DIY Outdoor Living Space Ideas for Almost ANY Backyard

Whether it’s a deck, a patio, or a garden sitting area — almost any backyard space can be improved with the right creative touches. There are so many simple improvements that you can make on your own to enhance the look and feel of your outdoor space, without draining your vacation fund. We’ve compiled a list of exceptional DIY outdoor living space ideas that fit almost any space and can be tailored to your style!

At Garbrella Pergolas, we’re an outdoor living supply company that provides homeowners nationwide with everything they need for their backyard renovations. While vinyl pergola kits are indisputably our signature item, we craft a whole catalog of durable and beautiful products. Keep reading to see our top DIY outdoor living space ideas — or talk to our team to plan your backyard makeover!

7 Backyard Improvements You Can Do on Your Own

We’ve compiled ideas that are simple enough that you can accomplish them on your own over a weekend, yet make a huge impact on the style of your space. Check out these backyard improvements — and find the right one (or more) that you can bring to your own backyard:

Railings serve as a crucial safety feature on staircases and elevated decks to prevent falling. However, the sleek and modern profile of an aluminum or vinyl railing also makes an area look more distinguished. That’s why installing new railings is one of our favorite DIY outdoor living space ideas. When you replace a worn-out wooden rail, you remove an eyesore and replace it with a strong aesthetic accent. By building a railing around your patio or ground deck (even if it isn’t a safety need), it creates a clear definition to the seating area.

Roasting marshmallows over an open flame or sitting around the crackling logs of a fire — the ability to have a fire feature can bring a new dynamic to your already great space. Building a fire creates an ambience like nothing else, and having a fire is often reason enough to have friends over. Digging your own fire pit in the yard is easy and creates a rustic campfire feel. However, buying a fire pit for your patio is a fantastic addition — even if it is a little less DIY.

One of the hottest outdoor accessories across the country, pergolas provide strong shade and exceptional style to your backyard space. Since pergolas are our signature item, they absolutely had to be one of the backyard improvements on our list. By placing a pergola above a seating area, you immediately create a formal aesthetic that makes the entire space feel more intentional. From a style standpoint, the sleek and tall look of a pergola adds a vertical dimension to another flat space. Finally, the practical benefit of shade means that a pergola even succeeds in making your seating area more comfortable as well.

A deliberate lighting design is key to enjoying your space late into the evenings — and it is easy to handle as a DIY project. Placing landscape lighting in the ground around the perimeter of your space is a tried-and-true method. However, more advanced designs involve embedding subtle LEDs in railings or even in pergolas. We often build pergolas with lights as a custom feature in our pergola kits! Plus, having the lights built into your pergola kit doesn’t make it any more difficult for you to put together.

Just like a fire feature can be a showstopper for your outdoor entertaining space, a water feature can have the same effect. Digging a pond and putting in a plastic liner or a preformed pond only requires a trip to the hardware store and an afternoon of work. However, placing a fountain is a backyard improvement that provides something interesting to look at while producing the relaxing sound of moving water.

Several of our DIY outdoor living space ideas center on creating a formal perimeter for your space. One of the easiest ways to do this is by placing a layer of mulch or filling stones around the base of your seating area. Whether or not you plant in mulch or stone is completely up to you. This touch does particularly well with a ground level deck or a stone patio.

A true conversation starter, an elegant vinyl arbor brings a sense of added luxury to almost any backyard space. Whether you choose to use them for growing plants that hang or climb or you leave them bare, they bring an eye-catching touch you won’t see in many other backyards. When paired with some other features, they can even create a sort of entrance to your backyard space.

Looking for even more ambitious outdoor projects? Check out our full list of backyard transformation ideas!

Maintenance-Free Material Advantages

Your source for vinyl pergolas, arbors, and railings, if you choose to shop from us when bringing these backyard improvements to life, you can count on a few things. Everything you buy from us will look absolutely beautiful, be well-built, and last for decades without needing any work. Wooden railings and pergolas need to be re-stained every few years or else they will grow rot or mold and fall apart. However, our vinyl arbors, railings, and pergolas will never require any serious maintenance! All you ever need to do is occasionally wash them with soap and water to keep them looking as good as the day you brought them home!

Learn more about weatherproof pergolas!

Shop for Your DIY Outdoor Living Space Here

Ready to stop dreaming and to start making your DIY outdoor living space what you’ve always wanted? You’re in the right place. You can shop 100% online and have your outdoor products delivered right to your doorstep. However, if you’d like to collaborate with one of our outdoor designers, you can reach out and talk to our team right now!