Thursday is the Fourth of July and you may be hosting a barbecue or party in your backyard.
Taniya Nayak, an interior designer from HGTV and Food Networks’ “Restaurant Impossible,” appeared on “Good Morning America” today to present five easy, do-it-yourself tips to transform your outdoor space and impress your guests.
Here are six extra backyard beautification tips from Nayak:
1. Chalkboard contact paper – just peel, stick and write.
This paper does double duty for both adults and the kids.
Keep the kids entertained as they can draw and doodle during an outdoor barbecue.
During the evening, label pitchers of your favorite sangria and cocktails, meats and cheeses right on the chalkboard paper and place the items right next to its names. This is the perfect treatment for a wine tasting party as well.
Best part? The easy clean up. Toss it in the trash when the party is over.
2. Slate tile chargers
When it comes to outdoor entertainment and decor, nothing beats affordable elegance like using stuff from around the house. If you have extra tiles in the garage from a recent home project, use them as chargers and trivets for your outdoor party.
I like to make things personal by stenciling a monogrammed initial with a quick spritz of spray paint to add a little fun and a pop of color.
Best part? If you don’t have tiles lying around the house, they are super affordable at your local hardware store.
3. Ladle sconce
Adding ambiance outdoors can be challenging. Make a tea light sconce by using a tray and a ladle. Simply attach the ladle using a hook or a screw. Bend the cupped portion so that it is at about a 90-degree angle to steadily hold a tea light.
Best part? It’s quirky, it’s cute and it’s free if you have these everyday household items lying around.
4. Modernized solar torches
As the day turns to dusk, outdoor lighting gets tricky. Using decking posts and solar panel garden lights, you can create a gorgeous sculpture that will shine bright throughout the night.
Best part? No need for hard-to-find outlets. These torches charge up from the sun during the day to give you light at night.
5. Twine ketchup bottle bud vase
I love the look of organic elements like twine – perfect for outdoors. I am also a big fan of recycling. Use your empty ketchup and mustard jars to create adorable bud vases for the table. Just hot glue the twine around the bottles from the base to the top. Add water and fresh picked flowers from the garden to liven up your outdoor tabletop.
Best part? It’s a great way to give new life to your trash.
6. Posh picnic table
Just because you have a party outdoors does not mean it has to be less elegant than your indoor entertaining. Spruce up your old inexpensive wooden picnic table by giving it a quick coat of paint. Then, using a shower curtain in your fave fabric and some upholstery foam, upholster the benches with a staple gun directly to the wooden seat.
Top it off with your favorite dining accessories and tabletop decor from inside the home to give your guests a night they won’t forget.
Best part? You don’t have to buy specific items for both your outdoor and your indoor entertaining. That means less money spent, and less storage needed.
FROM: ABC News
