A well-designed and planned outdoor living space can really help boost the overall aesthetics of a property, not to mention help boost its value. What with summer just around the corner too, the advantages of making cosmetic improvements to your back or front yards are bigger than ever. In need of some inspiration? Here are four ideas on DIY improvements you might want to make to help breathe new life into your outdoor living space.
Decks
An elevated deck, whether built out the front of your house or the back, is a firm favourite project among DIY aficionados. Popular with those looking to boost the look and appearance of their outdoor space, a deck is a great way to add a focal point to a garden as well as provide a great lounging spot in the warm months.
Learning how to build a deck is fairly straightforward. You’ll need to prepare a site, attach it to a building, fix, join and lay boards as well as protect it from weathering. All these things can be worked through slowly and methodically but reap great aesthetic rewards afterward.
Fences
A fence is a functional yet also fun way to separate up portions of your outdoor space and give it the illusion of being larger than it might actually be. Simple to construct and useful in that it can help partition space and deviate attention away from more unsightly areas, a fence can also provide a visual edge too.
Depending on what boards you choose, the colour palettes they fit into and additions like plant containers that can be fixed to them, a simple fence provides a lot of future options for further garden modification and facelifts. Just make sure they don’t become a point of contention between you and the neighbours!
Shed
Knocking up a garden shed can be quite an ambitious DIY project but one nonetheless worth it if you’re looking to accentuate your space while providing storage room for tools, plants or whatever else it is you might want to provide shelter for.
A garden shed can be made in a range of sizes with the smaller more compact builds making for great garden fits. Like a deck, a shed also provides another interesting space to lounge on or in while still providing shelter in chilly winter or autumn months.
Bench or Table
A garden bench or table made and styled independently can also help add charm to outdoor spaces and help bring it something unique. Practical in that they provide seating and a platform for a myriad of activities, there are many ways DIY’ers can put a design spin on these furnishing favourites in order to make them stand out.
Reusing panels or recycling old materials is one way to make something special, but there’s also the option of making them from scratch with an old-fashioned order of wood and some carpentry tools.
Hopefully these four DIY-projects have helped deliver some inspiration as to what you could take on outdoors as the weather warms up and you look to expand your DIY-capabilities. Ambitious even though some of these might be, they’re well within your range as houseplanners and decorators. They might even help revolutionise your space too.