I Transformed a Sad Patch of Grass into a Breathtaking Desert Oasis (See How!)

I recently moved into a new house. So naturally, I already have more than a few makeover projects on my mind. But the first item on my to-do list? Tackle one of the property’s biggest eyesores: the side yard. 

Our side yard is a decent size, measuring about 100 square feet. But the layout is pretty narrow, making it difficult to decorate. Plus, when we first moved in, the space was pretty much unusable, thanks to a shoddy, too-small shed and a mess of garden weeds. To make matters worse, the entire unkempt space was also constantly visible from inside through the adjacent living room windows. 

The side yard was certainly a far cry from the outdoor oasis I had in mind. But despite the fact that we designated it as a priority, we still didn’t want to spend a ton of money on this transformation. Our all-in cost was approximately $2,500, the bulk of which (about $2,000) went towards hiring professional landscapers to remove the shed, lay pavers, and install a water drip system for the plants. 

I also removed an unsightly satellite dish, did some light repairs to the stucco on the exterior, and then color-matched our exterior walls so I could re-paint those areas. That work cost all of $30. The cat’s claw (the vining plants) growing on the side wall belongs to our neighbors, who keep it watered and thriving from the other side. So that greenery would be staying. 

The area looked so much better, but my work hadn’t even really begun yet. With $500 left in the budget, it was finally time to decorate.  

For starters, I knew we’d need somewhere to sit. But the narrow layout meant that a patio furniture set with a big sectional was out of the question. So I decided to go with a trio of chairs instead of a sofa to save space. Found on Facebook Marketplace for about $250 total, the duo of Adirondack chairs and the hanging chair anchor the space and were well-worth the cash. The hanging chair especially adds some much-needed height and texture to the space. Plus, guests love it.

The cushions cost just a few bucks each from Goodwill, but they made a world of difference comfort-wise. I ordered this round jute rug for just $75 on Amazon and arranged the chairs in a half-circle around it. This is when everything really started coming together!

The lighting was almost as important as the seating for setting the mood. After a lot of scouring the internet, I found a four-pack of solar lights on Amazon for $35. These ones had the best reviews, and they put out a lot of light with multiple brightness settings to choose from. The metal cactus sculpture was about $100 from a local store, and the white rocks set us back just $50 from The Home Depot. The plants were pups or clippings from our own yard, so the flora cost a whopping $0.

At the last minute, I decided to add a raised garden bed, which I bought for $125 from Amazon. It added some nice color and contrast to the space. I thrifted the little white side table for $5 and scooped up the brown, round side table for $40 from Amazon. (Pro tip: I’ve found that HDPE material — high-density polyurethane — holds up like a champ in the hot Arizona sun. The chairs, round bench, and raised bed are all made from this material). 

In terms of decorating, I struggled to figure out how to best use the long, narrow layout. I played around with a few different arrangements and even consulted some friends before landing on this configuration: an almost L-shaped arrangement. The round rug makes the angles feel softer, and the trio of chairs fill the space while still allowing easy movement from one end of the side yard to the other. Things did feel a bit bare before I added the raised bed, so that’s been a big win. 

In the end, I’m absolutely elated with the before and after, and we have used the area so much more ever since. Sometimes it feels like we produced a brand-new living space out of thin air; and it makes our whole backyard feel like our very own private desert oasis.