33 Ways to Brighten Up Your Yard for Summer
Give your outdoor space a happy update for the season with design ideas, colorful decor and tips from the HGTV stars.
Even if you already have a color-filled garden, gorgeous planters and a patio set to relax on, you can make your backyard an even happier place to kick back this summer. Get inspired to get outdoors with these fun, yard-brightening ideas from HGTV Magazine.
1. Hang Colorful Drapes
Creating privacy can be so pretty! Designer Danielle Rollins installed turquoise and coral Sunbrella panels with scalloped valances on her Palm Beach, Florida, porch. “They’re double-sided, so the neighbors can enjoy the colors, too,” she says. Stainless steel rods and rings resist rust, and weights sewn into the bottom hem keep the curtains in place.
Palm Beach, FL, Patio With Light Blue Curtains and Outdoor Furniture
HGTV Magazine presents this Florida outdoor space with a nautical-print outdoor sofa and bold curtains with contrast trim.
Photo by: Carmel Brantley
Carmel Brantley
2. Set Up a Rainbow Umbrella
3. Upgrade Your Outdoor Pillows
4. Add a Sunny Side Table
5. Lounge on a Two-Tone Chaise
6. Change Your Cushions
Traditional, Colorful Patio With Custom Outdoor Cushions
HGTV Magazine presents this traditional patio with white, faux-bamboo outdoor furniture with custom peach cushions and striped pillows.
Photo by: Britt Ford
Britt Ford
“It’s amazing what a wow factor it can add,” says Tampa-based artist Britt Ford of her outdoor furniture from Target. If your seating comes with neutral cushions, try reupholstering them or consider replacements from Sunbrella, which come in many styles and colors.
7. Get a Fun Dog Bed
8. Upgrade Your Hose Holder
9. Put Out a New Rug
My favorite way to add color to any outdoor space is with vibrant, playful outdoor rugs. They make the area feel like an extension of your interior — and they’re washable.
Taniya Nayak, Battle on the Beach
10. Store Your Stuff in Style
11. Hang a Bright Bird Feeder
12. String Some Lights
I like LED string lights that let you change the colors to whatever you want to set the mood.
Mika Kleinschmidt, 100 Day Dream Home
13. Color-Block Your Garden
Pink, Purple and Green Color-Blocked Flower Bed
HGTV Magazine shares this cool color-blocked gardening idea to brighten up your yard.
Photo by: Courtesy of Proven Winners
Courtesy of Proven Winners
Consider planting flowers and shrubs in single-color rows. "It creates beds with a modern look," says designer Ron Walder, who works with Proven Winners plant company. Here he planted pink petunias and burgundy coleus with blush pink impatiens to go with a client’s existing boxwood. “This works especially well lining a path.”
14. Add a Fountain
15. Set Up a Swing
16. Add a Patterned Pouf
17. Display Some Art
Patio Outside a Navy Blue House With Eclectic, Metal Art
HGTV Magazine presents this unique metal art display outside a Tampa, Florida, home.
Photo by: Amanda Rourke
Amanda Rourke
Artist Kate Gausche hung custom welded aluminum “scales” on a client’s Tampa exterior for this cheerful oasis — but you can find ready-made art, too. Look for pieces that are coated or crafted with durable materials so they can withstand the elements.
18. Roll Out a Splashy Bar Cart
19. Lighten Things Up
20. Buy a Bold Table
Using color indoors can be intimidating, but your yard is the perfect place to have fun and experiment with daring furniture.
Brian Patrick Flynn, HGTV Dream Home 2024
21. Hang a Festive Flag
22. Install Playful Awnings
Blue House With Red, Striped Awnings
HGTV Magazine presents this blue house exterior with coastal, cabana striped awnings on the porch and windows.
Photo by: Patricia Burke
Patricia Burke
Designer Suzette Donleavy trimmed this Sea Girt, New Jersey, beach house with marine-grade canvas awnings for extra color. “The cabana stripes are timeless and give the navy home some red-white-and-blue charm,” she says.
23. Get a Wild Fire Pit
24. Line a Path With Lights
25. Put Out a Playful Lawn Game
26. Try Rainbow Seating
Backyard With Multicolor Adirondack Chairs
HGTV Magazine presents this colorful backyard with a rainbow of outdoor chairs and multicolor pillows.
Photo by: Charlotte Smith
Charlotte Smith
Polywood Adirondack chairs come in all sorts of colors, so designer Charlotte Smith went with a mix for her Southport, Connecticut, backyard. “I decided to go multicolor to bring in some childlike cheer,” she says. “Even on cloudy days, it does the trick!”
27. Lay Painted Stepping Stones
28. Display a Gazing Ball in Your Garden
29. Add a Vibrant Sofa
30. Plant Tropical-Looking Plants
Shutterstock/TYangMD
Anders Krusberg
We love adding pops of color with fun tropical plants, especially here in Florida. Uplight them at night so you can still enjoy them after the sun goes down.
Brian Kleinschmidt, 100 Day Dream Home
31. Landscape With One Color
Patio With Blue and Purple Flowers and Decor
HGTV Magazine presents this monochromatic yard display with a mix of blue-ish purple flowers, like hydrangeas and petunias, and matching pillows.
Photo by: Chris Brown Photography; Courtesy of Proven Winners
Chris Brown Photography; Courtesy of Proven Winners
Pairing neutral planters with a variety of flowers in the same hue can have major impact, says Proven Winners designer Ron Walder, who used mostly blue-purple hydrangeas, petunias and torenia in this yard. “Choose plants in a mix of sizes and shapes to prevent them from melding into a solid block of color,” he says. Bonus points if your pillows match!
