7 Tips for Decorating a Small Outdoor Space

Decorating is one of the most exciting parts of setting up spaces in your home, both for indoors and outdoors. Whether you have just moved into a place with a small patio or want to re-envision your small outdoor space for the new season, there are literally infinite possibilities. Let your inner artist shine as you think of ways to set up your small outdoor space.

Even if you don’t consider yourself to be much of a decorator, or if you are simply looking for some additional ideas on how to set things up, this set of 7 tips for decorating a small outdoor space will be the perfect supplementary guide for you. These tips are specifically geared towards making even the smallest patios an enjoyable place to spend your time and entertain guests.

1. Switch Out Pillows and Cushions

There are plenty of available options for setting up your little slice of heaven. Find colors that will match, and maybe mix solid colors with patterns for the spice of variety. If you have a flourishing flower garden or other pieces of furniture, remember that cushions are one of the easiest things to switch out to match the style of the season and the overall arrangement of your patio.

It is a good idea to keep your unused cushions stored indoors somewhere, like in a garage. You should also bring your cushions indoors during inclement weather. This will keep them dry and fresh, allowing you to avoid the unpleasant experience of dealing with mildew. This practice is a must if you live in a moist area or where there is a lot of rain.

2. Add a Rug that Makes a Statement

Why leave bare concrete exposed when you can do something more interesting? Rugs are not just for inside your house. Whether you have a little balcony or a cozy patio, an accent rug will fit perfectly beneath a table and chairs. This can be suited to match the specific patterns of your furniture and other décor. Make sure to clean and sweep under the rug regularly to avoid mildew.

3. Cozy Up Next to a Compact Fire Pit

If you want to hangout on your small outdoor space when it’s chilly or dark out, nothing beats a fire pit as the core of your decoration aesthetic.

Fortunately, there are small portable-style fire pits as well as chimineas available that will fit onto even the smallest of patios. This is a great way to entertain guests, and you get the added bonus of being able to roast marshmallows whenever you want!

4. Umbrellas to Beautify and Protect

If you like sitting outside but your patio is lacking shade, know that there are umbrellas of various sizes and shapes that you can use to protect yourself from the harsh sunlight. You can also easily find compact options for your smaller patio. Patio umbrellas make it easy for you to sit outside and enjoy the smell of rain and watch raindrops fall while you and your guests stay comfortable and dry.

There are many ways to customize your outdoor umbrella, from the fabric color to the type of cloth to the material the pole is made of. You even have the option to choose between a free-standing model or a version that fits right into the middle of a matching table. Outdoor umbrellas are the ultimate combination of function and style.

5. Choose Your Aesthetic

This point in our set of tips for decorating your small outdoor space serves as a little set of style ideas to inspire your creativity. There are many different aesthetics that you can use as your guide when decorating your patio or porch.

• Home by the Sea:

  Perhaps you want to set up a coastal feeling. You don’t have to live by the shore to get that vacation getaway feeling. Consider a patio that resembles an ocean boardwalk. You can achieve this look by sticking to blue hues and choosing nautical decor.

• Beautiful and Functional Gardening:

  Finding harmony between form and function is a great way to utilize a small outdoor space. By making your “aesthetic” a functional garden, you are not only creating a beautiful and natural space that encourages natural wildlife to visit, but you are also producing your own delicious fruits, vegetables and herbs.



• Retro Outdoor Living:

  Maybe you are feeling more of a retro style. Taking old materials and constructing your own furniture is a great way to accomplish this kind of setting.

  Tables and benches are easy and simple projects, and when you attempt one of these projects yourself, you have the added bonus of being able to fully customize the size and shape of what you are building, allowing for the optimal utilization of a limited space. Retro decor is also an easy way to add a touch of whimsy to your yard while also recycling otherwise unusable junk.

6. Change Up Your Landscape

A charming and unique design for the ground can make the illusion of a much larger space. Alternating bands of different kinds of stone intermingled with patches of grass or gravel can appear to expand even a space of 1,000 square feet or less by breaking things up and giving a sense of movement.

If you are looking for a specific and super unique suggestion for your landscape, you might like the idea of putting a small patch of sand with some stones that can serve as a Zen garden. Not only will this space be easy to rake when you squeeze it into a small yard, it also adds its own special charm. Having stone and rock beds also requires much less maintenance than a full-on grass lawn.

7. Plant Perfection

Having a small outdoor space does not have to limit your gardening or planting options. There are a few ways you could go with this element in your outdoor zone.

• Containers:

  Container gardening is a gardening trend that has become rather popular in recent years, and for very good reason. There are so many different kinds of pots you can use to accomplish your container gardening goals while still keeping true to your decor. You could go with ceramic pots or clay ones. You could grow little box trees or perhaps have some nice hanging plants. Whether you prefer flowers, trees or shrubbery, and whether you prefer a few plants or you want to entirely entangle your patio with green foliage, there are containers that will fit your yard.

• Vines:

  If you don’t think that you have room to build out, and pots and containers are not your style, consider growing upward with vines. You could get a cross-hatch wall installed on a patio quite easily, and then all you need is a base to start some vines. This type of gardening is also referred to as a kind of vertical gardening, and there are many different approaches you can take to make this style work for your yard.

• Herb Garden:

  Herbs are a great option because they provide a triple benefit. Firstly, you can select herbs that offer a delightful combination of smells (think rosemary and mint). Also, many herbs are quite small and easy to care for. They can grow in pots or in a long and narrow patch of dirt that takes up minimal space. And of course, you can pluck them to use in your cooking for the absolute best fresh tasting dishes. Herb gardening is certainly the most compact way to grow edible plants in your yard.

Having read these 7 tips for decorating a small outdoor space, you are now fully armed with ideas to allow your tiny yard, patio, or balcony to flourish.