Creating a well-appointed outdoor space is not the easiest of tasks. Outdoor spaces are often undefined with no walls or clear boundaries. Another challenge you might face is that of ensuring the design can withstand the elements (not to mention bugs). Just like a home renovation, there’s just a lot to consider.
The best way to come up with beautiful outdoor spaces is to approach your outdoor space design in the same way you would any room in your house. This means you should consider what you want to use the space for, the outdoor living space floor plans, and the perfect color palette to go with.
Unfortunately, one homeowner’s dream outdoor space can be another’s nightmare. To ensure that your outdoor space meets your needs, one of the things you need to consider is its purpose. Here are some of the things to keep in mind as you design the perfect outdoor space.
Determine the Purpose of the Space
Before doing anything, you first need to think about the purpose of your outdoor space. For instance, are you planning to host BBQs and dinner parties? If so, how many guests do you plan to entertain? Or maybe you just want a place where you and your family can relax and rewind. Figuring out how you want to use your outdoor space will go a long way in helping you figure out how to go about the design process and what outdoor living space floor plans to use.
You must also take time to think about whether you want the space to be kid-friendly or not. If you are going to be having kids in your yard, there are some safety features you should include to reduce the risk of accidents. You should also make provisions for pets if you have any.
Thinking about design with purpose in mind will help you ensure that you have a place that is not only beautiful but functional and safe as well. If you are working with the designer, telling them how you want to use the space will help them come up with the best layouts and material options.
Come up With a Layout for Your Space
When designing your outdoor space, you need to approach the process with the same thoughtfulness as you would a floor plan for your new home. You must ensure that all your outdoor areas have logical and functional connections to the inside of your house.
This is where you will need some outdoor living space floor plans. For instance, if you are setting up an outdoor dining area, it would be a good idea to locate it near the kitchen; that way, you won’t have to travel a long distance with food on the days you want to eat outside.
You must also ensure that your outdoor and indoor living spaces are connected. You can even make it so that the outdoor living space is seamlessly connected with the indoors. This can be done by including elements like collapsible doors, screened enclosures, and large windows. However, you want to do it, coming up with a layout is a very important step in creating a warm and welcoming outdoor space.
Choose Your Greenery
Greenery is an important part of creating outdoor living space floor plans. If you are looking to create a place to relax, you should consider adding some greenery. There are lots of easy-care greenery options that you can throw around your outdoor living space.
That way, you can create a refreshing, low, maintenance area where you can relax and enjoy the summer sun. There are several ideal shrubs to choose from that grow to less than 4 inches a year. These include boxwoods, agaves, and aloes. It’s crucial to first find out if these plants are suitable for your climate.
You can also use some vertical surfaces to design green walls. This is a great way to improve the privacy of your space while leaving overhead space open to see the sky. You probably know that plants attract bees. While this might sound scary, you should keep in mind that pollinators are a good thing for your garden.
However, it wouldn’t be a great idea to have those plants in your sitting and dining areas. You must also consider working with a professional lawn care company or lawn maintenance service so your lawn can stay manicured and healthy. This will enhance the look of your outdoors in general.
Carefully Select Outdoor Furnishings
Once you figure out the intended use of your space, you can then easily select the appropriate outdoor furniture choices. The right furniture pieces will depend on whether you want to use your space for dining, relaxing, or entertaining.
You might also want a space where you can do all three. When looking for outdoor furniture, target pieces that are comfortable and practical for outdoor use. You should also go for furniture that is weather-resistant and washable. Most people prefer small movable tables for cocktails and snacks.
As you are furnishing your outdoor living space, you can choose to do it in a way that mimics your interior style. This is easy to do when you use the same colors and patterns that are in your home. Outdoor furnishings are a great way to bring comfort, style, and function to your outdoor space. With the right outdoor furniture, you can transform a basic natural stone patio into an alfresco dining destination.
All you need is a spacious table and some comfortable sitting options. To add more style, you can throw in a wicker sofa and classic rocking chair. Don’t forget to top them with some plush cushions. With the right design options, your outdoor space can easily turn into a second family room when it’s warmer outside.
How About a Water Feature?
Water is always a refreshing addition to all types of outdoor living space floor plans. To lively up your space, you should consider adding a water feature. You don’t need to go all out and get an elaborate fountain or waterfall, well, unless you have the budget for it. If you are going small, all you need is the sight and sound of flowing water.
This is a good way to boost relaxation and even lower blood pressure. If you are lucky enough to have a natural source of water somewhere near, like an ocean or lake, consider designing your outdoor area, so it takes advantage of the natural water feature.
Running water not only looks good, but it can attract wildlife as well. Picture this: you are relaxing beside your water feature, unwinding when a yellow-breasted finch flies in and pitches on a branch nearby. As you watch with wonder, the tiny bird hops even closer to you, and the water feature so it can take a few sips.
All this can be made possible by incorporating a water feature in your yard. To attract birds, you can even add a birdbath. Animals generally love freshwater. In fact, they need it to survive. Having a landscape water feature in your yard will attract rabbits, birds, and squirrels. If you are a nature lover, this is something you should strongly consider.
Fire Pit
If you find yourself forced to move inside each time the sun sets, then you must consider adding a fire pit to your outdoor living space. That way, you won’t have to move the party inside when it gets cool. Adding a fire pit to your outdoor living area is a great way to extend your entertaining outdoor season. As long as you are comfortable sitting around the fire pit, you can dine well into the night. A fire pit is a great way to warm your evenings year-round in milder climates.
To make your firepit more functional, you should consider incorporating some storage areas for blankets. You can even throw in some marshmallow-roasting supplies in your storage area for convenience. Fire pits also add some ambiance to your outdoor space. They have more or less the same effect as candles and bistro lights. If you have ever been around a fire, then you probably know how it can add visual warmth to a space. Fires also create a sense of closeness between those who gather around their flames.
Outdoor Lighting
If you are looking for another way to make your outdoor space a true extension of your home, then you should consider incorporating lighting. Outdoor lighting will enable you to illuminate your outdoor cooking areas and highlight your outdoor living space floor plans. This, in turn, enables you to carry out more meal preps outside.
Apart from the functional side of things, you can create visual interest and expand the feel of your outdoor space by up-lighting the trees and fencing farther out in your yard. To improve the safety of your space, you should also consider adding some decorative lighting to brighten the steps and pathways.
The benefits of outdoor lighting don’t just come with the mere presence of outdoor lighting. TO make the most of your outdoor lighting, you should take the time to carefully consider and execute your lighting scheme. A good way to start would be to walk around the outdoor space with a flashlight when it’s dark. Take note of all the areas that you need to light up for safety and those that you can light up to add interest and beauty. Outdoor lighting is a lot similar to indoor lights. There are different types of light, including ambient, task, and accent lights.
There are lots of spaces that can generally benefit from outdoor lighting. You shouldn’t skip places like the front door, pool, steps, garage doors, driveways, pathways, patios, and decks. You must also include some lighting around your outdoor cooking area and landscaping.
As you are assessing where you need to install some lighting, also check out the possible beam angles. You shouldn’t always rely on direct lighting. It can make people feel uncomfortable if the light is glaring in their eyes. You might get a better outcome with diffused or ambient light.
Hardscape
When people think about creating outdoor spaces, they usually list things like trees, plants, and bushes. But one of the most important parts of creating nice outdoor spaces that get overlooked is hardscaping. The majority of people think hardscaping has to do with patios, fire pits, and retaining walls. While these things are certainly part of it, there are other things to hardscaping besides these.
Any design element that isn’t living can be part of your hardscaping. Even wholesale laminate flooring can be considered hardscaping in the right setup. Hardscaping includes elements like walkways, benches, and strategically placed rocks. Adding hardscaping to your outdoor spaces is a great way to add both functionality and beauty.
Hardscaping enables you to add some privacy to your outdoor spaces. When you relax, you might not want everyone who passes by to see you lying down and reading a book. You can solve this problem by erecting a fence or stone wall. To build a stone wall, you may need to work with a general contractor. You can also throw in a gazebo or pergola to create a secluded area where you can relax unbothered. Don’t forget to use hardscaping to highlight your outdoor living space floor plans.
What About Seating
When it comes to creating a comfortable outdoor space, seating is one of the most important ingredients. To figure out what type of seats to use and how many of them to get, consider how often you plan to host people. You should also consider what your regular groups look like. For instance, are you planning to have couples or families over?
To save money, you can even think about how your seats can be shared across different areas of your yard. For instance, you can sometimes borrow seats from the pool area during your outdoor evenings. If you are a regular entertainer, you can get better results with small tables and chairs that you can bring out when you need to use them. There are several options like these that you can stack and store when you are not using them.
To ensure that your yard is inviting, ensure that all walkways and pavements are clean. You might want to consider some power washing and concrete contracting to ensure that your pavements are clean and crack-free. It’s also advisable to hire some seal coating services from time to time, so your surfaces can stay protected and attractive. If there are unwanted structures in your yard, you can get a demolition service to remove them for you so you can create space to build your outdoor living space.
These are some great ways to create a perfect outdoor space. There are several things to consider, but as long as you take your time and figure out your needs, you should be able to come up with the best outdoor space. If you are not sure how to go about creating the perfect outdoor space on your own, you can always work with a designer.
That way, you can get the best recommendations, and you can figure things out quicker. Be careful to find the right service providers to work with while creating your outdoor space. You will need top soil supplying businesses, and contractors.
