My Backyard Living Room

We used to have a dining set out here, this year we switched things up and created an outdoor living room. We are loving it.

No walls to hold me back - I brought on some serious color and patterns. I am attracted to crewel work, ethnic prints and neon colors - they are all at work in this setup.

I picked up a 4 piece iron patio set at a rummage sale for $100.00. I left the chippy paint finish - but I had to come up with the cushions.

I had new canvas cushions made for the sofa and pulled together some colorful options for the chairs. The seat cushion is from World Market ($35.00) and the homemade pillow is made from a vintage towel.

I like to create living walls in my garden - our deck has no railing, instead it is surrounded by boxwood and limelight hydrangeas.

Marigolds in a tin tray make an inexpensive and cheerful centerpiece for my table.

A mixture of thrift store and World Market pillows give me that bright, bohemian look I am drawn to.

An old ladder now serves as a plant stand.

Fish tank gravel in neon pink acts as a decorative mulch for my potted plants.

Fish tank gravel is cheap and comes in great colors - I got mine at PetCo.

A table holds old pots and plants.

Instead of cut flowers, a marigold plant is tucked into a thrift store vessel to create a decorative touch for a recent party.

I'm always thinking of interesting ways to elevate plants - it is important to create height in the garden. This plant stand was once a lamp base. I took out the electrical parts and now use it as a perch for plants.

An architectural remnant hangs on my fence.

Every living room needs a fireplace. A little bit of surrealism is alway fun - I created a fake fireplace in one of my garden beds.

Pick up a set of andirons at a thrift store, throw down some gravel, add some logs and it's done.

Garage sale finds create another seating area on the lawn.

Use what you have to furnish your garden room - flip over a basket to create a small table.

Make the most out of your outdoor space - it doesn't have to be a huge financial drain. Take the time to check out thrift stores, rummage sales and mix what you find with great deals from places like IKEA, Target and World Market.