Home Improvement Ideas Porches & Outdoor Rooms Outdoor Rooms 15 Tips for Welcoming and Charming Outdoor Room Ideas Step into a beautiful outdoor space whether you have a small balcony or an expansive backyard. By Caitlin Sole Caitlin Sole Caitlin Sole is the senior home editor at BHG. She is a writer and editor with nearly a decade of interior design expertise. She has vast experience with digital media, including SEO, photo shoot production, video production, eCommerce content, print collaboration, and custom sales content. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on February 14, 2024 Close It doesn't matter if you have a small balcony or a large backyard with grass and a patio. These 15 outdoor room ideas will help you make whatever exterior living space you have the most comfortable and enjoyable without any remodeling or a significant investment in furnishings or other accessories. We have suggestions for everyone's tastes and needs, from practical to playful. 7 Ways to Create a Functional All-Seasons Patio, Deck, or Porch 01 of 15 Establish Traffic Patterns Whatever your outdoor room ideas, they'll work better if you establish traffic patterns. You can do this in various ways, including laying formal walkways, creating shifts in hardscape materials, or planting shrubs or trees to establish corners and borders. How to Install a Stone Walkway with Flagstone, Gravel, or Pavers 02 of 15 Add a Fire Source If you have a fireplace inside your house, you know how enjoyable it is to curl up with a good book on a quiet night or have larger groups gather on chilly days. That's why adding a fireplace is a terrific outdoor room idea: A source of fire draws people. If you have the space and budget, consider a full-size version; if not, investigate fire pits, which provide flexibility and affordability. Just check your local building codes to verify fire safety and placement rules regarding outdoor fireplaces and fire pits before you invest in one. 03 of 15 Include a Variety of Seating Options Benches, chairs, even pint-size stools: As many choices as you can include in an outdoor living space will help family and friends enjoy it. Scaled-down kid versions allow little ones to seat themselves, while chairs are a more flexible option—pull two together for a quiet chat or add extras around the table for a big dinner. Editor's Tip Don't include so many that traffic patterns become cluttered. 04 of 15 Create an Outdoor Space Focal Point Well-designed indoor rooms typically build off one element—a sofa or piece of art, for example—which gives the eye something to land on; the rest of the furnishings and accents support that piece. That same principle applies to outdoor room ideas. Here, an extensive pond becomes the central gathering point, providing a spot to arrange furniture and orient views. Pond Maintenance Tips for a Stunning Landscape in Every Season 05 of 15 Boost Visual Appeal Small accents like sculptures or water features are outdoor room ideas that feel dynamic and interesting. Scour flea markets or architectural salvage shops for castoffs that lend visual appeal without being too expensive. Consider a tabletop version instead of a built-in fountain; use a tall column as a plant stand, too. 06 of 15 Establish a Sense of Discovery Paths are great tools in an outdoor space for more than just finding your way. Include a gentle curve in the design, and a path instantly transforms into a walkway that encourages discovery and exploration in the garden. Here, this brick-lined version leads to a secluded sitting spot. Flagstone Walkway Ideas for Garden Paths and Front Entryways 07 of 15 Rely on Containers for Color Pots of all shapes and sizes are great outdoor room ideas to add dashes of color and texture. Go for lightweight versions, or put yours on movable bases to make shifting them around easier. Place a few at corners of a deck or patio to establish borders, or use a rotating series of seasonal plants—pansies in spring, daisies in summer, mums in autumn—for an ever-changing color palette. 24 Unique Repurposed Planters Made from Salvaged Materials 08 of 15 Fashion a Go-to Spot for Tools As much relaxing as we may want to do in outdoor living spaces, we also need practicalities close at hand. Install shelves on a wall or railing, or look for accessible places to hang inexpensive hooks to keep tools, a small broom, or even a towel out in the open and within reach, such as this wood trim under a potting bench's countertop. 09 of 15 Make Furnishings Work Twice as Hard Because space is often at a premium, furniture and accessories that do double duty are functional outdoor room ideas. Benches may have storage space underneath; tables may also be containers. Here, this pretty side table features a stunning container planted with low-maintenance succulents that add color and texture under a raised tempered glass top resting on copper supports. 10 of 15 Zone Your Space Clever furniture arrangement is all it takes to establish a variety of uses in one outdoor space. For example, in a smaller space, place a bench and dining table closer to a corner; in a larger one, use different textures or rugs to break up dining and relaxing areas. The 16 Best Outdoor Rugs of 2024 for Every Style and Budget 11 of 15 Strategically Shield the View You may want part of your outdoor space to be more private than another area. Give a pergola or covered patio a sense of seclusion with outdoor fabric draperies. Shrubs or dwarf trees are a softly textured way to accomplish that goal; containers planted with vines scrambling up a trellis are another good outdoor room idea for separating spaces. The 12 Best Outdoor Curtains of 2024 For Added Privacy, Shade, and Style 12 of 15 Try Affordable Updates Orange may be your favorite shade one year and stripes the next. But what about when a new color scheme strikes your interest—or when pillows or umbrellas wear out? Fortunately, swapping out outdoor living accents is easy and relatively inexpensive. Go for new accent pillows, refreshed slipcovers, or complementary umbrella shades for a new outdoor living space. Select outdoor fabrics that withstand the sun's rays and dry quickly for exposed spaces. 13 of 15 Incorporate Tabletop Texture and Color Small vases and containers are artful outdoor room ideas on side tables or dining areas. Here, the mini pots can be set at individual places for a more formal outdoor gathering or arranged in a larger vessel for impact. 14 of 15 Connect to the Indoors Outdoor spaces that are easily accessible to indoor rooms are the most likely to get used. So when designing your deck or patio, try to locate it in a lived-in spot, such as off the primary bedroom or living room. 15 of 15 Add Accents to Walls Walls can quickly get boring when used as borders for outdoor living spaces. Wall containers, planted with trailing vines and blooms, or outdoor-suitable art, such as tin ceiling tiles or salvage outdoor signage letters found at flea markets, are good outdoor room ideas for dressing up large stretches of siding or stone. 7 Outdoor Wall Decor Ideas to Spruce Up Your Space More Ways to Create an Outdoor Room You'll Love These 15 Outdoor TV Ideas Will Help You Create a Relaxing Backyard Living Room Why You Should Create an Outdoor Room: 6 Tips to Build Your Own The 13 Best Outdoor Rocking Chairs of 2024 to Create the Coziest Porch 32 Outdoor Kitchen Ideas Perfect for Entertaining The 10 Best Outdoor Ceiling Fans of 2024 Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit