Top DIY Yard Design Ideas That Will Transform Your Home
Your backyard is a hidden oasis where you can relax after a long day’s work. This is where friends and family come to gather and swap stories about recent life changes, celebrate birthdays, and give you a sense of peace while the rest of the world keeps moving along.
In a recent survey from Zillow, having a backyard is the leading must-have for anyone looking to purchase a new home.
Transforming your home property using innovative DIY, inexpensive backyard ideas can take your treasured spaces to new heights. Besides boosting your home’s value, taking on just one of these ideas can create a special place for gathering people together.
But with so much versatility in your backyard, front yard, or smaller patio/balcony area, you may need a few ideas to spark the imagination toward your dream redesign. Here are some fantastic details to help you get started!
Why Investing in DIY Backyard Ideas Adds Value
Investing in fun, small-yard design ideas doesn’t have to break the bank. Even something minor can add immense value to your property. All these projects aim to personalize the space for your needs by adding more utility.
As you move through our list of easy-to-achieve patio building ideas, think about how you can utilize your space for multiple purposes.
Rearranging or adding only a few items so your BBQ area transforms into a midnight backyard movie theater, will add value to your home without a whole redesign needed.
Even sprucing up and manicuring your landscape increases your home’s resale value by up to 15-50%. Just imagine what a full-scale kitchen or hot tub could do!
Crucial Steps to Get Started
Before you jump into the various backyard ideas that speak to your heart and motivation, it helps to create a plan. You’ll want to begin by creating a surefire way to transform your vision into reality.
While all of these yard design ideas listed below are possible through a DIY process, remember that you can always hire a professional to help if needed.
In any case, you’ll want to:
• Measure your backyard space to know how much room is available.
• Set a budget before starting any front yard landscaping ideas or DIY projects.
• Draw a quick sketch to give you a good idea of how it will look when finished.
• Get everyone in your home on board with your patio building ideas so they feel equally invested and can provide feedback.
• Set a time limit so you won’t be distracted by other life activities popping up.
• Prepare the area by moving any items into a storage container to protect them.
Finally, have fun! This is your home, and the DIY backyard ideas you choose should reflect you!
17 DIY Yard Design Ideas to Try Right Now
#1 – Vertical Gardening
An excellent small yard design idea to start with is vertical gardening. This gardening technique is simple: use some old wood, recycled milk crates, or other scrap materials to build a small frame to hang items that will hold your plants.
There are an estimated 2,000 vertical farms in the United States. Adding a vertical garden to your backyard is a small-scale way to grow produce, reducing bending over if you have back pains and aligning your home with more sustainable practices.
The goal is to use the vertical space around your backyard. Not only will this add a lush backdrop to a sitting area, but it is an exceptionally inexpensive DIY backyard idea that boosts air quality, adds dynamic features to a static area, and allows you to cultivate fresh herbs, fruits, flowers, or vegetables in your garden.
#2 – DIY Pergola
If you’ve ever been on social media recently, you’ve probably noticed a surge of posts showing off beautiful pergola framing gardens, pathways, and entryways into backyards.
These pergolas can be made from all kinds of recycled materials and allow you to refocus the eyes of your guests. You can enhance the elegance and style by using climbing plants or hanging lights to boost the overall aesthetic appearance.
We suggest adding this small yard design idea to others on our list as a complementary feature.
#3 – Build a Playhouse/Treehouse
A true mark of being a homeowner is harboring random scrap wood and other materials that are waiting for a second chance at life. When you bring these pieces together, you can forge one of the most fun backyard ideas for your kiddos – a new playhouse.
This option sparks creativity while offering a safe play area where you can quickly monitor your kids as they laugh, build, and unleash the full potential of their imaginations in a charming getaway they’ll remember for years to come.
#4 – Create a Patio Space
Implementing patio design ideas adds versatility and utility possibilities for your backyard. You can easily use recycled materials or buy in bulk in a cheap color and later re-paint the items to match the overall aesthetics of your outdoor space.
Using a functional layout for your patio allows you to cultivate a cozy, inviting area that extends your living space into the great outdoors. It is both practical and adds a ton of value to your property.
#5 – Plant a Seasonal Garden
Seeds and seedlings purchased from a local grower are incredibly inexpensive. For well under $50, you can implement this yard design idea that adds color and life to your outdoor area.
For added fun, use recycled glass bottles as planters to hang along your fence or balcony guard. You’ll be doing your part for the environment and creating a possible fresh food source for your family.
#6 – Have a Covered Entertainment Area
Of course, your backyard is not always going to be sunny, warm, and free from bad weather. You want to use these backyard ideas so they can be leveraged on a rainy day or sweltering summer afternoon.
Adding shade helps you enjoy significant events like movie nights and graduations. This could be something as complex as a full-scale covered patio or simply using canvas coverings.
For an added touch, if you use a light gray or white color for your shading, you can project a film on it at night!
#7 – BBQ & Dining Bench
When the craftworking itch hits, you can build a smaller bench with storage. This can be made from recycled pallets and presents you with a comfortable sitting area, but also a place for your BBQ.
Most BBQ stations come pre-built from local hardware companies or online marketplaces. Adding a nearby bench gives you a bit more storage and utility for those nights when you’re hosting your child’s baseball team.
Plus, when you’re not BBQing, you’ll have a bench where you can add pillows and cushions for an afternoon reading nook, morning breakfast spot, or nighttime bed for stargazing.
#8 – Set a Patterned Walkway
This option is great for front yard landscaping ideas just as much as your backyard or side areas. You can connect your patio, front door, and side entrance all using patterned walkways.
When everything is laid out, you can use outdoor paint to make all the pieces fit into a kaleidoscope of beauty and functional design.
#9 – Transform a Shed
For those lucky enough to already have a shed on the property, you can improve these buildings with a couple of coats of paint, some quick upgrading, and any other features you may like for entertaining.
An excellent option is to open up the windows on the side for an outdoor bar area during parties. If you have a smaller space, adding symmetrical mirrors on either side of your improved shed will expand the visual appearance of your backyard.
#10 – Build a Pizza Oven or Outdoor Kitchen
Want a great way to connect with your kids? It's time to turn that brick and cement you have lying around into a backyard parlor.
You’ll find building a woodfired brick pizza oven or creating a new outdoor kitchen space on all yard design ideas lists. The reason is simple – you are adding immense value and utility to your property.
This is another good choice for hiring a professional. Even if you use them for the design aspect to save a few dollars, that will help you along the way toward success in creating a space that will add value for years to come.
#11 – Get Crafty with DIY Planters
A rainy-day small yard design idea is to create your own set of DIY planters. Visiting your local thrift or antique store and upcycling old boxes, vases, planters, and other storage options adds a personal touch to your home.
You can put these all over your backyard, inside your home. It’s an affordable way to add character to your living space that reflects your spirit.
#12 – Add Comfortable Furniture
If you only try one item from this excellent list of DIY inexpensive backyard ideas, don’t forget to add furniture to your outdoor areas that you can see yourself lounging in for hours.
Keep a close eye on Facebook marketplace or yard sale signs on street corners around your area. You should see seasonal announcements for garage or yard sales. These are the best places to get high-quality, low-priced pieces of furniture you can upcycle.
#13 – Dig a Backyard Fire Pit
There is nothing like old friends gathered around a crackling fire, roasting s’mores and swapping stories. Designing a cozy gathering spot like this is a relatively simple task you can finish in one afternoon with a little help.
Save a few dollars by searching your local waterway for large rocks and thrown-away materials like cinder blocks, set them up and stack them in a circle for a fire ring.
You’ll be amazed how many nights you and your friends can spend outside with a lovely fire.
#14 – Strategically Hang Lights
One of the more straightforward DIY inexpensive backyard ideas is to use chain or hanging lights throughout your outdoor living space. All of a sudden, that boring backyard becomes a magical setting where you can enjoy a relaxed evening or dance under the stars.
An excellent cost-saving twist on this idea is to use old mason jars to create luminaires you can hang. This creates an intimate mood and enhances your smaller spaces into immersive experiences.
#15 – Upcycle a Stock Tank Pool or Hot Tub
Creating a mini pool or hot tub in your backyard has never been easier. Even some front yard landscaping ideas can be complemented using a stock tank from a local hardware store or feed supplier.
These stock tanks are rugged, easy to clean, and can be retrofitted with pool accessories you need in no time. There are many YouTube and TikTok videos to help you get started, but if you’re nervous, a reputable local handyperson may be a good choice.
#16 – Hang Hammocks & Chairs
You can transform your backyard into a luxurious napping spot with the right sets of hooks and a sturdy tree or outbuilding. Using a few hammocks or hanging chairs allows you to enhance the tranquility of your yard.
The only trick here is to be sure you can make the hammocks removable in times of extreme winds or rough weather. Combining this with improving your shed or a storage bench is a great idea, so everything is protected when you want to catch a few extra z’s.
#17 – Recycle Pallets for Privacy Walls
Many backyards, especially those in tight-knit urban communities, don’t offer a lot of privacy. Combining recycled pallets with eco-friendly vertical greenery lets you separate your backyard from your neighbors.
When done right, you can string lights, designate a hot tub area, or even paint the pallets white for an outdoor movie theater. This patio building idea has a lot of utility. Be sure to give yourself the freedom to test a few different things with your family before moving forward with installation.
Trust U-Box by U-Haul When Transforming Your Dream Backyard
After browsing this list of easy-to-accomplish yard design ideas, be sure to set aside space to store all of your furniture, equipment, and other items safely. Consider using a U-Box storage container for your onsite renovation project.
At U-Haul, we want to empower your next backyard design by providing a stress-free moving, staging, and storing experience with our U-Box moving and storage containers. Our highly recommended portable storage containers allow you to have a workable area perfect for preparing materials or keeping your heirlooms safe.
We can deliver these versatile containers directly to your doorstep. It's time to transform your backyard with a personalized and valuable new design you and your family will appreciate for years.