display.”

Add Ambient Lighting

Jess Fariña, founder of London House Cleaners, is also an avid DIYer in her cleaning business. She shares that creating a more beautiful backyard doesn’t have to be a chore: start small and build from there.

One important little feature that Fariña needed to improve was her backyard lighting system. She purchased soft white garlands to update her backyard.

“I used warm white string lights to decorate my garden and hung a few lights on the roof of the gazebo to give it a royal feel,” she says, noting that her pick: “Choose warm white bulbs that complement your garden.”

She also added frosted glass lanterns near the water to “create a magical effect.” Overall, the lighting upgrade created the calming ambience of her dreams.