Outdoor

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What’s your favorite thing about summer? Long, lazy days poolside? An evening at the beach? Backyard barbecues and get-togethers with friends? No matter what you love to do, outdoor living spaces are a great place to enjoy warm weather. And if your outdoor space needs an update, then we’ve got plenty of ideas for you.

Sit a spell

Now that you’ve got the party started, it’s time to get comfortable.

The best outdoor spaces are always inviting and warm, so choose furniture that makes you want to sit a spell. The most important principle for choosing your outdoor furniture is comfort. If it isn’t comfortable, no one will ever use it. Second in importance is making sure it’s durable enough to stand up to the elements.

The trick to bringing that cozy feel outdoors is creating a living-room type atmosphere with comfortable and soft furnishings, such as pillows and throws—these help soften the hard surfaces of stone or concrete patios, creating more intimacy and warmth around your fire pit or fountain area. Just as you would indoors, create an intimate space by adding an area rug underneath your furniture groupings; this helps define the space while bringing color and texture into an otherwise plain concrete patio area.

Romantic lights

After the sun goes down, your outdoor living space will be illuminated in three main ways—ambient light, task lighting, and accent lights.

Ambient light makes it possible to see around you at night and is the overall lighting for the space. You can create ambient light with solar lights on posts along a path or driveway; exterior hanging lanterns or wall sconces attached to a porch or deck; or string lights hung from a tree, pergola, or gazebo.

Task lighting helps you perform tasks like reading a recipe when cooking on an outdoor grill or seeing steps leading into the house. Good task lighting should cast no shadows and be bright enough that you won’t strain your eyes to see (and avoid tripping). Consider adding recessed deck lights, LED tape under handrails, post lanterns at steps onto your patio or porch, LED bulbs in outdoor lamps near seating areas, and/or dimmable string lights around an eating area.

Accent lighting—such as candles placed along an edge of stairs—provides ambiance without being too intense.

Flowers and plants

Flowers and plants can add color and texture to your outdoor living area, but don’t overdo it. Use a variety of heights, shapes and colors to create interest. Again, consider how much sun or shade the plants will receive before you buy them.

Make sure the flowers you choose will grow in your area. If there is any question, ask at the garden center or check online for a list of plants that do well in your zip code. Also keep in mind that many plants can be poisonous to pets, so be careful what you use.

Group plants together in one area of the lawn rather than scattered around here and there — this creates a focal point as well as providing more moisture for thirsty roots.

Plants require special care and attention. In addition to inquiring well about them, you need to water them regularly with quality garden hose.

Incorporate some privacy

Create some seclusion with a fence. Sometimes the best way to create a private space is with a fence. A section of picket fencing or a lattice wall can help separate your outdoor living area from the adjoining lawn or patio. Your neighbors will love you for it, too!

Use a trellis for climbing plants to add privacy and style at once. A few strategically placed trellises covered in flowering vines will not only add privacy, but also visual interest and color.

Bring in furniture that creates privacy. For example, outdoor sofas and loveseats positioned back-to-back can create an intimate zone while blocking out neighboring areas.

Consider adding plants to create privacy, as well as beauty. Outdoor bamboo fences are another way to block out your surroundings while adding natural beauty and texture around your new outdoor living area. Or use garden screens to create privacy with flair! Slatted wood screens (or panels) fit right in among greenery and flowers and make perfect little pavilions for sitting and relaxing outdoors without being seen by the neighbors or other passersby on foot or by car.

If you have enough space, consider building an arbor or pergola over your new outdoor living area to shield it from the sun during daylight hours (and sometimes even provide shelter from rain).

This summer, make the most of your backyard by following these tips for creating an inviting space!

By saif