Decorate Your Outdoor Spaces on a Budget!

Many times when the weather becomes sultry, the only place we want to be is in our favorite chair on the porch, sipping ice-cold lemonade! So, if we are to spend our summer months languishing with Mother Nature, why not treat our "outdoor room" to a little freshening up, and make our time outdoors more enjoyable! Here are some great, easy ideas you can use to add your own personal style to a much used "summer home"!

Treat your outdoor space just like an indoor room when you think about decorating it. Mother Nature has got the ceiling covered in most cases, but you should think about floors, furniture, accessories, color, and, yes, walls, just like any other project! Choose a theme, even if it's just color!

Use existing fencing, tall plants, trellising, etc... for your walls, or just imply that walls exist by arranging your furnishings as if they did!

Dress up old patio furniture with cushions (easily made out of leftover fabric), a little paint, and maybe some stenciling or stamping. Details bring that "homey" feeling to the space. If you don't have furniture, buy those inexpensive resin chairs and make cushions out of a bright cheery fabric.

Tables can be made out of a lot of "junk." Stepladders make great little drink tables. I found one of those large "spools" used by the utility companies in my yard when I moved in - it's a bit weathered, but turned on its side, it makes a terrific table! Paint leftover squares of plywood and set them on top of unused large pots, or on a birdbath. Two pots and a larger piece of wood make a great coffee/breakfast table.

Tiki torches are relatively inexpensive, and add great ambience! Forget that expensive outdoor lighting set!

Make luminaries out of recycled cans to light a walkway. Remove labels, fill with water, and then put in the freezer for a couple of hours. When they're frozen, use a hammer and nail to poke holes in a pattern, similar to punched tin. Stars, hearts, butterflies, even just zigzag lines will let the light shine through in an interesting pattern. (The freezing of water prevents the can from denting when you punch it.) Thaw, drain, put some sand, dirt, or gravel in the bottom to anchor a votive candle - instant charm, for the price of the candles! This is great for a party or barbecue, by the way!

Paint those boring planters! Once again, a few tubes of craft paint and a little imagination can make all the difference. Nothing fancy is needed- stripes, dots, squiggles, sponged-on shapes all can make designer accents. How about gluing on some stones or shells?

Since we are already painting planters, how about free ones? I recycle kitty litter buckets, plastic ice cream buckets, coffee cans, etc... Just poke some drainage holes in the bottom, paint and decorate, and plant!

Take the time to dress up your outdoor spaces?it doesn't have to cost a lot of money, and it will help create a relaxing sanctuary to wile away those lazy days! (If you actually have any of those!)

Kathleen Wilson is an author, national columnist, and editor of The Budget Decorator. You can find hundreds of free budget home decorating ideas and sign up for her free online newsletter at her website at http://www.TheBudgetDecorator.com

---

Thyme: The Herb of Courage

Garden thyme, fresh or dried, alone or combined with parsley... Read More

The Truth About Tulips

Roses may be beautiful but Tulips are magnificent. The huge... Read More

Environmentally Safe Ways to Remove Weeds

There is a lot of concern about herbicides and what... Read More

16 Lawn Mower Safety Tips

1. Always read the instruction manual before operating your lawnmower.... Read More

What Type of Gazebo is Right for You? Top Questions You Need to Ask

Having a gazebo in the backyard is an excellent way... Read More

Grow Organic Vegetables

There are more reasons than ever why anybody with access... Read More

Hummingbird Nesting Facts

Every spring the United States and Canada are blessed with... Read More

Teak Patio Table - Why You Need One

Do you love to cook outdoors but end up having... Read More

Wild Flower Garden - Yours to Design and Plan

To design a wild flower garden, you do not need... Read More

Decorate Your Outdoor Spaces on a Budget!

Many times when the weather becomes sultry, the only place... Read More

Poly Tarps: More Than Meets The Eye

To many people, "tarp" conjures an image of a crumpled... Read More

How to Build a Waterfall For Your Garden Pond

Building a waterfall is easier than you think and will... Read More

Cyclamen

Think of cyclamen and the chances are that Mothers Day... Read More

Greenhouse Calamities ? Thoughts from a Novice Gardener

Greenhouses are a great addition to anyone's garden. They come... Read More

Get your Garden Cooking with Friable Soil

Oh sure, fried green tomatoes are ok; but I'll take... Read More

The Container Vegetable Garden

If you live in an apartment or town home, you... Read More

Seeds and More Seeds...What Your Garden Needs

Seeds are the most important ingredient in all gardening. Without... Read More

Vermicomposting - Worm Composters For Eco-Friendly Waste Disposal and Recycling

Worms are not only the gardener's best friend, they are... Read More

Tractors and Their History

I recently bought a small tractor for my garden, which... Read More

Planting Bare Root Roses

Before planting, the plants must be prepared. The following suggestions... Read More

Kirengeshoma palmata

Kirengeshoma palmata Sometimes known as yellow waxbells, Kirengeshoma palmata... Read More

How to Grow Apples

The first thing you need to grow apples is a... Read More

Feng Shui in the Garden

"The Ancient Art of Placement" called Feng Shui (pronounced phung... Read More

Tidy Your Garden Up Cheaply

Recently I got involved with gardening. Preior to that, all... Read More

How To Prevent Damping Off

Damping off is the single term used to describe underground,... Read More

Earthworm Friends in the Garden

Earthworms are a gardener's best friend.Research has shown that earthworm... Read More

A Storage Bench Provides Much Needed Outdoor Space

If you are like most of us, there are two... Read More

Popular Adirondack Chairs - Everything You Need To Know

Adirondack chairs were invented during the early 1900's by a... Read More

Vegetable Growing for Beginners

If you have never grown vegetables before the first thing... Read More

Agio Patio Furniture

The fresh air of the early spring solstice and the... Read More

10 Tips for Successful Rose Planting

Planting roses isn't actually complicated, as long as you have... Read More

Selling Your House? Trim Your Shrubs!

Shrubbery and other greenery that has an unkempt appearance can... Read More

Gardening - Natural Science NOT Rocket Science

Don't force yourself out of the most profitable hobby in... Read More