Our backyard is a great place for you and your family to unwind and have fun. Of course, you have to work at making it one. A bare backyard isn’t likely to do much for you, so make an effort and spend some money to convert your backyard into an enchanting oasis that will provide you, your loved ones, and even your friends an outdoor getaway just a few feet out of your house’s back door.
So how can you transform your outdoor living space into a beautiful and soothing escape at home? Putting up a patio misting system to keep everyone cool even at the height of summer would be an excellent idea. Here are some more.
Declutter your backyard
Before you can do anything fancy to your backyard, you have to clear out whatever clutter might be there. Old furniture, old playground equipment that your kids have already outgrown, or anything that doesn’t belong there must go. If your backyard has overgrown trees and hedges, prune them. Only when your backyard is clutter-free can you start work on your backyard getaway.
Make your backyard greener
In case your backyard doesn’t have trees or plants, make an effort to make it as green as you can make it. Plant a tree that will give the area plenty of shade, as well as plants of different sizes. If you can place plants that produce blooms, then that would also be great.
Build water features
Is there anything more relaxing and soothing than the sound of flowing or cascading water? When you put up any type of water feature in your backyard, you can make that part of your home feel like a sanctuary where you can just retreat and spend entire days in with only a book for company. You can build a mini pond, a small waterfall, or a column fountain.
Of course, the ultimate water feature you can have in your backyard is a swimming pool. So if you have the budget not only for its construction but also for its maintenance, then go ahead and build that swimming pool to make your backyard the closest thing to an actual oasis.
Put up a patio or a deck
If you’re going to make your backyard an oasis where you can spend a lot of time unwinding, you must have an area where you can do just that. A patio or a deck will be that spot. Throw in comfortable outdoor furniture, and you’ll have a place where you can relax all day. Patios or desks are also perfect for entertaining guests or having dinners there.
A fire pit for your patio
Not only will a fire pit help illuminate your backyard and keep everybody warm on a colder night. It can also be used for a barbecue! All you have to do is place grills or grates over your fire pit, and you can grill whatever you want. If you’re going for a permanent fire pit, have one built using stone, clay, or brick. There are also portable fire pits that you can buy at your neighborhood home improvement shops.
Lighting ideas
Your backyard must be well-lit to make it inviting even at night. You can go as creative as you want to be when it comes to illuminating your backyard. Wrap some string lights around tree trunks. If you want more natural lighting for your backyard oasis during one of your parties, oil-burning bamboo tiki torches will do the job, although you have to take all measures to ensure that they will be safe. You can also install garden path lights to make sure people can see where they’re going.
Fence it all in
It’s hard to relax in your backyard when neighbors and all sorts of nosy people can see you. For some privacy, it’s best to build a fence around your property. From white picket fences to rattan or bamboo fences, you have a wide range of choices that will fit your style preferences and needs.
These are just basic ideas to help you start transforming your outdoor living space. With a bit more imagination and creativity, you can come up with dozens more to help make your vision of a backyard oasis a reality.
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.