Sunday, April 28, 2013

Tips for Outdoor Decorations on a Budget



The key to an enjoyable space is the ability to relax and enjoy it. And it can be hard to relax when you know you just spent a fortune on your décor. After all, who wants to lounge on a $3,000 chair after getting out of the pool? No one wants a stain to ruin their day. If anything, in a relaxing space, you should enjoy that you can make a stain and be OK with it. In the end, it's all about what you feel comfortable with. Here are some cheap and easy outdoor decorating ideas that won't break the bank, or stress you out.


Treat Yourself

Surround yourself with things you love. Take items from around the house or yard that you enjoy, and group them together in a way that brings life and creativity to the area. Anything will work, even a small collection of glass bottles that you've been meaning to recycle. Simply fill them with daffodils or other cute spring flowers from your garden and place them on your side table. That, or hang homemade chimes from a few tree branches, adding a relaxing breeze sound and styling with trinkets that you love. For example, tie together some old Christmas tree ornaments that you hate having to store all year.

Adding Color

The outdoors have a lot of natural color, but try punching it up with something brighter, such as a strong purple or orange, to really bring things to life. The easiest way to do this is with coordinated place mats, glassware and dishes. It's even better if the color matches your plants. There are typically great tableware and dining sets available at stores like Ross or Target that you can pick up for under $20. Cute, fun and cheap to boot!



Surface Space

Don't spend a fortune on a patio set. Instead, make your own outdoor table! Discovery Channel star Christopher Lowell suggests pairing a wicker basket or large terra-cotta pot with a piece of glass to create a quick and easy patio table. Just be sure to use safe pieces, in case kids or pets are around who could hurt themselves. Simply flip the basket/pot over into the grass or dirt, let it rest so that it's secure in the ground, and then toss the glass on top! For extra security, consider using hardware glue to keep the two together more safely.

Easy Breezy

Really enjoy your summer breezes with a simple hammock, or lie back in a recliner chair under a colorful umbrella. We recommend tying your hammock to two large, rooted trees, rather than to stakes, as stakes can often slide and move around in more healthy soil or grass plots. Umbrellas, on the other hand, work wonders in the dirt. Both hammocks and umbrellas can be found for very reasonable prices at secondhand stores or even discount department stores.

Au Natural

There's always appeal when nature palettes are involved, particularly in the outdoors. Consider adding bamboo place mats to your table or wicker chairs for a more rustic feel. Also, with wicker tables, chairs, etc., you can wind vines or flowers through the holes for an extra touch of natural oasis. Basically, you can do anything your heart desires, and most of your supplies are already there!

For your personal outdoor space, you want it to be special and relaxing. For this reason, you shouldn't have to stress to put it together. Instead, take some ideas from ours above, and enjoy the benefits of a cheap, easy and incredibly summer-friendly backyard plot.


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