How to Make Your Home’s Outdoor Spaces More Functional and Stylish

When most folks think about how to turn their homes into a bastion of tranquility and create a space that truly reflects their character, many will immediately turn their thoughts inward to the interior. If this is where you want to begin your process of renewal, then that’s perfectly fine, but for many, the exterior of your home might well be the best place to start.

By taking the proper steps, you should be able to turn your yard into a place that allows you to relax, unwind, and enjoy with those you love, and if you play your cards right, a place to enjoy even when the weather decides to change without warning. 

Identify How You Want To Use Your Outdoor Areas Before Taking Any Action

It’s easy to get carried away and head down to your local Home Depot to stock up on all the exciting-looking stuff that they’re so good at pushing, but before you spend even your first dime, you really ought to consider how you want to use the space.

By identifying the use case, you will save money and make the inquiry process far more manageable overall. Now, the question obviously is: what does that actually mean in practice?

Well, it might be that you want to create a space conducive for parties and therefore need to look at which patios will work best for lots of foot traffic, or it could be that your plan is to generate a cozy area where you can unwind alone or with those you love after a hard day’s work, regardless of the weather. How you approach your chosen outcome will change the way in which you plan the process. 

Select Furniture That Can Adapt To Various Occasions And Weather Conditions

In pretty much all scenarios, you are going to need some sort of furniture where you can sit down, place food, and simply relax to enjoy your creation. But not all furniture is created equally, and even when it comes to those specifically designed for outdoor use, you will find mediocre-quality and high-quality options to choose from.

If your budget extends to it, you ought to choose higher-quality furniture that uses more robust and comfortable materials that are most likely to last the course and won’t disintegrate if you accidentally leave them in the pouring rain that one time. It’s also wise to think about how you’re going to use the furniture in order to determine which pieces will suit your use case.

Add Umbrellas, Pergolas, Or Awnings To Create Comfortable Shaded Areas

Whether it be shade from the scorching temperatures of the midday sun or protection against an incoming rainstorm, umbrellas and awnings are a fantastic way to ensure you remain shielded and able to enjoy your yard no matter what the heavens choose to throw your way! Each option has its various pros and cons, though, so a bit of research is required to ensure you end up with something sufficient.

• Umbrellas: These are often cheaper to purchase and come in a wide range of styles and designs. They are also moveable, which can make more sense if you’re operating within a more diminutive space. The primary downside is that they are simply not as robust as the other options.
• Pergolas: As a static structure in your garden, a pergola can be a bastion of peace. Their robust design means you can use them whatever the weather. Nonetheless, they are usually the most expensive option.
• Awning: These might be the middle ground between the previous two options, but what you gain in some ways, you lose out in others in the sense that they need to be well-maintained, and they are static features.

Use Landscaping Or Furniture To Designate Spaces For Various Activities

Landscaping isn’t just the process of planning trees and leveling ground; in many ways, you can look at it as a form of architectural hire that is focused on the exterior areas of a property.

By enlisting the help of a trained landscaper, you can come up with ideas to help you plan out which spaces can be used for what so that once you’ve completed the process, you will have a garden that is able to deal with all manner of events from parties to small family gatherings. 

Install String Lights Or Lanterns To Enhance Ambiance

String lights might be a little blasé these days as they tend to be overdone and over-recommended in almost all design publications. However, if you can look past the obviousness of them and place them around your yard where they will have the most impact, you’ll be rewarded with a wonderful ambiance that allows you to use your garnered throughout the evening and night without the need to report to harsh lighting which can affect the atmosphere.

Just make sure you spend a bit more money and opt for waterproof ones that don’t look like they’ll get destroyed after one heavy downfall.

Incorporate Planters To Introduce Plants Without Compromising Space Or Style

This tip is aimed at those with slightly smaller gardens to make use of, but it really can be incorporated by anyone. Using planters is a brilliant way to add a plethora of interesting and beautiful plants and flowers to any space.

They don’t take up much room, making looking after your garden so much easier. Because of the way they’re designed, you can also use planters as a way to cordon off certain areas or to create a path to follow if you want to direct people to certain areas.

Utilize Storage Benches Or Cabinets To Keep Items Organized But Easily Accessible

If you have access to a shed, then you might not need to observe this point, but for all of those who don’t have large enough gardens or aren’t really interested in having a small hut taking up space, specialized benches with integrated storage can be a wonderful way to keep all of your gardening equipment organized and out of sight, while also having the addition use of being a usable bench. 

Making any space more functional is often far more involved than most people give it credit for. But by following these points, you will be able to create a garden space that looks fabulous and is highly efficient in its design.