4th of July Decorating Ideas: How to Make Your Patio Sparkle
Ohhhh, say can you see…your patio dressed up for the 4th of July? Today, I’m partnering with my blogging friends to share 4th of July decorating ideas that will make your patio sparkle!
This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links. For more information, please see my disclosures.
The Pinterest Challenge
If you came here by way of Julie at My Wee Abode, welcome! Julie is one of my blogging besties. We talk nearly every day and keep each other sane! Isn’t she lovely?
The vignette you’ll see below is part of a Pinterest Challenge hosted by the talented Cindy from County Road 407.
The idea is to take an image that inspires us bloggers and bring it to life with our own tips and tricks. Hopefully, we can motivate you to do the same this Independence Day! You can see our other recent challenge in my post on Neutral Lantern Decorating Ideas.
The Inspiration: 4th of July Vignette
Our inspiration for this month’s Pinterest Challenge comes from Mary who blogs at Home is Where the Boat Is.
As you can see, Mary put together a charming sitting area that includes Americana pillows, mini flags, and coordinating florals in a basket.
I love the extra touches in her vignette, like the rustic watering can and festive utensils and plates. Go over to her site and give her a follow on Pinterest!
4th of July Decorating Ideas for the Patio
Since I don’t always go big on 4th of July decorating, I had to put my thinking cap on for this challenge. Here’s a look at where I ended up with my vignette:
Now that I’ve had some fun with it, I might start hosting some Independence Day parties!
My goal is to show you how to use what you already have on hand and fill in with a few inexpensive accents.
Supplies for 4th of July Decorating
- Backdrop: poster board, lattice or wood panel
- Paper fans (or tissue paper pom poms)
- Bandanas
- Patriotic banner
- Small vases or mason jars (see my painted bottle tutorial)
- Wicker basket/tray
- Colored straws
- Patriotic napkins
- Decorative pillow
- Fresh flowers from the garden
With Mary’s starting point in mind, I rounded up my red, white and blue decor, along with a few baskets, mason jars and entertaining staples.
Then, I searched for a few dollar store accents and DIY-ed my way to the finish line.
Patriotic Fonts
If you need a quick way to add some DIY decor, check out my patriotic font collection, which includes 21 free fonts to download.
Three Main Elements for 4th of July Patio
When beginning a vignette, I sometimes find it overwhelming to come up with the “big picture,” so I like to break it down into smaller pieces. In this case, I considered three main elements: backdrop, serving table, and seating area.
1. The Backdrop: July 4th Paper Fans
When we purchased our home, we inherited quite the inventory of lattice from the prior owners. I couldn’t bear the thought of tossing it out because I knew I could repurpose it someday. Today is the day!
With a few coats of spray paint, I gave the lattice a little boost, and it became the backdrop for my 4th of July decorations.
These paper fans prove that decorating for the 4th of July doesn’t have to break the bank if you shop for clearance deals. While the fans normally cost $24.50 at Pottery Barn, I picked them up (in late July) for just $5.99! Score!
Of course, I knew I wanted to give a DIY version a try, so I also have a full tutorial on how to make paper fans if you want to make your own. They’re a great budget-friendly dupe on the original PB version!
Interested in another easy craft for the 4th of July? You can follow my tutorial on how to make tissue paper pom-poms for another backdrop option.
2. Patriotic Serving Table
My “serving table” in this case turns out to be a cedar potting bench that my husband made several years ago. We were living in a townhome, and he was excited to finally have a garage space for woodworking.
You can see the same table decorated for summer in this patio home tour.
The banner you see is another PB clearance item I picked up, but any of these banners would also make a great substitute.
To cover the top of the table, I used a pair of bandanas I bought from Dollar Tree. The glass pitcher and mason jar mugs are part of my entertaining staples that work for various small patio parties.
For a little DIY decor, I included my painted bottle vases and plucked a few sprigs of roses, vincas, and plumbago (red, white, and blue!) from the backyard.
3. 4th of July Seating Area
The final piece of the puzzle included our patio chair and ottoman. I like the pop of color the small throw pillow and wicker basket provide.
Would you ever guess I snagged that pillow from my twin boys’ room?! I made it a few years ago from scrap fabric. (They have an airplane-themed room in primary colors.)
The wicker basket is an ordinary item, but adding a little mason jar with patriotic straws and coordinating napkins makes it work. I threw in a few white vincas in a nod to Mary’s vignette, too.
The other item masquerading as a throw pillow is my DIY tote bag. It’s a very easy beginner sewing project, and you might recognize the fabric I used.
In a related post, I share a full tutorial on canvas bag painting techniques using this patriotic stencil design.
Shopping Tips for the 4th of July
If you don’t normally collect accents in red, white, and blue, there’s no shortage of disposable elements you can buy without the guilt of cluttering your house. Here’s a quick look at some of my favorite picks for your patriotic display.
Shop Paper Fans and Banners
Shop Paper Goods
When to Buy
As I mentioned, you can find steals on higher-end decor right after the holiday. Usually, I try to avoid loading up on items that require a lot of storage space, unless I know I’ll get a lot of mileage out of them.
Unlike higher-end retailers, dollar stores tend to run out of patriotic goods well before the holiday. You’ll want to jump on that train early, my friends.
Pin it for later!
Continue Your Patriotic Tour!
There’s so much more inspiration that awaits you on the tour. I hope you’ll check out all of the wonderful 4th of July decorating ideas my fellow bloggers have to offer. Your next stop is Leslea at A Heart Filled Home, who just completed a beautiful modern farmhouse makeover of her living room. Enjoy!
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The fans look so elegant and festive! Yet so easy – great idea, Crissy!
Thanks, CiCi! I hope you’ll give the paper fans a try. They are super fun and can be reused each year. Bonus! Happy 4th! Hugs, Crissy
This is oh so gorgeous! Those paper pinwheels are perfect grouped as artwork! Enjoy the 4th!
Thanks so much, Christy! I really fell in love with the fans when I saw them, and what a steal for an end of season sale! I hope you enjoy the holiday with your family, too.
What a gorgeous patio! I have been playing with the idea of making my indoor theme patriotic like this. Great inspiration!
Thanks! I’m so glad you like it, Alexandra! You know, I never decorated much for Independence Day, but I really had fun with this. Good luck with decorating your patio!
Hello I am back to let you know I featured this awesome post today at TFT. Thanks for sharing and please join us again!
Thanks, Amber! I saw that earlier and had every intention of stopping by sooner. I retweeted the party earlier when I saw it on Twitter. 😉 You’re so kind to feature my post. Thanks for all you do!
Chrissy it is all so very gorgeous! I love all of your festive touches and beautiful styling. The Pottery Barn fans are just stunning! Your pillows and little tote bag are just too cute too.
I also love the painted lattice. It looks very farmhousey. What color did you use and did you just sort of white wash it with spray paint?
It was fun joining you on this challenge! I would love for you to share this post over at Thursday Favorite Things this week!
Have a great summer!
Hello, Amber! Thanks so much for the sweet compliments! To answer your question, I used ColorShot (color: First Million) to paint the lattice. I experimented with another brushed gold color I had as well. It took a few coats before it got to the color I wanted. It makes a great backdrop for any party, I’ve decided!
I loved being part of the challenge with you, too. Looking forward to the next time! And thanks for the reminder about TFT!
Crissy, great combo is elements for you 4th of July vignette. How lucky to have the lattice to use as backdrops. All the fan pinwheels are perfect in size, pattern and color. Big impact. Using the potting bench for entertaining is so smart. Your chair and ottoman look both comfy and colorful. Great to be a no again with you.
Thanks for the kind words, Cindy! I fell in love with the fans when I saw them. It was a fun 4th of July decor hop. I’m glad we could do it together! Hugs, Crissy
Your arrangement of the paper fans is awesome! I am not much of a 4th of July decorator, but those fans could be such an easy way to add the patriotic spirit to my front porch! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks so much, Cindy! I have been not a big July 4th decorator either, but these fans make it so easy. I’m glad you liked them. Hope you’re having a great week!
Wow! This turned out SO nice! I mean, seriously… this could go on the spread of a magazine!! I love how much punch those paper fans and banners add! I love that water pitcher…. and so many cute pillows on that lovely oversized ottoman! I’d love to sit there with a sweet tea and read a book or watch the fireworks!
Carrie
curlycraftymom.com
Thank you so much, Carrie! You’re so sweet! Wish you lived closer so we could drink some sweet tea together! 😉
Hey Crissy,
The patriotic fans you found are AWESOME exploding like fireworks all over the lattice!!! What a great find and so fun on there. I’m sorry I wasn’t able to get over until today as my eyes were fried by early evening, but I am so happy to be here as now I was able to see and read everything! Love the stenciled tote bag you made, the pillows. such a warm and happy place and yes, you’ll have to have a 4th of July party! 😉 Please mention to your husband that he did a really nice job making you that potting bench.
We have a Shopsmith and hopefully I can repurpose some fence boards to make a little bench later this year. Love how yours has a lower shelf and a drawer, beautiful! Happy to be with you on this month’s PC.
Enjoy your patio and summer,
Barb 🙂
Barb, you always leave such sweet and thoughtful comments. I’m so glad you enjoyed this little vignette. I ended up having so much fun with it! I’ll pass along the compliment to my husband, too. Despite the potting bench being one of his first projects, I think he did an outstanding job. We refinish it from time to time, and it looks like new. I can’t wait to see how your repurposed fence boards turn out. They will be lovely, I’m sure!
Yes, this was a fun challenge! I can’t wait to do it again! Cheers, Crissy 🙂
I love your style and all your fun patriotic elements.
I can’t wait for the tutorial on how to make the tote bag.
Thank you, Carol! This was a fun challenge. I do hope you’ll come back for the tote tutorial. I hope to post it very soon!
You created a beautiful display, Chrissy! I hope that you get to enjoy this spot many times between now and July 4.
Buying patriotic decorations late in July is such a budget friendly way to acquire a stash of red, white, and blue decorations to use each year. The pinwheels you scored are so pretty and they look fabulous on your repurposed trellis.
You did a fabulous job with this challenge!
Thanks, Paula! Yes, I plan to reuse these fans as many times as I can. Hey, even if they get a little worn, they will just look “vintage” at that point! Ha! I appreciate you stopping by and really enjoyed visiting your vintage vignette as well. You had such wonderful heirlooms to display!
Love it. Festive. The way you arranged the pinwheels makes them look like fireworks
Thank you, Gail. Yes, I fell in love with these paper fans, especially for that bargain price. They add such a festive flair for the holiday. I hope you have a great 4th and a wonderful summer!
Your paper fan backdrop on the lattice is awesome, Crissy! I wouldn’t have thrown the lattice away either; way too valuable;) I love any backdrop en masse; just such a great punch of presentation. Think you definitely have Patriotic parties in your future!
You’re so kind, Lora! Thanks! I had been dreaming of painting this lattice for another event I had last year, but I never got around to it. I’m glad I finally buckled down to do it this time! It was fun to participate in this challenge with you. Thanks for the sweet words!
Perfect party tutorial and I love how this entire vignette turned out. I wish we’d had neighbors that left us with some lattice – how nice. I’m looking forward to having a party or two this year as well. Why not? We’ve done a lot of work this month, right?! Thanks so much for joining in with us. Your PC Challenge is fantastic! And I think I’m stealing/borrowing your tote bag pillow idea! It reminds me of when I was a Camp Fire Girl. We made “sit-upons”. They were seat cushions with handles that tied around our waste. Not that comfy flapping on the back of our legs with each step but…we were just kids. LOL
Thank YOU, Cindy! This was such a fun hop to be a party of, and you’re a real gem for pulling it all together. I hope you do borrow/steal the tote bag idea. I was actually planning to make an insert with a cushion in it, so your camp fire story is right up my alley! How did you read my mind? 🙂 Thanks again for coordinating. I can’t wait for the next challenge!
Love your red, white and blue patio decor especially the fans. Love the layered effect. Simply gorgeous! Pinning!
Thank you, Michelle! I’m so glad you liked the look. It was fun to pull together.
It looks so beautiful! I love those 4th of July paper fans, they are so perfect!
Thanks so much, Leslea! I actually fell in love with the fans after opening them for the first time this past week. They are so fun. I am tempted to experiment with making my own for every holiday, now…
Oh this fabulous post made me smile. I adore all of the cute fans and sweet touches.
Hi Laura! If I’ve made you smile, that makes my day. The fans really made me want to smile, too, especially after the crazy week I had. I hope you enjoy a great start to summer!
Crissy I love your wall display and your sitting area. Very pretty. I pinned this to try the wall art around July 4th. Thank you for sharing!
Thanks so much, Terrie! I appreciate you pinning, too! I am going to try your cute pillow tutorial. What a great design!
I love this. Those decorations from Pottery Barn are wonderful. The straws are cute too. I’m gong to have to find some of those.
Hi Katie! Those fans were such a good buy. I hope you can still get your hands on some straws. Dollar store finds are sometimes gone in a snap, so it’s good to have some other options to buy online. I hope you have a wonderful start to the summer!
You did an AMAZING job, Crissy… and I love your post. So funny and creative. Those fans are perfect… even with my ‘aversion’ to RWB, I would TOTALLY use those in my home! (Can’t wait to see your tutorial on the canvas bag… what a cute idea to use it as a pilow cover!) Pinned!
You’re always so kind, my friend. Thank you so much. Isn’t it good to stretch outside of our comfort zones? I’m not a big RWB fan either, although I guess I did exactly that in my sons’ room. 😬 Ha! Thanks for pinning!
Love the paper fans!! So pretty!! Thanks for sharing!!
hugs,
Debbie
Hi Debbie! Thanks so much. I’m glad I could finally bring out my fans to decorate! I’ll admit I haven’t decorated for the 4th much in the past, but I’m really warming up to the idea now! Hugs back!
Crissy, this looks beautiful! The paper fans on the lattice was a great idea and it looks so pretty! I also love that tote and am looking forward to the instructions for that. Stenciling is not one of my strong points, but I keep trying! Have a great day! Hugs!
Thanks so much, Benita! I hope you’ll come back for the stencil post, then. It’s super simple if you have the right tools. You’ll be a pro in no time. I hope you have a wonderful day, too, my friend! Hugs back to you! ☺️