Is your patio is need of a refresh but you don’t have extra cash to throw at it? Here are some easy ways to update your patio on a budget!

Our patio was starting to look a little ragged, and was in need of an overhaul. However, updating usually means buying new items and that means lots of money flying out the door. Since we were right in the middle of doing some house renovations, I didn’t want to spend extra money for the patio too. I was able to successfully update our patio without spending a lot of money so I wanted to share with you all my tips on how to update your patio on a budget.

Before we get to the tips, I feel like I need to show you a couple ‘before’ pictures to give you some insight to how things changed. Not that it was horrible, but we had the patio decorated like this for too many years to count and it just was time for an update. 

How to update your patio on a budget

Tip #1: Clean the patio

The most obvious tip is to clean up the patio. If you have unnecessary things laying around, find a new home for them. Sweep away all the leaves and debris. Dust all those cobwebs out of the corners and wash the walls if needed. You will be surprised how dirty they actually are!

Tip #2: Refresh the deck boards with a little stain

I realize that staining the deck can get spendy depending on how big your deck is, but if it has to be done anyway, this is a great time to do it! It will make your patio update look so much better!

We have done a lot of staining over the years and I compiled some tips for staining your deck too! We went darker with our color and I love the change. I think it even makes our furniture look better!

Tip #3: Modernize your patio furniture with DIY cushion covers

If you are working on a budget like I was, new patio cushions are probably not in the equation. So to get around that obstacle, I decided to make some DIY drop cloth cushions. They are cost effective and have held up wonderfully.

Tip #4: Refinish your furniture

We have an Adirondack chair that I got from my stepdad as a homemade Christmas gift several years ago. It is a great chair but over the years, the shellac had started to wear off as you can see in the before pictures. It was in need of a refurbishment.

I got some white outdoor paint and painted it. It looks like a brand new chair again. It is amazing what paint will do! I also bought a new cushion for this chair. 

Tip #5: Paint your outdoor rug

Yes, you read that correctly. You can paint your outdoor rug to update it! This is actually the second time I have painted this rug. LOL. I will be back later this week to share a tutorial on how to paint an outdoor rug in case you have a rug in need of a revamp. 🙂

Now if I was not working on a budget, I would have loved to replace this rug with a bigger rug that fit under the furniture legs. Technically this rug is too small for this space, but sometimes we have to work with what we have. 😉

Tip #6: Add plants!

This is a great way to spruce up any space and make it look more homey. Ferns are great for shaded areas like our covered patio and they take up a lot of real estate. As long as you don’t go crazy with plants, they are a fairly inexpensive way to add punch to your space.

I got some impatiens that also do well in the shade. They look lovely with the budding tree in the background!

Oh, and it still counts if the plants are faux! 🙂

Tip #7: Shop your house for accessories

If you don’t have it in the budget for new pillows or other accessories, you can always shop your house. Switch some things up or give new life to something you have not used in a while. 

I “borrowed” this lantern from my front porch for a while and brought out some pillows and a blanket from indoors.

I also bought some outdoors pillows that would weather the elements a little better. Alternatively, you could always sew some DIY pillow covers!

Tip #8: Borrow or swap items with a friend

If you are having guests over, adding a tray is a fun way to beautify your patio even further. Share some lemonade and a snack on the patio while enjoying the great weather. What could be better?

I already had most of these items, however I borrowed the cute plates from a friend for an upcoming tablescape I will be sharing soon! Again this is an example of shopping your house, and even better yet, borrow or swap some items with a friend so both of you get some new fun accessories to decorate with!

Tip #9: Make some DIY artwork for your patio

Don’t forget about the wall space on your patio! Just like indoor walls, outdoor walls look naked without anything on them. This sign was another homemade Christmas gift from my mom this time! She originally made it to match the leaf pattern on our previous cushion covers (see the before pictures above). She actually cut out the pattern with a jigsaw! So impressed! 🙂

We repainted it to match the new color scheme and it still looks fantastic! The best thing is it lights up! That leads me to my last tip…

Tip #10: Light it Up!

Add some light to your patio with the use of candles, lanterns or artwork. This is a nice way to make things look better and add hominess at the same time for not a lot of money. 

It makes your patio look gorgeous at night as well!

I hope you gained some good tips on how to update your patio on a budget. Now you have no excuse not to update your patio, so get out there and get it done! 🙂