Transforming Your Backyard into a Vibrant Oasis
Once a kindergarten teacher, I’ve now become your go-to guide for all things DIY. My passion for teaching didn’t stop when I left the classroom – I merely switched from ABCs to DIYs. I’ve learned a lot from transforming my own home from scratch, and now I’m here to pass on that knowledge to you.
When my family and I first moved into our home in Temecula, California, we truly thought our patio would be the last space we’d get to complete. Even though it was one of the main reasons we fell in love with this house, it seemed like an intimidating project. Wouldn’t you know, our outdoor patio has become one of the first spaces in our home that we can officially say is done? Well, for now, because you know we’ll never truly be done with any space.
It all started with this cozy little corner of the patio that gave us our first seating area. We spend every morning out here – me with a cup of coffee, and my son Oliver pushing his toy cars around in his pajamas. Then morning turns into eating lunch on the patio, playing with water toys when it’s too hot to be in the direct sunlight, and ending our days reading books together. And of course, my husband and I enjoy a little quiet time out here once Oliver is in bed. It only made sense to continue to furnish and complete our patio area since it has truly become an extension of our living space.
Decorating on a Budget
When we first moved in, the patio space intimidated me. I’d never had a patio area this spacious, with an additional screened-in area and a smaller patio on the other side. I knew I would have to be patient to decorate this patio space because it wasn’t a priority. And let’s be honest, outdoor anything isn’t necessarily budget-friendly when it comes to decor and furniture.
A few things happened to make this space possible while staying within our budget. We were able to furnish this space in a year due to a mixture of clearance finds, thrifting adventures, receiving a few items in exchange for sharing with all of you, and finding a few items that were priced within our budget. Our patio space certainly didn’t happen overnight, and it took a lot of patience to wait for the right items at the right price.
I’m going to show you each finished area of our patio, but also spill all the details about where we found everything. You’ll be shocked at the price that we paid for a few things. It shows that if you enter a space with a little patience and a general idea of what you’d like, you can make things happen within your budget.
Creating Cozy Outdoor Retreats
Let’s start with the patio area off of our master bedroom. This was the first completed space within our patio because it was the easiest for me to visualize. I tend to do better starting with smaller spaces and working my way out to the larger areas.
My favorite part about this space is the thrifted coffee table I found. Several people were eyeing it, but I knew it would be perfect for my space. I became the lucky new owner because I wrote “sold” on a sticky note and placed it on the table as I ran to the front to pay. Keep that little trick in mind when you’re thrifting!
Surrounding the coffee table, we have a blue and white Polywood bench that I received from Target in exchange for a review, as well as some outdoor pillows from Target’s clearance section. The side tables are ones we already owned from Lowe’s, and we’ve spray-painted them a few times over the years. The $20 thrift-store table and the Target clearance rug tie the whole space together, and I splurged on the $29 floor poufs from IKEA that can also be stacked.
As you walk out onto the patio from the dining room and main living area of our home, you’ll find another seating area. Originally, we wanted to place a long outdoor dining room table here, but it didn’t make sense with it being right next to the sliding glass doors of the dining room. Turning this into another area for friends and family to relax was such a great choice.
This space features an outdoor couch and club chair that I received from Target in exchange for a review, a rug and outdoor pillows and blanket from Target’s summer sale, and a set of Walmart side tables placed together to create a larger surface. The Fiddle Leaf Fig Trees were a steal at $13 each from Walmart.
Maximizing Every Inch of Outdoor Space
The corner patio has become such a dreamy space. It connects to my office, which is great because I can see my family having an amazing time on the patio as I get work done from inside. I use this patio area during naptime and in the evenings to get work done, as it’s so relaxing.
You’ll be shocked to see what this area cost us after stalking Target for a good week. The club chairs were originally $95 each, but I scored them for $90 for the pair during a clearance sale. The rug was one of the two items I paid full price for at Target, and the $5 thrift-store side table and clearance ferns and olive tree from Lowe’s completed the look.
There’s also the open, screened-in area of our patio, which has been the catch-all with the outdoor furniture from our previous home. Although it’s functional, this is the last area that will get a makeover. For now, it serves its purpose, but I can’t wait to put my touch on it. The outdoor table was found by the side of the road, the chairs are from a Target clearance, and the hibiscus trees and bench were scored at an estate sale and Target, respectively. The pillows were even hand-sewn!
Bringing it All Together with Lighting and Fans
Lastly, we couldn’t forget about the outdoor lighting and ceiling fans. The condition of the ceiling fans when we moved in made it to where they couldn’t even be turned on, let alone with the wilting blades, they weren’t that great to look at either. So, I de-cluttered, sold a few items on Facebook Marketplace, and paid for new fans from Lowe’s for $99 each.
We were also beyond thrilled to partner with Lamps Plus for our outdoor lighting. It seriously took a good three days to finalize what we wanted because their selection is so amazing. We ended up going with the Arrington Wall Light for a modern look.
Now that we have our patio 90% completed, I want to have a few friends and family over to enjoy this gorgeous summer season as we grill out. I have plenty of seating, and it just might motivate me to try and figure something out with the middle part of our patio – maybe a decorative way to store outdoor toys, a potting area for my gardening needs, or an outdoor bar. If you have any suggestions, send them my way! I’d love to hear.
Let’s keep in touch. We have a brand new community over on Facebook, House & Home, where we’ll be chatting, sharing, and helping one another when it comes to home decor and projects. Come join us!
