Looking for ways to boost welcome in your backyard? Look no further! Here are 5 inexpensive ways to make your backyard more inviting!
Backyard Hospitality
Outdoor hospitality is awesome! The cooking becomes part of the experience, the cleanup is so much easier, nature provides most of the décor, and conversation just seems to flow. I love to host outside! We used to do this in a park before we bought our house but I LOVE having the option of outside hosting in our backyard which is one of our favorite parts of being homeowners!
Backyard hospitality is great because there is less prep work and the clean up is usually much easier than indoor hosting.
The truth is, you don’t need to spend thousands of dollars turning your backyard into an oasis if you don’t want to. The welcome your backyard has is related to you and how much you genuinely want people there – believe me, we can tell!
I want my backyard (and all my spaces) to communicate welcome silently with my guests before I even have a chance to say it out loud and, because you are here, I have a feeling you do too. That’s what these ideas are for…
Related: Small House? No Problem! Practicing Hospitality in Small Spaces
5 Ways to Make Your Backyard More Inviting
#1 DIY Seating
I was totally blown away this year when I walked into the hardware store and saw the wicker furniture
Photo Credit ana-white.com
The plans for these adorable chairs look so simple and the website literally walks you through every step! I am in LOVE!! And will probably be adding a few of these to my back porch this summer!
Photo Credit homemade-modern.com
These plans also look so simple and easy! What an awesome weekend project to add some serious welcome to your backyard! Now I’m trying to figure out how to fit all of these DIY furniture pieces on my back porch!
#2 Fire Pit
Photo Credit thegardenglove.com
We added a fire pit similar to this one and I LOVE it! Turns out that according to our city’s rules you actually have to be cooking on the fire in order to have a fire pit, which I didn’t realize until I had already purchased the materials.
BUT that actually doesn’t hinder us at all because our kids think cooking on our little pit is the best thing in the world!
And who doesn’t love s’mores? Hosting a s’mores night is a great (and inexpensive) way to show hospitality! Conversation just seems to flow better around a fire!
Even with our fire pit, I’m still loving these fire bowl ideas that The Garden Glove compiled! I think I may still make a few for our porch! What a fun, simple way to make s’mores! Perfect if your outdoor space is small or your city ordinances say you can’t have a fire pit!
#3 Yard Games
Who doesn’t love a good yard game?! While some people take them VERY seriously, most of us are not champions at cornhole
At our house, Kan-Jam 
Photo Credit lemonthistle.com
We have never built any DIY games before but I think we might have to start those projects soon! These are just too cool to pass up! Lemon Thistle put together a DIY list with instructions for 5 awesome yard games that would be perfect additions to any backyard!
Related: Beginner’s Guide to Neighborhood Hospitality
#4 Lighting
Photo Credit Amazon seller
I LOVE our new Edison string lights
They literally took us 5 minutes to hang (because we already had hooks up from some old lights) and they changed the whole porch. My husband wasn’t sure about it but the moment I plugged them in, he said he loved them!
#5 Garden
We planted our first garden last year and we have a LOT of learning to do!
The vision I have in my head is that it will be an open opportunity with our neighbors. Growing up, we had a neighbor whose brother grew an enormous garden. Each week he would share tons of fruit and veggies with our neighbor and when she had more than she could use she would stop by with a bunch to share with us. I really want to be that neighbor!
This just seems like such a great way to have an open door! And who would seriously turn you away if you showed up with fresh, organic, homegrown veggies from their garden?
Plus, we have already seen where our little garden turns into a conversation piece. When we have guests they automatically ask us about it. We learn helpful tips from the gardeners who come and share what we are attempting with those who don’t garden.
If you have no idea where to start, check out this great list of easy to grow veggies for beginners from Missy at Graceful Little Honey Bee!
Do you have other ideas for making your outdoor space more inviting? Backyard hospitality is such a great opportunity! Let me know in the comments below!
Hi, I'm Katie!
I help Christians get past their social struggles and feelings of isolation and loneliness by exploring all the skills we need to build community. I'm so glad you are here! Read more
Love how you included DIY options to help keep the costs down! We have a dug-in rock lined fire pit and it is so much fun to use. Great tips!
Oh awesome!! I have seen some examples of those and I LOVE them! Such a fun way to welcome others!
Seating is something we need to work on and I would love to have some yard games for everyone to enjoy. We have the fire pit and love using it.
Sounds like you are in a similar situation! Love these seating and yard game ideas!
Love all of these ideas!!! We need to add a garden, that’s the one thing we are def lacking! I love having string lights and a fire pit though! It really does make the yard a lot more inviting!
We are new to the gardening idea but loving it so far!! I still think its amazing how much lighting does to change a space!
I’ve been wanting a firepit in my backyard for years! Maybe this summer will be the year I make it happen!
Last year was the year for me! I love it! But the fire bowls are a nice quick way to make it happen in the short term 😉
These are really great suggestions! We just bought a condo with an awful backyard but with some lighting it really made it a lot more inviting! Garden and seating is next!
We just bought a condo with an awful backyard but with some lighting it really made it more inviting! Next is some plants and seating- great suggestions!!
I was so surprised how much a difference lighting makes!!!!! Glad you found the same thing!
I so love the string lights but can’t figure out where to put them at my house! A fire pit is on the top of my list too! Happy gardening!
You will love the fire pit!! And the lights if you find a good spot 🙂
I love every single thing you chose! Thanks for sharing the how-to’s. I have some pallets that would make great chairs!
oh how cool!!! I have been saving pallet projects for a long time without making any! I need to start because they are all so cool!
A firepit is definitely going to be my first backyard plan! Love all of these ideas.
Seriously they are so fun! And add so many hospitality opportunities! I can’t wait to hear about hospitality around the fire pit when you are in your new home! <3
These are soo great! Backyard jenga is what we need over here!
Isn’t that the coolest?! I definitely need to build that!
I just moved into a condo, but can’t wait to get a house so I can do alll of these things! I think lights are a huge part of it, I hate being in someone’s backyard and its just dark once the sun goes down.
Yes!! Lights add a ton of ambiance too! Condo living has its benefits too!! I loved our apartment and the opportunities that allowed.
I love these ideas! A fire pit and great lighting is a must have for our backyard. I love having somewhere cozy to unwind every night.
YES!! So nice for us and for our guests!! Glad you feel the same way 😉
beautiful! we definitely need help! Pinned!
Thanks friend! I’m sure your space is super welcoming! <3
Kan-Jam sounds fun! I added it to the family wish-list 😀
It’s the best! You will love it!