Decorative Ideas for Small Patios

Garden patios provide an outdoor area that can be welcoming, elegant and perfect for entertaining. Even the smallest of outdoor spaces can be adapted to create an external room to the home that can be used for relaxing on a summer evening.

There is plenty of practical yet pretty furniture available that can be incorporated into small patio design ideas. With a little imagination and a few accessories, a small backyard patio can quickly become the hub of the home in summer.

Outdoor Furniture for Small Spaces

Where outdoors space is at a premium, the key to choosing furniture is versatility. The best pieces are those that combine form and function, creating a stunning design that can accommodate differing groups of people with ease.

Folding chairs or stackable chairs allow for adaptability. When there are more guests requiring seating they can be out and in use, but they can also be put out of the way when more floor space is a priority.

Rattan patio furniture comes in all shapes and sizes and can be designed to fit smaller spaces. Cube tables with chairs that slot directly underneath, or foldable benches that can be pushed flat when not in use, are all great patio décor ideas.

Furniture that will be kept outside year-round needs to be weatherproof and resistant to external damage. Rattan furniture made from synthetic polyethylene resin is one of the best modern choices. It’s resistant to rust, mold, mildew, and warping from changes in temperature.

Outdoor Lighting Ideas

Creative use of lighting can make even the smallest spaces seem larger. Outdoor lighting can take many forms and may depend on access to an electrical outlet.

One of the best ways to decorate a small backyard patio is with glass bowls and jars filled with tealights, placed at intervals around your patio. These provide naturally warm lighting and are not reliant on a supply of electricity.

Ropes of outdoor bulbs can be draped around trees, looped through fences or hung from the side of the house. Many outdoor string lights are battery-powered or even solar-powered, so aren’t restricted by proximity to a source of electricity.

There are lots of options for solar-powered outdoor lamps that can be used to brighten up a small outdoor space. You could even get creative and make your own outdoor lamps using LED tealights and anything glass or transparent to reflect the light.

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How to Plant a Vertical Garden

A vertical garden is the ideal solution for bringing nature into a small patio or balcony, or even for covering an ugly outdoor wall. DIY vertical gardens can be created with minimal equipment.

To create a vertical garden, you will need a frame that fits the space. This can be made by attaching four lengths of PVC pipe with four-way joints. The frame can be backed with plastic sheeting and a top layer of thick fabric, such as felt carpet padding. The material can be almost anything, so long as it retains water well.

Top the frame with an irrigation system, which can be purchased or homemade – it is essentially a fifth pipe with holes in attached to a water supply to allow moisture to be drip-fed to the plants.

Once the frame is ready, plants can be inserted root-first into a series of slits cut into the fabric. The cloth around the root ball can then be stapled to the plastic backing to create a secure envelope. The best types of plants will depend on the same factors as those considered for a horizontal garden – humidity, light levels and temperature.

Minimalism and Multi-Functional Furniture

When a backyard area is small, patio décor ideas that embrace minimalism can help create a stylish space. Multi-functional furniture allows you to have everything you need to hand without cluttering up the available space.

Multi-level work benches can double as bar carts or serving stations when there are guests. Bench seats with storage let you stow away extra floor cushions and blankets for colder evenings.

You can also make the most of any free wall space by investing in colorful folding chairs and tables that can hang from hooks when not in use.

Portable Fire Pits for Colder Evenings

A fire pit turns any outdoor space into an area that can be used long into the evenings and even in the colder months of the year. A built-in fire pit can be used as a main focal feature and facilitate outdoor entertaining year-round.

Another option is to invest in a portable fire pit that can be kept in storage in the warmer months, in a garage or your CubeSmart storage unit and brought out to warm up winter evenings.

Be sure to check city ordinances before investing in any form of fire pit. Some states have restrictions on the type of fuel that can be used or on where and when fire pits are allowed.

Create Your Own Outdoor Cinema

Snuggle up under blankets in the darker evenings and watching your favorite movies on the big screen. A homemade projector screen or even just a plain white sheet fastened to an outdoor wall can create a stunning home cinema.

Outdoor projector set-ups can be permanently installed if there is complete protection from the weather, or portable where there is minimal shelter.

Seating Options for Smaller Outdoors Spaces

Seating options for small patios range from bistro furniture to folding chairs, weather-proof floor cushions to elaborate rattan sofa sets and more.

In a smaller space, keeping the furniture as portable as possible is key if you want to maximize the potential of the area. Items that can be stacked or folded away when not in use open up possibilities for multiple functions within the space.

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Where to Look for Patio Inspiration

There are lots of interesting pieces of furniture that are designed specifically for outdoor spaces of all shapes and sizes. However, some of the best outdoor ideas for how to decorate a patio on a budget involve getting creative and performing some DIY.

There are hundreds of inspiring ideas on sites such as Pinterest, with pictures of projects other people have successfully crafted to make the most of their small backyard. You can create a uniquely stunning patio in even the smallest of backyard spaces using a little skill and a lot of imagination.

If you only have a small space to work with, it can be handy to have a space to store bulky garden furniture during winter. You can keep items like garden tables and chairs, benches, grills, and portable firepits in a storage unit, so they’ll be out of the way until next summer.