After spending all day at work, it’s nice to come home to a beautifully crafted outdoor living space. To ensure you make the most of spending time outdoors, we’ve created a list of ideas that will bring your dream outdoor living space to life. You may never want to go inside!
Outdoor speakers
Installing outdoor speakers is a versatile feature from which almost any outdoor living space can benefit. They can bring life to an outdoor party. With Bluetooth capabilities, you can be the DJ and control the dance music from anywhere in the backyard. Speakers can also improve the relaxing atmosphere. You can turn up or down the chill tunes you love for unwinding after a long day at work. There’s even the option to install them in combination with a TV and have a movie night outdoors.
Rugs
We all know rugs are an excellent way to add another layer of comfort and design to a living room, but adding them to outdoor living spaces brings an extra element of comfort too. Often decks or patios have durable but uncomfortable materials for flooring. With an outdoor rug, you can protect your bare feet from rough surfaces and scorching hot decking material. When chosen deliberately, decorative rugs add just the right amount of design to a space that brings the whole design together.
Lighting is everything
Just like for your kitchen remodel, installing strategically placed lighting in your outdoor living spaces will transform the space. Even with the best chairs, tables, planters, and rugs, nothing beats good lighting design. It sets the mood and allows everyone to see where they are going, even during late nights. You can also use lighting to direct attention to specific parts of the space like a fire pit, outdoor bar, or the beloved rare plant you want to show off.
White color schemes
During the heat of summer, those emerald green seat cushions might look nice, but they can absorb the heat and make it uncomfortable to sit on them. A white color scheme keeps these spaces cooler. While white materials might appear dirty faster, your legs will thank you when you sit down on a cool surface, even during the hottest days of the year. Lighter color pallets also allow for plants and landscapes to pop. A bright orange flower will be the center of attention on a mostly cream porch design.
Wall planters
While indoors, we use wall art or family photos to decorate our walls; it becomes a bit more complicated outside. Instead of worrying about artwork getting ruined by the elements, use hanging wall planters to add a splash of color and interest to the outdoor walls. Wall planters come in a wide range of sizes, shapes, and colors and can be chosen to suit almost any style. Plant hanging varieties for a vertical element, or display some of your favorite blooming plants for a pop of color.
Water source
It’s often said within the interior design realm that every room needs a piece of the four elements to feel complete. These elements include earth, wind, fire, and water. This advice can be applied to outdoor living spaces as well. This could be in the form of a pool, a fountain, or a small pond. Fountains have soothing water sounds, and on hot days, pools are the ideal way to cool down quickly. Ponds can house beautiful fish and plants for added interest to space.
Firepit
We talked about water, now let’s add fire to complete the four-element rule. Whether this is a fire pit, a built-in fireplace, or some decorative torches, fire is another relaxing piece to the perfect outdoor living space puzzle. It can even extend the time you can use your outdoor space by warming it up during the chillier months, and nothing is more romantic than an outdoor dinner by the fire.
Comfortable seating
All of these fantastic outdoor design ideas would be useless if you didn’t have a comfortable place to sit. Investing in comfortable outdoor seating can make or break the whole design of your space. Be sure to go to the store and spend plenty of time sitting in, lounging in, and trying out all the different seating options. Don’t forget to account for any guests or parties you might want to plan and ensure there is enough seating for everyone.
It doesn’t matter if you implement one or all of these ideas; even if you just have a comfortable place to sit, you are much more likely to utilize the outside space of your home when you enjoy being in it. It’s not only a great way to get the most out of your home, but it’s excellent for your physical and mental health to spend more time outdoors.
