Outdoor rooms require structure, just as an indoor room, to help provide intimacy and comfort. Some money-saving solutions for adding "walls" include: anchoring a wooden trellis in a large planter and hanging small pots of colorful flowers throughout; attaching sheer fabric panels to porch overhangs with metal hoops and hooks; or propping a reclaimed garden gate behind a bench.

Furnishing an outdoor room can quickly add up, but using creativity will save your budget. Colorful spray paints are great for plastic furniture and don't require priming. Dress up other pieces with slipcovers and outdoor fabric pillows.

Reuse Christmas lights to add interesting, subtle lighting to an outdoor room. Also consider candles, oil-torch lamps and even solar panels. If the space gets a lot of sunlight, install solar lighting that comes on at night.

Accessories are the jewelry of any room. Being creative can keep costs low, while allowing you to place a personal stamp on your outdoor space.

If you don't want to purchase an outdoor rug, paint a faux rug on a patio floor using stencils and ordinary house paint. Seal with polyurethane for a long-lasting accent. Or create it on a canvas runner instead so it's portable.