All throughout the year, your backyard can be a great place for socializing and other activities, and it’s for that reason you give it the love it deserves. Whether you’re thinking of hosting guests in your backyard for a barbeque, you’re looking to turn your backyard into a place for your hobbies, or you want to make it a nicer place for your family to spend time - it’s going to take some work.
If you’ve got the space in your backyard to do something great, you shouldn’t let that go to waste, as it can truly become the best part of your home. Of course, it can take a lot of time and care to get it to where you want it to be, but it’s well worth that investment.
There are many different ways you can redesign your backyard, whether it’s a project you can do yourself, or a professional remodel, there are so many ways you can transform your backyard this summer, all you need is some inspiration.
An outdoor kitchen
If there’s one thing that pairs great with good weather, it’s eating a good meal. Your backyard can be the best place to make that happen if you had your own outdoor kitchen. Think about it, no one wants to be stuck inside on the nicest day of the year because you haven’t got any food ready to eat - and an outdoor kitchen could things much more enjoyable when you have guests over.
Not only are you making it easier to prepare food in your backyard, but you’re also saving yourself the trouble of having to bring food in and out of the kitchen when it’s time to eat. You cook it, and it’s there, and you’re with the company that you have over the whole time.
There are many ways to go about creating your outdoor kitchen, and it really depends on what it is that you want to do with it. Whether it’s an outdoor pizza oven, which handles harsh weather with no problems at all. The only issue is, of course, you’re very limited in what food you can prepare, so it’s often just one part of a great outdoor kitchen.
Nothing matches an outdoor kitchen quite like a patio, and it’s the perfect space to have your grill, and your dining table for your guests. You’ve got everything you could want where you need it, and you don’t risk tracking dirt everywhere while you’re cooking. Whether or not your patio is roofed is up to you, but make sure you prepare appropriately for the weather if you plan to use it all year around.
Providing plenty of shade
Shade is something that you have to be considerate of in your backyard because you don’t want to block any of the light that your plants need to thrive, but you also don’t want to have to be stuck right under the sun during the hottest days of the year. If your backyard is going to make for a great dining area, you have to consider how you’re going to get shade. You don’t want to cover your own backyard, and you don’t want to go back to feeling like you’re indoors, so a simple garden pergola can be a great way to create that shade you need. It’s great for outdoor dining areas, an outdoor lounge, an outdoor kitchen, and just an overall great addition to any backyard.
It will keep the sun off of you during the hottest days of the year, and it will keep the rain off of you if you feel like lounging outside during less desirable weather! For some people, rain is the most ideal weather, and this just adds another way for you to enjoy it. It’s calming, and you don’t have to get wet while you’re relaxing in the comfy seating that’s usually reserved for indoor usage only.
Start gardening
The most enjoyable part of the backyard for most people is how much you can do with it, especially when it comes to DIY. What good is a backyard if you’re not planning to do some of your own gardening? When you’re designing your backyard, you have almost complete control over what kinds of colors you’re going to see - especially if you’re going to be growing your own flowers. Of course, not all flowers are going to flourish in your backyard’s environment, so make sure you’re considerate of the needs of the plants you’re bringing home.
Flowers serve more of a purpose than being colorful, too. They can be great for giving your backyard some structure. Before you get planting, make sure you know how you want your backyard to be laid out. Keep in mind where you’ll want your patio, where you’re planning to have a pathway, and where you’ll want some of your own space. Even if you’re not ready to have the rest installed yet, there’s nothing stopping you from getting your plants in nicely and early.
Gardening isn’t just a fun hobby, it can be a great way to get some of your own produce. Growing your own food isn’t completely sustainable, especially if you don’t plan on using your whole backyard from it, but it’s a nice way to get some vegetables here and there.
Remember if you want trees in your backyard, the best time to plant them is right now. Trees aren’t easy to move, so you’re often stuck with the idea that a tree is going to grow in your backyard over the years - which of course takes time. In any case, if you ever want to have trees in your backyard, you should get started immediately. Even if the idea of having to wait years to see a result, you’re never going to have trees if you hesitate to plant them.
It’s not just trees that need extra planning, but bigger plants like hedges and shrubbery. If you’re planning to section off areas of your backyard with hedges, you’ll want to get them going as soon as possible - and you’ll want to make sure you know exactly where you want them. Working around them can be quite difficult once they start growing, so it’s best to make sure you know exactly where you want them. Plant for the future and your backyard redesign will be much smoother.
Don’t be afraid of paving
Oftentimes people are afraid to put paving in their backyards because they feel they’re giving up their lawns in exchange. While it’s true that you’re going to be losing some of that grass space, you have to consider how much paving can bring to your backyard. For example, the outdoor kitchen idea mentioned earlier can be so much better if you’ve got clean, solid ground to walk on - trying to make it work otherwise would be a disaster. It makes the area a little more livable, whether you want an outdoor kitchen, somewhere you can relax, or just a simple walkway.
The paving you pick doesn’t have to be simple or boring, either, and there are plenty of great ways you can implement paving into your backyard without taking away from its beauty. If you’re afraid of giving up some of the space you’d have available for plants, why not consider investing in some plant pots instead? It gives you space to make your own choices for what you’d like to do with it, and it’s safer to walk on during the harsher weather.
Paving alternatives
If you’re just looking to make a simple pathway but would rather not walk on the grass or mud, why not consider simpler alternatives? Far less permanent options are available to you, which can be easily installed and removed. For example, a wood chip is a great way to keep that natural feel in your backyard, and it prevents your shoes from getting all muddy when you’re walking around.
If the wood chip isn’t what you’re looking for, there’s always the other cheap option of gravel. Gravel is a common backyard paving material, and you can install it yourself. It’s easy to put in, and when you decide you don’t want it anymore, all you need is a shovel to take all of it up. It doesn’t make for a great patio, but it’s perfect if you want to put it in a path without disturbing the rest of your backyard too much. Not only that, but gravel will last quite a long time, and will endure harsh weather - and that’s at a very low cost.
Lending your backyard to nature
If you’ve always wanted to do something with your backyard, but are worried about the impact it’s going to have on the local wildlife, why not consider lending your backyard to nature? There are plenty of great ways you can make your backyard a wildlife haven, without losing its beauty of it. Letting your backyard go a little wild doesn’t mean it’s going to make it less appealing, especially if you’re somewhat controlling that development.
For a lot of people, a nice short, even lawn is the most important part of their backyard, but that’s not always best for the local wildlife. Smaller animals are safer in the long grass, and letting your grass grow out can provide some form of shelter for them. You may think it looks a little unkempt, but you’re protecting mice, frogs, and other small animals that you’ve got in your area.
You can also consider putting up your own shelter. If you want to make sure the wildlife in your backyard is safe during their stay, it wouldn’t hurt to put up a shelter for them. Bird boxes that are out of reach from predators, walkways for small animals to keep them out of harm’s way. It’s only a small addition, and if you’ve got a big backyard, it’s likely that you’ll barely notice them.
The beauty of letting your backyard get this way is that while you’re doing a lot for the local wildlife, you also don’t need to put an incredible amount of work or money into it. It’s a much cheaper option than a complete backyard remodel, and it’s a great environmental decision. You might be the only homeowner nearby to do that, so think about how appealing your backyard may be to local wildlife. Not everyone gets to see a variety of animals in their backyard on a near-daily basis, but your backyard could provide just that.
If you want to see a bigger variety of plants in your backyard, don’t be afraid to go wild with the local vegetation. Throw in the seeds and let them flourish naturally in an environment where they thrive. As mentioned before, the best part is that you don’t have to put in that much work, and your backyard can be naturally beautiful at a fraction of the cost of other backyard renovation ideas.
Plan better
If you find it often difficult to imagine how a particular piece of furniture is going to look in your backyard, don’t worry - that’s completely normal. If you’ve found a piece of furniture online that you’re certain you want, but aren’t sure how it will fit, there’s a solution to that. You’ll find a 3-D configurator on the product pages of this website that help you to get a good idea of exactly what you’re getting, and how it looks from different angles.
Not only can you preview how it looks, but you can configure it exactly how you like it - whether it’s the size, the color, the finish, or otherwise. You can customize it to be exactly as you want it, and when you’re done with that configuration, you can get a quote for that specific product. You won’t have to mess around with ordering and returning furniture, and you won’t have to settle for anything that you don’t like.
