10 Creative DIY Patio Ideas

For Jen, the founder of the lifestyle blog City Farmhouse, visions of backyards from the Hamptons include plenty of teak, rattan, and white wood, along with gorgeous prints and well-tended gardens surrounding a pool. While some of these elements were out Jen's grasp, one item was accessible: pea-gravel patio covering. With the addition of a do-it-yourself firepit, string lights, immaculately trimmed hedges, and Nantucket gray wicker furniture, Jen can have the gorgeous patio from her dreams.

Transforming your dull, neglected backyard into a lovely destination often requires some heavy lifting, or in this case, redesign. Stacy Risenmay from Not Just a Housewife decided that she needed the proper canvas for outdoor entertaining. Her old habit of setting out collapsible camp chairs on the grass would no longer cut it. With help from her family, Stacy spread out gravel and sand first as a base, then laid a broad range of stone pavers. A fantastic DIY wood planter and glowing string lights soften the home's brick siding and add to the crisp, clean look.

Home bloggers Jamin and Ashley Mills of The Handmade Home wanted to transform an ignored backyard with no attractions to a family-friendly place for relaxation with lighting and pops of color. When this married design team isn't busy helping clients or writing books, they design, remodel, and decorate their own home and backyard. In this example, a 10-foot by 10-foot concrete paver patio provides a solid, dry base for all of the fun outdoor furniture. A lovely wooden swing encourages conversation beside the DIY firepit.

No strangers to huge home projects, home bloggers Sherry and John at Young House Love wanted to keep this patio project simple. They eventually want to build the patio to end all patios, and this is their temporary and inexpensive option. They pulled out a splintery wooden backyard deck and added much-needed landscaping. Pea gravel, lights, and sturdy outdoor furniture complete this quick-to-build, cheap DIY patio.

Beth from Home Stories A to Z dreamed up this DIY patio by extending the feeling of a living room outdoors. Beth didn't want to spend a fortune, so she kept her purchases affordable by getting a damask outdoor rug skirted by bargain wicker-look outdoor furniture. Comfort was the priority, so she chose cushioned furniture plus matching pillows and a throw—the result: an affordable, stylish, and comfy do-it-yourself patio.

A focal point works brilliantly as a ridiculously easy design device for your outdoor patio. Sisters Ashley and Whitney from the popular design blog Shanty 2 Chic added a unique, six-tube glass flower vase and daffodils as a focal point to this patio's center table. It helps make the space sparkle with color, plus it offsets the rich brown wicker outdoor furniture.

A pergola is an ambitious build but well worth it. This pergola not only helps define the space for this DIY patio from Reality Daydream but provides opportunities for more design elements. Pergolas were originally intended to support vines. Any type of climbing plant can be trained up the columns and onto the roof. Or for a lively appearance, drape it with lights, Asian-inspired lanterns, hanging plants, or wind chimes. The decor possibilities seem endless with a pergola.

Brooke at the home blog Nesting With Grace was tasked with rehabbing a tiny backyard for friends. She began with a major focal point: a gas-powered fire pit similar to the type found at restaurants and hotels. Lined with fire-safe lava rocks, this portable fireplace can be used for roasting marshmallows or simply watching dancing flames on a cool fall night. To avoid cramping this small space, Brooke chose compact-sized outdoor furniture.

Transform a dark, dingy backyard into an open, clean place of stunning beauty. From the oversized concrete pavers to the horizontal slat fence painted black, this patio exudes modernity. With an outdoor sectional and lounge chairs that are worthy of indoor living, this patio from The Merry Thought design team of Manda and Caitlin invites relaxation and comfort. Relaxing and inspiring, you will never want to leave this patio.

Mallory and Savannah, the designers behind Classy Clutter, came up with the genius idea of turning these forgotten planters filled with dead, shedding plants into a new patio space. This is not just any kind of backyard patio, it is a two-tiered, elevated paved patio that evokes the feeling of a four-star hotel in Palm Springs. A dying, untended plant landscape was transformed into a living space with new pavers added to the tops of the planters, along with heavy-duty umbrellas and comfortable seating.