My Mediterranean Courtyard: What I DIY-ed vs Bought

Whenever I transform a space, I’m always asked the same question: “Did you make that yourself?”

The answer is usually a mixture of yes and no.

Over the years, I’ve learnt that creating a home with character isn’t about DIY-ing every single detail. It’s about knowing where your time, skills and budget make the biggest difference.

That was exactly my approach when creating a Mediterranean coastal courtyard. I wanted the garden to capture the relaxed feeling of southern France and rural Italy, while still working beautifully in an outdoor space. Textured white walls, gravel underfoot, olive trees, climbing greenery and warm natural materials came together to create a courtyard that feels relaxed, timeless and made for long afternoons outdoors.

The biggest lesson? Some things are worth building yourself, and others are worth investing in.

Build the details to make the Mediterranean coastal space feel unique

For me, DIY is where an outdoor space starts to feel personal. There’s something special about creating features with your own hands. The small imperfections, unexpected solutions, and hours spent shaping something from scratch are what give a space its character.

The biggest talking point in my courtyard is the oversized limestone planters. They look like hand-carved stone pieces, but they actually started life as something much simpler: insulation board.

I cut the foam into panels and assembled them into large trough planters before reinforcing the structure with scrim tape and several layers of flexible tile adhesive. Using a sponge and my hands, I built up the texture before adding small chiselled details as the surface dried.

Those imperfections are what make them feel authentic. Real stone is rarely perfectly smooth, and creating that aged, weathered finish gave the planters the character I was after.

A final limewashed exterior paint finish completed the look, making them feel as though they had always belonged in the garden.

It’s one of my favourite DIY garden ideas because it proves that creating a high-end look doesn’t always require a high-end budget. Sometimes it just takes a little imagination.

Know what’s worth investing in

While I love a DIY project, I also know that not everything needs to be made by hand.

For me, furniture is always worth investing in because it’s the foundation of how you actually experience a space. These are the pieces you’ll use every day, season after season, so quality and longevity become incredibly important.

For this courtyard, I chose the Rio Outdoor Collection, including the Rio Outdoor Teak 3-Seater Sofa, Teak Lounge Chairs, and Teak Dining Set.

The solid teak immediately brought warmth into the space and became one of the defining elements of the Mediterranean coastal look I wanted to create. Against the crisp white rendered walls, the natural timber softens the courtyard whilst echoing the trunks of the olive trees and the surrounding planting.

Australian outdoor spaces experience everything from intense summer sun to seasonal rain, so durable materials matter to cope with unpredictable weather. That's one of the reasons I chose teak. It's naturally resilient outdoors and only becomes more beautiful as it develops its signature silver-grey patina over time.

Sometimes the smartest DIY decision is knowing what not to DIY.

Create cohesion by repeating materials and textures

One of the easiest ways to make a garden feel professionally designed is by repeating materials throughout the space.

Natural materials are at the heart of Mediterranean design, so alongside the teak furniture, I chose the Guin Coffee Table and Guin Side Table. Their sculptural stone-effect finish instantly caught my eye because they feel almost carved from solid limestone, perfectly complementing the Mediterranean aesthetic I was trying to achieve.

In fact, they inspired another DIY project.

Using two simple mixing bowls as moulds, I cast a concrete succulent planter that echoed the soft curves and natural finish of the Guin tables. Once planted, it looked as though it had been designed as part of the collection itself.

It’s a small detail, but repeating colours, textures and forms throughout a space creates a much more cohesive overall design.

Layer planting to bring your courtyard to life

Furniture creates the structure of a space, but planting is what truly brings it to life.

The handmade limestone planters now house mature olive trees, reinforcing the Mediterranean feel whilst adding height and permanence to the courtyard.

To soften the surrounding walls, I also introduced climbing ivy, creating a gentle canopy overhead that helps the space feel enclosed and intimate. The contrast between the structured olive trees, trailing greenery, warm teak and stone textures creates layers that make the courtyard feel established and inviting.

My biggest takeaway: Balance creativity with investment

If there’s one thing I’ve learnt through countless DIY projects, it’s that creating a beautiful home isn’t about making absolutely everything yourself. The best spaces are often a balance between creativity and considered investment.

DIY allows you to add personality, solve design challenges and create bespoke features that simply can’t be bought. But investing in beautifully crafted furniture like the Rio Outdoor Collection and Guin tables gives those handmade elements something timeless to sit alongside.

And for me, that’s the perfect balance between building and buying.