The outdoor space of your home should be an extension of your interior. If it doesn’t meet your family’s needs, you guys probably won’t want to spend much time there.
When it comes to creating the ideal outdoor living environment, there are many things you can do, regardless of whether you have a large backyard or just a little patio area. Here are some terrific ideas for repurposing your outside space into the ideal venue for relaxing and entertaining.
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Add a Variety of Cosy Sitting Alternatives
First things first, your outdoor living space should have lots of seating. Ensure it’s comfortable so that you and your visitors can sit down and unwind there. Your goal here is to offer a variety of seating alternatives without making the space look overcrowded.
There are several options for seating – from benches to chairs, stools, daybeds, and even outdoor sofas and couches. Don’t be afraid to mix and match furniture pieces; in fact, this is quite trendy now.
Choose your furnishings based on how you intend to use your outside space. If you want to use it mostly for outside eating, you should spend money on the appropriate outdoor equipment, such as a sizable wooden table and lots of chairs.
Likewise, if you want to use it more for informal entertainment, think about spending money on soft wicker chairs and an outdoor sofa where you can relax and have a conversation. Oh, and to keep everyone comfy, don’t forget to scatter heaps of soft cushions throughout the space.
Regardless of how you plan to utilise it, your outdoor space must be functional for your family and how you want to use it.
When shopping for outdoors furniture, look for durable and weatherproof pieces if you want them to last. Some of the toughest materials for outdoor furniture are wood (teak, cedar, pine and eucalyptus), stainless steel, aluminium, wicker, and wrought iron. Any of these materials is ideal for furniture for outdoor spaces.
In addition to picking sturdy furniture, you can choose multi-functional pieces or furniture with more than one use. This could include furniture pieces like benches with space below that doubles as storage.
Plan Shade for Summer
Want to keep your family and visitors from feeling too overheated at an outdoor summer event? If so, think about the shade options you may provide to keep your outdoor living space usable even when the temperature rises.
Having a covered patio area is welcome year-round, not just in the summer. You’ll love being able to sit outside and enjoy the trickling of soft rain in the spring or autumn.
Traditional roofing is more expensive, but alternatives that offer some sun and rain protection at a lower cost include sailcloths, canopies, awnings, outdoor shutters, and large umbrellas.
Provide Warmth for Winter
Consider heating options for the cooler months if you want to enjoy your outdoor living space all year. Patio heaters in the “mushroom” or “pyramid” form, outdoor fireplaces, fire pits, and fire bowls are all popular outdoor heating choices. These days, you can even have fire tables, which act as the actual focal point of your outdoor table.
Any heating alternatives that involve open flames will also turn into eye-catching focus points for your outdoor space because they may look pretty remarkable. Who doesn’t enjoy toasting a few marshmallows and warming their hands over a fire in the winter? Just be sure to confirm the laws governing open burning in backyards in your neighbourhood.
Create a Cooking Area
When designing your perfect outdoor space, take into account how you’d like to utilise it for cooking and eating and add the necessary tools to make this possible.
A barbeque completed with barbeque accessories will be among the first things many people think of. You can either get a free-standing unit or one built into the ground out of brick or sandstone. Fire pits and wood-fired pizza ovens are two additional well-liked outdoor cooking choices.
You can even consider creating a completely functional kitchen for your outside space. This should be a sizable room that is only used for outdoor cooking, and it should include items like refrigerators, sinks, storage, and cooking amenities.
Use Attractive Lighting
To enjoy your outdoor living space in the evening, you will need good lighting. Just make sure that everything is well-lit but not too so. It will appear harsh and uninviting if there are too many lights on or if they are too bright. However, with the correct lighting, you can create a lovely mood and transform your outside space into a wonderful one.
When it comes to outdoor lighting, there are so many different alternatives available that you are truly spoiled for choice. They include electric lights put on the walls or roof of a patio (such as downlights), lanterns, candles, several fairy light strings, Hawaiian torches, LED illumination installed beneath furniture, on walks, or decks, etc.
Accessorise for Extra Comfort
Lastly, it helps to incorporate accessories while creating an outdoor living environment. There are elements that can transform your design from just practical to well-assembled. As a result, approach accessory purchasing the same way you would for an interior environment.
You might want to start with an outdoor rug. This element can not only contribute significantly to grounding the area but can also set the colour palette for the rest of your design. Additionally, think about adding outside throw cushions to fit with any sizable seating area you may have.
Finally, a well-designed outdoor space isn’t complete without some greenery. Think outside the box and add greenery in various ways rather than limiting yourself to garden beds and potted plants. Blooming vines may be woven across a trellis, and little pot plants in brackets can liven up a wall. Even more impressive wall-mounted options for herbs and other tiny plants include a whole vertical garden!
Use plants to give your outdoor living area some natural colour. Also, keep in mind that both plants and their containers may add vibrant splashes of colour. Enjoy picking out modern patio planters in a range of unique (but complementing) colours and designs.
