You’re just a few steps away from creating the comfy outdoor space of your dreams—and the best part is that you don’t have to spend a dime to bring it to life.
With summer quickly approaching, take some time to implement the following five designer-approved tips, all of which are completely free and will help make your yard an inviting space you’ll want to spend your time in.
Take Cues From Your Indoor Space
You can make your backyard feel more inviting by taking a few cues from your indoor space. Create a cozy conversation area by moving around your patio furniture, adding some greenery and flowers from your own garden, or bringing in some pillows and throw blankets to your seating areas.
You can even bring throw pillows from your indoor spaces outside while hosting; it’s a great and budget-friendly option since they’re used indoors during the colder seasons and then brought outside during the prime porch season to be enjoyed.
When moving items around, consider arranging the furniture into smaller groupings in order to create smaller, more intimate settings and moments.
Embrace Candlelight
Candles can work wonders in making an outdoor space feel much comfier, says designer Nicole Alexander. She suggests layering little ones on the tables and placing larger ones on the ground.
“Candlelight adds depth and shadow, which makes a space feel more intimate,” Alexander says.
You can also place candles on a tray as you would indoors, creating the perfect outdoor living room. Fill up a decorative tray with some magazines, candles, and a bowl full of cashews to elevate a coffee table or ottoman’s look.
Swap Out Your Bulbs
Bring some of your indoor lightbulbs outside to change the feel of your space.
“Most outdoor lights do not have dimmers, so you might consider swapping out a lower wattage bulb or a warmer temperature bulb to light the space without that harsh, bright, functional light,” Alexander says.
She adds that if one of your outdoor fixtures has room for two bulbs, you can simply remove one of them to tone things down.
Add More Plants
Consider hosting a plant swap with friends in your yard space—it will make an outdoor space full of visual interest since there will be a variety of plants, and you can walk away with some budding life.
“Plants can be expensive, but can be propagated and divided to make more for free,” says interior designer Hilary Prall.
You can also simply bring some of your indoor houseplants outdoors. Interior designer Nicole Cole suggests grouping plants together rather than spreading them out to create an impactful display and give a cozy plant look to your entire outdoor space.
“Outdoor stools, pedestals, and tables can be used to help create elevations to give a layered, cozy feel,” Cole says.
Shop Your Curb
One person’s trash may just be the treasure you’re looking for to make your backyard feel more cozy and complete. Prall is often surprised to see what people get rid of this time of the year, and encourages others to take advantage of the opportunity.
“It’s possible to find furniture and accessories to add style to your outdoor space without spending any money,” Prall says.
Cole also likes to search for backyard freebies that will add character and recommends keeping an eye out for stumps from tree removal. Her favorite activity is finding tree trunk remnants to use for pedestals, side tables, or sculptural outdoor objects.
“Their textural bark and warm wood tones can add a lot to the cozy factor in an outdoor space,” she says.