While warm weather encourages backyard relaxing, attractive outdoor décor makes it a must. Check out the following ideas to spruce up your backyard.

Enliven with light

“Incorporating fun lighting fixtures can really transform your backyard,” says Blake Ramsey, assistant editor for holiday and crafts magazine, Martha Stewart Living .Ramsey says to start simple by covering a string of small white lights with clean, dry light-colored seashells. First tape a 2-foot section of lights to your work surface with the bulbs lying flat. Then apply a thin layer of epoxy along the hinge edge of a shell, and press it into place at the base of a light. Now you’re ready to hang the lights on your porch, around a table, or even along greenery. “The illuminated shells create a unique and lively summer atmosphere,” Ramsey says.

To brighten tables, buffets and bars, Ramsey suggests gathering clear, apothecary bottles and filling them with lamp oil and wicks. For protection, arrange them under a large hurricane. “And for a beautiful finishing touch, place the arrangement on a glass cake stand,” she adds.

Refurbish your furniture

When your furniture becomes a bore, but you don’t want to splurge on a new set, Kenneth Walter, owner of Gray & Walter, Ltd., an interior design firm in Chicago, says to seek out estate and yard sales. “Someone’s outdoor set might not be their dream anymore, but with a little work or a few new cushions, it could be yours,” he says. Ramsey adds that outdoor fabrics have come a long way with durability, comfort, design and color options.

To incorporate furniture that can easily move near a fire pit, game or other activity in the yard, Ramsey suggests getting creative with bar stools. Take a basic wood bar stool and add durable rock-climbing or nylon rope to create a coiled cushion. After lightly sanding the stool top, use a caulking gun to gingerly apply construction adhesive to the stool’s center. Roll a 3-inch spiral of rope to start, and glue it down by holding it for a few seconds until secure. “Continue gluing and spiraling as you go, until the top and sides of the seat are covered,” says Ramsey. Snip off the end, singe and sand it, and glue it under the seat. “This gives the chairs a sophisticated look, yet the rope is water- and stain-resistant so it’s practical for outdoors,” she adds.

Fancy-up your fence

As practical as your fence might be, it doesn’t have to be an eyesoar. “Place a trellis in front of your fence and grow some climbing vines, such as roses or clematis to help hide the long expanses of wood,” Walter says. If a trellis isn’t your style, he recommends hanging half-moon containers made of terracotta with planted vines or flowers to add more life and color. For chain link fences, Walter says to plant lilac bushes that will grow and fill up quickly. Whichever kind of fence you have, Ramsey says to experiment with garland and decorative pom-poms. “You can easily change these up depending on the season and your mood,” she says. Now that you’re ready to wow the neighbors with your reinvented backyard, be prepared for them to want in on the fun!