Our Favorite Outdoor Design Ideas From HGTV Stars

When Farmhouse Fixer star Jonathan Knight decided to move his family’s house, he opted to brighten up the aesthetic, too. Designer Kristina Crestin chose this bright yellow paint for the front door, while a herringbone-patterned brick path invites family and guests into the home.

One surefire way to spend more time outdoors? Make it as inviting — and as accessible — as possible, like this indoor-outdoor living area in Vacation House Rules host Scott McGillivray’s Toronto home. The skylights and wood paneling on the ceiling make the space warm, inviting and perfect for alfresco dining.

Sometimes, less is more — as is the case with landscaping. For a low-maintenance yard, forgo the professionally maintained garden in favor of a simple approach.

See More: 12 House Flipping Tips From Scott McGillivray, Host of Vacation House Rules

Jasmine Roth (Help! I Wrecked My House) incorporated a "sophisticated surf" theme into this California condo she bought as a surprise for her mom. Click-in wood tiles and a vintage surfboard continue the theme (both inside and outside).

See More: Before and After: Tour Jasmine Roth's Cali-Cool Condo Makeover

When Jonathan and Drew Scott took Brother vs. Brother to Los Angeles, Jonathan made the eco-friendly power move of converting a shipping container to an in-ground pool. The icing on the cake? He plunked it beside a luxe, sunken seating area and installed a glass window to separate the luxurious features, while creating a bit of drama.

Rather than tear out the old concrete around this pool (for actor-athlete Terry Crew's driver, Frank) Drew and Jonathan created rectangular slabs with the existing material. Then, for a sleek look, they filled the gaps with artificial turf. Additional concrete slabs accommodate added seating and athletic equipment, which the bros installed under covered pergolas to complete with Celebrity IOU makeover.

Dave and Jenny Marrs (Fixer to Fabulous) pulled out all the stops for their Rock the Block Season 3 backyard reno. The space — complete with a hot tub, kitchen, dining area and dog zone — is fit for neighborhood parties galore. As for the home's color: “Where else would we be able to pull off a blush pink house than Charleston?” The pink siding is accented by white eaves and long white shutters.

To add a hint of organic style to her Rock the Block project’s outdoor dining room, Alison Victoria reached for ultra low maintenance plantings. The air plants at the center of the table require little or no attention, and the greenery on the framed “living wall” surrounding the fountain is even hardier (since it’s silk).

Jasmine Roth outfitted her own Rock the Block patio with affordable secondhand accessories that complement pieces in the great room beside it. The one-of-a-kind bar is composed of three salvaged doors and her kitchen island’s original countertop, and the lights hanging above it are vintage finds made of scrapped airplanes. The wood she chose for the ceiling, in turn, flows indoors to connect the two spaces even more.

Hidden Potential's Jasmine Roth turned this once-ornamental southern California front yard into a functional outdoor dining room by paring back greenery and centering a gravel-covered space on the lawn. French doors offer a smooth transition to the home’s interior. Enjoying meals in the open air couldn’t be simpler.

Jasmine created a handsome border between this bungalow’s lawn and the sidewalk beside it by installing a crisp white fence with gleaming copper caps. The climbing plants she’s trained to trail through its slats offer a visual transition to the native greenery she chose for the bed that lines the path to the front door.

This home’s front door was overshadowed by an awkward shade structure that made visitors feel like spelunkers. Jasmine replaced it with a modern, minimalistic trio of L-shaped wooden beams that will soon support flowering vines and offer the warm welcome this yard deserves.

Jasmine customized (and modernized) this front patio with a crisp pergola that doubles as a support for a porch swing. That swing and the vines climbing the structure’s support pillars help define the boho seating area she created with layered rugs, pastel accessories and wicker furniture.

For Help! I Wrecked My House, Jasmine Roth turned a once-desolate corner of this southern California yard into an eclectic, well-appointed outdoor room. The neutral pieces she chose to furnish this wooden pergola complement the structure, and the oversized pendant makes the space feel as special as any indoor seating area.

Home Town’s Erin and Ben Napier reconfigured this home’s exterior in a way that made a doorway unnecessary … and just happens to provide the perfect setting for a new vertical garden. Built into the former door's outline, a pallet-like wooden structure with well-weathered shelves now supports succulents and leafy trailing plants.

The Napiers performed a budget-friendly transformation on this home’s front yard by demolishing a massive carport and swapping in a “new” arbor (built by Ben with lumber salvaged from other parts of the house). Window boxes made with more salvaged material and eye-catching new patio furniture create a welcoming, cohesive gathering space for visitors.

Erin Napier made this Mississippi home even more charming by adding curtain rods and durable sheers to the beam above its pillars. Tied back with rustic jute, the textiles create a handsome frame for the front windows; drawn, they add a bit of privacy. As Erin put it, “everybody loves a porch … because porches are magical.”

When Love it or List It host Hilary Farr was designing her own North Carolina cottage, she created the ultimate yard for entertaining, complete with a saltwater plunge pool and folding glass doors to seamlessly take the party from indoors to outdoors.

See More: Take a Tour of Hilary Farr's New Home as Seen on 'Love It or List It'

If the Napiers had opted to demolish this concrete patio in order to create planting space, their renovation costs would have gone through the roof. Instead, Erin deployed a variety of container plants — from small ferns to trees that will eventually grow quite large — to bring the space to life without swinging a sledgehammer.

Being able to perch a cup of tea on a side table on the porch is great, but have you tried serving a full-fledged meal out there? Erin gave her clients ample space (and handsome furnishings) for dining in fresh air.

Building an outdoor living room can be as simple as making a few key tweaks. Erin added to this tree-lined space’s ambience by crisscrossing strands of clear bistro lights overhead; after dark, this seating area will be utterly magical. Ben, in turn, built a custom grill station that’s conveniently located just steps from the cushy new seating.

A screened porch is just one of many features Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent of The Nate and Jeremiah Home Project incorporated into this home’s handsome exterior, leading to greater usability during the buggy summer months while taking advantage of the home's limited backyard space.

See More: The Best-Ever ‘Rock the Block’ Designs

On Christina on the Coast, designer Christina Hall created an ethereal outdoor bower. With an open-air nap space like this, who would ever want to head indoors?

Eye-catching details like the decorative elements on this Arts and Crafts home can disappear behind disproportionate landscaping. Vintage Flip’s Jessie and Tina Rodriguez helped this sweet property put its best face forward by removing most of the plantings from the front yard and placing a pair of perfectly styled container gardens on either side of the porch entrance.

On Celebrity I.O.U., Taraji P. Henson wanted to surprise her housekeeper with the ultimate garden oasis. That design included drought-resistant plants in the backyard, surrounding the pergola. And to keep the area low-maintenance, the design team planted Dichondra between the stepping stones, which doesn’t require mowing.

Jonathan and Drew Scott aimed to help Taraji create a space for serenity the family could enjoy in the home’s yard, complete with trellises and climbing plants that will flower and add to the calm ambience of the space.

See More: Actress Taraji P. Henson Surprises Her Housekeeper With a Backyard Oasis Fit for Entertaining

Even if your personal aesthetic doesn’t scream Barbie, like the exterior of this house designed by Keith Bynum and Evan Thomas for the Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge, that doesn’t mean it can’t be fun and playful — and if it makes you smile, all the better to come home to!

See More: Step Inside the Competition: Tour Every Fabulous Space in HGTV’s 'Barbie Dreamhouse'

To take advantage of surrounding views and to merge an indoor space with the outdoors just steps away, it’s worth it to invest in a deck, as Anthony Elle and Michel Smith Boyd know well. This deck cost them $11,500 of their Rock the Block budget, but it was well worth the money when their home was crowned the Season 4 winner.

See More: The Winning Design: Tour Michel Smith Boyd and Anthony Elle’s ‘Rock the Block’

Brian and Mika Kleinschmidt of 100 Day Dream Home designed this curtained cabana for the ultimate at-home outdoor movie viewing paradise — no buying movie tickets or overpriced snacks required.

See More: Brian and Mika Kleinschmidt’s Best Design Ideas for Every Room

On Season 3 of Battle on the Beach, Team Taniya (Nayak) with design duo Kelsey and Ryan opted for a fun, fresh coat of green paint and a pair of rope swings facing the ocean for people of all ages to enjoy.

See More: Tour Team Taniya's 'Battle on the Beach' Season 3 Home

For their winning Rock the Block design, Egypt Sherrod and Mike Jackson knew they could elevate their outdoor space with a cozy fireplace.

See More: See the Winning Design: Egypt Sherrod and Mike Jackson's 'Rock the Block' House Reveal