Spruce up your space this summer with these family friendly DIYs. As the seasons change, so do your needs from your space. Indoor outdoor living is the perfect way to embrace summer so a few DIY projects in your home as well as in your backyard can help you extend your living spaces. Finding ways to stay cool will help you spend more time outdoors relaxing with family and friends. With more guests coming over to visit, now is a great time to spruce up your home.
Table of Contents
1. Clean Up
The cheapest and easiest way to make your space look classy quickly is to clean up. Tidy up the clutter indoors and clear away dead plants outside, vacuum your rug and pressure wash your deck, dust your furniture and wipe the pollen away in your backyard. Another place that could probably use a little bit of elbow grease is your grill; scrape down your grill’s grate, wipe down the exterior, and check that there is propane in the tank. Once you’ve done all of this, you’ll be able to see your space at its best and then decide what could still use a little bit of love.
2. Paint
Repainting your interior walls, old brick, or deck can help you dress up your indoor and outdoor spaces. After a few years of normal wear and tear, weather, or kids doodling on the walls, your paint can start to look tired. Find a durable paint in a modern color and buy a couple of gallons of paint from your local hardware store along with a paint tray, roller, hand brush, painters tape, and some tarps of cloth to protect your furniture and floors. A relatively cheap and easy project, put on some music, pull out plenty of snacks, and get to painting. Get your friends, spouse, or kids to help out. Not only will the work go faster, but time will fly while you’re having fun livening up your space.
3. Outdoor Furnishings
Making your outdoor seating area just as comfy and cute–if not even better–than your indoor one will encourage you to actually go and spend more time enjoying beautiful summer evenings. Some things, like couches, need to be purchased specifically for outdoor use. Try a modular sofa in an outdoor friendly fabric to accommodate all of your guests, check out the best couches of the year according to Home of Cozy. Other items–like servers, tables, and benches–can be made out of repurposed sturdy old furniture with the help of a thick coat of durable outdoor paint. Check out HGTV’s tips on how to properly prep, prime, and paint furniture so that it can be enjoyed outdoors for many years to come.
A dining table will serve you and your friends well for barbecues and outdoor dinner parties. An outdoor couch will give you a space for lounging and chatting. For a fun seating option for kids and adults alike, a DIY hammock chair is the perfect weekend project and fun focal point.
4. Add Shade
Adding shade can extend the use of your outdoor living space by keeping the sun’s rays away and the temperature down. An umbrella, awning, shade sail, or even well placed trees can bring shade to your space in a beautiful way. For a more permanent look, a DIY wooden pergola is a classy option.
5. Add a Firepit
A firepit is a fabulous focal point and spot to socialize late into the night. An easy DIY, building a firepit will draw in a crowd of your friends with the promise of light, warmth, long evenings of fireside stories and music, and plenty of s’mores. The smoky smell that keeps the bugs away and lovely crackle of burning logs will really make you feel that summer has arrived.
Propane powered heat lamps are another great option for keeping your outdoor space cozy on cool summer nights. They’re also another great way to extend the seasonal use of an outdoor patio, dining area, or living space.
6. Decorate
Decorate your space with wall hangings, paint, outdoor rugs, plants, and other decor. Exterior walls and visible fencing can be painted to add a splash of color. A mural is also a fun option; employ your kids with their boundless creativity to help you to make your space unique. Sculptures, painted ceramics, and other decor can also be a fun weekend project to get your whole family involved. Make a silicone mould of you and your spouse and kids holding hands, fill with concrete, and enjoy a beautiful sculpture that’s entirely personal to your family.
Planting a living wall is another fun project idea to get everyone to feel that your new outdoor space is their own. Succulents are a particularly good option for this as they require little water and are quite hearty. A beautiful way to add greenery and absorb some ambient noise emanating from a neighbor’s yard, planting a living wall is a great project to add to your backyard DIY to do list.
String lights, orbs, neon signs, candles, and floodlights are a great way to brighten your outdoor area so it can be used all night long. They’re also a great way to decorate and change the mood of a space.
7. Snack, Refresh, and Relax
Refreshments are key to enjoying summer in your new space. A great activity for kids and adults alike, pick some summer lemons, squeeze them, and make a jug of ice cold sweet lemonade. For adults only, a cooler is a great addition for cold beers or a table for mixing up refreshing cocktails. Blend up whatever fruits are in season near you, pour into popsicle moulds, and place in the freezer overnight for a fun, healthy, and easy summer snack.
Creating a beautiful and functional outdoor space will help encourage you and your kiddos to get outside and enjoy beautiful summer days and evenings. These family friendly DIYs are wonderfully quick and easy ideas that are sure to improve your space while allowing your kids to express their creativity, spend quality time with you, and teach them plenty about building through hands-on projects with the reward of a beautiful space to enjoy that boosts your home’s value.