Spring is finally here and now is the time to start reimagining your outdoor space. If you haven’t updated your garden lately, it’s time to take a second look. There are many eye-catching garden accents and other decorative elements that can help you transform the appearance – and use – of your outdoor space in a matter of minutes.
Here are our favorite products and ideas to reinvigorate your yard.
Decorative screen panels
These sturdy, weather-resistant panels are a fantastic way to add an instant dash of design with no construction experience required. OutDeco panels are made from Weathertex, a sustainable product created from new growth reconstituted Australian hardwood. Available in multiple laser-cut designs, choose the OutDeco panel that matches your design aesthetic and attach to fences, pergolas, exposed walls, or build a free-standing screen. Enhance the look of your panels even more by installing outdoor-rated LED backlighting.
Horizontal fencing
Swap out your old dog-ear fence with a chic horizontal fence. Not only does the horizontal orientation make small outdoor spaces look larger, customizing the spacing between boards and staggering plank seams creates unique patterns.
Horizontal fencing shows off the natural striations in wood, so we recommend choosing lumber with an attractive natural pattern. Western red cedar or Redwood are beautiful, cost-effective choices. For higher budgets, hardwoods like Ipe or MANGARIS™ RED lumber look stunning in horizontal fencing applications.
Lighting everywhere
Installing lighting throughout your outdoor space can turn a dark backyard into an enchanting nighttime wonderland. If you’re still thinking that lighting requires installing a complex electrical grid in your backyard, think again. Outdoor lighting has come a long way.
Many of today’s lighting products are lightweight, easy to install, and can be controlled with an online app from your mobile device. Low voltage lighting systems like Dekor Lighting can be plugged into a standard outlet and are DIY friendly, as they do not require an electrician to install.
Colored lighting, deck lighting, carnival string lights, LED strip lights, path lights, lantern lights, and other creative lighting features can improve safety while creating a whole new mood for your outdoor space.
Build a bench
Convert a corner of your yard into a reading nook, stargazing spot, or meditation zone by simply adding a bench. Redwood benches are attractive, economical garden accents that are easy to build with only basic construction knowledge. Personalize your bench by painting it, staining it, or adding a few colorful throw pillows. If you’ve never built a bench before, the team at J&W Lumber can help you gather all the materials you’ll need.
A stylish pergola
Installing a pergola or gazebo is a great way to create an attention-grabbing focal point for your garden. Design and build your own from scratch using decorative pre-cut corbels and high-contrast Simpson Strong-tie black metal connector hardware. Or, put up your pergola in a few hours using the stylish, modern-looking LINX pergola system.
Take it a step further by constructing a redwood picnic table to place under your pergola and enjoy the beauty of the outdoors while you dine. Install colorful sunshades, hang a chandelier, or run climbing vines up your pergola to create an entirely new mood.
Ground-level deck
Turn an empty patch of your garden into an attractive, usable space for yoga, meditation, sunbathing, or social gatherings by building a ground-level deck. Even though all decks require some ventilation and space for water runoff, MOSO® Bamboo X-treme® Outdoor Decking requires the least amount of space between the deck and the ground.
Because they don’t necessitate the same weight-bearing understructures as elevated decks, low-platform decks are usually not subject to the same code regulations (though we always recommend checking your local code requirements before beginning any construction project.)
Add further enhancements by installing puck lighting, cable railing, Wild Hog wire fencing panels, or a cocktail rail around your deck’s perimeter.
Statement gate
With all the time you spend outdoors, your gate shouldn’t be an afterthought. Installing a new Clear Western Red Cedar gate adds design oomph in a practical application. We also offer one-step gate hardware frame kits that come with an easy-to-assemble metal frame to which you mount planks directly. Available at Southern California J&W Lumber retail stores, these eye-catching gates come in multiple styles and two adjustable sizes: small (2 feet to 4 feet) and large (4 feet to 7 feet).
Revive your outdoor space
Decorative garden accents and DIY improvements can quickly breathe new life into an underwhelming outdoor space. Browse your local J&W Lumber store and share your reference photos with our team of specialists. We’ll help you find the materials you’ll need and price out your project to fit your home improvement skill, comfort level, and budget.
Getting inspired to spruce up your outdoor space? Stop by our Southern California J&W Lumber locations for some fresh ideas.