40 Beautiful, Budget Ideas for Patios and Porches

It happens: You’re decorating your new house or apartment, and you get carried away buying furniture and accessories for the interior while overlooking the exterior. Luckily, there are lots of ways to create a chic, comfortable outdoor living space without spending a ton of cash. We’ve rounded up our best budget-friendly patio, front porch and back porch ideas to get you started.

Start by making your outdoor space more functional with our creative privacy solutions and inexpensive outdoor lighting ideas. Then, layer in inviting accents like outdoor furniture, throw pillows and rugs. You can even upcycle everyday items into stylish outdoor decor. Here, HGTV Magazine turned a pallet into a fun coffee table using paint and casters, transformed a drop cloth into a chic rug using a stencil and paint, and dressed up plain white curtains by dip-dyeing them a beautiful blue ombre. Get the details, below.

Set the stage and get the most bang for your buck with an eye-catching outdoor rug. There are tons of stylish, low-cost options available to buy or, if you're on a super tight budget, you can DIY your own by painting a basic or thrifted rug to match your unique style. Snag our step-by-step tutorial below.

Stenciling a pattern on your deck or patio is another inexpensive way to tie together the look of your outdoor space and show off your unique style. Check out our step-by-step instructions below to learn how to transform a drab patio into a bright, beautiful outdoor oasis for less than $100.

Shield your outdoor oasis from prying eyes by hanging some breezy outdoor curtains. Save even more money by making your own from scrap fabric or drop cloths, then hang them the right way with our DIY drapery hardware solution, below.