If you have a backyard space regardless of how big or small, you’re a lucky person. Backyards are ideal for relaxing, enjoying, and having fun with friends and family.
In the summer you can move your living room outdoors by transforming your backyard into a cozy, inviting outdoor oasis with just a couple of these exterior design tips.
If you’re interested in finding out all the landscaping, outdoor furniture, and décor secrets that can make your backyard a dreamy and cozy retreat, you’re in the right place.
Here are some of the best ideas that can help you transform your backyard into a cozy space.
1. Clear out your backyard
If it’s been a while since you did anything in your backyard, chances are that it’s a bit messy. Overgrown landscape, old furniture, dirty patio or deck, and a lot of cobwebs. Before doing any of the fun stuff, you should clear out the mess in the backyard.
Mow the lawn, prune the hedges, trees, and bushes, and so on. Once you have a completely blank slate you can see how you can transform your backyard into a cozy and inviting retreat.
2. Landscaping
A nicely done landscaping is half of the job done. Decide what kind of look you’re going for, do you want to create a zen garden, tropical paradise, or something more toned down. With that figured out, you can move on to carefully planning the look of the backyard.
If you find landscaping difficult, you can always hire a professional who will help you out. A landscape designer will know which plants and flowers are suitable for the climate you live in, they will know how to arrange the plants so that they make sense.
Plus, the landscape designer can also give you some tips on properly taking care of your garden.
3. Define the outdoor spaces
You can create different activity zones in your backyard – especially if your backyard is on the larger side. These activity zones such as lounging area, dining area, sunbathing area, and so on can be clearly defined with furniture and differently shaded areas.
For example, a lounge area can be covered with a pergola or a sleek and modern louvred roof pergola. The louvred roof is ideal because of how multi-functional and affordable it is. Louvred roofing systems feature adjustable aluminum blades that can turn 180 degrees which allows you to control the amount of sunlight you want on your patio or lounge area.
The dining area with an outdoor table and chairs set can be covered with a sun umbrella, the same goes for the sunbathing area.
4. Outdoor furniture and color, pattern, and textures
Outdoor furniture needs to be comfortable and inviting. When looking for lounge chairs, dining sets, and other furniture make sure they all seem cohesive, and that they all tie in nicely. Yes, you may be making separate, defined spaces but it’s nicer to see one cohesive setting throughout the whole backyard.
Choose a color scheme that will be lively and eye-catching. To make a nice, cozy patio, decorate with pillows and cushions of different sizes and patterns. For additional coziness, you can layer outdoor rugs and add outdoor curtains to protect yourself from the sun.
When choosing outdoor fabrics, look for waterproof, UV-resistant fabrics that are easy to maintain and that don’t fade out easily.
5. Lighting
Believe it or not, when creating a backyard space, lighting is one of the most important features. Spending evenings in the backyard can be the best way to relax and for that, you need suitable outdoor lighting.
The right kind of lighting can contribute a lot to the ambiance of the backyard space. You can install porch lights in the front of your house. For the walkways and steps, you can install solar-powered lights or low-voltage pathway lights.
When planning the lighting for dining spaces or lounge areas, just any lights won’t do. Nicely lit backyards are very romantic and inviting. So, installing fairy lights is a relatively common option these days, but you can also opt for dimmable electric lamps, candlelight, pendant lights, and so on.
Additionally, you can add a bit of drama to your backyard with landscaping lighting.
6. Privacy fences
A cozy backyard isn’t all that cozy when there is no privacy. To make a completely secluded backyard oasis you’ll need to invest in privacy fences. Thankfully, there are various types of fences that could work just fine with your outdoor aesthetic.
You can opt for wooden fences, walls, privacy screens, brick walls, and so on. Greenery such as shrubs, hedges, bushes, or trees is also a good way to keep your backyard secluded and private.
7. Water or fire feature
Water or fire features in a backyard give the feeling of peace and calm. If you want to create a space where you can recharge your batteries and relax, some sort of water or fire feature is a must.
You can go as big or small as you want. Big water ponds or pools, fountains, or fire pits are ideal for big yards where space isn’t a problem. If you have a smaller backyard, your water or fire feature will need to be appropriate for the smaller-sized yards.
The great thing about these decorative features is that they come in many different shapes and sizes, so everyone can install or DIY and above all, enjoy them.
Creating a cozy backyard space is possible. All you need is a bit of time and a lot of creativity. Hopefully with these couple of tips, this summer your backyard will be a cozy, private relaxing oasis.
