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  4. The Most Creative Backyard Decorating Ideas

The Most Creative Backyard Decorating Ideas

Updated February 10, 2021
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canvas umbrella
Credit: Pernille Loof

A backyard, for those lucky enough to have one, is a place where memories are made. Here are some of our favorite decorating ideas to help elevate the experience of getting outdoors.

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outdoor shelter seating backyard
Credit: Courtesy of Amber Freda

Whether you're on a sprawling property like Martha's Bedford home or you have just enough space to for an outdoor dinner table where you can gather your immediate family or al fresco meals, a backyard of any size holds ample potential. Armed with a sense of imagination and the right tools, you can design—or choose—backyard décor that feels welcoming and relaxing. Whether you're looking to create a spot where you can read and relax, where your kids can play, or where you can commune with nature, our creative ideas will help you maximize your yard's potential.

The best backyards are multi-functional, incorporating aspects of formal outdoor gardens and dining spaces into one. What's more, they should serve as an extension of your indoor entertaining hubs, especially now in the age of COVID-19 when outdoor gathering (at reasonable distances) is safest. Accentuate your backyard with green details everywhere they can fit—whether you choose to install garden planters, mix an assortment of perennials into your garden beds, or soften concrete walkways with contrasting patches of grass. Hanging plants and window boxes are also space-saving ways to add more life to your backyard, and they also free up ground space for outdoor furniture and dining sets. A curated seating area is also a must, whether you're serving a full meal outside or simply looking for a cool spot to enjoy cocktails on a warm, sunny afternoon.

Your backyard doesn't have to be exclusively furnished with wicker or canvas pieces, either: Some of the best pieces can come from indoors with a few DIY finishing touches. A piece of wooden furniture, like a wooden dining or side table, can be painted with exterior paint, and metal furniture can get a coat of protective spray paint as well. Keep this furniture looking good from season to season by moving it under the eaves or covering it with a protective tarp.

We gathered examples of some of the most well-designed backyards we've toured over the years, as well as projects and other backyard décor ideas that will help you get the most out of your space all year round.

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Create Outdoor Seating for Two

canvas umbrella
Credit: Pernille Loof

It's nice to have a great big table that groups can gather around, but there's also something equally appealing about creating quiet areas ideal for smaller gatherings, too. Pockets of outdoor seating, either in the garden or by a pool, will serve as great conversation areas or spots where you can get away.

  • Canvas Projects to Add to Your Décor

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Enjoy a Fire

california backyard firepit and table
Credit: Kimber Collective

You don't need much space to enjoy a fire in your backyard—invest in a firepit, which allows you to sit around a the warm flames with friends and family in the cooler months. Just remember to practice fire safety when enjoying this space.

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Create a Canopy

backyard canopy shade
Credit: Seth Smoot/MSLO
Get the Canopy How-To

Is your backyard bathed in full, direct sunlight? Since trees can take years to grow, provide much-needed cooling shade during the summer months with a swath of fabric that goes up in mere minutes. Best of all, you can easily take it down when you want the sun to shine through.

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Smart Landscaping

msl_0309_bean14.jpg

This vegetable garden was designed to be both beautiful and compact—if space allows in your own backyard, work a natural garden into the setting. Striking, durable kales and cabbages are planted among the more traditional tomatoes, onions, and lettuces.

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Archway Entrance

mla10351_sept2008_garden08.jpg
Credit: Lisa Romerein

If you want to naturally divide a larger backyard into sections while also elevating its overall aesthetic, try adding a formal archway. This one, which leads to a summer garden, is set off by neoregelia on the left and angel's trumpet on the right.

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Fresh Tablescapes

outdoor tablescape
Credit: Kate Mathis

Even if you don't have room for planters or hanging plants, you can add live centerpieces and incorporate greenery into a tabletop in any space. Even if you're not hosting outdoor dinner parties right now, you can make an open-air meal feel a bit more special for your family. To that end, be sure to top your tables with lots of natural greenery and flowers.

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Garden Planters

california house vegetable garden bed
Credit: Kimber Collective

You don't need to be an expert gardener to successfully grow flowers, plants, and vegetables in your backyard, which is good needs for families with small backyards or those living in apartment buildings or condos. There are a few ways you can optimize whatever amount of outdoor space you have, but our favorite is creating a raised bed. They can be beautiful and functional.

  • Everything You Need to Know About Starting a Raised Garden Bed

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Create an Outdoor Dining Room

long island home outdoor dining area french design
Credit: William Abranowicz

Centering your backyard around a dining space is a great idea if you want to get your family outdoors more often. This open-air dining room was designed to evoke both classical architecture and Monet's home in France.

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Swing in a Hammock

Red Hammock in the Garden
Credit: Getty Images / Jon Lovette

If you're short on space but still want a place to lounge, hanging a hammock in your backyard is manageable for most homeowners. Anchor your hammock to an exterior wall or purchase a freestanding frame.

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Outdoor Living

back porch with sectional couch globe light
Credit: Björn Wallander

Bring your living space outside with a sectional set for family to enjoy. Here, homeowners anchored the space with a bamboo ceiling and a Noguchi lantern that casts a warm glow at night.

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Small Scale Upgrades

lost creek farm wisconsin hot tub
Credit: Christopher Churchill

Everyone dreams of having a lap pool surrounded by a lush, sprawling garden in their backyard. If space is tight, consider small-scale iterations of the features you love. A custom-built hot tub just like this on can be paired with a select few garden planters to create your own luxe retreat.

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Window Boxes

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Get the Window Boxes How-To

When it comes to arranging flowers in a window box, you should aim to create a design that's full of personality. That could be achieved through the choice of flower, color, shape, size, height, or texture. A great mix can complement the rest of your backyard's décor.

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Outdoor Pathway Perennials

plants-stepping-stones-mld107905.jpg

This is the perfect solution for anybody who doesn't want to deal with a lawn or give up on the idea of backyard green space. There are dozens of low ground covers and creeping perennials resilient enough to withstand being walked on.

  • The Best Perennials to Add to Your Outdoor Pathway

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Build a Drop-Down Bar

msl-sw-readysetsummer-084-0611mld106647.jpg
Credit: SIMON WATSON

Whether you're cooking outside or want to keep a pitcher of fresh lemonade at the ready, adding a surface that can easily fold out (and away) whenever you need it will make your life so much easier. A drop-down bar is the perfect solution.

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Fresh Roses

msl-sw-readysetsummer-149-0611mld106647.jpg
Credit: SIMON WATSON

A unique alternative to a traditional trellis, a network of eye hooks and picture wire was used to create the effect of a rose-covered cottage. Roses can be trained around corners or in slender columns by loosely tying stems to the wire with twine. If growing your own blooms is important to you, make them part of the actual layout in your yard.

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Hanging Plants

hanging plants
Credit: Johnny Fogg
Get the Leather Hanger How-To

Like any suspended garden planter, these DIY leather holsters guarantee good drainage and keep vines and tendrils out of curious pets' and toddlers' reach. You can add one, two, or a whole slew of these hanging planters in your backyard, space permitting.

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Exterior Lighting

msl_jul06_light_string.jpg

Lighting is one of the easiest (and least expensive) ways to cast an enchanting spell in your backyard.

  • Our Top Outdoor Lighting Ideas

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    1 of 18
    2 of 18 Create Outdoor Seating for Two
    3 of 18 Enjoy a Fire
    4 of 18 Create a Canopy
    5 of 18 Smart Landscaping
    6 of 18 Archway Entrance
    7 of 18 Fresh Tablescapes
    8 of 18 Garden Planters
    9 of 18 Create an Outdoor Dining Room
    10 of 18 Swing in a Hammock
    11 of 18 Outdoor Living
    12 of 18 Small Scale Upgrades
    13 of 18 Window Boxes
    14 of 18 Outdoor Pathway Perennials
    15 of 18 Build a Drop-Down Bar
    16 of 18 Fresh Roses
    17 of 18 Hanging Plants
    18 of 18 Exterior Lighting

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