For backyard party decor that earns its spot, my favorite outdoor trick is right on this list: frozen water balloons that keep the drinks cold all afternoon. I’ve made them to match baby showers and Frozen birthday parties, and in my daughter’s school colors for her graduation party. The rest of these 36 ideas are built for the yard, the patio and the deck. You’ll find string light posts and a hula hoop chandelier, tin can lanterns and a citronella candle for the bugs, plus a bookshelf tiki bar, a backyard movie screen and a no-sew outdoor tablecloth. Hosting indoors instead? Our DIY party decorations have you covered. Here’s to long summer nights outside!
1. Pretty Painted Pineapples
Painted pineapples are the easiest tropical centerpiece around, and they’re done in about 10 minutes each. Lay down a tarp or kraft paper, then hold the fruit by its body and coat the leafy crown with acrylic craft paint using a foam brush. Get a good base coat on first, then switch to small paint brushes to work paint into the nooks between the leaves. Thick craft paint barely drips. Let them dry overnight and line a table with pastel tops for a luau or summer birthday.
Get the full tutorial at Everyday Pursuits.
2. DIY Pom Pom Tassel Garland
A pom pom tassel garland is a cheerful go to that works for birthdays, baby showers, spring parties and even everyday decor in a kids’ room. String puffy craft pom poms, wooden beads and yarn tassels in bright colors along a length of string, mixing sizes as you go. Make your own yarn tassels, or buy ready made craft tassels to make it even simpler. Swag a few strands across a fence or a dessert table for an instant party backdrop.
Get the full tutorial at Alice and Lois.
3. DIY Piñata Balloons
Piñata balloons get the fringed look of a piñata in a fraction of the time. Cut crepe paper streamers long enough to wrap the middle of a 12 inch balloon and fringe one edge about halfway up. Inflate the balloons, then tape a strip just below the midpoint with double sided tape and layer two more on top. Helium balloons start sagging after 6 to 8 hours, so assemble them close to party time. Air filled balloons on sticks last for days.
Get the full tutorial at Design Improvised.
4. DIY Decorated Fence
A bare wood fence becomes a garden of giant flowers with nothing but dollar store dishes. Pick out colorful plastic cups, bowls, plates and platters, then stack and glue them together into big layered blooms. A heavy duty, UV resistant marine adhesive holds up best outside. Run lengths of green garden hose down the fence for stems, then mount the flowers on top. It’s a cheerful backdrop for a summer party and stays up long after.
Get the full tutorial at DIY JOY.
5. DIY Cocktail Straw Flowers
Cocktail straw flowers are quick, colorful and never need watering. Cut the bendy part off about six straws and cut the straight parts in half for 12 pieces. Thread a needle and sew through the center of each piece, stacking them as you go, then pull the thread tight so the ends fan into a circle. Wrap and knot the thread to lock it. Trim the petal tips at an angle, glue on a green straw stem and top the center with glitter foam.
Get the full tutorial at DIY JOY.
6. DIY 4th of July Banner With Toilet Paper Rolls
This Fourth of July banner is made from empty toilet paper rolls and a little paint. Soak eight rolls in water for a few minutes until the pieces separate, fold each piece in half into a pennant and let them dry. Paint seven red and seven blue, then trace the letters for HAPPY 4TH OF JULY and color them in with acrylic markers. Glue two halves of an unpainted pennant into a rectangle, paint it white and draw on a flag. String everything on white ribbon.
Get the full tutorial at DIY JOY.
7. DIY Balloon Garland
Balloon garlands look complicated, but this one comes together in about 20 minutes. Thread a sewing needle with fishing line, knot it and push it through the balloon tie offs, alternating colors and sizes. Arrange balloons pointing up, down and out, and tack them in position with a low temp glue gun, since a regular one pops balloons. Fill gaps with small balloons or mini honeycombs. Blow them up by mouth or pump, not helium, and the garland can last over a week.
Get the full tutorial at Pretty Providence.
8. Vintage Inspired Painted Mason Jars
Painted mason jars with a worn, vintage look are one of the simplest vase projects there is. Make sure the jars are clean, then brush on two coats of acrylic craft paint, letting it dry between coats. Rub a nail file over the raised letters and a few edges so the glass peeks through. Finish with one or two coats of sealer. Sealed jars wipe clean with a damp cloth but shouldn’t be soaked. Pint jars are a nice size, but any jar works.
Get the full tutorial at Live Laugh Rowe.
9. Tutti Frutti Cocktail Umbrella
These fruity paper cocktail umbrellas turn any drink into a party. Cut a circle of thin colored paper about 16 cm, roughly 6 inches, across and fold it in half eight different ways, then push the small triangles alternately in and out to form the umbrella shape. Add a smaller decorated circle on top, like a red one dotted with black stickers for watermelon seeds. Pierce both with a pin, slide a cotton ball onto a skewer, add the canopy and top it with a fuse bead.
Get the full tutorial at We Like Mondays.
10. Tropical Leaf Paper Garland
A tropical leaf paper garland sets the scene for a summer barbecue or luau. Cut monstera and palm leaves from text weight paper in shades of teal and green, plus small white blooms from metallic paper, using the free style leaf and flower templates or a cutting machine. String the cutouts into a garland, about 4 feet long as shown, or scatter loose leaves and flowers down the table. Swap in coral and yellow papers for a brighter look.
Get the full tutorial at Lia Griffith.
11. Frozen Water Balloon Ice
This is my favorite backyard party hack, and I make it a lot. Fill balloons with water straight from the faucet, leaving plenty of room so they don’t spray when you pull them off, tie them and freeze them overnight. They freeze solid, so they last much longer than loose ice, and a rainbow of them in a tub of drinks looks like decor. Match the colors to your theme. Once the party winds down, let them thaw completely before the water balloon fight starts (trust me on that one).
Get the full tutorial at DIY JOY.
12. Pressed Flower Mason Jar Lights
Got a few empty mason jars? Our pressed flower jar lights give them a second life. Pressed flowers and leaves are arranged on the glass, then fairy lights go inside, and when they switch on, the flowers glow. They are so relaxing to make that it’s easy to lose an afternoon designing jar after jar. Line a few along the patio table or the porch steps as the sun goes down and they glow like little lanterns. They make sweet hostess gifts too.
Get the full tutorial at DIY JOY.
13. Fairy Jar Lanterns
Our fairy jar lanterns are pure garden party magic. Paint the inside of a jar with white acrylic or primer, then add fake moss (or crumpled tissue) to the bottom. A fairy silhouette, printed and cut from cardstock, gets glued against the glass along with a few leaves. A tea light or fairy lights inside throw the shadow outward, and twine around the neck finishes it. Set a few on the grass or along a fence and they glow like tiny fairy houses after dark.
Get the full tutorial at DIY JOY.
14. Chicken Wire Suncatcher
Our chicken wire suncatcher is part decor, part wind chime. A piece of chicken wire is set into an embroidery hoop, then glass tulip and leaf beads hang from it on eye pins and jump rings. When the sun hits the beads, color scatters everywhere, and a breeze makes them clink softly. Glass beads matter here, since plastic won’t throw light the same way. Hang one from a tree branch or patio beam over the party and it’ll catch everyone’s eye before you even say hello.
Get the full tutorial at DIY JOY.
15. Felt Fruit Coasters
Sweating glasses on the patio table? Our no-sew felt fruit coasters fix that and look adorable doing it. Felt sheets get cut into layered circles and shapes, then hot glued together: a lemon with five little segments, a watermelon with ten teardrop seeds, plus apple and grapefruit slices. A full set takes under an hour with no needle or thread. Make a fruit salad mix for a summer cookout, and send them home with guests as party favors. Kids can help (just supervise the scissors).
Get the full tutorial at DIY JOY.
16. Beaded Hanging Jar Lanterns
Our beaded lantern is two projects in one. Four 5-foot lengths of fishing line fold through a small wooden ring, then 8mm and 14mm glass beads get strung on until the strands form a cradle. Knot the eight strands at the bottom and drop in a jar with a battery candle, or a small potted plant on a regular day. Hung from a tree in the yard, the beads catch the sun all afternoon and the candle takes over at night. It’s a great hostess gift.
Get the full tutorial at DIY JOY.
17. String Light Planter Posts
Want string lights over the patio but have nowhere to hang them? These wooden planters have a pole built right in. Each 16-inch box is framed from 2x3s with pocket screws and covered in 1×4 slats, with a 2×2 pole braced inside and an eye hook at the top for the lights. The frame sits about an inch off the ground on little feet to keep moisture away. Plant summer flowers in the bottom, string the lights between them and the yard feels like an outdoor room.
Get the full tutorial at At Charlotte's House.
18. Punched Tin Can Lanterns
An empty can from the recycling bin can become one of the prettiest lights at your party. These punched tin can lanterns get a moon and stars, a sunburst or a simple dotted design, a coat of multi-surface paint and fairy lights inside. Once it’s dark, every little hole throws a dot of light onto the table, the wall and the ground around it. The tutorial includes a free printable sun template. Make a set for the patio and you’ll want a few for the porch steps.
Get the full tutorial at One Little Project.
19. Outdoor Beverage Station
Keep guests out of your kitchen with a drink station that lives on the patio. This little stand is built from a 2×4 sheet of sanded plywood and three 1×2 boards with a brad nailer. A 10-inch hole cut in the top holds a 10-quart galvanized pail for ice and bottles, and two shelves underneath hold cups, napkins and extra drinks. The hole gets traced with a pencil tied to a string on a center nail, an easy trick for any circle. Paint or stain it to match your deck.
Get the full tutorial at Artsy Chicks Rule.
20. Citronella Planter Candle
Bugs ruin more backyard parties than rain does. This citronella candle is poured into a modern ribbed ceramic planter, so it looks like decor instead of a bug candle. Soy wax flakes, citronella oil and a candle-making kit with a thermometer do the job, with three wicks set in a triangle for even burning. A big planter needs several rounds of melting and pouring, about every 30 minutes over an afternoon, so plan for that. Set it on the outdoor coffee table and enjoy the evening.
Get the full tutorial at Centsational Style.
21. Outdoor Patio Bar Top
Need a serving spot for drinks and snacks on a covered patio? This outdoor bar top is a long weatherproofed wood top built to sit across two metal storage lockers, with a gap between them for storage (here, a folding lawn mower). It’s made from 1×6 supports, 1×2 trim that keeps the top from sliding and two 4-foot by 20-inch tabletop pieces, then stained and finished. A tension rod and cafe curtain hide the gap. It goes together in a weekend.
Get the full tutorial at Delineate Your Dwelling.
22. No-Sew Outdoor Tablecloth
Outdoor fabric makes the best party tablecloth because it shrugs off spills and won’t fade in the sun. This no-sew version uses about 2 meters of outdoor fabric and hemming tape, with an iron to fuse the edges. Line the tape about half an inch from the edge, fold it over and iron slowly in small sections, then fold once more for a clean hem. Start on medium heat so the fabric doesn’t melt, and turn it up only if the tape won’t fuse. It works as a picnic blanket too.
Get the full tutorial at A Pretty Life in the Suburbs.
23. Backyard Movie Screen
Movie night is the easiest backyard party there is, and the screen costs next to nothing. This one is a white shower curtain liner trimmed to size, with four eyelets set in the corners and small bungee cords stretched to the porch posts. The same tutorial turns a wooden coffee table into a s’mores table: drill a hole in the center, drop in a fire bowl and connect a 1-gallon propane tank underneath. Add blankets, string lights and popcorn and you’re set.
Get the full tutorial at Bless'er House.
24. DIY Shade Sail
No shade, no party, at least in July. A shade sail covers more of a deck than an umbrella for about the same money, and it doesn’t eat floor space with a heavy base. This tutorial walks through choosing a shape (triangle, square or rectangle), size and color, then mounting it to wood or steel posts with turnbuckles and carabiners. A right-angle triangle can shade the far half of a deck while leaving the house windows in the sun. Add string lights along the edges for evening parties.
Get the full tutorial at Craftivity Designs.
25. Hanging Garden Chandelier
Planning a garden party? This hanging chandelier starts with a grapevine wreath and three long strands of ribbon or twine tied evenly around it and knotted together a foot or two above. Faux flowers and greens get tucked into the vine (a dab of hot glue keeps them put), and battery tea lights sit on top. Hang it from a tree branch over the table and the whole yard feels like a wedding. If it rains, it moves indoors over the dining table.
Get the full tutorial at The Design Twins.
26. Tall Porch Welcome Sign
Want guests to know where the party is? A tall porch welcome sign points the way. This tutorial cuts the lettering from vinyl on a Cricut, applies it to a long board painted with water-based paint and seals it with a water-based sealer so it lasts outdoors. The “oh hello” design is a crowd favorite, but you can spell anything, from your family name to a party theme. Lean it by the front door or the gate and swap the wording for each season.
Get the full tutorial at The Country Chic Cottage.
27. Hula Hoop Outdoor Chandelier
A hula hoop and a strand of cafe lights make a chandelier for your patio. Spray paint a 30-inch hoop matte gold, then work around it with a 48-foot strand of vintage-style LED cafe lights, about 28 white zip ties holding each bulb in place. Wire and a hook hang it from the porch ceiling or a pergola. Place each light exactly before you tighten the tie, because sliding it later scrapes the paint. The Edison-style bulbs give off a soft amber glow.
Get the full tutorial at Moms and Crafters.
28. Patriotic Yard Pinwheels
Pinwheels spinning across the lawn are about the cheeriest Fourth of July decor there is. These use free printable red, white and blue templates (or a blank one for your own paper), a glue stick, a pushpin and a chopstick, dowel or skewer. Bring each corner to the center, push the pin through and let them dry in a corkboard for about an hour before attaching the stick. Line the driveway, fill the flower pots or hand them out as party favors.
Get the full tutorial at Crafts by Amanda.
29. Fire Pit String Light Posts
Skinny posts warp and snap, which is why these string light posts are 4x4s. Each cedar or pressure-treated pine post is set in a 2-gallon bucket of fast-setting concrete (about 25 pounds each), and the bucket hides inside a bigger planter topped with soil and flowers. Screw hooks at the top hold the string lights. Four of them around the fire pit turn a patch of lawn into a party spot, and they’d work just as well around a patio or deck.
Get the full tutorial at The Navage Patch.
30. Upcycled Solar Lanterns
Thrift store lanterns make great solar lights for the patio. Old candle lanterns (even a broken wall lantern) get a wood base cut to fit, with a hole drilled for a solar light stake, and the tops are painted inside with reflective chrome paint to bounce the glow. No wiring, no flame and nothing added to the electric bill. One honest note from the tutorial: lanterns with open tops get more sun and stay lit longer. Group a few by the steps.
Get the full tutorial at Stow and Tell U.
31. Terracotta Candle Centerpiece
Want a centerpiece that lasts all summer? This one goes together in about 15 minutes. Put a few rocks over the drain hole of a terracotta bowl, add potting soil and plant flowers around the edge, leaving an open space in the middle. Nestle a glass candle holder into the soil there. Pick flowers that suit your sun and shade. By day it’s a planter, and once the candle is lit it’s a glowing centerpiece for the outdoor table. Make one for every table!
Get the full tutorial at Skip to My Lou.
32. Tassel String Lights
Plain globe string lights get extra whimsy with a few paper tassels. Crepe paper rectangles (8 by 6.5 inches) are folded, fringed on the open side and twisted into tassels with a loop at the top, then secured with washi tape. A quick dip in pink dye, one batch darker and one lighter, gives them a soft ombre. Clip them along the strand and drape it across a pergola or patio for the party. Protect your work surface before the dyeing starts!
Get the full tutorial at Persia Lou.
33. Bookshelf Tiki Bar
Planning a luau? This tiki bar starts with a plain 3-tier bookshelf turned backward. A 1-inch spade bit drills a hole in each top corner for bamboo poles (shorter in front), with a bamboo crossbar secured with hot glue and twine. The roof is foam board covered in raffia skirts, and reed fencing stapled across the front finishes the hut. Paper hibiscus, monstera leaves and a tiki sign add the fun. The shelves behind hold cups and drinks.
Get the full tutorial at Damask Love.
34. Outdoor S’mores Bar
Got a fire pit? Then you’ve got the start of a s’mores bar. This setup puts graham crackers, marshmallows and chocolate in labeled glass jars on a galvanized tray, with skewers in a metal container and lanterns for later. The cheerful pennant banner overhead took an hour: three triangles cut from each sheet of 8.5×11 paper, hot glued to grosgrain ribbon. The jar labels are cut from vinyl on a Cricut. Set it up by the fire and the guests take it from there.
Get the full tutorial at At Charlotte’s House.
35. Backyard Party Guest Station
Tired of running inside for sunscreen, towels and Band-Aids every five minutes? A backyard party guest station hands that job to your guests. Two deck boxes pushed together make an outdoor sideboard, with rolled towels, sunscreen, bug spray and first aid tucked inside. Style the top like a buffet with a tray, a lantern for evening parties and a potted plant, and add a little “Help Yourself” sign. Lockable doors keep it all dry and tidy, and you finally get to sit down.
Get the full tutorial at Bless’er House.
36. Deck Rail Tiki Torches
Mosquitoes love summer parties as much as you do. These deck rail tiki torches go up in minutes with universal deck clamps, so there’s no drilling and no holes in the rail. Measure the rail thickness before ordering the clamps, slide each clamp on, tighten the big screw (pliers help), then slip in the torch and tighten the small screw. Mount them on the outside of the rail to keep flames out of reach and save floor space, and fill them with citronella fuel.
Get the full tutorial at Craftivity Designs.
