Small backyard makeover with DIY Projects

Hello friends, summer is nearing the end and crisp fall is just around the corner. Although, there’s a coolness in the air I am hopeful to get few more warm days. I am a bit sad to see summer go this year, wish we had more time to enjoy our backyard, c’est la vie! So today I am sharing our small backyard makeover with lots of DIY projects.

Earlier this summer, we started creating our little backyard oasis. Even though we didn’t get to complete all the must-haves in the yard, we did accomplish enough to get enjoy it for a few months.

Before our small backyard makeover

You can see here where we started our backyard patio makeover, it was a blank slate. We had already installed Bluestone paver a few years ago, we just power washed it to clean and brighten it up.

One of the biggest obstacles we encountered was trying to fit everything we wanted in this petit space. Also, to have the backyard not appear cramped and confined.

Small backyard makeover’s list of DIY projects

Here is a list of projects and must haves for the backyard. I crossed out the ones already completed.

• Pergola – One of the prominent features I want to add is a pergola. I love the coziness and the comfortable feeling you get sitting under a pergola or an outdoor room.
• Make or buy large cement planters
• Wood fence – Gray wood fence with climbing plant
• Outdoor kitchen- This is a must have… We love barbeques, so we have to incorporate a small kitchen area.
• Dining table and chairs – In order to dine al fresco, we want to have a long dining table to accommodate 8-10 people.
• Install mirror
• Build console under the mirror
• Create an Belgian fence, esparlier
• Outdoor seating – Seating for under the pergola to enjoy the days of summer.
• Accessories and plants to give beauty to the backyard
• Build new steps from house to backyard

Main focal point

The main focal point in our small backyard is the pergola we built. This was an intense labor of love for my husband. He built the pergola by himself in 3 days and it is my favorite feature in this space. You can see the details of how this pergola was built in my previous post.

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We purchased the Dayse 9 piece outdoor sofa seating group from here in May. It took 3 months to arrive opposed to two weeks as said when I purchased it. Although, no fault of anyone, its COVID time and everything was delayed. But, I was extremely satisfied with the set when it arrived. I love the comfort, durability and beauty of this set.

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DIY Large cement planter for apple tree to get the most out of the small backyard

Another awesome project in our backyard was our large cement planter, fit for a tree. You can see how we made this planter using cement in this post. We planted a dwarf apple tree in the planter and so far the tree is thriving in it’s new home. I added beautiful greenish yellow ornamental grass in the planter to break up the gray on the wall and planter.

I love mirrors and always love the idea of using mirrors in an outdoor space. Having a mirrors and accessories truly makes the space feel like and extension of living room. I have plans to build a console table to place under the mirror. This will help ground the mirror and give us another surface to use to place food and drinks when entertaining.

Shortly, I will be creating a post on how I weatherized the mirror to protect it from the outdoor elements.

All in all, without a doubt this backyard makeover has been our favorite project. The most ideal area to retreat in our home is our outdoor pergola. We love to lounge in this serene setting we created for our family and friends to enjoy.

Remaining to-do list for the small backyard makeover

• Outdoor kitchen- This is a must-have… We love barbeques, so we have to incorporate a small kitchen area.
• Dining table and chairs – In order to dine al fresco, we want to have a long dining table to accommodate 8-10 people.
• Build console under the mirror
• Create a Belgian fence, espalier

Here are a few other beautiful backyard transformations to swoon over:

• Remodelaholic – Backyard beauty: Deck makeover galore
• DIY Network – Beautiful Backyard Makeovers
• Extra Space – Your DIY Guide to a Backyard Makeover on a Budget
• HGTV – 20 Before-and-After Backyard Transformations

Thank you for visiting!