18 Gorgeous DIY Outdoor Decor Ideas For Patios, Porches, & Backyards

Outdoor decor ideas can totally transform your home! But, decorating these spaces isn’t as easy as HGTV makes it look!

Decorating the inside of your home is one thing…decorating the outside?  Where do you start?!?

Don’t let the steep challenge turn you away.

Giving attention to your outdoor living spaces will bring massive impact to curb appeal (your guests first impression), and the overall look and feel of your home.

Patios, porches, and backyards that are well maintained, functional and stylish even serve as a second living space during warm weather months!  It’s like adding extra square footage to your home, without the expense of renovation costs!

You can bring so much of the indoors outside, to create beautifully designed spaces that you’ll enjoy year round.

It’s hard to know where to start though.

Potted plants, patio furniture, and what to do about the bare walls and fences?!?

Well, I’ve put together some outdoor decor ideas that I hope you love.  These simple DIYs that can totally transform your outdoor living spaces.  Give some of them a shot and you may find that you use the areas in new and exciting ways.

You’ll be more likely to hang out, kick back, and even entertain in them.

Let’s get to it!

#1) Tall Grass Patio Privacy Fence

This simple and lush potted lemongrass is an attractive patio statement.  This photo and idea comes from Indulgy, and features the linear lemongrass in gorgeous large ceramic pots.

Ceramic pots can get expensive!  Luckily, you can find plastic varieties that look incredibly similar such as these.

One of the neat things about lemon grass is that it works to repel pesky bugs and mosquitos!

#2 Outdoor Hanging Wicker Shelving

This patio has it going on!  Everything flows so beautifully in this back yard reveal from Zevy Joy.  These lovely hanging wicker baskets add definition to the long outdoor seating group.  Any wicker basket hung on it’s side would work well here.

Adding growing plants or succulents to the baskets makes this design come alive!

#3) Decorating The Outside: Bring The Indoors Out

The goods keep on coming from Zevy Joy and her gorgeous patio reveal.  She reminds us to bring elements from the indoors outside.

Outdoor throw pillows, coffee tables, gorgeous area rugs, and hanging lighting makes this space feel like it could be someone’s living room.  When you decorate your patio and transform it into a gorgeous and functional space it will act like a second living area of your home.

Her natural fibers and functional design result in a place anyone would love to cozy up in!

#3) Make A Patio Geometric Trellis

I love this midcentury trellis design from A Beautiful Mess.  It functions as a great frame for hanging or crawling plants.

It is also adds a fun design element and great definition to a bland space.

#4 Install Outdoor Hanging Curtains

Curtains aren’t just for the indoors ya’ll!  There are a variety of gorgeous and functional outdoor curtains that can weather the elements and look good doing it (like these).  These earthy outdoor curtains are featured on Front Porch Ideas.

Here is another variety of hanging curtain for you to consider.  Sheer, lovely, and will help take the edge off of direct sunlight.  This DIY Outdoor Curtain tutorial comes featured on Setting For Four.  She uses a rod to stretch the entire length of the pergola for full functional use.

#5) DIY Patio Tabletop Firebowl

Tabletop fire bowls are all the rage.  They are perfect on a table, end table or console.  They are calming and stylish.

This awesome DIY concrete table top fire bowl comes from Mike at Modern Builds.  You can the video of how he did it here!

#6) Hanging Porch Lanterns Outdoor Decor Idea

Lighting brings so much to space.  These hanging lanterns come from the patio reveal on the blog Beneath My Heart.  They offer effortless farmhouse style, and prevent you from having to string cords or run wiring all over the place!

#7) DIY Wooden Address Number Planter

Functional, stylish, and rustic contemporary.  This wooden address number planter idea is featured on The Art In Life.  It’s a stylish addition next to any front door, and the plants can be changed out seasonally for a fresh look.

#8) Rustic Outdoor Succulent Garden

Succulents are so gorgeous.  They are easy to grow, and oh so stylish in these hollowed out logs.  This photo and idea comes again from The Art In Life.  It would work well on any table or coffee table by bringing rustic texture to your space.

#9) DIY Outdoor Hanging Mason Jar Lights

These darling farmhouse style DIY hanging mason jar lights come from 17 Apart.  Floating tea lights in water provides the perfect summer glow.  What a great way to decorate a wooden privacy fence!

#10) Trending Outdoor Decor Idea…Painted Deck Floor

This chic and nautical painted deck DIY comes from Nesting With Grace.  The floor can often be the forgotten element of outdoor design.

Don’t leave it out!  It can bring huge visual impact for very little money.  You can paint a fun pattern, or even a large rectangular accent color to mimic a rug!

#11) Use Potted Plants As Outdoor Decor

This tutorial from Modern Parent Messy Kids shows you how to master your potted plants in 3 easy steps.  Potted plants are really the quintessential design element of outdoor decor, and your space won’t look the same without them.

Color, gorgeous softness, texture, fragrance and the list goes on!

You don’t have to buy expensive pots.  With gorgeous flowers flowing out no one will care what the pot looks like!  Grab some potting soil and a good pair of garden gloves and get to it!

#12) Grill Utensil Outdoor Decor Idea

This smart and stylish idea comes from Lil Luna.  I just love it!  My grilling items are always falling off the side shelf of my grill and awkwardly sticking out underneath the grill cover.  Turning them into a decor piece is such a great idea.

The ornate hangers and white background are so darling.  Check out the link for her tutorial on creating this grill set holder and sign.

#13) Repurpose An Old Ladder As An Outdoor Lighting Feature

This awesome idea comes from IDLights.  A fun collection of lights (as pictured), or one oblong hanging lantern would look awesome underneath this repurposed ladder.

#14) Use Outdoor Rope Lighting Decor Idea

Rope lighting is inexpensive and multifunctional.  It’s perfect to line edges of sidewalks and walking paths.

I included a number of awesome pictures from Christmas Lights Etc. to show you all of the cool ways you can use rope lighting to make your back yard, patio and decks come alive!

Lay rope lighting at the base of a rock wall to cast gorgeous feature lighting.

Use underneath the hand railing of your deck for beautiful functional evening light.

You can get rope lighting like this here!

#15) Add A Swinging Bench

A swinging bench makes any covered porch an instant relaxing station.  This stylish and attractive DIY comes from Simply Designing.  A couple throw pillows and seat cushion and your off with comfort and style.

#16) DIY Wall Planter Outdoor Decor Idea

This DIY outdoor wall planter from Sugar and Cloth is great way to bring design to back yard privacy fences and small spaces.  It provides a lovely vertical feature piece for these darling succulents.  It also would work well as a frame for crawling plants.

The design has elements of farmhouse flair, don’t you think?

#17) DIY Patio String Lights

The light show isn’t over.  These DIY String lighting really help define this open patio.  They used rods driven around the corner of the deck as support posts in this idea from IDLights.

#18) Build A Backyard Fire Pit

At first glance a fire pit like this may seem like a lot of work, but it doesn’t have to be.  In this picture from the Best Of DIY Ideas they used an awesome brick pattern for the floor.  You could do something simpler like the circular rock floor pictured below.

Encircle a fire area with stones or boulders, add some comfy chairs and a couple throw blankets and you’re set!

You can find step by step tutorials on building these beauties on Best Of DIY Ideas.

Happy Outdoor Decorating! 🙂 

 I hope you found some outdoor decor ideas that will make their way into your patios, porches and backyards.  I can’t wait to try some of these on our new modern farmhouse remodel!

More on that later.

Cheers for now!

<3 Ang

Check out these front porch flower pot ideas!