With the pandemic, you may have been forced to stay within the confines of your home. As such, you likely would’ve done repairs, fixes, and sprucing up of your indoor area–and had fun doing it. But the next question is, are there equally numerous ways to decorate your home’s back and front living spaces?
If you think your backyard is the most difficult part of your property, think again. There are simple yet fun ways to transform your backyard into an entertainment area. So, instead of worrying too much, read on and get inspired by these fun ideas for your backyard area.
1. Extend Your Living Room Outdoors
Sometimes, it’s best to sit and lounge outside while watching endless re-runs of your favorite ‘90s show.
To make this possible, place a sofa bed or a love seat outside your deck or patio. Complete the living room vibe with a makeshift television wall that can be used for decorative purposes, too. You can also invite family members and prepare your barbecue grill for a simple bonding activity on a weekend.
2. Build A Convenient Outdoor Kitchen
If you want to extend your living room outside of your home, who says you can’t do the same for your kitchen?
Placing a kitchen counter, bar stools, benches, even a sink and grill on strategic portions of your backyard can double your outdoor space as an entertainment area. This is one good idea in sprucing up your porch, especially if when you want to focus on entertaining your guests.
Without having to stay too long inside the kitchen, you’ll never miss out on the ‘news updates’ about your close friends and neighbors.
3. Have An Easy-to-Access Backyard Porch
Having your porch just a slide door away from your kitchen is the most convenient thing ever. This means that guests, including kids, can spend their time in your backyard not worrying about whether they can access your amenities on time.
This is especially true for parents bringing along their toddlers to play with yours.
4. Create A Relaxing Yet Scenic Ambiance
A Zen environment can be fun, too. So, who’s to judge if you decide to install a small pond with Koi fishes and a trickling fountain?
Adorn with stones, pebbles, and greenery, you’ll have something to feast your eyes on when you want to take a break from staring at the screen for far too long. You can also learn how to build a pergola to frame your own slice of heaven.
You can turn your backyard into a tropical paradise and make your own natural honey by keeping bees. The only naturally occurring food that never spoils is honey. A single source of nectar is required for the production of honey, so you must encourage bees to visit your garden and collect nectar that they can store for the winter. In return, you can eat the honey they produce, and they aid in pollination.
5. Illuminate Your Space
You’ve worked so hard to create the garden of your dreams. Showcase it to your guests and family members even at night by having backyard lighting installed on your deck or porch.
Apart from highlighting the beauty of your backyard, lights can boost security in your home, discouraging would-be thieves from thinking about getting anywhere near your brightly lit deck.
6. Use String Lights
If you want to light up your backyard in style without breaking the bank, string lights are a must. Outdoor string lights add a dramatic and fun touch to your space, depending on where and how you put them. There’s even a solar-powered option to save you from racking up hefty power bills.
7. For Kids And Young-at-Heart
If you’re planning to have the kids go glamping at home, build a small house with screen doors, instead of letting them stay inside a tent, so you can keep bugs away. Consider having a bigger version of the ‘house’ for adults. It doesn’t have to be a full house. It can be a basic wooden frame or a half-made house covered with a net.
No matter how you plan to make it, make sure it’s comfortable enough to let your guests–both the young and the young-at-hearts–stay outdoors for as long as they can.
8. A Fire Table Is Always Hot
A fire pit table, as it’s also called, is a piece of furniture that has both aesthetic and functional values. It provides warmth during icy, cold nights or convert it to a barbeque grill as you keep your guests gathered close by.
You can choose to either buy one that’s pre-fabricated or flex your do-it-yourself skills to make a unique fixture to go well with your backyard.
9. Everything For Everyone
If you plan on keeping your guests under one roof, or in this case, in your backyard, build small packets of entertainment spaces for guests of all ages and interests. For instance, build a small pool for those who love the water. You can also make a cute lounge area with a swing for teens and prepare a long table for the not-so-young guests.
Arrange it in a way that you and your guests can see what going on, especially in the pool area, where small kids will likely stay up until the night. Always prioritize your and your guests’ safety.
10. Make it Private
If you want to have a place where you can rest in private with your loved one in style, consider building a pergola or a wooden lattice wall. By doing so, you can also let your vines grow along and cover the fixture for added shade and privacy.
A vine-covered view also makes for a dreamy setting, perfect for intimate special occasions like birthdays, weddings, and debuts.
11. All Things Green
The color green is closely linked to nature. It also symbolizes balance, growth, and renewal. No wonder it can be so pleasing to the eyes. If you’ve got trees in your backyard, make it the centerpiece of your outdoor living space.
Build a shaded terrace below it or add some fabric canopy for a unique touch. Or, create a dining area where you can entertain and have fun with guests during the summer.
Otherwise, showcase your love for plants by dotting your backyard porch with pots of lush and verdant greens.
For a greener approach, you can use recyclable items to fashion pots for your plants. Egg trays and cartons are just the perfect sizes to serve as pots for your baby succulents or mini vases for your flowers. For aerial plants like orchids, old plastic bottles can be upcycled and decorated to become hanging planters.
Final Tips
In making structures for your outdoor living spaces, always choose low-maintenance and durable materials.
As the prime outdoor entertainment space, your patios, decks, and verandas should be large enough to accommodate guests who want to sit, relax, and lounge around. If you don’t have enough backyard space, spruce it up by placing multi-functional fixtures, such as a swing that doubles as a seat or bed.
Finally, a garden instantly amps up the aesthetic value of a property. It’s also environment-friendly and physically relaxing. No matter how small your backyard may be, always keep it vibrant with plants.
