The outside of the home is just as important as the inside. People spend lots of time and money getting ready for spring and trying to make the inside of their houses comfortable. But what about that jewel out in the backyard called the patio? A patio is one of those things that people look for when buying a house and if they don’t already have one, they create one.
If the patio area isn’t inviting, you won’t be drawn to it and you will hardly use it. Keep reading to find some ideas on what you can do to make your patio the best hangout spot in the house.
1. Planning
If you don’t already have an existing patio it’s a good idea to sit down and map out your backyard as you would like to see it. You can play around with shapes and forms and zones. You make changes and adjustments at this stage of the process. Remember that you cannot just dig anywhere because of underground water and power lines. Locate where you can and cannot dig and then you can plan accordingly.
Once you have decided on the layout, you can decide on which additional features like water features, a fire pit trees and shrubbery you would like to have. Do you want to add colour, shade or create a windbreak? All these considerations need to be acknowledged so that when the project is completed, you are happy with the end result.
2. Inside Out
The best patios blend the outside and the inside effortlessly by making use of aesthetic features that match the décor on the inside of the house. This doesn’t mean simply using the same pillows that you use on your lounge chairs on the patio furniture. Try mimicking the inside by using a similar colour scheme.
An affordable way to do this is by removing a standard door and replacing it with a French style door or sliding door that doesn’t break your line of sight out onto the garden area. You can also add weatherproof flooring to the space outside and take it all the way into the adjacent room inside the house. This way you have two separate spaces but the contrast isn’t too stark.
3. Comfort
Patio furniture should not only be functional but comfortable and aesthetically pleasing as well. So, when you choose furniture for your patio, keep all three those things in mind. Buy soft cushions that are pretty but that can handle downpours.
Create a homelike environment by putting down a rug for barefoot comfort. Just because it is outside doesn’t mean you cannot put down a rug. Add a few patio heaters as well so that you can use your patio during the colder months as well.
If you’re worried about clean up, add a canopy or awnings to keep the wind from blowing leaves onto your outside area. This will also be ideal for winter. If sweeping the patio sounds like too much effort then consulting a buying guide for leaf blowers will give you a few ideas as to which of these machines would be most suitable for your cleaning needs.
4. Lighting
Lighting in the outside patio area is very important because you are going to want to use it at night especially if you’re entertaining on a warm summer evening. Lighting makes it safer to enjoy your patio for longer. Think of clever ways to bring light onto your patio like using up-lighting to highlight trees architectural details or other focal points.
Think of interesting lighting designs like pendant lighting to make it easier to entertain, or even just spend time reading out there late at night. Use landscape solar lights to illuminate walkways. Fairy lights and string lights create an enchanting atmosphere.
5. Customize it
It’s easy to see something in a magazine or on Pinterest and fall in love with it, but try not to simply duplicate what you see online or in your neighbour’s backyard. It’s important for you to feel like this is your own unique space and there’s nothing else like it out there for it to feel even more idyllic.
A basic patio has some patio furniture, maybe a grill or a fire pit. You can elevate your patio by adding some features that are unique to your taste. You can paint the floor of your patio in your favourite colour or even add a pattern like chevron perhaps. You can add a water feature and some shrubbery bring some tranquillity to the space.
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