37 Easy Ways to Upgrade Your Outdoor Rooms

Set out a daybed, weather-resistant cushions, or one of our other finds, and in a short time you'll have the ultimate staycation escape

By Amy R. Hughes

1. Add Laid-Back Luxury: Color Underfoot

There's no more natural extension of your home's living area than a porch. But all too often, furnishings are bare-bones. The trick to making this outdoor space more inviting is to layer on the same comfortable and stylish touches you'd expect indoors.

A lively paint job makes the floor an accent wall. The floor paint on this porch, a few shades darker than the watery blue-green walls, offers a fresh alternative to the usual gray.

Behr Premium Porch & Patio Floor Paint, about $30 per gallon; homedepot.com

2. Cushions and Quilts

Guests linger longer when seats are supportive. In this setting, mismatched pillows and blankets in the same muted tones add cottage charm.

Similar to shown: Simply Shabby Chic Ditsy Patchwork Quilt, $80 for a twin, and Rosalie Ruffled Pillow, $23 for two; target.com

3. Flexible Seating

The more sit-down options you have, the easier it is to entertain. Look for a love seat to encourage close conversation. Vintage wicker sets pop up on Craigslist needing only a fresh coat of paint, and an upholstered footstool can double as a pint-size perch for kids.

Similar to shown: Feedsack Foot Stool, $59; homedecorators.com

4. Rustic Wall

Create a sense of enclosure with a partition wall fashioned from a vintage screen door.

You should be able to find an old door, such as this ornate Victorian-era model, for about $100 at a salvage yard.

5. Pretty Pendant

Set the mood and brighten the night with a no-wire candle chandelier.

Similar to shown: Gifts and Decor Wrought Iron Royalty's Candleholder Chandelier, $35; amazon.com

6. Go for Bold Color: Vibrant Furniture

Make a seating area the main attraction. This cobalt-painted set looks fetching against white.

Vintage wicker, finished with Impervex Latex High-Gloss Enamel for wood or metal in Delphinium, about $65 per gallon; benjaminmoore.com

7. Separate Zones

Area rugs, especially when positioned under hanging lights, can help define distinct spots for dining or lounging. Here, furniture arranged around a rug forms a mini sitting room.

Similar to shown: Pond Stripe Indoor/Outdoor Rug, about $90; dashandalbert.com

8. Green Screen

A line of trees, tall shrubs, or bamboo plants can provide privacy. For a faster, summertime fix, train sweet peas up a trellis or another support.

Packet of sweet-pea seeds, $3.95; fragrantgarden.com

9: Enliven with Accessories: Matching Curtains and Pillows

Hang quick-dry drapes to provide shade and privacy, and array coordinated throw pillows for a cohesive look.

Similar to shown: Parasol outdoor curtains and pillows, $30 per panel and $15 per pillow; lowes.com

10. Deep Blue Overhead

Highlight the ceiling with a more saturated and energetic shade than traditional sky blue.

Emerald Exterior Acrylic Latex semigloss in Honorable Blue, about $62 per gallon; sherwin-williams.com

11. Shadow-Box Art

Personalize the space with all-weather artwork. The khaki-hued paint on these shadow boxes echoes the window trim and provides protection from the elements. The coral clusters inside are man-made.

Basswood Canvas boxes, from $8 each; walnuthollow.com

Resin Coral, about $60 for a set of three; seasideinspired.com

12. Inject Vintage Style: Reclaimed Parts

A freestanding structure, set away from the bustle of the house, can be a real draw. Build it yourself with some key parts, and make it complete with just a few furnishings.

Salvaged porch posts mark off the footprint; diamond-pane windows and a gingerbread panel create the cornice.

About $85 to $250 per item; columbusarchitecturalsalvage.com

13. Sun-Reflecting Roof

To keep costs down and ease installation, look for galvanized-metal panels.

Corrugated Galvanized Metal, about $35 for a 2-by-8-foot panel; corrugatedmetal.com

14. Lavish Lounger

An antique chaise or daybed like this one evokes Victorian-era gardens—and can easily top $1,000. Opt for an easy-care resin reproduction.

All-Weather Resin Outdoor Easy Care Wicker Chaise in white, about $250 (cushions are extra); plowandhearth.com

15. Try a Lush Look: Leafy Archway

Position an arbor in front of a tent-pole canvas cabana to serve as a dramatic portico. This metal one holds variegated potato vine.

Similar to shown: Oakland Living Single Arbor with Base, about $130; wayfair.com

16. Potted Plants

Establish entry points with portable greenery. Oversize green ceramic containers stand sentry here.

Similar to shown: Garden Odyssey 16-inch Glazed Milano Planter in Crackled Green, about $15; amazon.com

17. Pebble Carpet

For an easy DIY floor, pour pea gravel into a frame that's made from steel or pressure-treated wood and sunk into the soil, sandbox-style.

Multicolor pea gravel, about $4 for a 50-pound bag; at stone yards

18. Plush Seating

Make sure any upholstery is weather-safe, and finish bare wood with exterior-grade acrylic-latex enamel paint or stain.

Similar to shown: La-Z-Boy Outdoor Benjamin 3-Seat Sofa, about $650; sears.com

19: Create Ambience: Partial Shade

A little structure makes a patio feel like an outdoor room. Consider a paved or loose-stone floor, and use the house or a fence for a sidewall or two and a pergola or tree boughs for a "roof."

A pergola offers sun protection without blocking breezes, while its open sides frame the view and establish a sense of enclosure. This pergola was custom-made, but DIYers can build one from a kit.

Similar to shown: Outdoor Living Today Breeze Cedar 8-by-10-foot Pergola, about $2,350; homedepot.com

20. Water Feature

No babbling brook nearby? A fountain can mimic its soothing sounds. Just be sure there's a spigot for replacing evaporated water and an outlet for running the pump. This sculptural fountain also adds a formal touch to an otherwise casual sitting area.

Similar to shown: Artmada Selia Indoor/Outdoor Fountain with LED Light, about $400; simplyfountains.com

21. Looking Glass

Hang a mirror on a wall or fence to create the illusion of a window to another room.

Similar to shown: Bronze Ornate Vanity Mirror with a water-resistant polystyrene frame, about $30; walmart.com

22. Prep for Gatherings: Site Matters

An eating area near the house reduces the number of steps to the kitchen. Add a weatherproof concrete pedestal table that doubles as a bar, and chairs that fold for easy stowing.

Similar to shown: Table, about $250; at garden centers

Jordan Wooden Folding Bistro Chairs, about $130 per pair; fingerhut.com

23. Pleasing Palette

Follow the 60-30-10 rule for color selection. In this outdoor space, the house, table, and flagstone create a neutral foundation. Red elements account for 30 percent, and lively accents claim the rest.

24. Floral Trellis

For an arbor-like backdrop, train a flowering vine up the wall and onto the eaves or the top of a door or window. Just add eye hooks threaded with medium-gauge wire for a support structure.

Red mandevilla in a 2½-quart pot, $15; lowes.com

25. Build a Fire: Glowing Hearth

An open flame draws people near and keeps them cozy after the sun goes down. If you've got the space and budget for more than a fire pit, consider putting in a freestanding prefab fireplace and surrounding it with a hearth that doubles as a low sitting wall. For a DIY version of this wall with foot-traffic-friendly contours, construct a winding base of cinder block, face it with ledgestone veneer, and top it with custom-cut flagstone.

Similar to shown: San Juan prefab gas or propane fireplace with masonry surround, about $3,600; woodlanddirect.com

AirStone veneer, about $50 per carton (about 8 square feet); lowes.com

26. Textured Accessories

Baskets and rugs made from natural fibers, such as jute and sisal, weather well and fit in naturally with their alfresco surroundings.

Similar to shown: Owen Herringbone Jute Rug, 5 by 8 feet, about $200, and Beachcomber Lidded Basket, about $100; potterybarn.com

27. Warm It Up: Patterned Floor

Finish a simple wood platform, whether attached to the house or out in the yard, with plants and materials that fit in with the surroundings.

Use deck stain to make a checkerboard in weathered grays.

Similar to shown: DeckScapes deck stain in Cotton-wood and Kings Canyon, about $46 per gallon; sherwin-williams.com

28. Leafy Levels

Plants and small trees in wheeled pots lend structure to an open space and can slide inside in winter.

Benjamina ficus, about $60; fast-growing-trees.com

29. Metal Trellis

Iron panels invite vines like clematis to create a privacy screen.

Similar to shown: ACHLA Designs Square-on-Squares, about $145 for a 311⁄2-by-86-inch panel; homeclick.com

30. Assemble an Intimate Getaway: Low Walls

A deck that doesn't require railings can be bordered with fencing and planter boxes for a tucked-away feeling.

Large Cedar Planters, from $140; hooksandlattice.com

31. Bistro Set

Sit down for a glass of wine or dinner for two at a folding table that's portable and fits on a platform. Unpainted wood sets like this one may require annual sealing with a penetrating oil, such as teak or tung oil, to maintain their luster.

Similar to shown: Living Accents 3-Piece Wood Bistro Set in acacia, about $80; acehardware.com

32. Green Roof

Arrange seating or dining areas under a backyard tree. The dappled shade created by leafy boughs overhead is atmospheric—and it's free.

33. Set Up a Snug Nap Spot: Comfy Bed

Who says you can stretch out only on a chaise? This antique Spanish-cedar bed frame can weather the elements just fine, but even one made of inexpensive unfinished pine can be protected—and warmed up—with the right finish. Then, for a mildew-proof mattress, zip a custom-cut foam slab into a waterproof vinyl cover and add a fitted-sheet–style topper stitched from quick-dry weather-resistant fabric. Finish with outdoor cushions, as well as indoor linens—if you're willing to bring them inside in damp weather.

Similar to shown: Fjellse bed frame, about $40; ikea.com

Vermont Natural Coatings PolyWhey Exterior Wood Finish in Acorn Brown, about $20 per quart; vermontnaturalcoatings.com

Sunbrella Dolce Outdoor Mango striped fabric, $33 per yard; calicocorners.com

34. Striped Foot Warmer

An outdoor rug brightens deck boards and cushions bare feet.

Similar to shown: Pappelina woven-plastic outdoor carpet runners in dozens of patterns, including the Lisa Runner in Pink and Vanilla, about $105; viesso.com

35. A Canopy Caps It Off: Billowed Silk

One of the simplest ways to enclose a space is with fabric. These three styles offer shade while adding a little drama.

Long lengths of silk can hang over a clothesline strung between the house and a pole anchored in the backyard. Secure the sides to a fence or a roof overhang with sturdy spring clips.

Similar to shown: Silk Scapes in Sea, about $50 for a 3-by-9-foot piece; sarahssilks.com

Everbilt Wood Clothespins, about $2.35 for 50; homedepot.com

36. Repurposed Tarp

Cotton canvas treated to resist moisture can serve as a temporary awning when suspended from a pergola with ties or metal clips.

Similar to shown: Coated white canvas tarps with grommets for ties, from about $20; mytarp.com

37. Romantic Netting

A veil of fine netting that comes with its own "hat" to hang from turns a well-cushioned bench into a private getaway.

Similar to shown: Solig net, about $20; ikea.com