When we came across the photos of the lovely outdoor living room of local Austin residents Beth and Patrick Hempton, we knew we had to share. Taking a small and generic space that many people can relate to, they chose affordable furniture, simple ideas and personal touches to liven up their outdoor space!

Beth and her husband Patrick bought their house in December of 2008, and what we love the most about their outdoor living room is the fact that they were able to make a relatively plain-looking space seem really personal and unique—without a lot of structural changes or a lot of money spent. This is the perfect example of how any outdoor space and any budget can create an enjoyable spot!

Some of the small but important touches they added to their patio to create a fun, outdoor living room: tiki torches, new containers for plants (like a fun pop of turquoise color with a mailbox on its side) and cafe-style string lights.

Here's Beth's breakdown of the budget:

- Tiki torches & fuel, $15 from Home Depot
- 2 sets of string lights, $30 at World Market
- Candle chandelier, $0, a wedding gift (from Crate & Barrel), taken from their indoor living room
- Tall wooden cabinet, $0, free side-of-the-road find!
- Small white table, $0, free side-of-the-road find!
- Small glass house, $0, a birthday gift Patrick received several years ago from a friend
- Various candleholders & accessories collected over the years, about $25 total
- Containers & plants, $80, some free plants from friends, some purchased at nurseries
- 4-piece furniture set, was $400, now only $200, Martha's Pacifica Collection for Home Depot

The total cost for the outdoor room for Beth and Patrick was around $525, but because the price of the furniture set went down, if the same room were totaled today it would only be $325 (hence the post's $400 in the title).

Beth is certainly no stranger to being crafty—she's one of the founders of Austin's crafty Airstream trailer biz The WonderCraft. Beth also sells handmade gifts for children under SnuggleHerd and gets creative on her blog Crafty Mishmash. This patio remodel was done by both Patrick & Beth Hempton of Kuhmillion.com. For more photos of Beth and Patrick's outdoor living room, check out their Flickr stream.

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