Whether you’re looking to add value to your property or are simply wanting to make your rental garden feel more like home, there are ways to upgrade your outdoor spaces without requiring a substantial investment.
From DIY upcycling projects to easy landscaping tips, our top patio ideas on a budget are an effective way to give your garden a simple refresh without breaking the bank. So, with the sunnier weather gradually beginning to emerge, why not make the most of the warmer weekends and give your garden a spruce up before summer hits?
Free samples available on all garden paving tiles, including Kandla Grey Porcelain
Enhance your outdoor lighting
Outdoor lighting is a fantastic, impactful addition for any patio space that is low cost, low effort, and high reward. And with many ways to incorporate outdoor lighting into your patio space, you can strike the right balance between ambience versus functionality for your individual needs.
Floor lanterns or stake lamps dispersed along a path or throughout a planting bed will create pockets of warm glowing light, ideal for highlighting safe walkways. And be sure to opt for solar-powered lights to save on the expense of batteries or other power supplies.
Build up additional atmospheric lighting by incorporating string lights between fence posts or pergola structures, or even wrapped around a tree for a hint of twinkling ambience during the evenings.
Ashton Grey Porcelain Paving - order your free sample now!
Add an outdoor mirror
Maximising garden space is an important consideration when looking at small patio ideas on a budget. Ask any interior designer - adding a sizeable mirror is an instant way to make any space appear bigger and brighter, and the same goes for gardens too!
Keep it budget friendly by upcycling an old window frame, and using weather-proof adhesive to secure a sheet of mirrored material behind the frame. Place garden lighting nearby to keep light bouncing around the space, even after dark.
Our grey porcelain paving slabs are ideal to make a small space feel brighter and lighter
Get painting
For a simple, low-cost garden idea with instant impact, adding a splash of colour is a guaranteed way to completely transform your garden, whether your style is bold and vibrant or rich and moody.
Going for darker colours such as black or muted navy shades on wooden fencing provides a dramatic contrast against the lighter greens of planting, while also being better at hiding dirt or staining than a lighter colour. Black stained fencing is a popular garden trend that is set to stay, providing a chic focal point that stylish furniture and vibrant planting really stands out against.
Left: Ceppo Natural Porcelain, Right: Rock Slate Grigio Porcelain
Upcycle your furniture
For those looking for more of a sizeable project, upcycling or even DIY-ing your own furniture is a budget-friendly way to refresh your garden. You can use paints, wood-stains, waterproof upholstery, or even decorative tiles to get creative with.
Minimise your environmental impact by finding some second-hand wooden furniture on local marketplaces to customise, or look for recyclable materials like reclaimed timber, wooden pallets, or concrete bricks to build your own.
To keep your updated furniture looking fresh, be sure to properly prepare any surfaces and use materials designed for outdoor use. Make sure all surfaces are clean and dry before stripping off any old paint, then sand down and wipe clean before applying new paint. Outdoor paints and adhesives are specifically designed to withstand the elements, meaning your hard work won’t go to waste after a wet spell.
Go further than a lick of paint with a DIY tiled table, a satisfying project that is taking social media by storm. With a bit of creativity and some basic tools, you can breathe new life into your outdoor furniture while staying within budget, by repurposing an old garden table. Stylish, patterned tiles work brilliantly here, adding a personalised touch to your garden, while also providing a durable and easy-to-clean surface for outdoor dining and entertaining.
We love this DIY tiled table top by Seeking Lavendar Lane, who uses classic patterned tiles to create an eye-catching piece
Discover the joys of gardening
We couldn’t list out our favourite garden patio ideas on a budget without touching upon the best low-cost planting options, providing your garden with a pop of cheerful colour, and giving an instant visual lift to a tired looking patio space.
When it comes to creating a garden on a smaller budget, it’s all about patience. For a significantly lower cost, buy smaller trees or flowers that are yet to bloom, or even better, grow seeds from scratch if you can spare the waiting time!
An easy and cost-effective gardening tip is to fill your borders with evergreen shrubs or colourful perennials which will look great each year. Perennials are species of flowers that come back into bloom year after year, such as Peonies, Hydrangeas and Lavendar, meaning you'll save money in the long run without the need to replant.
How to improve an existing patio
Of course, if you already have a patio in your garden, giving your current paving slabs some TLC is the easiest way of making your garden look instantly better on a budget.
1. Begin by tidying away any clutter, garden tools or old potted plants that are lying about. If you don’t have a garden shed to tidy equipment away in, dedicate a corner of your garden to exterior shelving, wall hooks, or even repurpose some pieces by storing items away in hollow seating benches or a disused shoe rack.
2. Then give your patio a proper clean, removing any weeds, moss, or dried leaves. Be sure to read our guides on how to clean natural stone paving or cleaning porcelain paving.
3. Refresh your garden style by rearranging seating areas, planting new flowers and introducing pops of personality through accessories. Adding colourful outdoor cushions or updating your furniture are great ways of giving a patio new focus, while adding an outdoor rug under your seating area helps to zone your space.
How to create a patio on a budget
Paving slabs are a must have for any garden patio, however when it comes to installing a patio on a budget, some options can be more costly than others.
Porcelain paving slabs are one of the cheapest patio materials, especially when considering the split cost over time. They’re incredibly durable and low maintenance meaning, when installed and maintained correctly, they will last for years with minimal upkeep costs.
Crushed rock and gravel are a less-expensive landscaping material to use within a garden. A cheaper way of using traditional paving slabs involves interspersing your slab tiles with areas of gravel or grass, to create more of a staggered tile look that reduces the total material needed.
Left: Luxor Silver Porcelain, Right: Noho Silver Victorian Decor Porcelain
So, whether you’re after a quick spruce-up, or wanting to take on more of a project, follow our patio garden ideas on a budget to inspire your garden upgrade this year. Explore our inspiration and advice page to find practical paving guides like how to install porcelain paving or our expert insight on modern garden paving ideas.
Here at Stone Superstore, we’re proud to offer an extensive range of garden paving options to help create your dream patio on a budget. For further information or specific tiling advice, get in touch with our team today.
