Photos By: Unsplash

Want an ultra-modern living room with exclusively monochrome furniture? Or a shabby chic kitchen that you can pack with your best vintage eBay finds? Or maybe you just want to paint the whole place hot pink? Hey—it’s your house!

Why is it, then, that so many homeowners stop short of decorating their properties’ outdoor spaces? Lots of homes have stunning interiors, yet all too often, the back garden is not taken into account. Of course, revamping an external area isn’t quite the same as renovating your bedroom or bathroom. Instead of pondering paint samples and picking out a new carpet, you may find yourself cutting grass, constructing a deck, planting flowers, or laying outdoor tiles. But the principles are mostly the same; whether you’re inside or outside, you can fine-tune the feng shui, select choice pieces of furniture, and add other decorative touches until the space is truly your own.

If you’ve been neglecting the garden until now, it’s time to flex your creative muscles and make your outdoor space as beautiful and as welcoming as the rest of your home. Here are some tips to get your inspiration flowing…

Consider What You Want From Your Garden

Would you like an outdoor sitting room where you can relax with a book and a glass of wine at the end of the working day? A miniature rainforest that allows you to indulge your passion for botany? Or perhaps you’d prefer an open-air dining area for family meals and summer dinner parties? Your outdoor space can serve all sorts of different purposes, so before you start working on it, put your thinking cap on and decide what function you’re most interested in.

Make it Beautiful AND Practical

There are all kinds of gorgeous outdoor products on the market nowadays. If you want your patio to look just like your living room, you may well be able to achieve this—garden furniture has come a long way in recent years, so you need no longer choose between flimsy plastic chairs and unwieldy cast-iron items.

That being said, you still need to be sensible. Anything you’re planning to keep outdoors will need to be reasonably weatherproof and—ideally—quite easy to clean. Try to balance beauty with practicality, and bear in mind that you want your garden to look good for the long term, so seek out high-quality products with a decent lifespan!

Keep Maintenance to a Minimum

One key reason why homeowners sometimes fail to make the most of their outdoor spaces is the large amount of upkeep a picturesque garden can require. Sure, a colourful carpet needs to be vacuumed every so often, but that’s nothing compared to what a garden might demand of you. Mowing the lawn, varnishing the deck, watering the plants, keeping wildlife away…no wonder lots of people simply don’t bother!

The solution is to look for low-maintenance materials and keep your to-do list to a minimum. For example, a verdant green lawn may look delightful, but if you don’t want to mow the lawn every week, swapping your grass for artificial turf or a low-porosity paving material like porcelain will save you a lot of sweat.

Photo: GalMeetsGlam.com

The exterior decorating of a home is a critical feature and it gives anyone who sees it their first and last impression. Most of the time, passerby’s won’t even need to get closer or even come inside to form an opinion of the property! To make your home scream “wow” to anyone who sees it is easy, even if it’s a small and humble home. Here are some ways that you can make your home’s exterior look huge and stunning all at once:

Gates

Photo: Photo: Tom Meaney Architect, AIA

If you are looking for a way to make a bold yet elegant statement for your home, start with one of the many iron gates that are on the market. These gates are exceptionally durable and have a classic sort of beauty. They also offer quite a few benefits that include safety and a definite touch of style. Iron gates are also a relatively low-maintenance enhancement. They won’t warp, rot, or get damaged by insects. Because they are weatherproof, they will retain their gorgeous appearance throughout the year as well.

Paint

Photo: Lasley Brahaney Architecture + Construction

Another way to make people envy your home is to give it a fresh coat of paint. It is astonishing what a simple coat of paint can do. If you have the ladders, budget, and time, this is never a bad idea. You might think that you can’t paint your home if you have vinyl siding, but that simply isn’t true. There are paints that are specifically made for vinyl siding and painting your siding is much more cost effective than replacing it.

[otw_shortcode_quote border_style=”bordered” background_color_class=”otw-pink-background” color=”#ffffff”]BDB Tip: Keep in mind that you don’t always need to paint the entire house. There are times when just painting the shutters, trim, and a few other key areas will make it look great.[/otw_shortcode_quote]

Whatever you choose to do, just remember that a fresh coat of paint can go a long way and make one of the biggest exterior improvements for a very low cost!

Yard Fixtures and Artwork

Photo: Benson & Associates

Have you ever looked out at your lawn and had the thought that it just looked boring? Maybe there needs to be something out there aside from just grass, bushes and trees. If you have had that thought, it is almost guaranteed that others have too. One way to make a statement with the exterior of your home is to put some eye candy out in the yard. You can add a bit of flare with some yard fixtures or artwork. Think wind chimes, maybe a water sculpture or a bird bath.

Front Door

Photo: Diamond Homes, Inc.

Whether you know it or not, your front door really has quite a bit to do with the overall appearance of your home. If that door is outdated, old, or simply dull in color, it can easily be refinished and given new life.

[perfectpullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”#fa006c” class=”” size=””]Just choose a paint or stain that will brighten it up and create a warm, welcoming feeling for passersby and guests. To refinish a door, it shouldn’t cost more than $50 and will take less than a day. The effect on the appearance of your home will be immeasurable.[/perfectpullquote]

Lighting

There are quite a few ways to add decorative lighting to your garden, walkway, or home. Decorative lighting can assist in making your home more welcoming while adding beauty. It doesn’t matter if you opt for traditional lighting options that you can buy in a store or if you decide to be creative and make you own, this is a magnificent way to add to the appearance of your home.

Window Boxes

Photo: Eberlein Design Consultants Ltd.

This option gives you the ability to have colorful plants and flowers growing right in your windows. You will be able to add bits of color that will make your home appear to be more beautiful and inviting. You might choose to plant seasonal flowers or just a bit of greenery. You might also choose to plant a few herbs that you can use in the kitchen to prepare those delightfully delicious meals. Window boxes are an option that is easy and very inexpensive. They can be used to dress up every side of your home too.

Any of these things can be used by themselves or in conjunction with others to make your home make more of a statement. Which ones will you be using?