Fabulous Fourth

One way to mark the holiday is to gather family and friends for some backyard festivities, and lifestyle expert Susie Coelho has a few ideas for outdoor makeovers that will make the sparks fly — without burning a hole in your wallet.

Coelho has made over thousands of backyards as the host of the HGTV series’ “Surprise Gardener” and “Outer Spaces,” which currently airs on the Fine Living Network.

She is known for her straightforward tips on home style, gardening, entertaining and cooking in a fun and easy-to-follow way. With a busy career and two children, she knows first-hand how difficult it can be to find time for entertaining, cooking and conventional decorating. As such, she coined the phrase “undecorating” and put her focus on simple ideas that achieve maximum impact.

Her signature global style comes from her East Indian and Portuguese heritage, along with influences from her childhood in England and France.

In addition to hosting duties on her own shows, Coelho has appeared on several specials for HGTV and contributes to numerous network shows including NBC-TV’s “Today,” ABC-TV’s “The View” and “Oprah.” She also has written four books and developed a line of indoor and outdoor décor for Grandin Road.

Here are four ideas from Coelho to help you have a fabulous Fourth of July.

Recruit your own green team

“Begin any project by recruiting your own green team. Half the time, the reason people don’t do anything outdoors is because they lack help, not because they can’t make a decision or don’t know what to do,” Coelho said. “It’s the biggest barrier to accomplishing your backyard goals.”

A green team consists of family and friends who are willing to help with the project. “It doesn’t mean you have to hire someone.” When putting together a backyard there will be heavy items to lift and move, plants to trim and deadhead, and trash to pick up. “It’s too much to do it all yourself,” she said.

Team members should be around from the beginning of the project so they can help with cleanup, which Coelho calls the first step and something that is often ignored. Before bringing in new elements it’s important to get rid of “random little pots and dead things that we all have and periodically have to get rid of. If your pot is chipped and you don’t like the look, then get rid of it.”

Bring indoor elements outside

Using decorative items that are more commonly used indoors, such as deep-cushion seating, rugs and drapery, help soften the space and make it more inviting. “It’s the whole concept of creating an outdoor room,” she said.

“When I grew up, we just had an outdoor table and a barbecue. Nowadays, that’s not enough. We have beautiful curtains, rugs, multicolored pillows, cushions, wall art and all sorts of elements that create a room.”

For the Fourth of July, Coelho suggests starting with an outdoor rug to create a cozy conversation area. Her collection with Grandin Road, along with others offered by the company, are specifically made for outdoor use and can be washed with a hose.

“If you’re not in the market for furniture, refresh your current pieces with replacement cushions and pillows in an exciting new color or pattern.” She said to be sure to look for outdoor pillows made of fabric that is protected from ultraviolet light. “They are made to resist the elements without fading or mildew when it rains. The same goes with outdoor cushions and outdoor drapes.”

Invest in wall art

Every room has walls and outdoor rooms are no exception, she said. It doesn’t matter if you have to create the illusion of walls with drapery or repurpose the exterior wall of your house or garage, there needs to be some type of definition to the outdoor room — and it needs to be decorated.

Coelho said paint in a great color is an easy way to add pizzazz to an outdoor room. “Paint it a bright vivid color, a neutral color or stencil on the wall. If you’re an artist, you can paint a mural on the wall to make it a focal point.” Other decorative accents can include canvases painted with paint made to withstand the elements, sconces with votives or battery-operated candles, pieces of iron art and mirrors. She said mirrors add an entirely new dimension and open the space in dramatic fashion. “I use a lot of mirrors in my backyard.”

Think green

One way to save energy and add a magical touch to your holiday celebration is to use solar lights. “Lighting is everything. You can have a funky landscape, but when it’s lit up, it will look great.”

She suggests hanging solar string lights in your trees and arbors, and using solar stakes to light pathways and flowerbeds. If you have a pool, there are solar floating globes that add both light and color.

Coelho also said that firepits are a big hit. “People love to sit by a firepit outside.” But if you don’t have space for a full-size firepit, she recommends trying her fire rocks developed for Grandin Road. “Fire rocks are great and they can easily be moved around.”