If you love being outside as much as I do, then try out these awesome tips designed to create the ideal outdoor space for family and friends. From gorgeous gardening tips to extravagant outdoor kitchens, you’ll find the project perfect for your backyard.
Blending In
Planting plenty of lush garden greenery around the entry to your home can help blend the garden and your home into a cohesive unit. Purchase a variety of mismatched pottery, and filled with abundant blooms that will draw the eye and serve as the perfect welcome to any visitors. If you have steps leading into your house, use the levels to your advantage with free-flowing vines and plants to create a clean but wild feel.
A Children’s Outdoor Mecca
When redoing your outdoor space, make it work better for you and your family. I’ve talked about the importance of spending time in nature with your kids, and this is the perfect way to spend quality time as a family in the outdoors—without leaving your backyard. Create a kid-friendly space with easy, inexpensive outdoor activities for those hot summer months. Make your own water table for them to splash in, install a sand box (with a lid to keep out local cats at night), or purchase a fun swing set sure to provide hours of entertainment.
Espalier
This foreign term could be the thing to change your outdoor space into one worthy of a gardening magazine. This pruning method was originally designed to save space while cultivating fruit but has blossomed into a popular decorative technique. This method trains plants to grow flat against a wall, and some choose to train the plants in particular patterns. Use an anchoring system that prevents plants from adhering to your walls. Secure the branches and roots in place with ribbon ties that won’t delay growth, and you’ve got a wall that blends seamlessly with your backyard.
Well-Planned Plant Beds
If you’d like to make an exotic and vibrant flower or plant bed, give yourself enough room to work with. The bed should measure at least five feet front to back, with levels of plants placed based on their height. Put the tallest plants in the back and shortest in the front. Once full grown, you’ll have a dense variety of gorgeous blooms and greens.
Get Stoned
Adding in a stone pathway can create a backyard straight out of a fairytale cottage. Whether you prefer grey slabs that provide a cooler tone, or rich bricks leading to a bench in the corner of the lawn, you’ll add character and utility to your backyard in a jiffy.
An Outdoor Living Room
If you live in a climate that allows you to be outside for much of the year, expand your living quarters by creating a makeshift living room on your covered porch or patio. Wicker furniture blends well with an outdoor theme, and plush cushions can survive the outdoors while remaining comfortable. Install a flat screen on the outer wall—just make sure it’s protected from flash rainfall—to make for perfect outdoor movie night screenings.
Cooking Outdoors
If you are a barbecue aficionado, make an outdoor kitchen that Gordon Ramsey would be proud of. It’ll definitely be a splurge, but a worthy one for all the entertaining you can do. Outfit your new outdoor kitchen with modern products using the latest and safest technology for the most delicious burgers you’ve ever had. If you’re not ready to install a working kitchen on your patio, add an easy DIY outdoor bar to make entertaining simple. Mix your friends a drink or two while enjoying lovely evening temperatures and you’re sure to impress.
Lovely Lighting
Nothing ends a party like not being able to see the person standing next to you. Make sure your outdoor space is equipped with lighting sources that will add to ambiance and keep the festivities going all night long. Suspend string lights across your yard to brighten the backyard and create a romantic feel, or place paper lanterns in your trees for an ethereal vibe.
Fire and Water
Adding a water element or a fire pit in your backyard immediately elevates your look. Invest in a large fountain to make for the ideal statement piece and create a calming sound in the background. If you loved campouts when you were younger, bring the warmth of a fire to your patio. Install an outdoor fireplace, or buy a ready-made fire pit—the kids will love roasting marshmallows!
