As long as you spend your money wisely, it doesn’t need to cost a fortune to give your garden a makeover. We asked affordable design experts, Topology for four budget friendly hacks hacks, projects and upcycling ideas to transform your outdoor space for under £250. Here’s what they’d do and how you can recreate it too

If we were to hand you £250 to re-do your garden or outdoor space, you may not think it could do much. But that’s where we can help! With a little bit of creative thinking and snooping around on Pinterest, you’ll soon come across heaps of ideas to give your garden a glow-up without it costing a fortune.

So, read on or head over to our Pinterest board, to see what you can achieve on this £250 budget*

Add a bistro table or picnic bench - around £100

Outdoor seating is obviously essential for hosting friends and loved ones, but on a budget, it can be tricky. You need to think about ways you can do this resourcefully. If you’ve got a small space and only ever host a limited number of people, a foldable metal bistro table is ideal. They can be found brand new online for around £50 - £100, or even cheaper if you buy second-hand. However if you have a little more space to play with or want to host 4 people, try a picnic bench. These little gems can be found for around £100-£150 and are great for hosting an outdoor luncheon. You might even be able to pick one up for free if somewhere local is renovating or closing down.

Outdoor ambient lighting - £20 - £50

If you’re planning on hosting guests into the evenings, you’ll need to consider your lighting. Why not try paper lanterns hung from your space's trees? These can be picked up for just a few quid and there are some great solar-powered ones available too. Alternatively, festoon lights are a staple with Topology interiors when it comes to outdoor decorating. These can be found online for around £25-50 depending on the quality. You’ll also need some form of adaptor or outdoor plug socket to make these work. For the best effect, buy a couple of sets and connect them together in order to really pack a punch.

DIY Pizza oven - £150

Now this is one of our favourite ideas! As indoor dinner parties aren’t allowed just at the moment, why not get your DIY thinking hat on and see if you can create a homemade pizza oven using some bricks? Sounds complicated but with a helper to plan it out and a few YouTube tutorials you can make your own authentic pizzas.

Bringing the indoors… out - £10 - £100

Making a homely outdoor space is all about creating a cosy lounge area to relax in so you can enjoy in the sunshine. The best way to do this is by “bringing the indoors out” - this means using homeware we’d typically associate with our indoor spaces, like rugs, cushions, mirrors, and bringing them outdoors. Outdoor rugs are a great way to zone a space and create a focal point in your lounge area. They can be found for around £50 upwards - right on track to stick to your £250 budget. Additionally, outdoor mirrors can be bought or DIY’d in a number of ways - mirrors are a great way to add extra light into a space (ideal for north-facing gardens which get less sun).

So there you have it – four simple, creative and affordable ways to revamp your outdoor space as we welcome our friends and families back into our gardens!