It’s nice to have an outdoor living space right there in your home.
Sure, it won’t compare to the actual great outdoors that you can take in when you’re hiking or mountain climbing. Still, having an area in your home where you can relax and breathe fresh air at any time is something any homeowner would want. It’s easy to imagine lounging comfortably there with a book in hand, keeping cool in the summer with the help of a residential patio misting system.
Now, if you have a backyard but you haven’t done anything to transform it into an ideal outdoor living space, here are some tips that will help you do just that.
Build A Patio
Patios are a great place to unwind. You can put up one using the material of your choice, from brick to concrete. You can make it a covered patio, or an open-air one. Aside from giving you a great outdoor area where you can spend time with family and friends, a patio can also add value to your house. Many house-hunters are willing to pay a premium for homes with patios.
Choose The Right Outdoor Furniture
No patio would be complete without furniture. When you’re shopping for outdoor furniture, do so with the weather in mind.
If you’re living in a region with hot and dry weather, avoid wood furniture because they will easily crack and splinter. Buy resin wicker furniture instead, as they can withstand sunlight, as well as rain and humidity. Aluminum furniture is also great for extreme temperatures, but since they’re quite light, they might not be suitable for you if you live in a windy area.
Lots of Shade
Even when you opt for an open-air patio, you will still need to put up some shade because the sun can be harsh. Planting trees near your patio would be great. If planting trees is not possible, then you can use patio umbrellas. If you’ve got a covered patio, but the sun still gets to you at certain times of the day, then you should install patio drop shades.
Install Water Features
The sound of flowing water is so relaxing that it’s being used in apps to help you relax or even sleep. But why resort to something electronic when you can actually install a water feature in your outdoor living area? A mini pond would be lovely. The same goes for a small waterfall or a column fountain. If you have the budget, a swimming pool would be awesome as well.
Light It Up
A well-lit outdoor space is a great place to host barbecues or simply have dinner with your loved ones. Overhead light bulbs are customary, but you can get a little creative with your lighting choices if you want.
Do you have trees in your backyard? Then wrap them with string lights. Hedges and bushes would look great, too with globe lights. Installing garden path lights will also make your outdoor area easier to explore in the evenings.
Preserve Your Privacy
An ideal outdoor space is one where you can spend hours lounging in complete privacy. No nosy neighbors saying hi from their backyards or their children running from their property into yours. A simple fence or tall landscaping plants ought to do the trick.
Put Up Heaters and Coolers
The summer may be an excellent time to hang out in your outdoor living space, but it could get too hot and uncomfortable there pretty quick, especially since summers seem to be getting hotter by the year. To keep cool, install a fog misting system. Fans placed strategically around the patio would also be a good idea.
Installing patio heaters, on the other hand, will ensure that you can still stay in your outdoor area even when the temperature drops. You can go for gas-fired or electric heaters, or even a fire pit to keep you warm.
Outdoor living spaces can provide you and your loved ones a lot of benefits, from adding square footage to your home to boosting your health because of spending time outdoors. You can create the ideal outdoor space by yourself, or you can get the help of professionals.
About the Author
Anna Fox is the Content Marketing Strategist of Señor Mist, a Phoenix, Arizona-based company that provides high pressure misting systems/fog effects, comfort heaters, patio drop shades, hvls fans and more. When not writing, she makes use of her spare time reading books and hiking with her dog, Blaze.