Inspiration7 min read

13 Easy Backyard Makeover Ideas To Spruce Up Your Outdoor Space

13 Easy Backyard Makeover Ideas To Spruce Up Your Outdoor Space

It’s a new year, and that means it’s the perfect time to freshen up your outdoor living space. Whether you’re interested in adding a couple of new pieces to change things up or you’re opting for a complete remodel, you’ve come to the right place for backyard makeover ideas.

In this article, we share 13 tips for a backyard remodel to help transform your space into a special and inviting place that you can enjoy with friends and family. When it comes to designing an outdoor area, the options are endless, but here are a few of our favorites to get you started.

13 Backyard Makeover Ideas

1) Add A Pergola

Outdoor wicker furniture
Outer Wicker Outdoor Sofa - 3 Seat

A pergola has many functions. Aesthetically, it can serve as a focal point, break up a big space, or create the feel of an outdoor room. And, depending on what style you choose, it can also provide much-needed shade.

2) Build A Patio

If you don’t already have a patio, adding one can really change the feel of your outdoor space. Plus, combined with the right outdoor furniture, a patio creates a perfect place for friends and family to gather.

Undertaking a patio is a bit of a bigger backyard makeover project, but it’s worth the trouble if you decide that’s what your space is missing.

You might opt for a patio attached to your house or the pool. Or you could go with a stand-alone stone patio in the middle of your yard.

3) Lay A Walkway

It doesn’t matter if you have a backyard garden, patio, pond, or treehouse, a perfectly placed walkway is functional as well as aesthetically pleasing.

Depending on the style and feel of your outdoor space, choose a wood walkway, rustic stepping stones, or a modern, clean-cut stone path.

4) Opt For Water

Adding a water element is a great way to change things up and give your backyard a makeover. From a bubbling fountain to a small pond and everything in-between, the options are many!

5) Change The Lighting

Outdoor wicker furniture on an outdoor rug
Outer Wicker Outdoor Sofa with Armless Chairs - 6 Seat & Wicker Outdoor Armchair

The right lighting can completely alter the feel of your outdoor living space. So, switching up or updating your lighting might be the only change you need to make your backyard remodel a success.

At a loss for outdoor lighting ideas? Here are a few to get your creative juices flowing:

  • String lights
  • Wall-mounted light fixtures
  • Hanging lights in a pergola
  • Uplights
  • Path lighting
  • Lanterns
  • Spotlights
  • Candles
  • Solar-powered flower lights
  • LED tealights
  • Fairy lights in a trellis

6) Update Your Outdoor Seating

Comfortable seating is essential for any outdoor living space. If you don’t have seating you love, now is the time to add the perfect chairs and couches.

If you already have outdoor furniture, updating your pieces to something fresh might be all you need to make it feel like you have a brand new space.

Whether you prefer wicker, aluminum, or teak, we’ve got chairs, ottomans, sofas, and sectionals to fit your style and space. For example, our Wicker Outdoor Loveseat is made of two modular chairs and can be added to other sets for additional configuration possibilities.

The fabric cushions are fade-proof, stain-resistant, water-resistant, and easy to clean. They come in two classic colors (Pacific Fog Gray and Palisades Cream) to fit any decor.

Here at Outer, we believe that we have a responsibility to care for the environment. That’s why we’ve made our all-weather, handwoven wicker 30% recycled and 100% recyclable and our premium solution-dyed fabrics 100% eco-friendly and recyclable.

To provide you with outdoor seating that is lasting and durable, the fabric is woven from material that is highly resistant to UV light. And it’s finished with the same nano-coating used in performance camping gear, making it stain resistant, water-resistant, and easily cleanable.

We also offer Aluminum Outdoor Armchairs with memory foam cushions and a Teak Outdoor Sofa plus Outdoor Coffee Table that are made with teak from responsibly managed fields in Central Java.

Teak patio furniture
Outer Teak Outdoor Sofa with Armchairs - 5 Seat

That’s just the beginning of what we offer at Outer. Check out our whole collection here to find the perfect pieces to go with your backyard makeover ideas.

7) Create An Outdoor Dining Area

Outdoor seating, like we mentioned above, is essential for any activity from reading to drinking your morning coffee to snuggling up for a movie. But sharing a full meal outside may be more comfortable with a special outdoor dining area.

Including a dining table with chairs in your backyard makeover is the perfect way to encourage dining al fresco. (Hot tip: Our new Fire Pit Tables come with a removable cover that turns them into a table for gathering in seconds!)

8) Install An Outdoor Kitchen Or Bar

Speaking of dining, if you’re up for a major remodel, install an outdoor kitchen. This will help you create special memories in your outdoor living space with your friends gathered around the table.

If a kitchen isn’t an option, an outdoor bar is a much simpler undertaking and is a fun addition to any patio.

9) Plant Flowers Or A Garden

Incorporating any sort of plants, flowers, or landscaping to your backyard makeover is another way to add interest and give the whole space a facelift.

Think outside the box with a plant wall, vertical potters, hanging plants, a backyard veggie garden, or a vine on a trellis.

10) Make An Outdoor Theater

Wicker patio furniture next to a fireplace
Outer Wicker Outdoor Sofa - 3 Seat, Wicker Outdoor Armchair & Teak Outdoor Coffee Table - Square Leg

Transforming your deck or patio into an outdoor theater is sure to be a hit. With a mounted television, cozy seating, pillows, and blankets, you won’t want to go inside once the movie is over!

To keep the bugs away while you’re cozy on the outdoor couch, wrap up with one of our Bug Shield Blankets. These 100% recycled throw blankets are enhanced with safe, long-lasting bug-repellent Insect Shield®️ technology and designed to make your time outside all the more relaxing.

Insect Shield®️ technology is proven to repel pesky mosquitoes, ticks, fleas, flies, ants, chiggers, and no-see-ums. But rest assured that the blankets are safe for the whole family, too.

In fact, Insect Shield®️ was given the most favorable and lowest-risk rating by the EPA and is approved for use by pregnant women, children, and pets.

In addition to being soft and comfy, our Bug Shield Blankets are lightweight enough for year-round use and available in timeless houndstooth, pinstripe, and plaid patterns.

11) Add Shade

If your backyard doesn’t provide the luxury of perfectly placed shade trees, don’t worry. Create your own shade when you remodel by adding a pergola, umbrella, patio overhang, or triangular-shaped sunshade.

12) Lay Down A Rug

Wicker furniture on a deck
Outer Wicker Outdoor Sofa with Armless Chairs - 5 Seat

Regardless of your design or furniture choice, an outdoor rug can add a lot to the flow and feel of your space.

Our Outdoor Rugs are neutral enough to match your personal style without being boring, durable enough to withstand the elements, and eco-friendly enough to lighten our overall environmental impact.

How are these rugs eco-friendly? We use 100% recycled PET plastic bottles, rather than virgin plastics, to make each rug.

This not only gives plastics a second life but also lends to the rug’s overall durability. PET plastics are naturally stain-resistant and, like our sofa, retain color and won’t fade in sunlight or after a harsh cleaning.

13) Light A Fire Pit

Mom and son roasting marshmallows on an outdoor firepit table
Outer Black Wicker Outdoor Sofa with Armchairs

While we could keep going, the last backyard makeover idea we’ll leave you with is to add a fire pit to your outdoor living area. That said, before you shop, it’s always a good idea to check your local fire code and any regulations that pertain to open flames on your property.

Once you have the go-ahead, we recommend our versatile Fire Pit Table complete with ceramic balls, cast iron griddle pans and stands, a propane tank cover, splatter guard, and propane gas hose.

This multifunctional backyard staple can be used as a table, cooking device, or flat surface with the cover on. When it comes to using this Fire Pit Table as a heat source, you should know that it redirects heat outward (not upward), meaning you don’t have to lean in to warm up.

Rest assured that it’s CSA-approved for safe fuel burning by the Canadian Standards Association, the sole organization that provides electrical and gas standards for the USA and Canada.

Backyard Makeover Ideas For A Fresh Look

Two people drinking wine outside near a firepit
Outer Aluminum Outdoor Armchair Conversation Set

Whether you want to do a total remodel of your outdoor space or are simply looking to make a few changes to spruce up the place, the backyard makeover ideas in this article will get you started.

Between adding a pergola, laying a walkway, changing up the lighting, or going for a more complete remodel by building a patio and adding a Fire Pit Table, you’re sure to find the perfect idea for your space.

Regardless of what you choose, be sure that you include comfortable seating, like our Wicker Outdoor Loveseat, Aluminum Outdoor Armchairs, or Teak Outdoor Armless Loveseat. The right setup will provide you and your guests with a relaxing place to kick back, relax, and enjoy.