Are you and your family members craving the feeling of spending the day most of your day basking in the sunlight on your backyard patio, soaking in the peaceful natural surroundings of your garden?
Start planning your outdoor living space by taking a look at these five design ideas that will allow you to rejuvenate your backyard and create an outdoor oasis the entire family will love.
Embrace the natural setting
Your garden and the landscape that defines its beauty are the two most valuable features you have, features you can use to create that intoxicating oasis vibe that will inspire you to spend as much time as possible in the beautiful outdoors. So don’t just look at it; invite nature to join you on the patio!
Make natural elements a vital part of your design, and position floral arrangements and potted plants in strategic positions such as the edge of the patio, the corners, and the entrance to the house to frame the design. You can also dedicate a part of the wall to a vertical garden in order to create a colorful focal point.
Take the “au naturel” concept a step further and raise a beautiful flower garden at the other end of the yard. This grand focal point will serve as the perfect backdrop for every occasion allowing your friends and family to enjoy that enthralling oasis ambiance.
Define the purpose of the design
Much like the design of our indoor living space, the outdoor needs to be divided into zones, or areas with a unique purpose. This will allow you to create symmetry and give every area the look and feel it deserves.
More importantly, it will inspire people to gravitate naturally towards every zone, knowing exactly where they need to sit, where the cooking area is, and where the leisure area is. Consider using natural elements for this purpose as well, and establish borders and corners with greenery, framing every area with a potted plant or two.
The key here is to make the outdoor space feel like a natural extension of the interior. With that in mind, consider breaking the barrier between the two worlds.
Fuse your indoor and outdoor environment
You don’t need to break down an entire wall in order to fuse the two living environments together, you need to create a seamless gateway from the interior of your home into the great outdoors.
You can achieve this by creating a wide enough opening that will let plenty of natural light in and inspire people to venture outside. The key here is to make your outdoor living space visible in order to enjoy the view from the inside.
This is why timber sliding doors with glass panels have become so popular with interior designers in recent years, as they allow the natural setting to become a part of your living environment and inspire people to spend more time outside.
Once you have successfully broken the barrier between these environments, you can choose complementary furniture that will make the backyard feel like a natural extension of your interior.
Choose complementary furniture
The furniture you choose for your outdoor living space needs to be functional and visually appealing, but most importantly, it needs to be able to withstand the elements with minimal upkeep. These pieces should also complement the design of your interior without mirroring it completely in order to create that welcoming feeling you know and love.
You can choose bright furnishings to complement the sunny outdoor vibe as well, and even choose durable wooden frames such as teak that bring a sense of class and luxury into the mix while providing the right level of protection against all weather conditions. However, keep in mind that no matter how durable these materials might be, you will need to care for them.
Be sure to keep them out of the rain, and shield them with plastic covers when you’re not using your outdoor area. This will ensure that the furniture stays clean, so you won’t have another chore on your hands, but it will also prolong the lifespan of your favorite pieces.
Use subtle accents to build an ambiance
In order to make your outdoor living environment truly unique, consider adding accents on the patio and all throughout the backyard and the garden area. Accents such as lantern lights reaching across the patio, stepping stones in the garden, and warm walkway lighting leading to the house all of these features can all help you create a warm, intimate ambiance people will want to be a part of.
Keep in mind, though, that you can take the look and feel of this outdoor oasis to the next level if you incorporate accents in the form of audio and visual gadgets. Installing a surround-sound system on the patio or the gazebo in the center of the yard will allow you to play some soothing tunes but also create the perfect ambiance for every outdoor party.
Include a drop-down HD projector screen you can whip out at a moment’s notice, and you have yourself a movie theater under the stars. Complete the design with a fire pit where people can gather, and you have an outdoor space the family is bound to love.
Summary
I hope you enjoyed these ideas. When you're ready, get started yourself, or why not find a professional landscaper to help you transform your garden into a welcoming landscape?
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