How To Decorate A Pop-Up Gazebo: 7 Inspirational Ideas [2022] (2023)

Gazebos have been a staple feature of gardens for a long time, but in recent years they’ve exploded in popularity as people have become more aware of their myriad of benefits.

A gazebo is a perfect place in which to socialise, relax, and above all, unwind. You can include a wide variety of furniture, lighting, electronics, and more in your gazebo.

In many ways, it’s an extension of your living space. Therefore, you need to treat it with the same attention to detail as you would your living room, bedroom, or kitchen. And that means taking the same approach towards decorating your gazebo as you would these other spaces.

However, you may not know where to start or have any idea how to make your gazebo as visually appealing as your house. That’s why we’ve put together 7 top tips on how to decorate your gazebo and transform it into your outdoor sanctuary.

Before we dive into our tips, we should emphasise that we’ve suggested a wide range of ideas to suit different people’s needs.

We’re not necessarily advising you to do everything on this list – not least because you likely wouldn’t have space to fit every item we recommend! We’re just giving you as many pointers as possible so that you come away from reading this article with at least one or two ideas.

Without further ado, below are 7 inspiring ways you can decorate your pop-up gazebo.

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Table of contents

1. Inject light into your gazebo
2. Add colour to your gazebo
3. Add furniture and furnishings
4. Accessorise your gazebo
5. Add a pop-up bar to your gazebo
6. Turn your gazebo into a party area
7. Add a hot tub to your gazebo

Lighting is arguably the most important element if you’re looking to breathe new life into your gazebo.

Whether you’re with family, friends, or enjoying a solitary moment of relaxation, here’s how you can bathe your outdoor space in light.

Fairy lights

Let’s start with fairy lights, as these are a tried and tested option.

There aren’t many nicer feelings than having the fairy lights on in your garden on a warm summer night. Fairy lights create a relaxing atmosphere that’s perfect for any setting, whether you’re entertaining guests or having a bit of downtime with your partner or family.

You can put fairy lights just about anywhere, too. You could hang them vertically, horizontally, and outside your gazebo. The possibilities are endless.

Also, because the bulbs of fairy lights are generally smaller than other types of lightbulb, they’ll blend in more subtly with the surroundings. So if you’re looking for a more understated option, go for fairy lights.

String lights

If you want something more pronounced and atmospheric, we recommend festoon lights, also known as string lights.

Compared to fairy lights, these lights are bigger and contain spherical bulbs. Edison string lights, in particular, seem to be all the rage at the moment, as they’re cost-effective, warm, and above all, stylish.

To make your lights the centrepiece of your gazebo, why not take it one step further and go for orb-like lights?

Related: The Best Gazebo Lights In 2022

Whichever style you choose, we’d advise going for LED lightbulbs for the obvious reasons:

• They’re more energy-efficient and save more energy than tungsten lightbulbs.
• They won’t drain your electricity bill as they operate on solar power.
• They last longer than other types of lighting.
• They’ll offer just as good or better light quality than other types of lighting.

Candles and tea lights

Candles and tea lights are ideal for illuminating your outdoor space and giving it a warm, intimate feel – especially if you’re enjoying some alfresco dining or having guests over.

They’re the perfect pairing with some hanging flowers, as we’ll come on to talk about later in the article.

They’ll also add some subtle, pleasant aromas – who doesn’t love the smell of citronella oil in the height of summer? Grapefruit is another popular, versatile choice, but there are plenty of options.

Here are some of our top picks:

The White Company – Fresh Grapefruit Large Candle

St Eval – Grapefruit and Lime, Secret Garden Large Pot

La Jolíe Muse – Citronella Candle

McNory – Citronella Candle

If you’re particularly safety-conscious or have young children or pets, you can get flameless candles that have the same impact as regular candles without presenting as much of a fire risk. They can look stunning on their own or inside a lantern (another key decorative feature that we cover in more detail below).

These are some of the most popular flameless candles:

Lights4Fun – TruGlow® Waterproof Outdoor Candle Trio

LUMBASE – Bright White Non-flickering LED Tealights

Luminara – LED Pillar Candles and Remote Control

Who knew there were so many options for lighting up your gazebo? (Are you as invested in this as we are?)

2. Add a touch of colour to your gazebo

If you want your gazebo to exude vibrancy, you need to look for as many opportunities as possible to inject some colour into it.

There are many ways you can do this, but here are some of the most common examples.

Lanterns

You’re spoilt for choice when it comes to lanterns – there are many different types out there! The trick is to figure out which type(s) of lanterns most suit you and your space.

Bottle lanterns are hugely popular among gazebo owners – and with good reason.

Firstly, they’re stylish, and they’ll give your gazebo a rustic, folksy feel. Secondly, they’ll add warmth to it. Thirdly, they’re available in a huge variety of colours.

You may want to go for red, orange, purple, or green bottle lanterns if you want to really jazz up your gazebo. Again, though, it’s down to personal preference – you may prefer a white bottle lantern with rose gold fairy lights inside if you’re going for a sleeker display of colour.

Jar lanterns are also a great idea if you’re looking to spend summer evenings in your gazebo and want to give it a cosy, bohemian vibe. These are a slightly more unorthodox option than bottle lanterns if you’re looking for something a bit more outside of the box, and they look great in an array of colours such as red, purple, blue, and green.

You may want to get some hanging paper lanterns if you’re entertaining guests and need to save on ground-level space. You can experiment with a wide range of colours here, and these lanterns will give your space some added elegance and sophistication.

Hanging planters

You can’t go wrong with hanging planters. They won’t break the bank to buy, you can easily hang them from your gazebo, and if you go for a distinctive colour, they’ll help it stand out.

You could go for bright pink geraniums, pink fuschias, or red begonias if you want to make a statement. If you want something a bit more subtle, you could opt for splashes of yellow and purple by going for trailing pansies or swathes of white with a sweet alyssum.

Which plant(s) you choose depends on the time of the year and your personal preference. We’ve got more plant-related recommendations further down in this article.

Related: The Best Plants For Hanging Baskets

An outdoor rug

As your gazebo will often act as an extension to your living space, it’s important to replicate this space when you’re outside in the garden. So, if you want your house to look colourful and quirky, you need to buy an outdoor rug for your gazebo.

An outdoor rug can transform a plain-looking space and act as the focal point for your gazebo. If you’re looking to create a boho-chic aesthetic, here are some examples of what could help you achieve this:

• A multicoloured rug
• A rose rug
• A rug featuring geometric-inspired designs
• A rug featuring a swirl pattern

Whatever type of rug you get, make sure it’s waterproof, as we know how quickly the infamous British weather can take a turn for the worse!

Related: 5 Ways An Outdoor Rug Can Transform Your Garden

This section leads onto our next tip around the furniture and furnishings in your gazebo.

3. Add new furniture and furnishings to your gazebo

Now that you’ve got an idea of how to enhance the lighting and colour of your gazebo, let’s look at what core items of furniture and furnishings you can add to it.

We’ll start with the obvious option.

Chairs and sofas

You could look at purchasing some rattan-effect chairs or sofas to put in your gazebo. This will add an extra touch of style and comfort – because some of the standard plastic garden chairs aren’t the comfiest things to sit on!

If your gazebo is big enough, you could even consider getting a corner sofa set.

This piece of furniture would be ideal if you’ve got a big family or are entertaining a large number of people. It would also be the perfect place to put your feet up and unwind when you’re on your own.

Throws

Everyone loves a good throw, especially as the evening wears on and the weather becomes nippy.

Not only are they super-practical for this reason, but they’re also a visually pleasing accompaniment to your chair or sofa.

Colours and materials are everything when you’re looking for a throw. You want something that stands out, is breathable, durable, and waterproof, and demonstrates a high quality of craftsmanship.

Here are some throws we like based on these criteria:

John Lewis & Partners Grid Throw – Mustard

Tufted Diamond Throw

Tweedmill Tassel Throw in Pure Wool Multi

Cushions

Whichever cushions you choose, you’ll need to consider how they colour-coordinate with your throws and chairs and how they fit in with the wider aesthetic. If you end up going down the boho-chic route, below are some cushions we’ve found that suit this theme well:

Mandala Print Cushion Cover Without Filler

Geo Jewel Black And White Cushion Cover

Latitude Vive Marcie Outdoor Cushion With Filling

Tables

We’ve not touched on tables yet, but these are a staple piece of furniture in any space.

There are a couple of important considerations to make when you’re buying one for your gazebo.

Firstly, space. If you’re limited for space, you may want to opt for a small circular glass outdoor dining table, a small bistro table and chair set, or a picnic table. However, if you’ve got space to play with, have a big family, or do a lot of entertaining, then a bigger table is well worth considering. For example, an eight-person or ten-person dining table or an extendable dining table.

Secondly, look and feel. There’s not much point in buying a table that doesn’t fit with the look and feel you’re trying to create. Just getting a bog-standard plastic dining table so that you have somewhere to sit and eat food might seem the most practical option, but it’s hardly going to make your gazebo look the part or stand out if you have guests coming over.

Adding all of the above features to your gazebo will allow you to turn it into an all-in-one outdoor living room and dining room. This set-up is perfect if you’re looking to spend extended amounts of time in the garden during the summer months.

All you need to complete the ambience is a well-charged laptop, some Netflix, a coffee table, and some snacks – then it’s job done!

4. Accessorise your gazebo

We’ve now gone through the most self-explanatory decorative features of a gazebo. Let’s look next at some of the accessories you may not have considered but which will add considerable character to your space.

Windchimes

These are a fun, decorative way to brighten up your gazebo, plus let’s face it – who doesn’t like the calming sound of windchimes on a breezy summer day? It’s therapeutic.

Windchimes are available in different materials – glass, aluminium, wood, bamboo – but aluminium is most popular due to the clarity, volume, and duration of its chimes and its durability and weather resistance.

Speakers

Whilst we’re on the subject of sounds, speakers are another nifty decorative accessory. Not only can they bring a party to life, but they can also look cool.

You can light up your gazebo and get some crisp sounds with a colour-changing LED feature light and bluetooth speaker. What’s not to love about listening to your favourite tunes while being mesmerised by the changing colours?

You can even get an all-in-one lantern and bluetooth solar speaker, which features a sleek, modern design and gives you the best of both worlds – atmosphere and sound.

As long as the neighbours don’t mind about the noise, then getting one of these speakers should be a no-brainer.

As the days get longer and the temperatures start cranking up, a few of us will be tempted by the prospect of a cold beer in the sun or a fresh cocktail or two. If you’re one of these people, you could look at creating a miniature bar in your gazebo.

There are a few ways in which you can do this.

You could keep it simple by getting a portable, counter-style pop-up table and using this to store and serve certain drinks or buying a rattan table with a built-in ice bucket.

If you wanted to go even more basic, you could simply set up a table and fill it with different fruits, spirits, and soft drinks for mixing. Set out glasses, straws, and stirrers and leave the rest to your guests – they’ll love making their own cocktails and trying new concoctions throughout the evening. Set up a separate mocktail station so little ones and non-drinkers don’t miss out on the fun.

However, if you wanted to push the boat out, you could go for a more bespoke bar set like these, budget-depending:

Cabin Corner Bar

MONACO REAR Fridge Home Bar

Tiki 3-Piece Bar Set

SunTime Rattan Tiki Bar – Grey

Size, again, is another important factor. You don’t want to feel like you’re squeezing a pop-up bar into your gazebo and not giving yourself or your guests any space in which to move around! So, we’d only recommend getting a pop-up bar if your gazebo is around 3×4.5m or larger.

6. Turn your gazebo into a party area

We’re conscious that we’ve already covered evening parties and how you can decorate your gazebo for those, so let’s look at how you can style it out for a party during the day.

If you have children, you might want to turn your gazebo into a fun games area inspired by the traditional village summer fête.

You could set up stations for hook-a-duck, ring toss, skittles, giant Jenga, and other fun mini-games to keep everyone entertained – and stop the little ones from running amok! And what better way is there to spark some healthy competition than by including a high score chart on a chalk A-Board by the entrance of the gazebo?

Tea parties are another popular theme for daytime garden parties or for children’s birthday parties due to their fun and whimsical nature. They’re a firm favourite among those who love afternoon tea or Alice in Wonderland.

You may want to opt for floral table cloths and pastel-coloured bunting if you’re going for a ‘tea party’ theme.

Set up a buffet table with a table cloth and arrange miniature cupcakes, sandwiches, and other snacks on tiered cake stands for an adorable tea party styled buffet. Why not also serve chilled lemonade or cupcakes in tea cups for a quirky addition that’s in keeping with the fanciful theme?

This type of party is ideal if you’re a Royalist and plan on celebrating the Queen’s Jubilee this summer. Or if you plan on celebrating any national event, for that matter.

7. Add a hot tub to your gazebo

We’ve kept the most ambitious and extravagant tip until the end, but if you have the inclination – and budget – to purchase a hot tub, what better way is there to ring in the spring and summer months?

The answer is, there isn’t. Nothing beats the feeling of lying back and soaking in the warm bubbles, especially if you’ve got a cold drink in your hand!

Depending on who you want the hot tub for and when you’re most likely to use it, we’ve earmarked several hot tubs of different sizes, styles, and price ranges:

Lay-Z-Spa Helsinki AirJet Hot Tub

Jacuzzi® J-335™ Hot Tub

Intex Inflatable 4 Person Hot Tub

Canadian Spa UK Yukon 2-Person Hot Tub

MSpa Silver Cloud

If you want the hot tub for you, treat yourself. You’ve earned it. If you want it for a party, it’s bound to be a party to remember.

Just make sure that if you get a hot tub, you keep it sheltered from the rain and create some privacy.

Explore our full range of pop-up gazebos

Now you know how to decorate a pop-up gazebo, there are a couple of steps you can take.

Firstly, you can go out and buy some of the items we recommend in this article. Because who would pass up the opportunity to buy new cushions?

Secondly, you can purchase from our range of pop-up gazebos if you don’t own one or are looking for a new one.

Established for 10 years, we’re part of the wider Expressco Direct Ltd family. When you buy from us, you’re buying from the UK’s leading pop-up gazebo retailer, and our gazebos offer you style and substance in equal measure.

They’re robust, water-resistant, easy to erect, and they feature an eye-catching, luxurious design.

We don’t sell cheap, plastic-looking models like you’ve no doubt seen countless times. We’re all about next-level sophistication, and we want your gazebo to turn people’s heads.

Discover our full range of pop-up gazebos and see for yourself here.