7 Ways to Make the Most Out of Your Outdoor Living Space
If you find yourself looking out into your backyard and wondering what to do with it, we’re here to help. Backyards can be one of the most underutilized parts of a home but their potential is limitless. The best part is that any size yard can get a makeover that will increase the use you get out of it. With spring already here and summer looming, now’s the time to consider how you might like to enjoy your warm and sunny days outside—and how your yard can help get you there.
1. Move Your Kitchen Outdoors
Outdoor kitchens are all the rage these days, and for good reason, too. They bring the comfort and convenience of a fully stocked kitchen outdoors, which makes feeding a large group so much easier and fun. When the good weather arrives, you can start inviting friends and families over for intimate backyard dinners or fun-filled fiestas.
What’s really great about outdoor kitchens is that the space can easily serve as a lounge and dining area, with the right furniture. This provides homeowners with the chance to enjoy their meals outside more often, and more comfortably.
2. Become a Rock-Star at Entertaining Friends and Family
Patio and deck parties are definitely a big thing. Haven’t you heard? Throw up some umbrellas for shade or add an overhang and you’ve got the perfect spot to spend your summer afternoons. When you outfit your backyard with the right furniture and amenities, you end up creating the perfect space for entertaining. For those with larger yards, putting up a gazebo or pergola can do the same thing, giving you even more room to host your next spring fling.
3. Work on Your Green Thumb
Gardens come in all shapes and sizes, which makes them a perfect way to reinvigorate your outdoor space while giving yourself something fun to do. The inclusion of freshly planted flowers, shrubs, trees, vegetables or produce can make your yard look like a whole new world. When it comes to backyard gardens, you could hire a landscaper, but these are two of our favorite routes to take:
- Plant things yourself around your yard
- Install a greenhouse
Both options will do wonders for your yard, but greenhouses offer something unique to amateurs and enthusiasts alike. You can cultivate all manner of potted plants or herbs in greenhouses since the plants inside receive protection from the elements—and wild animals!
4. Light up The Night
If you’re only getting use out of your yard during daylight hours, there’s an easy fix for that: lights. Setting up pathway lights or larger lanterns/fixtures around the yard can make your outdoor space a 24/7 playground, so to speak. Plus, illuminating the yard can help keep children and others safe at night. Looking to go green? You can always install solar-powered lighting to reduce the amount of energy needed to light up the night.
5. Create Something Unique
Landscaping or the addition of structures like pavilions, gazebos, and pergolas can certainly change the appearance of your yard; but they also change the way you view your yard as well. A lot of backyards tend to look the same: they might have a back step, porch or patio; a grill; and maybe a garage with a driveway, or shed. Then you have the lawn and a random sampling of bushes and/or flowers.
Pretty basic in most cases.
Now, rethinking the entire layout of your yard can help you get away from the same-old-same-old. You could turn yours into something that resembles a park or a very Zen garden. What you can do is dependent on the ideas you have, and the size of your yard, of course. Still, even small yards can receive a complete makeover to help them stand apart from the rest.
6. Rethink Your Storage and Organization
If entertaining isn’t quite your thing, then you could use your yard to enhance your home’s overall storage and organization. With the addition of sheds or garages, you can easily create more defined spaces, which are ideal for storage/organization solutions. By moving some of your stored belongings outdoors, you’re freeing up space inside your home for other uses. While adding some extra storage outdoors may not inspire you to spend more time outside, it can at least help you get more use out of your backyard.
7. Extend Your Living Space
By enclosing a section of your yard and outfitting it with comforts like furniture, blinds, shade, and electricity, you can create an outdoor lounge space as comfortable as your living room. You could even go so far as to install a hearth or fireplace in your new outdoor living space. When trying to create (or extend) a living space, your goal should be to keep things comfortable. The less you have to go inside for, the more time you’ll get to spend enjoying your new outdoor space.
