Spending more time in one of your outdoor spaces, such as a garden or even a small yard, can soothe you and make you feel closer to nature. However, if that space has tended to be comparatively neglected during your previous home improvement efforts, it might not be laid out in a way particularly conducive to pleasing outdoor living. So, how should you spruce it up?
Carefully consider your intended purpose for that space
This is the first thing you should do when planning to overhaul the space. Do you have a romantic vision of yourself eating with family and friends in that space? Alternatively, you might favour setting aside somewhere in which the kids can play. You might even just want that rural area to serve as a display for beautiful and strongly-scented blooms.
Whatever purpose for which you most eagerly want the space to be used, you should make note of this, recommends YourAmazingPlaces.com. This is because, in continuing to keep this purpose at the forefront of your mind, you can craft a design specially tailored to meeting that goal.
Get that patio down pat
For a long time, you may not have deemed your patio much more than a slab of concrete that absorbs heat from the sun. However, that belief might reflect the rather unimaginative use of your particular patio more than it does the possibilities with patios in general.
In fact, you could see significant merit in extending that patio to make it effectively an extra room, except with the unique benefits of being outdoors. You might be happy with brick or stone as your choice of material for the patio; however, if you settle for concrete instead, don’t rule out adding some colour and texture in imitation of more natural-looking stone.
This is advice from Better Homes & Gardens, which adds that the patio could be designed to replicate your residential architecture in style. You could add some waterproof furniture, too.
Sweat the small stuff
Much like a cake can simply look incomplete without a cherry, so your outdoor space could appear to be lacking something if you hesitate in adding thoughtful little details and flourishes. Maybe that space looks too dim once night has fallen? You could have some additional lighting installed.
Similarly, you could find creative ways of adding more scale; for example, by noticeably varying the sizes of the plants or finding some modestly-growing greenery among which to place a tall water bath intended to attract birds. It’s about striking a balance by placing some statement pieces, but not in a manner that aesthetically overwhelms the area as a whole.
What if you want to just relax?
Trying to discern which details should be positioned where could understandably make you stressed – and this would be very ironic if your ultimate intention is to make your space a relaxing one in which to spend time! Therefore, we hope to relieve much of the anguish for you.
If you are an avid bookworm and love the idea of occasionally spending time outside reading, then purchasing a hammock or recliner could be a great idea. Alternatively, if socialising with friends at a dinner table is closer to your idea of relaxation, you could buy a table and chairs that are especially built for outdoor use. You could also source some cushions and seat pads to boost the comfort.
Consider how to merge your indoor and outdoor areas
When designing your outdoor space, one risk for which you should account is that of putting together a design that, visually, fails to match or complement other parts of your home. Let’s assume that you wanted to make the outdoor area suited to dining. You could plan to keep the dining area’s flooring level with that of an indoor kitchen that will be right beside it.
Another option is arranging for the construction of an extension – such as a conservatory or sunroom – which will adjoin the outdoor space and match it in style. A reputable and locally-based roofing company could build that extension, for which it could even – if necessary – provide roof repairs in Leeds or wherever else the extension will be built.
