With spring upon us, it’s time to start enjoying our outdoor spaces again. Whether you love to entertain or just enjoy relaxing quietly with family, you may want to give your patio or deck area a fresh new look. More of us are embarking on staycations right at home, making our backyards into the perfect getaway. Try these ideas to turn your backyard into a relaxing outdoor oasis.
Dress Up Your Outdoor Dining Area: Your outdoor dining area should consist of a table, chairs and shade. Creating a beautiful tabletop with all the trimmings can go a long way and really set the mood for the perfect gathering. Use an umbrella to stay shaded and add pops of color through cushions, glassware and flowers. Positioning your dining and seating areas against a focal point like a fireplace or water feature will surely enhance your surroundings.
Create Conversation Seating: You can create cozy seating zones by grouping them away from one another. Positioning your seating with two sofas facing each other or a set of four chairs around a coffee table is better for conversation. Adding in an area rug and accent pillows are the kind of touches that will turn an ordinary outdoor space into an inviting oasis. Remember to establish your traffic patterns around your seating areas for easy mobility.
Plan Outdoor Lighting: Once the sun sets, it doesn’t mean you can’t continue to enjoy your outdoor space. A combination of lighting may be necessary depending on the area you have – which can really give your backyard a gorgeous ambiance and feel. Steps and walkways should be lit for safety and landscape can look highlighted and dramatic with solar-powered or low-voltage up lights. For dining and seating areas you can choose and mix from chandeliers, candlelight, wall sconces, dimmable electric lamps, lanterns, and string lights.
Create Privacy: Having a sense of privacy gives you the feeling of your own outdoor oasis. Pergolas, garden walls and fences all ensure privacy, but you can also use lattice, outdoor drapery panels and landscape to define your outdoor spaces as well.
When deciding on what type of furniture to purchase, think about comfort, durability, where you live, and how it will ultimately function for you. Now more than ever we have so many choices when it comes to outdoor furniture. From modern to traditional, there are several types, including woven, wood, metal, aluminum, and plastic styles that you can consider. While wood can be stylish, it won’t hold the sun’s heat the way metal will. Plastic is affordable, lightweight and is easily portable, but it’s not long lasting.
When applying these ideas to your own outdoor space, you’ll be well on your way to creating your very own backyard getaway. And you can get help finding the perfect piece or set at Roger’s Gardens, a destination home and garden store in Corona del Mar, in business for more than 50 years, which carries a variety of outdoor furniture brands.
Michele Hatch has been an interior designer for over eight years and has worked on both hospitality and residential projects locally and across the nation. She is the owner and principal designer of Stellar Interior Design here in Orange County.
