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11 Simple Backyard Patio Ideas to Make Your Yard Stand Out

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No matter the season, having a relaxing oasis in your backyard can help create just the space you need to escape from the world around you. You don’t need a lot of money or a landscaper to make your backyard patio ideas come to life.

It’s important to know that you can create these looks in very little time and without spending a great deal of money.

Most of the time, homeowners opt to leave their yards alone because they fear it will cost them too much money to do otherwise.

But that’s just not right.

Thankfully, these simple and beautiful design ideas will save you both time and money while adding value to your home in a flash.

We’ve found some of the simplest backyard patio ideas that are sure to make your yard stand out among your neighbors.

You’ll be accepting the HOA award for best backyard patio before you know it.

Realize Your Own Backyard Patio Ideas

Realize Your Own Backyard Patio Ideas

Homeowners can sometimes inherit backyards without much of a patio at all. When buying a home, the backyard may or may not be on the top of your priority list. But just because it wasn’t a priority when you bought the home doesn’t mean it has to stay at the bottom of the totem pole.

If you purchased a home without a backyard patio, you could easily build one without spending much money. It sounds expensive, and it will raise your home’s value, but it will not cost you a fortune.

1. Concrete or Wood?

One option includes laying down a concrete slab for the patio base. You can determine the shape, and it’s easy to lay almost anywhere. There are DIY options for laying concrete slabs, but you can also enlist a professional’s help. The DIY route will probably be less expensive and will look just as good as any professional.

Another option for building your backyard patio is to use wood for the patio base. Wood can easily be painted or stained to match your design preferences, or you can leave it all natural.

Either way, a wooden patio will transform your space for very little money and very little effort.

There are some things to consider with wooden patios, however. Small creatures can easily inhabit the space underneath the wood.

These animals can create their own little homes underneath your patio, which could potentially lead to issues in the future.

It’s important to have a professional look after that space for you every year to ensure that nothing is getting too comfortable in there.

2. Outdoor Rugs

Outdoor Rugs

The allure of a gorgeous new outdoor rug can pull anyone into the backyard patio decorating game before they know it. Outdoor rugs are a really inexpensive option to give your backyard patio the standout appeal it’s dying for.

A new outdoor rug can transform your space from season to season, too. You can easily change up the design aesthetic to match what’s happening around you. Or, you could opt for a beautiful rug that works all year long and makes your patio stand out among the crowd.

We like the outdoor rug option because it can easily cover up ugly concrete that’s faded or become discolored over the years. It can even hide old wooden patios that need a new paint job. Save yourself the hassle of painting and throw down an oversized and gorgeous outdoor rug.

Simple and easy.

3. Tranquility at Your Fingertips

Small yards and big yards alike yearn for the tranquility factor. And there is one thing that is easy to give any sized space the peacefulness it desires – fountains!

Water features sound like expensive and difficult DIY projects, but they’re actually not. Going for something simpler and more rustic can save you thousands of dollars and many hours of labor. You could even use objects you have in the backyard already to construct your backyard patio fountain right now.

An old watering can easily be used to let the waterfall and the tranquility wash over you (pun intended). Ask your neighborhood home improvement store for an inexpensive pump option to create the water fountain and get building.

4. String Lights

String Lights

Whoever said string lights were only for Christmas were totally wrong.

In fact, they couldn’t be more right for a backyard patio. You could drape the lights from your pergola alongside the siding of your home, or use small wooden poles to create the area to hang the lights from yourself.

Colored lights are great for festive nights on the patio, but soft, yellow lights are great for every night. They create a mood of relaxation while giving the space the lighting it needs.

Not too much and not too little. These string lights are perfect and simple.

You could also add torches or lanterns if you want more light with your string lights. Torches can serve as two purposes – lighting and bug repellants.

If your space is larger, you may want to add more than just string lights to ensure everyone can easily enjoy the space.

5. Light Up Your Fence

This DIY project is not something you typically see in a person’s backyard, which makes it even more interesting. If you want a backyard patio that has that extra WOW factor, this next project is right up your alley.

To give your backyard patio an extra special effect, drill marble-sized holes in your fence. Scatter these holes all around sporadically and let them take on their own pattern.

Once you’ve drilled the holes everywhere you want them to go, add actual colored marbles.

Push the colored marbles into the holes. This will allow our patio and yard to be colorfully and vibrantly lit up while the sun is shining.

The different colors will dance across your backyard and give off a show no one ever expected.

Kids and adults alike love what this DIY project does for their yard. And the best part about these backyard patio ideas – it is easy and inexpensive.

This will look wonderful on its own but can be used in combination with other types of patio lighting.

6. Get Artsy

Are you an artist? Do you know an artist who likes to volunteer their talents to family and friends? Get whomever you know that can create masterpieces over to your backyard fence and let them go to town.

Fence murals are one-of-a-kind art pieces that will make your backyard patio stand out instantly. No one in your neighborhood will have anything close to it, and you will enjoy the masterpiece every single day.

Be sure to prepare your fence properly before painting it. The last thing you want to do is to have the beautiful artwork painted and then watch it wash away after only a few rain showers.

Some artsy types have begun using recycled materials in their yards, and have fantastically beautiful (and eco-friendly) results.

There are ways to prepare your fence and preserve the painting inexpensively. Consult your local home improvement store for more details.

7. Go Vertical

Keeping along the same lines of the fence idea, your small backyard patio doesn’t have to lack greenery simply because of space. In fact, many large backyard patios don’t have plants featured in the space because of the ground/soil. But the good news is that it doesn’t have to stop you from enjoying the beauty that is plant life.

Fences are taking on a new job in the backyard patio world these days. They’re becoming vertical gardens.

That’s right. A garden that goes vertically rather than horizontally. It may seem like a strange concept, but it’s rather easy.

Take a wooden pallet and drill it onto your fence. Securely fasten it to the fence with the correct tools. Once that is done, drill plastic planters or pots to the wooden pallet.

You may even have hangers that you want to use for certain pots. Add potting soil and your desired plant to the pot and watch it bloom.

Some great choices for plants are ones that hang outside of the pot, which will give it a cascading look.

Vertical gardens are great for spaces that don’t allow for plants to grow in the soil or for smaller spaces.

8. Backyard Dining

Backyard Dining

Backyard patios are meant to be enjoyed. That means that sometimes taking your dinner on the patio and enjoying the warm breeze is exactly what the doctor ordered.

You may not be too fond of the idea of eating your dinner off of your lap, though, and we don’t blame you. That’s why creating a space for dining is so important in any backyard patio.

Larger patios can opt for tables fit for 4-6 (or more) people, while smaller patios might only be able to accommodate 2-4 people. Either way, you can purchase patio dining sets (typically more expensive), or you can build your own.

Barrels, wooden boards, pallets, old tires, etc. are great upcycling ideas to create your patio dining table. These might be items you have in your home now or ones you can find at antique shops or salvage yards for very little money (if any at all).

Keep your eye out for unique finds that could easily be used to create a table on your patio and watch your guests ooh and ahh over the creativity and practically wrapped into one dining set.

One of the simplest and most inexpensive ways to transform your backyard patio is to include a hammock. Everyone who visits will want a swing in the hammock, and we totally understand why.

Hammocks are the universal sign for relaxation. They take your troubles away and transport you to a faraway island where the waves are crashing right next to you.

Luckily (and sadly maybe) you don’t need the ocean to be at your feet to enjoy a hammock on your backyard patio. You may require a hammock stand if no trees are available for hanging the hammock, but that’s no worry.

Stand or tree, a hammock is enjoyable no matter how it’s hung.

Make your patio stand out with a hammock and watch your wallet will thank you, too.

9. Pallet Furniture

One of the hottest (and cheapest) trends for backyard patio living is pallet furniture. You simply take old pallets that you get from warehouses or box stores and create chairs, couches, and even shelving units.

You can paint the pallets to match your backyard patio aesthetic, or you can leave them their natural color. The tools you’ll need are a hammer, saw, tape measure, screws, screwdriver, drill, sander, and safety goggles.

If you’re unsure of what type of screws you’ll need, visit your local hardware store to inquire about weight-bearing screws.

Pallet furniture is a great way to add unique seating options to any outdoor space.

10. Oversized Games

Oversized Games

Does your family like board games? Lucky for you, there are some oversized games you can add to your backyard patio to create a fun and exciting space – with options such as oversized Jenga, life-sized chess, and so much more.

You can easily create large Jenga pieces with blocks of wood, and a chess board can be created with two different colored stepping stones. You could use human chess pieces, or you could spend a little extra on life-sized chess pieces.

These games give your backyard patio the standout appeal it needs without much effort. Take your next party to the next level with engagement and excitement.

11. Brickyard

If you wanted to give your backyard patio a new look, you could lay bricks down in unique patterns or one overall color. Bricks are great because they come in all different shapes and sizes, which makes it easy to customize your space.

Laying down an entire patio with bricks might be a bit too expensive for your large patio, but you could create a fire pit with bricks instead.

This is an easy way to create a focal point in your backyard without going crazy on your budget. Small or large fire pits work the same and bring people to the same spot to make new memories.

Your new yard awaits your unique backyard patio ideas and designs to create a space that stands out among your neighbors. These simple yet impressive methods of design will give you a look you want without breaking the bank.

Most of the projects can be done over the course of one weekend, which means you can transform your space in no time.

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