Home Decor

Nine Summer DIY Projects to Brighten Up Your Patio

Make your patio your favorite spot in your home this summer by trying out these 9 DIY tips!

You don’t have to be a professional to make your patio look great. Here are some simple DIY patio tips for making your patio the best it can be, whether you’re looking to improve its functionality or simply make it more beautiful. Part of making your home your dream home can include sprucing up your patio.

Nature-focused patio with furniture, seated swing, and plants
Photo via Beata Gabryś

Consider making a few minor changes to your patio to make it a little more comfortable and inviting, without breaking the bank. Patio projects are an excellent DIY endeavor. You can do them yourself, you’ll save money, and you can customize them to your own tastes.

But sometimes it can feel like a lot of work. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by all the different options out there, and it’s hard to know where to start. That’s why we’re here for you! We’ve put together this list of our favorite patio projects and updates for summertime—and they’re all super simple to do yourself!


1. Add colorful plants and flowers: Plants and flowers are great for adding aesthetics, color, and making your patio feel more like a part of nature, even if you’re in an urban area. Patio plants can also help keep the air around your house cleaner and help insulate your home.

Cozy patio with plenty of fresh red and white flowers.

Get rid of those old plants and replace them with some new ones! You don’t have to buy expensive flowers—you can easily plant simple annuals in pots that will brighten up your space for just a few dollars. If you have the luxury of having a lot of extra backyard space surrounding your patio, you can consider building a garden bed.

Plants add color and life to any patio and are also great at creating privacy if you don’t want people walking right up behind you while you’re relaxing outside! There are tons of options available at local nurseries and garden centers that will fit nicely into any type of space (small or large), whether they’re traditional wood planters or hanging flowers.

2. Clean up the space: If you’ve got a lot of stuff out there, get rid of some things! It’s easy to think of the patio as an extension of the house, but most people don’t want their patios filled with furniture and other clutter from inside their homes.

3. Paint the floor: If you have a concrete patio, painting it will make it look like new! Make sure you prime the surface first so that the paint adheres well.

4. Add lighting: Lighting will make everything look better by evening out shadows and highlighting certain areas of interest in ways that natural light might not be able to accomplish on its own (especially during the summer months).

You can create faux twinkle lights by adding water and glitter into mason jars (or even glitter alone) and setting them around your patio area in front of any lights! Or, check online for durable outdoor string lights. These can be generally easy to install.

Outdoor lighting at night

5. In addition to colorful plants and flowers, add some greenery: You can create an instant landscape by laying down some sod or planting grass in pots and containers around your patio area. The greenery will add color and texture while also helping to keep the space cooler during the summer months.

Plants outdoors

6. Cover up those ugly concrete pavers with something soft: An outdoor rug will instantly upgrade any space—and it’s almost impossible to mess up if you use an outdoor rug pad underneath (just make sure it’s not too thick or heavy). You can also try adding pillows or blankets on top of existing outdoor seating like benches or tables; they’ll soften up those hard surfaces while also adding character to the area.

7. Install a new firepit or grill: Fire pits give off that “backyard barbecue” vibe you see in all those fun BBQ commercials. This creates a great focal point for your backyard.

Group of friends sitting around a firepit drinking wine together

8. Paint Your Outdoor Furniture: Painting your outdoor furniture is an easy way to make sure your space looks fresh and new again, especially if your furniture has been looking a little tired lately. Outdoor spaces provide the perfect setup to bring friends and family together when the weather allows.

Person using a paint brush with blue paint

Painting is also a good option if you want to change up the color scheme of your patio without spending big bucks on new pieces of furniture. With more furniture, you create more opportunities to distract your guests from items that are outside and not-so-nice to look at – like your long and tangled garden hose.

9. Add shade: If your backyard is sunny all day long, consider adding a pergola or other kind of shade structure to provide relief from the sun.

Patios are akin to blank canvases. You can change each one to be entirely different and unique by switching out a few key elements. If you’re without a patio and this article has sparked your interest in having one, there are step by step guides and videos online on how to build a patio safely and cost-effectively! You can also look up various patio designs for inspiration!

If you’re looking to get creative inside your home, check out our blog on How to Create a Hobby Room.

There is a lot of information online about patio improvements you can make with the help of a DIY project. We have focused on some of the most effective methods that can help you get better enjoyment out of your patio. These simple enhancements will make a great difference to both the appearance and the use of your patio.

With so many options for home improvement projects, it was hard for us to pick the best ones. Hopefully, we were able to help you decide what works best for your needs and interests. With a bit of planning and the right tools, any one of these ideas can bring out the potential of your own patio.


During the cooler months when it’s time to pack up your patio furniture and décor, consider storing them at Prime Storage. With features like month-to-month leases and online bill pay, you’ll have the flexibility to store what you need, when you need. Check out our size guide and space calculator to see what size unit you need and visit one of our Prime Storage locations!

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Tagged as  Home Decor