5 Thrifty Outdoor Dining Room Ideas

Spring has sprung! We can't wait for grilling, fire pits, and playing our favorite backyard games! Is your backyard ready dining al fresco? See how creative design and clever repurposing can transform a sliver of the outdoors into a comfortable-and affordable-area for open-air entertaining. -Heather Smith Macisaac

See more outdoor dining room ideas at thisoldhouse.com


1. Perk Up a Picnic: Easy Canopy

Drape fabric between four poles sunk in the ground for a DIY sunshade. Use tent pins to anchor lines that run from the pole tops to the lawn.

See how to get this look here!


2. Carve Out a Courtyard: Flagstone Floor

Convert an unused portion of driveway into an inviting patio. Here, stone pavers with living green "mortar" replace a concrete parking pad.

See how to get this look here!


3. Add Drama to a Simple Deck: Curtained Alcove

Set the stage for dinner with a sunshade valance and fabric panels that frame a candle wall grid like a window.

See how to get this look here!


4. Build a Backyard Retreat: Airy Gazebo

Create an instant "room" with a garden structure. This filigreed wrought-iron gazebo defines the dining space without blocking the sunset, the stars, or the breeze.

See how to get this look here!


5. Personalize the Porch: Nature-Inspired Hues

Pull colors from the landscape to give an open-air ambiance to an enclosed space. A leafy green paint extends the lush feeling to all sides of this screened-in porch.

See how to get this look here!


Find more thrifty outdoor dining inspiration at thisoldhouse.com


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