Time for Some Spring Cleaning: Backyard Before And After Ideas

With spring around the corner, it’s time to think what your first outdoor project will be this year. How about a big one? Maybe your backyard could do with some love and a bit of a makeover. It could be nice to transform the area or a portion of it to make it more inviting. That way you’ll want to spend more time outside and you’ll actually enjoy it. There’s a variety of different ways in which you can transform it. Check out this awesome backyard before and after projects to get some inspiration from them. 

25+ backyard before and after projects

From impromptu pavilion to covered deck

Backyard Before And After Ideas

Originally, this backyard didn’t have much to show apart from a rather small seating area underneath a casual pavilion. There was no floor other than the ground itself and it wasn’t very protected from the elements or very big for that matter even though there was quite a bit of empty space around it. The transformation by @cobrire changed everything. This area is now a big solid deck with a roof to protect from the elements and plenty of room to move around. That allowed an outdoor kitchen and a seating area to be set up and there’s even a new path linking it to the house. 

All cleaned up and shiny

Before and after backyard with pool

Sometimes there’s not a lot of space to work with which can cause us to postpone certain projects for lack of inspiration or ideas. This small backyard was in bad need of a renovation. It used to be all dirty and gloomy, not inviting at all and not really a place where you’d want to spend time. After the renovation by @no40_home_renovation it became this pristine and super chic space with a nice patch of green lawn a place to sit and have a drink and even this lovely brick shed at the back. 

It’s all about comfort

Before and after backyard with pool
Before and after backyard with pool

Having a backyard, even a small one, is great because it gives you the opportunity to spend more time outside and to enjoy the nice weather and fresh air. It’s not really something you’d necessarily want to do if all you had back there was a table and a couple of chairs. Check out this amazing backyard before and after transformation by @rugrats.and.renovation and see how much of a difference a comfortable sectional and a few extra details can make. 

A layered design

Before and after backyard with pool
Before and after backyard with pool

Once again we’re looking at a fairly small backyard but in the after pictures you can see that a lot of details went into the new design created by @negi.at.home. This was previously all on one level and now you can see that the ground level rises at the back and there’s a few stairs and a small shed on the left side. That helps to create layers. It also makes the seating area look and feel more cozy and intimate the same way a sunken living room would do. 

A fresh and casual makeover

Before and after backyard with pool

In this backyard conversion by @alicia_coughlan the main idea was to turn the previously empty and dark space into a bright and airy space where one can hang out, relax, sit down and enjoy the nice weather. The biggest difference is of course the new furniture which suits this space well. The slender sled bases of the chairs and the table keep a lightweight look and the greenery and the hanging lights create a super fresh and charming ambiance. 

A big space with multiple small points of interest

Before and after backyard with pool
Before and after backyard with pool
Before and after backyard with pool
Before and after backyard with pool

A big backyard gives you more space to work with. That can mean among other things that there’s enough room here to create more than one type of setup. In this transformation by @littleedwardian you can see the big difference between the before and after images. This went from being a big empty space to including a lovely seating area with a fire out in the middle, an outdoor dining area with a table and a couple of benches and also a small seating area with a comfy chair, a nice place to relax in with a book. 

Covered in green

Before and after backyard with pool
Before and after backyard with pool
Before and after backyard with pool

You can’t really say you have a proper backyard if there’s no greenery in it. We love this before and after transformation by @alittlevictorianrenovation because it really adds life to a previously barren space. The big patch of lawn has such vivid green color and even though it’s just a flat rectangle it completely changes the whole space around it. A couple of other changes were made here, like the updated fences and planters all the way at the back. The floor tiles frame everything nicely giving this backyard a super clean look. 

A colorful approach

Before and after backyard with pool
Before and after backyard with pool

This backyard redesigned by new pergola roof and the painted floor which give it a much more inviting feel. There’s also a nice table with benches, a pendant hanging above it and all these planters that add life to the space. The exposed space which previously contained a small pong was turned into something more practical: a seating area with a comfortable sectional and a bunch colorful accent cushions. 

A small space with big potential

Before and after backyard with pool
Before and after backyard with pool

This backyard remodel is a good example of what can be done with a limited amount of space. Rather than letting all these constraints loom over this space, it’s much better to think of a clever way to make use of what’s available. The transformation done by @aljasser.design brings a big patch of grass, a wooden walking platform that wraps along the sides and a minimalist tiled pathway that lets one go straight through this small backyard. There’s also lots of new plants added along the walls and along the path with accent lighting that changes the atmosphere at night. 

Maximized potential

Before and after backyard with pool
Before and after backyard with pool
Before and after backyard with pool
Before and after backyard with pool

Sometimes it may not seem like you have a lot of space in the backyard but that may just be a false impression given by the way everything is organized. This before and after reveal by @greengenielandscapes gave this rather messy-looking backyard a brand new design and helped it to maximize its potential. The after images show just how much space was out here once it was all streamlined and cleaned up. It now feels a lot more expansive and a lot more inviting as well. 

A space for everything

Before and after backyard with pool
Before and after backyard with pool
Before and after backyard with pool
Before and after backyard with pool

Here’s another case of a small backyard that turned out to be a lot roomier than it seemed. The new design by @lydias_layton_life adds a multitude of features to it including a nice green lawn area with a pathway going through, a covered seating area with an L-shaped sectional, a coffee table and moody lighting, a barbecue grill, a fire pit and a more intimate hangout spot in the corner. It all fits in here with room to spare. 

A brand new swimming pool

Before and after backyard with pool

There’s of course one more feature that could fit perfectly in a backyard: a swimming pool. The before and after backyard transformation done by @dannywangdesign focuses just on that. The pool takes up this entire side of the yard and has been custom-shaped to suit the available space and to make the most of it. The remaining space was turned into a nice wooden deck, a space to lounge and relax. It’s a night and day difference between the before and after images.