The Outdoor living area sounds exciting. Getting to spend time alone, with a book, not being confined within four walls, can be fun! Some people feel that summer ending means the end of backyard barbecues, casual get-togethers, and parties. However, by adding a few design features into the outside area, you can continue the enjoyment well into the fall and even into the winter. Here we have gathered 10 tips to make your outdoor living experience worthwhile.
1. Understand What You want from Your Outdoor Space
It may be obvious to get caught up in renovating a space for one function (perhaps, an outdoor dining area) when what you truly want is something completely different (like a place where you can relax and have a fun time with friends). It’s also easy to forget our tastes – some people enjoy being outside, while others are susceptible to sun and wind; some people enjoy partying, while others prefer a quiet retreat. To gain a better idea of what you want from your outdoor space, answer the following questions:
- Do you enjoy spending time in your backyard alone, or with your family and friends?
- What will you do with your outdoor space – cook, eat, relax, or play? Or do a mixture of the two?
- Do you prefer sitting outside in the weather, or do you want a more enclosed environment?
- What is the value of privacy to you?
- When would you like to spend time in your yard?
2. Add Beautiful Lighting
Even the most basic outdoor space can become alive at night with the appropriate lighting. For a soft glow, place lighting under a row of seats, create a ring of lamps or lanterns on the lawn around your dinner table, or suspend strings of lights from the ceiling.
Hanging warm lights to create a lovely atmosphere, particularly in the evening, will improve the overall appeal of your outdoor living space. To give your patio a hassle-free aesthetic look, seek some online advice on how to hang patio lights without nails.
In the garden, landscape lights installed at a distance will make the space appear wider and more mysterious. Even a couple of beautiful lamp stands on two sides can make the place look chic.
3. Add Shades or Roofs
It will be nice and fun to relax under the open sky sometimes but, on a hot, sunny day, you would want a roof or a shade over your head. Also, if you live in an area where rainfall is common, you would want to have shade. There are so many options when it comes to shades. You can even get a huge umbrella-like shade that opens with remote control, so you can have a shade, and keep it closed when you want to stay under the open sky!
When night falls and the temperatures drop, you will more likely want to stay outside if you have a covered gazebo or a patio roof. Outdoor curtains provide seclusion and keep cold at bay, and privacy screens and barriers allow you to divide off a section of your outdoor area, protecting you from the weather temporarily.
4. Choose Furniture and Fabric Carefully
Using delicate furniture and typical indoor cushions on a covered porch is not much of a problem. However, if your outdoor seating space is exposed with no covering, you would like to invest in outdoor materials and furnishings. Outdoor fabrics are much more costly, but they won’t fade in the heat or stain, and water will simply slide from them. Outdoor cushions are packed with water-resistant material that won’t keep them wet for long.
Having weather-resistant furniture is absolutely a great choice for outdoor spaces. Furniture made from materials such as polyresin wicker, teak, and powder-coated steel can withstand outdoor elements and last for a long time.
5. Mask Outdoor Sounds
Some people like the sound of nature outdoors, but many people don’t like this, because it’s not only the chirping of birds and rustling of leaves, the sound of a car passing or people talking especially if you live in an urban area. Water is an excellent way to softly mask the sounds of nearby neighbors. For a more tranquil ambiance, consider placing a tiny fountain near your dining area.
Soft music playing in the background could be just as good as running water at hiding sounds. If you don’t have access to outdoor outlets, consider using wireless speakers that connect to your home’s sound system.
6. Blankets to Keep you Warm
On cool evenings in the garden, keep a pile of blankets at the entrance — old woolen camp-style blankets, fringed wraps, or lightweight quilts, work nicely, pass them around, your visitors will be grateful!
7. Add Heat
It can get chilly at night or in winter, but you would still like to stay outdoors for a while. You have to add some kind of heating system in your outdoor space to get relief from chilly weather. By simply adding a heat source near the seating areas, you can prolong your time spent outdoors. A fire is a lovely location to congregate around and have a warm drink or toast marshmallows, in addition to warming up. Try one of these methods to warm up the place, whether permanent or portable:
- Outdoor heater
- Firepit
- Fireplace
8. Take Care of Bugs
Bugs are a real nuisance when you are chilling outside. If mosquitoes are an issue in your neighborhood, you must address the problem if you want to enjoy the outdoors. Screening is a great way to be outside without getting bitten by bugs. Another technique to keep the buggies away is to get rid of any standing water in your yard. A single abandoned flower pot full of moisture can quickly turn into a mosquito breeding place.
Make water features that run rather than stand still, or use mosquito “dunks” to cure them.
Set ceiling fans on terraces to keep flies and mosquitoes away.
9. Gardening Can Adorn Your Yard
Plant seasonal flowers, vegetables, and herbs in pots near your house on deck, porch, or patio. If you want to have nice grassy ground, don’t forget to mow regularly. Getting involved with gardening, you’re more likely to spend time outside and get habituated to the thought of spending time outside. After you’ve finished your outdoor gardening duties, relax and enjoy your warm environment.
10. Add a Small Kitchen or Grill
Food is said to taste better when it is grilled, and this is true in any season. Continue grilling well into the fall. During winter and fall, dress warmly, bring a heat lamp and adjust the menu to include more warm items. Then cook and eat outside.
Enjoy Your Outdoor Living Space with Comfort
Spending time outdoors can not only be fun but also mood lifting. And if you make it comfortable and cozy, your backyard might become your favorite place to hang out. Consider the tips mentioned above to get the best outdoor experience you’ve ever had!
