There is no greater feeling than coming home after a long work day, and heading outside to relax. If your backyard does not bring you joy when you walk outside, it could be time to upgrade your space. When you have a useable space that you can truly relax on, you will want to spend more time outside!
An outdoor living space is so much more than just a place that you spend time on in the summer. It is a place where you can actively use your garden, patio and backyard, where you and your family and friends socialise, cook, read, and eat. It is a space that you can enjoy all day, and most importantly, all year.
There are many factors that go into an outdoor living space, and these things take a “typical” backyard, and turn it into one of luxury.
The main part of the best outdoor living spaces have a patio that was designed for comfort and useability. Most homeowners that have a small patio wish that they had planned ahead and thought hard about what they were going to use their space for. If you are a family that has a lot of gatherings and enjoys cooking outside, it makes sense to have a large space for get togethers, and a place to put a BBQ. If it is just you using the patio and you enjoy a cup of coffee listening to bird’s chirp, then maybe a smaller patio that can fit two comfy chairs on will be enough for you and your needs. For a patio that you want to last a long time, is easy to clean, and will look aesthetically pleasing, pavers are the way to go. Pavers come in many different styles and colors, and will match any color scheme homeowners are looking for.
Are you going to be using your outdoor living space in the evening? Time spent with friends on your patio should not be limited to when the sun is up. When the sun goes down you can still enjoy your patio by adding lighting to your space. The nice thing about adding lighting, is that you can go all out, or keep it simple. Some nice twinkle lights (or even Christmas lights) add a beautiful ambiance, for little cost. To really make a dramatic change to your space you can add chandeliers that provide light, and double as beautiful décor.
Most outdoor living spaces that have themes have a look and feel of being “luxurious”. When matching rugs, furniture and other décor, look at what colors are in your landscape and your house. Try to find complimentary shades to one another so that your patio is a part of your house, and not a separate space. Little pieces of décor can be added for pops of color, like pillows or candles, and are relatively cost friendly. Even changing out your couch and chair cushions every couple of years will give your outdoor living space a fresh new feel without having to do anything drastic.
The best outdoor living spaces are spaces that can be used all year round, and decorating your space for the holidays will have you enjoying your space that much more. This is as easy as adding pumpkins in the fall, and Christmas lights in the winter.
Outdoor furniture allows homeowners to enjoy their backyard comfortably, and home improvement stores are making more and more options for every homeowner’s budget and style. If your main time spent outside is to entertain, having enough space for everyone to sit comfortably is a must. A big couch allows for seating a good number of people, without taking up too much space. For smaller areas, you may want to consider investing in comfortable chairs that can be used while eating, that can be moved to other areas of the patio after dinner. This is great if you want to have a fire after dinner, or do not want to sit around a table for the entire night.
Wooden structures take your outdoor space to the next level, and any type of patio can incorporate them into their design.
A roof structure not only makes a patio look high end; it serves the very important purpose of keeping your space dry. Having a wooden roof structure allows homeowners to enjoy their outdoor space in whatever weather, and also keeps their furniture dry. This is especially handy when entertaining if it has rained the day before. Without a structure the furniture would be unusable, but with it, your party can still happen. Roof structures are also great for shade, especially if children and pets are outside during a hot day.
Pergolas add shade for hot days, and extend your outdoor living space. They can cast enough light shade to make your afternoon enjoyable, and if you would like, you can even add a retractable shade cover to it for even more comfort. Pergolas also provide support for any lighting that a homeowner wants to add, and really enhances outdoor living spaces.
When enjoying your backyard, you want to feel comfortable and have privacy. Privacy screens will allow you to have the privacy that you crave, without ruining the aesthetics of your space. You can relax while knowing that you have privacy from neighbour's.
If homeowners are looking for an easy way to add color to their space, plants and flowers do a great job. They add to the feeling of nature, and can spruce up patios that do not have a lot of space. Flowers add a nice smell, and they are easy to change up because of their availability, ease of use, and price. Both small and large patios will get an upgrade with plants and flowers.
The best patio needs to have features that are unique, and add fun and relaxation to your outdoor living space. A water feature provides a sense of tranquility and calmness, and can be as big as a water fall or pond, or as small as a water fountain.
Fire pits not only add warmth to your outdoor living space, they also add an ambiance that cannot be matched. Even on a warm summer nights, guests love to make smores by a fire, have a nice glass of wine, or just take in the scenery. In the colder months fire pits make being outside enjoyable, and allow you to still use your space in every type of weather. Again, depending on the size of your space and what you are going for, there are many options for fire pits and fire places.
Adding a TV and speakers to your outdoor living space will allow you to have the comforts of home, with the beauties of the outdoors. Watching a hockey or football game outside is a totally different experience, and movie nights with the stars above allow a romantic date night, or a fun slumber party!
Speakers allow you to enjoy your favorite music, whether it be something lively while cooking with friends, or relaxing music while you soak up some sun. If you enjoy listening to podcasts, close your eyes by the fire and listen!
Anyone who entertains and loves to cook needs an outdoor kitchen, and the best outdoor living space would not be complete without one! Outdoor kitchens allow the cook to spend time with their guests, (gone are the days of coming in and out of the house a hundred times), and can cut down on heat in your home during the summer time because the oven is not turned on! An outdoor kitchen feature that many homeowners find handy is an outdoor mini fridge to stock up on drinks. When entertaining, friends can grab whatever drink they want, to enjoy during dinner, or by the fire.
Before choosing any of the features that can turn your outdoor living space into something incredible, make sure you know what type of outdoor living space you are looking for. Planning what size you want your outdoor living space, and what is important for you to be able to truly enjoy your space, will allow you to create a space exactly how you envisioned it, and can enjoy for years to come.