10 Tips to Freshen Up Your Outdoor Spaces This Spring!

Here’s hoping that we’ve endured our very last of winter weather here in Kansas City (did I just jinx this for us?!). And with the sunshine and warmer weather, it’s time to refresh those neglected outdoor spaces around my home. We spend so much time outside once the weather turns warm that adding simple pieces makes it so much more enjoyable for us. And bonus, it doesn’t have to cost us a fortune in the process. Today, I’m sharing TEN realistic and inexpensive ideas to inspire you to boost your own outdoor space this season.

Add Seating in Unexpected Places Around Your Yard

When you look at your outdoor space, it’s typical to add seating to your back porch, front porch, or patios. But what about taking your seating even further into the yard? Away from the house, away from the lights, and into the wide open of your yard, where you can see the stars and create your own little oasis.

I love how the path here leads through the yard into a magical little fire pit.

Photo by Ketron Custom Builders

And how this home not only made a small gravel area to sit in, but created a hideaway with their landscape and lighting strung above.

Source: BHG

In our own work in progress garden area (keep watching Instagram and Growing Up Kemper to see how far this area is going to go this week and next!), I’ve added these beautiful, extremely budget-friendly Adirondack chairs.

The kids and I spend so much time in these garden beds and we needed a place to sit back and enjoy the hard work. And when the landscape blooms in the spring and summer, the view from this spot is far better than anywhere else in the yard. No lights, no distractions. Just a beautiful refuge to enjoy.

Bring Your Garden to Your Back Porch

When I DIYed our raised garden beds last year, I was able to move so many plants and herbs off the back porch and into the gardens. But if you don’t have the space for large beds and still want to have the freshness of a garden, you need to be a bit more creative.

That’s where I love to incorporate vertical garden walls. It can serve two purposes: produce fresh herbs and produce to enjoy AND cover a bland, tired exterior wall with the beauty of the plants. This West Elm vertical wall planter is by far my favorite on the market.

If you are more of a DIYer, I love how Growing Spaces made a simple shelving unit that matched their fence to hold small terracotta pots of herbs.

I found these great little budget-friendly self-watering pots in a 7-pack from Walmart. You could easily use these to hang up along a simple pallet, lattice, or trellis along a back porch wall. An easy way to elevate an exterior wall for herbs, pretty flowers, or succulents.

For more of a modern, stone look, try THESE 3-pack wall planters that have great reviews!

Update Your Flower Pots with Beautiful Budget-Friendly Options

I find all my flower pots, and I mean ALL my flower pots from 3 places: Home Goods, TJ Maxx, or Walmart. The size, quality and price are just unbeatable. There is no reason to spend more for something of the same quality for double, sometimes even TRIPLE, the cost. When in need, start at those stores FIRST.

Home Goods and TJ Maxx have recently started selling online, but just a warning that the inventory goes quickly. If you find something you love, you need to buy now or you’ll likely miss it the next time.

Walmart, on the other hand, does a great job of keeping their inventory in stock and with quick shipping. Below, I’ve rounded up my favorite Walmart spring flower pots from this season. Can you even believe that the oversize blue pot and the TWO large white ones are under $50?! Go to a garden center or online at Pottery Barn and those are $150+

1. 15″x15″x12″ Resin Planter // 2. 12″x12″x12″ Turquoise Blue Planter // 3. 15″ Round Faux Stone Planter // 4. 6.5″x6″ White and Grey Stripe Planter // 5. Blue Ceramic Planter and Stand // 6. 12″x12″x7″ Blue Planter // 7. Large 18″ Blue Planter // 8. Set of 2 16″x16″x20″ White Resin Planters

Don’t Just Think Flowers for Your Pots

I’m typically one of the first at the garden center when the weather gets warm to stock up on beautiful, colorful flowers to put in my pots and in the ground around my house. But there is something so magical about the fresh greenery that comes from an evergreen. You can create dimension by adding assorted evergreens like seen below.

Or use it as a thriller in a pot with dangling vines and pretty flowers as Anderson and Grant did.

The color lasts all year long and little to no maintenance is required. It’s the perfect pop of green, even in the coldest of winters. No more bland, basic pots in the winter. These go year-round!

Define Your Outdoor Space and Add Design with an Outdoor Rug

Our deck is a multipurpose space that gets used for relaxation, for grilling, for a kiddie pool, and an herb garden. To isolate the sitting area and make it more like an extension of our indoors, I added a beautiful blue and white polypropylene rug from Wayfair.

This rug adds such beauty, dimension and warmth to our seating area and adds such a great element to our lounging. It is so easy to clean with a broom and a quick spot clean, and even keeps our deck a little cooler in the hot summer days. The pattern is beautiful and I’ve had countless compliments on it since purchasing.

Add Decorative Tabletop Spaces

Many patio sets will come with their own matching tables that fit perfectly along with their lounge pieces. But many times, you’re getting one coffee table to share for all the seats. If you’re hosting a party, where do all the drinks go? Where do you fit the snacks? What if people have plates? It’s just never enough. That’s why I am always adding interesting pieces to sit alongside the love seat and chairs to add additional places to make yourself more comfortable.

Because that’s what you want in your outside living room…comfort for all.

Hael Garden Stool // Villa Glazed White Ceramic Garden Stool // Robin’s Egg Blue Garden Stool // Chalk Metal White Stand // Wood Garden Stool // Blue/White Ceramic Garden Stool // Melody Garden Stool in Cream //Blue Ombre Ceramic Garden Stool // White Cement Mariela Outdoor Accent Stool

Add Interest and Design with Pillows

Is there much that pillows can’t improve? Old patio furniture? Add a pillow. Bland cushions? Throw on a pillow. Truly, it’s the one inexpensive piece that can instantly improve your outdoor space and make it vibrant all over again!

I snagged three new pillows from Target this spring and have loved how they bring in bright color and bold patterns to my space. Plus, they make it even more comfortable and welcoming. They scream, “Come sit here!”

I rounded up my favorite pillows that are all under $25!! Now THAT is an inexpensive upgrade!

Blue and Ivory Geometric Pillow // Teal Knotted Tassel Pillow // Knotted Grey Stripe Pillow // Clementine Sprigs Pillow // Teal Pom Pom Pillow // Blue and White Stripe Pillow // Geometric Jute Pillow // Green Stitch Pillow

Lighting and Lanterns

Proper lighting is a must inside my home. Give me lamp light, twinkling bulbs, and disco balls to make a perfect ambience in every room…and outside is no different. I find so much comfort with soft bulbs to turn any event into one of comfort.

Our pergola is wrapped with THESE lights that have held up for years now. I recommend them to everyone!

To add to your tabletop areas, add a beautiful lantern. I love this natural table lantern to add to a table for interest, for beautiful lighting into the night, and add a citronella pillar candle for added bug protection!

My front porch has several Better Homes & Gardens black metal lanterns that I love so much. I’ve used these inside to decorate my stairs during Christmastime and I move them outdoors during warmer days to decorate my porch. One day, they’re going to realize they can charge far more for these beauties! But until then, grab these up in bulk!

Add a Showstopping Front Door Wreath

There are some beautiful wreaths on the market right now. And when it comes to spring wreaths, you can find anything you’re looking for. From big pops of color to subdued neutral greens. My advice is to take a color that you would like in a wreath and search in Google using the phrase, “—- (insert color) spring wreath.” Google will do the shopping for you and the choices are endless.

Recently, I went on Instagram Stories to share a simple tutorial of a spring front door wreath. When I found one I loved on Kirklands.com for $60, I just knew it could be made bigger, fuller, and for a fraction of the cost. So I headed off to Michaels to buy forsythia branches and a grapevine wreath and the rest is $31.00 in history! If you’re interested in seeing my process, check out my Instagram profile. The tutorial is in my Highlights called Spring Wreath.

Phalaris and Strawflower Dried Wreath – 18″ // Fresh Bay Leaf, Eucalyptus, and Rosemary Wreath, 12″ // Yellow Forsythia Flowers Wreath // Artificial Tangerine & Cabbage Rose Wreath // Blue Heather Wreath // 22″ Dainty Floral Wreath

Add a Beautiful Doormat

I don’t know a more perfect way to welcome your family and friends to your home than with a beautiful doormat! And with so many on the market right now, you can choose from elegant to clever, colorful to unique. Your personality can truly be shown through by your doormat anymore!

I rounded up some of my favorites below, but also check out Etsy as they have such wonderful small businesses that make some of the prettiest and most unique ones out there! My personal favorite shop is Hamlin Row. She has just about EVERYTHING!

My door mat was from last spring at Kirkland’s and is no longer being sold, but is still in fabulous condition. Kirkland’s door mats are priced so well and always hold up extremely well through even the most diverse and extreme Midwest weather! I’ve rounded up a few of my favorite spring doormats on the market below.

Plant Trio Doormat // Magnolia Dash and Stripe Doormat // Welcome to Our Home Doormat // Yellow Citrus Doormat // Ditsy Floral Welcome Mat // Floral Hello Welcome Mat // Magnolia Stripe Mat // Pink Blossom Welcome Mat

And I always love to layer my door mat over a larger 3’x5′ outdoor rug to add more character and color to my front porch. For two years, I’ve used this blue and white checkered rug from Amazon. Right now, it’s on sale for just $24! So simple to clean and has kept up well through the weather and sunshine!

I hope you’ve been inspired today to make small changes around your outdoors to elevate your spaces and freshen them up for the new season! Follow me on Instagram this week and next as I work to finish my raised garden beds with stone veneer and decking. I can’t wait to show you how they turn out!

Now get outside and enjoy all that God has given us! It’s wonderful to have Spring back!

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