6 Easy Backyard Makeover Projects to Inspire a Budget-Friendly Outdoor Transformation
Itching to give your backyard a makeover? These real-life before-and-after photos show how easy it is to renovate your outdoor space.
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Many Americans have been staying put due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and this extra time at home has caused a lot of people to rethink — and redesign — their spaces. According to the Wall Street Journal, architecture and interior design firms saw an increase in calls early on in the outbreak from homeowners. But the need to remodel isn’t limited to what’s within the walls. People are also trying to revamp their backyards in an effort to get more fresh air and have more socially distant gatherings. Luckily, there are a number of simple backyard ideas that’ll transform your space without extra help or money.
To help inspire your outdoor oasis, Woman’s Day spoke to DIY pros, amateurs, and people in between about their own backyard transformations. Whether they created the space with their own two hands or hired a trusted contractor, each of these homeowners have must-know tips for anyone looking to transform their backyard.
Carley Storm's Backyard Oasis
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Carley and Eric Storm love spending time outdoors with their son, George. So it only makes sense that they’d want to make their own backyard oasis. To make that happen, the couple removed an ugly pool with a determination to have more greenery. “We saw the potential, and we broke it down to smaller projects: remove pool, grow grass, start landscaping, redo and expand the deck,” Carley Storm, a branding expert, photographer and video producer, tells Woman’s Day. “I just kept adding plants — I have local garden centers that I buy most of my plants from and my pots are from Home Depot and Home Goods.”
Carley Storm's Backyard Oasis
![simple-backyard-projects simple backyard projects](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/simple-backyard-projects-carley-storm-after-1599581999.jpeg?crop=0.752xw:1.00xh;0.153xw,0&resize=980:*)
“Greenery and flowers are what make a beautiful yard,” Storm says. “Just keep layering them.” The duo recently added a door, stairs and two windows to the back of their house for better access. “It made us feel like the yard was a part of our lives,” she adds. While they did hire pros (Cleanscape Construction, a New York and New Jersey-based contractor) for the build, Carley designed the landscaping and layouts.
Jenna Sue’s Shed and Fire Pit
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Jenna Sue of Jenna Sue Design Co. transformed her backyard space over the course of one-and-a-half years with no prior landscaping experience but plenty of determination to DIY on a budget. “The space was a non-functional, pieced-together mess before, but we turned it into a tropical oasis with designated zones for dining, lounging, and relaxing by the fire,” she tells Woman’s Day. The work included taking down old concrete, building a fire pit, removing old tile, stenciling the patio floor, installing string light planters, re-landscaping, mulching, working on irrigation, adding new shutters, painting, and furnishing.
Jenna Sue’s Shed and Fire Pit
![simple-backyard-projects simple backyard projects](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/simple-backyard-projects-jenna-sue-after-1599582246.jpg?crop=0.668xw:1.00xh;0.172xw,0&resize=980:*)
“Make sure there’s proper irrigation in place to keep your landscaping alive, and really consider how you want to use the space in the years to come,” Sue tells future DIY-ers. “Backyard renovations are much more involved (and usually more permanent) than interior renovations, so it pays to plan ahead.”
Suggested Products: Adirondack chairs ($87, Lowes); fire pit ($219, Lowes); string lights ($40, Lowes)
Bonnie McGuire's Outdoor Conversation Spot
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Bonnie McGuire, of BohoBonnie.com, created the ultimate outdoor living room in her backyard. “We knew we’d be spending a lot of time in the backyard this summer so it was important for us to create a backyard that felt like a home away from home,” she tells Woman’s Day. “We built this DIY gazebo with custom fire pit and we’ve really enjoyed our evenings making s'mores under the stars.”
Bonnie McGuire's Outdoor Conversation Spot
![simple-backyard-projects simple backyard projects](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/simple-backyard-projects-bonnie-mcquire-after-1599582521.jpg?crop=0.752xw:1.00xh;0.0272xw,0&resize=980:*)
McGuire believes the backyard is a great place to invest money and hard work. “If you’re looking to complete your backyard makeover on a budget, utilize options like Facebook Marketplace and the Habitat for Humanity Restore to find the materials and outdoor furniture,” she says. “Making over gently used items is a great way to save money and add your personal touch.”
The Maillouxes’ Wonderful Woodwork
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Husband-and-wife team Adrian Mailloux and Shelby Hallman Mailloux of Earth and Sole based in Toronto were the masterminds behind this wood oasis. The complete backyard makeover consisted of a new pergola, low-profile deck, flagstone patio, new fencing, gardens with columnar beech trees, porch redo, barbecue deck, pea gravel, and flagstone walkway and gate.
The Maillouxes’ Wonderful Woodwork
![simple-backyard-projects simple backyard projects](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/simple-backyard-projects-shelby-hallman-after-1599583265.png?crop=0.638xw:1.00xh;0.0799xw,0&resize=980:*)
As a pro team, their main advice for those looking to do a total revamp of a backyard is to plan ahead. “There is a shortage of materials due to Covid-19 and contractors are booked up due to an increase in interest in landscaping because people are staying home and not traveling,” they tell Woman’s Day. So keep that in mind when booking and planning.
Nicole Bowman’s Tiny Talk Space
![simple-backyard-projects simple backyard projects](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/simple-backyard-projects-nicole-bowman-before-1599583368.jpeg?crop=1.00xw:0.751xh;0,0.123xh&resize=980:*)
Nicole Bowman of Bowhouse Design Co. felt like she was limited in options as a renter on a tight budget. “I wanted to figure out a way that I could turn this once very awkward space into a little oasis of my own,” she tells Woman’s Day “Instead of hiding the pavers with a rug I decided to make them a focal feature and transformed them to imitate cement tile. I was going for a very laid back California vibe so I kept my eye out for items that gave me that feeling.”
Nicole Bowman’s Tiny Talk Space
![simple-backyard-projects simple backyard projects](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/simple-backyard-projects-nicole-bowman-after-1599583551.jpeg?crop=1.00xw:0.752xh;0,0.141xh&resize=980:*)
Bowman used a stencil and paint to add the accent flooring to this backyard revamp, in addition to lovely ceramic pots.
If you’re thinking of doing something similar, Bowman says to just go for it. “No one feels super confident when trying something new, but you just learn as you go,” she tells Woman’s Day. “This is the perfect beginner DIY because at the end of the day it’s just paint, if it doesn’t come out the way you hoped it would you can paint over it and try again.”
Suggested Products: “Star Quilt” tile stencil ($20 for 12" x 12" tile, Royal Design Studio Stencils); Acapulco weave chairs ($173, Overstock)
Hayley McDonald’s Modern Accent Wall
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Hayley McDonald’s backyard wall would get filthy from her sons hitting, kicking, and throwing balls against it, so she came up with an idea to make it art. So she created the multi-colored geometric painted wall in one weekend.
Hayley McDonald’s Modern Accent Wall
![simple-backyard-projects- simple backyard projects](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/simple-backyard-projects-hayley-mcdonald-after-1599584599.jpg?crop=1.00xw:0.751xh;0,0.198xh&resize=980:*)
“First, I marked up the wall with builders chalk line and then used painters tape to mark up the lines. Then, one color at a time, I used a roller to paint the wall. It took two coats of each color to get right coverage as the wall was made of rough render,” she tells Woman’s Day. She doesn’t want other DIYers to be afraid of bold colors. “Paint is the easiest and cheapest way to transform a space and if you don't like what you've done, you can always paint over it,” she says.
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Ysolt Usigan is a lifestyle writer and editor with 15+ years of experience working in digital media. She has created share-worthy content for publishers Shape, What To Expect, Cafe Mom, TODAY, CBS News, HuffPo, The Bump, Health, Ask Men, and Best Gifts. A working mom of two, her editorial expertise in parenting, shopping, and home are rooted in her everyday life.
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