We put a lot of thought into interior decorating ideas, while often the exterior of our homes gets neglected. But outdoor wall decor ideas are an easy way of brightening up an uninspiring outdoor space. They can bring colour and character to gardens all year round, not just over the summer months.

Whether your outdoor area is large or small, think of the outdoor wall space as an extended decorating opportunity. Look for ideas that will turn it into a colourful focal point feature or a calming oasis to act as the backdrop for your garden seating or dining area.

Outdoor wall decor ideas

‘Decorating the exterior not only weatherproofs and protects your home, it’s also the perfect opportunity to add design personality to the outdoor space. This is often left as an afterthought once the interior is completed,’ says Ruth Mottershead, Creative Director at Little Greene.

‘You don’t need to revamp the whole façade to make an impact. A simple update such as painting an exterior wall to offset patio furniture can make the whole home feel renewed. I love to use colour in unexpected or surprising ways to update an outside area. Even the smallest outdoor space can be transformed with a splash of colour into a place in which to escape and retreat to at the end of the day.’

1. Cover a plain wall with trellis

Featureless outdoor walls can be uninspiring to look out upon. Paint the wall a calming colour as an easy way of brightening the space up quickly and without too much effort. If brickwork or timber isn’t in a great condition, covering it up with wooden panelling helps disguise any imperfections too.

Use several sections of horizontal fence panelling to create a vertical mini garden where you can display smaller plant pots and baskets. Ikea’s Applaro wall-mounted panels come complete with hooks that make it easy to arrange and rearrange planting. Painting wall panels black creates a bold contrast and will help to make greenery really pop.

2. Paint walls a standout shade

Swap safe neutrals for a splash of bolder colour outdoors with imaginative Garden paint ideas. Painting one wall a vibrant shade will give an outdoor space focus and makes a lively backdrop for an outdoor dining area or a relaxed seating snug.

Dark, lush shades of green or bold blue are a great foil for foliage and flowers and will help highlight and accentuate bright colours. In an outdoor barbecue or dining area, why not think about adding wall shelves too? A couple of old wooden scaffold boards will make a sturdy outdoor shelving idea and will look fabulous styled up with herbs and plants for cooking, along with timber serving boards and rustic tableware.

3. Make a garden gallery wall

Elevate planting to the next level by creating an outdoor gallery wall on an empty expanse of brickwork or section of fence panelling. Picture gallery walls are a big trend in interiors right now, so why not follow the same principle and swap pictures and prints for plants and foliage?

A garden gallery wall makes a brilliant backdrop for an outdoor seating area. Create variety by using an assortment of different planters, from wall-hung troughs and wire baskets, to old loaf tins or cans, arranged at staggered heights. Just drill holes in the bottom for drainage.

And if you have a couple of old picture frames to hand, why not remove the glass and paint a few up, then include as part of the display, framing a selection of spiky succulents or mini ferns.

4. Create a botanical haven with a living wall

While walls and fences in-between properties are necessary to create privacy, if there’s a lack of greenery the space can sometimes feel quite sparse and empty. Adding a living wall of vertical greenery is a brilliant way of bringing colour to a patio and can help to merge the divide between indoors and out.

A vertical wall planting system makes planting a doddle. A simple framework of battens is attached to the wall as a starting point, with individual plastic planters that clip onto the frame arranged in staggered rows. Watering is provided by a reservoir system, with different plants simply popped into each planter to build up a lush and vibrant planting scheme.

5. Make a mini wall display

Bring a small outdoor space to life with a mini display of greenery. Perfect for outdoor wall space beside the back door, use planters to grow herbs so they are conveniently located and easy to grab when you’re cooking.

Use kitchen utensil rails to create this set-up, with mini hook-on planters to hold greenery. Just position one rail above the other to fill the available space. Ikea’s Hultarp utensil range can be used to create a similar effect to this one.

6. Perk up a plain wall with jolly DIY planters

Try a fun planting idea to brighten up an outdoor wall in a covered patio or courtyard. Step up clever upcycling garden ideas to add unique personality.

Repurpose a couple of old straw hats that are out of shape and no longer being worn. Simply cut a hole in the top of the hat (the part that sits on the head) so that you can slip a small plant pot inside. Use garden twine and a nail to secure the hat planter to the wall and then pop a potted plant in, arranging the foliage to cover up the hole. This is a great budget garden idea if you want to keep costs down.

7. Hang an outdoor mirror

Brighten up a bare wall by adding a garden mirror nestled in amongst the foliage. Hanging a mirror is a clever visual trick that can help to make a short garden feel a bit longer. Position your mirror strategically, so that it reflects foliage rather than brickwork or unsightly drain pipes, and it will help create the illusion that the garden stretches further than it actually does.

Take care not to position outdoor mirrors in direct sunlight or where they might reflect strong sunlight for long periods, which could cause a hazard. And don’t position mirrors too high where they could impact on bird flight paths.

8. Make your potting bench a focal point

Instead of reserving it for the purely functional, treat a potting bench or outdoor table as an opportunity for a garden display space. Outdoor planting arrangements often lack height, so a bench is a brilliant way of elevating a display and filling wall space.

Get creative with a few taller items or hanging ornaments in your arrangement and include decorative planters, watering cans and general garden bric-a-brac. Positioning a mirror as a backdrop for a display will reflect the items outwards and make the display feel busier and brighter.

9. Paint a wall black to add drama

Dark walls are a fabulous way of creating areas of contrast in a garden. Make a statement by painting an outdoor wall or fence panel in a dramatic shade of black, dark grey or navy. Painting walls or fences a dark colour will make them recede into the background and make the space feel bigger, which is a clever trick to use in small gardens and compact patios.

Flowers and greenery will stand out more against a dark backdrop, making them look and feel more lush and vibrant.

10. Go halves with wall colour

Bright, sunny wall colours are an easy way of brightening up an outdoor patio or terrace, but if you’re unsure about committing to bold colours outdoors, then compromise by painting walls half way.

Opt for a cheery shade of yellow on the lower section of wall and keep the top section of wall white for a calmer feel. Having the darker paint colour on the bottom helps to ground the space and creates a bold backdrop for garden furniture, pots and planting.

11. Set up an outdoor shelf display