Easy Home and Garden Decorating Projects to Try as a Family
Decorating your home and garden together is one of those activities that doesn’t need much planning to be worthwhile. It gives everyone a chance to get creative, lets children throw in their own ideas, and often ends up making the house feel that bit more like yours. None of this needs to cost much, either; chances are you’ve already got most of what you need tucked away in a cupboard somewhere.
It’s worth thinking, too, about how things look once the sun goes down. A hand-painted sign might catch the eye in daylight, but some well-placed festoon outdoor lights can keep paths, seating areas and your family’s handiwork visible once evening rolls in. Just make sure anything used outside is designed for outdoor conditions, and keep cables and fittings well away from where children play.
Paint and Decorate Plant Pots
Plain pots are about as easy a starting point as you’ll find, and there’s something for every age group here. Terracotta, wood, plastic, most materials take paint well, though it does pay to check you’re using the right type for the job.
Younger children tend to enjoy spots, stripes, flowers or the odd handprint. Older ones might fancy something a bit more considered, geometric patterns, blocks of colour, or a neatly painted label showing what’s growing underneath.
Give the pots a proper clean and let them dry before you start, and lay down some old newspaper to save your table or floor. If the pots are heading outdoors, a sealant will help the paint cope with the weather. Just don’t paint over the drainage holes, or your plants will end up sitting in water.
Once finished, group them by the front door, dot them around the patio, or line a few up along a windowsill.
Make Bunting from Fabric Scraps
Bunting is a nice way to brighten up a playroom, kitchen or covered outdoor spot, and a good excuse to use up old fabric or worn clothes that would otherwise go to waste.
Cut a simple triangle template from cardboard, then use it to cut several fabric pieces. Glue, stitch, or fold them onto ribbon, whichever suits your patience levels best.
Let the children pick colours and decide the running order of the flags. They might also enjoy decorating plain fabric with fabric pens before it all gets put together.
Bunting indoors can stay up all year round, but if you’ve hung it outside, bring it in when the weather turns wet or windy, unless it’s been made to withstand the elements.
Create Painted Garden Stones
Painting stones is about as low-key as crafting gets, and the results can brighten up borders, pots and paths alike. Smooth stones are easiest to paint, though do check it’s fine to take any from wherever you’ve found them.
Wash the stones and let them dry completely. Ladybirds, bees, rainbows, family names, little messages, there’s no wrong answer. Younger children might just enjoy a solid block of colour, while older ones can go for finer detail.
Once dry, a coat of outdoor sealant will help them survive life in the garden. From there, tuck them among the plants, use them as markers, or group them together for a bit of colour.
Turn Jars into Decorative Containers
Old glass jars have plenty of life left in them. Indoors, they’re handy for pencils, paintbrushes or flowers, and can be dressed up with ribbon, twine or paper.
Do check jars over for cracks or sharp edges first, and keep glass away from busy play areas and on a stable surface. For younger children, plastic containers work just as well, cover them in paper, paint them, or wrap them in fabric offcuts. They’re great for keeping small toys, plant labels and craft bits in order.
Stick to similar colours for a coordinated look, or mix things up for something more playful.
Make Nature-Inspired Wall Art
Leaves, flowers and twigs make lovely raw material for artwork that ties the house to the garden. Try leaf prints with washable paint, bark rubbings with crayons, or simply arranging fallen bits and pieces into a picture.
Pressed leaves and flowers look nice in a simple frame once fully dried. Just make sure anything collected is safe to handle and has come from your own garden, or somewhere you’re allowed to gather from.
A seasonal collage is another option, fresh greens and flowers in spring, reds, oranges and browns come autumn.
Hang the finished piece near a window or garden door, and it’ll feel like a natural bridge between the two spaces.
Design a Family Garden Sign
A homemade sign can give real character to a garden corner, play area or vegetable patch. Reclaimed wood, thick weatherproof board, anything sturdy enough for outdoors will do.
You could make signs for a reading nook, a wildlife patch, a herb bed or an outdoor den, with children helping decide the wording, colours and pictures.
An adult should sand down any rough edges and keep an eye on any tools being used. Once painted, a weatherproof finish will help it last, and it should be fixed securely so there’s no risk of it falling.
Indoors, cardboard versions work just as well on bedroom doors, shelves or playroom walls.
Decorate a Family Memory Board
A memory board is a nice spot for photos, postcards, drawings and other little keepsakes. Cork, magnetic boards or sturdy cardboard all do the job.
Let each person add something of their own, holiday snaps, pressed flowers, event tickets, a note about a favourite day out. Update it now and then, and it becomes a lovely record of what you’ve been up to, with room for new additions as time goes on.
A weatherproof version could work well in a covered garden spot too, using laminated pictures and secure clips.
Create a Colourful Outdoor Craft Corner
If crafting’s a regular thing in your house, it might be worth setting aside a small spot outdoors for it. A washable table, a couple of sturdy chairs and a box of supplies is really all it takes.
Keep things simple: chalk, paper, washable paint, bits collected from the garden, and a tray or plastic tablecloth will save your surfaces. Finished pieces can be pegged to a washing line or fixed to a covered fence panel for a while, just remember to bring paper decorations in before the rain gets to them.
The best family projects are usually the ones where nobody worries too much about getting it right. Wonky paint lines, mismatched colours, slightly odd handwriting, that’s often what makes a space feel genuinely yours. Keep it simple, share the work around, and you’ll end up with a home and garden that means that bit more, along with a few good memories made along the way. Click here to see more.
