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Have you got your patio furniture, and the basic layout for your patio or backyard – but it doesn’t feel “finished” or show your personality?
Well, stop here for a minute – I’ll give you 12 different ideas for patio decor to make your outdoor space more personal, playful, and inviting. At the same time, I’ll feature items that are on the affordable side, and will have the convenience of shipping right to your home.
Today we’ll focus mainly on outdoor decorative items like:
- Outdoor art
- Planters
- Lighting
- Water features
The inspiration behind this post was actually my friend who has been overhauling her backyard with her husband. They put up a brand new beautiful cedar wood fence around their entire patio. They needed some ideas to make their patio decor look pulled together, especially the areas near their fence.
We’ll start with the most creative ideas for patio decor first – art!
Decorative Outdoor Art
1. Whimsical Art
Etsy is a great source for finding beautiful and unique outdoor art by all sorts of independent artists. Here are a few of my picks for my friend’s style, but there are literally 1000’s of artists to choose from on Etsy.
When I was talking with my friend, she mentioned a piece a couple of times – a cute ceramic blue owl similar to this one on Etsy. Something like this could be used as your “lead piece” for inspiration to guide your patio decor. See my guide – How to Design a Room for more info on the lead piece.
Outdoor wall art SET OF 6 Moroccan tiles, from GVEGA. $60 from Etsy. This would definitely go with the owl, and help give a little bit of boho vibe to your space.
6 Flying birds wall art made from ceramic for outdoor wall art, from GVEGA. $88 on Etsy. These would really “pop” when placed on a cedar fence and just look beautiful.
2. Natural Art
My friend also wanted her patio decor to be inspired by nature – the greens and oranges of succulents and so on. So, a DIY moss artwork could be a fun project to try.
Our Crafty Mom has a great tutorial on how to make a DIY Moss Garden Wall Art. It’s using mainly materials from the dollar store. I like this because you could use the same principle to put moss, bark, and even succulents on an artwork to create something beautiful for your patio.
3. Metal Art
Below are a couple of more purely decorative metal art pieces from Amazon that would be great on a fence, wall, or post in any patio. They are fairly neutral in terms of color so would go well with pretty much any color scheme.
Outdoor planter ideas for patio decor
My friend wanted some cool planters to put on or near her brand new fence. I came up with several options including a vertical garden, hanging planters, and more traditional planter pots. Getting a variety of planters are a great idea for patio decor, and making your space look finished and well-thought-out.
4. Vertical Gardens
I’m loving this vertical cedar ladder style planter from Etsy, for about $180. I think it would make watering a thirsty herb garden super easy, and would be great if you are limited on space.
You can also get vertical garden planter plans on Etsy to make your own and save some serious cash.
5. Living Walls
Living walls are basically a vertical planter for succulents, and are perfect to hang on a fence or wall. They look awesome and are fairly low maintenance. Plus they add a splash of color and personality to an otherwise boring fence.
Etsy has some amazing options for really awesome hand made succulent planters. Here is one from Stewart Landing Co., CEDAR Living Wall Picture Frame Planter 11″ or 17.”
6. Fence Planters
This is a really cute dragonfly succulent planter made from old fence boards from Etsy. I thought the little dragonfly touch would help echo the whimsical nature of our signature piece – the blue ceramic owl.
Using any of below affordable hanging fence planters from Amazon would make any patio look more “finished” and cozy.
Below two planters are a little more traditional:
These fence planters have a little more modern flair with a concrete look:
7. Classic Hook and Hanging Planter
A classic hook and hanging planter, spaced out at regular intervals would also add a pop of color to a back fence, or under your eaves. Here are a few hanging planters from Amazon that I love:
Traditional Plant Pots
8. Square Planters
Large square planters spaced evenly along a fence would look really cute on a long patio. The large ones below are from Amazon.
I found plans for these awesome DIY planter boxes from Etsy, they seem super easy and would make it really affordable to add large planters to your backyard.
Both of below square planters are from Amazon, and are very affordable and have a very modern flair.
9. Round Planters
There are so many modern planter pots available these days. Simply fill with your favorite flower, plants, or succulents. I wanted to include a few plant pots that look modern but are also super affordable:
2-Pack 15 Inch Round Faux Stone Resin Garden Potted Planter – $45 for 2 huge pots, from Wal-Mart.
Mayne Caprio 18in x 16in Tall Planter – Black – $55 from Wal-Mart
Pure Garden Fiber Clay Planters – Set of Three – for less than $100 on Amazon.
Outdoor Lighting Ideas
Lighting can make or break your backyard or patio. It can add romance, warmth, or mystery. Don’t forget lighting when you are decorating your outdoor space.
10. String Lights
String lights that are Edison style or the globe bulb style will make your patio feel warm and cozy at night. Both of below options are under $50 and sold on Amazon:
11. Outdoor Solar Lanterns
Solar lanterns are super convenient since you can put them literally anywhere in your outdoor space. Since they are powered by the sun, no cords needed. I found a couple with a more contemporary flair on Amazon. They would really help elevate your space and make it look awesome – day or night.
Lights4fun, Inc. Large Black Metal Solar Powered Outdoor Lantern – $57 on Amazon.
Grand Patio Outdoor Solar Powered Resin Wicker Floor Lamp – less than $70 on Amazon.
12. Water Features
Water features and fountains are pretty expensive, but they are so beautiful and relaxing for any outdoor space. I would say, use sparingly, since you don’t want the sound of running water to become overpowering.
I had a hard time finding many under $150. But, I did find a few, so here’s my mini-roundup of affordable water features:
AquaSprouts Fountain: Hydroponic, Aquaponic, Water Garden (8 Gallons) – less than $136 from Etsy. You can grow plants in addition to adding a zen-like quality to your backyard or patio, a win-win.
Belham Living Paradise Zen Frog Solar Outdoor Fountain – under $140 from Wal-Mart. This cute little yogi frog also has a built in solar power to power the pump, so no cords will show.
PeterIvan Outdoor Waterfall Fountain – under $100 on Amazon. I like the simplicity of this fountain, and think it would make your space quiet and serene.
Conclusion
Overall, creating a finished, cohesive look for your patio decor should be fun, and allow you to express your personality and style. I hope some of my ideas for outdoor art, planters, lighting, and water features inspired you to make your space great!
To truly create a cohesive look for your space, check out my post, How to Design a Room (for beginners) for a step-by-step process that will help you put together an awesome look – even for a patio or backyard!
Which of my 12 ideas for patio decor do you want to try for your own space?
What are you struggling with when you decorate your own backyard, patio, or deck?
Leave a comment below, I’d love to hear from you.
