6 mins read
When designing your backyard, your goal is to have a space that not only is to look at but also will add value to your life in many different ways. A yard with several different uses allows for relaxation and entertainment. It will also provide a variety of settings for your family and friends to utilize throughout the year. It is good to note that in order to achieve your goals with your outdoor area, you do not have to design and begin the whole process at one time. In fact, starting with a few changes and then building from there is typically the best way to go. There are several different options to choose from when attempting to bring your outdoor space up to par. For those looking for simple ideas to get started, here are 10 changes that can add both beauty and functionality.
1. Create a Comfortable Outdoor Seating Area
Start with a space where you can sit comfortably. Consider a small patio or deck, a gravel seating area, or even a grassy space defined by outdoor seating. This can be as simple as a few weather-resistant chairs or a stylish outdoor sofa and table for dining with family and friends. Add some outdoor cushions and throw pillows to sit on, a durable, washable outdoor rug to define the space, and some tables to put glasses, books, and casual snacks on. Use a few handsome, weather-resistant lanterns to define the space and to bring ambiance to your backyard space in the evening.
To make the space feel even cozier, add some outdoor furniture cushions, throw pillows, and poufs to your seats. Add an outdoor rug or mat that can get washed when needed. Layer your space with side tables, plant stands, planters, or other furniture that will create depth in the space. Outdoor decor items such as large urns, large planters, and a few well-placed outdoor decor items, such as candle holders or lanterns, can add personality to your newly created outdoor furniture space and create ambiance in the evening with the use of candles or bright lights.
2. Add a Pool as a Long-Term Focal Point
A pool can be the centerpiece of your complete redesign of your outdoor space. Before selecting any furniture, walkways, and landscaping for your new area of your home, it is wise to speak with experienced swimming pool installers to go over the area and explore such issues as grading and drainage, access to the area, safety issues, and how much usable square footage a completed pool project will afford you.
This is important to plan out early on in the process to avoid moving garden beds, removing newly installed hardscapes, and redesigning other elements of your yard.
3. Install Practical Outdoor Lighting
From deck lighting to yard decor, there are a multitude of ways to illuminate an outdoor space. Practical yard lighting is designed to complement your home’s existing architectural features while also highlighting areas of the yard that are frequented by family and friends. In order to highlight your yard’s individual characteristics and to utilize space more effectively, a blend of lights, including path lights, string lights, and wall-mounted lights, can create a diverse, yet softer, palette of light rather than a solitary, harsh light source. Furthermore, thanks to technological advancements, solar-powered lights are also now an option for those without electricity nearby.
A combination of different outdoor light fixtures will make for a softer and more layered look than just a single overly bright outdoor light fixture.
4. Build Defined Garden Beds
Garden beds that are defined by edging, stone, or timber borders are an excellent way to turn your backyard into a beautiful space that looks polished and put together. By mixing up a variety of shrubs, flowers, and ornamental grasses, you can create a yard that is interesting and textured during the different seasons of the year.
Easy-to-maintain flowers can add lots of color to a yard while not requiring a lot of time. Choose plants that do well in your yard’s climate.
5. Add Shade Where You Need It Most
Whether you have a patio, a deck, or a lawn area, a shade feature is the one element of your backyard that will make it the most useable. While in winter it’s lovely to have plenty of sunshine around the house, in summer it can be far too hot, and having some sort of shade in the areas where you intend to spend time outdoors will make it a far more comfortable space. There are a number of different options for shade features, and they include structures such as pergolas and permanent structures or something far more temporary, such as umbrellas, retractable awnings, and shade sails.
Consider where the sun will be during the day, and place your shade feature accordingly.
6. Upgrade the Walkways
Creating clear paths to walk through the yard enables visitors to meander throughout the various spaces within the yard. Clearing the lawn of debris, creating stepping stones, laying a brick path, filling a bed with rock, or using poured concrete for a more formal look enables visitors to walk through the various spaces of the yard, whether it be to the patio, the garden, the fire pit, or the pool. Clearing walkways also helps to deter wear on the lawn when it is wet outside.
Paths also have the advantage of being a lot easier to walk on after rain than trampling over your lawn.
7. Include Smart Outdoor Storage
Storage in the garden is an essential item to house tools, kids' toys, and cushions for outdoor furniture, as well as items for the garden such as rakes, forks, seeds, etc. It will stop them from lying all over the garden and getting in the way. There are many different types of garden storage available, including small sheds, garden storage cabinets, garden planters, and even garden storage benches. So you are sure to find something that will go well with the style of your home.
Go for storage that is made of the same materials as the items used for the rest of the yard and matches the style of your house.
8. Create a Dedicated Dining Space
It’s also important to establish a dedicated dining area, complete with a table, chairs, and sufficient space for movement around the table.
A serving cart or nearby counter can help to make your outdoor dining easier to manage while serving your guests.
9. Introduce a Fire Feature
A fire pit or outdoor fireplace is the perfect feature to extend the use of your backyard into cooler months of the year. Choose a spot for your fire feature that is far enough away from seating that people are not getting too close to the flames. Also make sure that the fire feature is placed in a location that is away from overhanging branches and other flammable objects. Also check with local government for any specific safety regulations that must be followed for a permanent fire feature.
Be sure to check with your local municipality for any permanent fire feature requirements and follow guidelines to ensure safe use.
10. Add Personal Decorative Details
Add personal touches to your yard such as planters, outdoor art, painted outdoor furniture, a bird feeder or two, and seasonal decorations.
There are many ways to make changes to a yard, but the yards with the best outdoor spaces are ones that are both beautiful and functional. Creating the perfect backyard for you and your family can be done over time. First create the large spaces and then add in the decorative touches over the years.
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