Derek Lotts

If you are lucky enough to have an outdoor space as a part of your household, transform it into the garden of your dreams to fully enjoy the experience and create a space where you can relax and use it as an escape from the, more than often, hectic and bustling daily life. Use this personal mini-retreat as a gathering place for your family and friends, an outdoor kitchen, a beautiful flower garden or just as a place of peace to chill in and stress away.

Greenery

As we often spend most of our time in buildings and other kinds of indoor spaces, one of the most important aspects of having an outdoor space in your home is the much-needed connection with nature. So, try surrounding your garden with as much greenery as possible. Create your private oasis with help of a flower and/or vegetable garden. Plants provide your outdoor space with wanted natural look and feeling of calmness. You can get very creative here and mud pots are always a great choice when decorating your garden. Try planting high bushes or trees, which will give your outdoor space the feeling of seclusion and privacy and also provide the space with much-needed shade and lower the temperatures during hot summers.

Shades

As summer hits and the temperatures start to rise, you won’t be able to enjoy your outdoor space without any shade. People will start avoiding the unbearable heat and harsh sun and they will go to hide inside in air conditioned space. As mentioned above, high bushes and trees will provide shade, but depending on the shape and design of your outside property, you might need to search for another solution. Consider installing shades specially made for outdoor spaces, just like the ones coffee shops and restaurants use. There is a great deal of quality shade sails online, made from various materials that can be custom designed to perfectly fit, cover and protect your garden from the sun.

Fireplace

On the other hand, when temperatures start to fall, you will need some kind of a heating source to enjoy your private escape even when it’s chilly outside. Install a stone fireplace that will provide the space with warmth and keep your friends and family gathered around, even on the coolest nights. The fireplace will immediately become the focal point of your garden and it will enable you to use your outdoor retreat through most of the seasons.

Water fountain

Want to add a unique element to your backyard? A water fountain will definitely do the trick! It gives your garden the “wow” factor and all your guests will be amazed with it. Not only does it provide the space with pleasant and relaxing sounds, but the fountain serves as a great decoration as well.

Furniture

Choose furniture pieces that are inviting and that will transform your backyard into a relaxing oasis that you will want to spend time in.
As the whole point of an outdoor space is to relax and escape from your daily life and other problems, comfort is a priority. Besides a cozy couch and armchairs, you can never go wrong with lazy bags, or even a hammock.

A place to put your feet up will provide additional comfort as well. However, when choosing outdoor furniture, durability is an important factor to have in mind too. All-weather furniture is made to withstand harsh weather conditions; it repels the water and resists fading caused by direct and all-day long sunlight.

Outdoor kitchen

When the weather is warm and pleasant, there is nothing more satisfying than eating a meal outside. An outdoor grill is a necessity in every backyard, but adding a preparation counter with a sink and storage space, where you can put the finishing touch on your food or mix drinks, will give you a fully operational outdoor kitchen. Depending on the space and budget, you can expand it by installing a bar and barstools that will serve as a great area to entertain your guests.