Enhance Your Outdoor Living Spaces With These Tips
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For millions of Australians, outdoor living is an integral part of their life. It’s a well-established fact that they like living outdoors. Now, going on a road trip or a vacation abroad is not possible on a frequent basis.
Outdoor Spaces come to the rescue here. People of all ages love to spend time in the outdoor areas of their homes. Irrespective of whether it’s self-owned, leased, or rented, almost every independent house in Australia has outdoor spaces. Backyard, garden, lawn, porch, patio, and deck are different types of outdoor spaces. Depending on the size and design of a house, it can have single or multiple outdoor living spaces.
Contrary to the popular belief that outdoor spaces are an extension of a house, outdoor spaces are as important part of a house as indoor spaces. They convert your home from being just a shelter to a blissful place. Thoughtfully created amazing outdoor spaces can transform your home completely.
Therefore, you should invest your time and efforts (and a little bit of money) in building various outdoor areas of your house. For those, who are getting a new house built, the sky is the limit. They can conduct a significant amount of research for creating outdoor garden spaces, outdoor kitchen spaces, and many other types of outdoor spaces. If you are one of them, you can have modern outdoor spaces for your residential property.
But if you have bought a pre-owned property or if your outdoor spaces have started looking uninteresting, you should consider re-designing outdoor spaces. Just like your indoor areas, your outdoor areas also need a careful inspection periodically.
How to Know If Your Outdoor Spaces Need a Rebirth?
While examining the deck, patio, al fresco dining area, and other outdoor areas of your home, you should look for signs of structural damage as well as aesthetic damage. Deck whose wood has started to rot or splinter should be treated or replaced as soon as possible. Similarly, if the colour of the bench in your outdoor area has started to fade, you should repaint or replace it.
However, most of the time, it’s not just one or two items that need your attention. When it comes to worn-out outdoor living spaces, a well-crafted plan of redesigning is required. Even if your outdoor spaces haven’t become entirely old or dull-looking, a few changes here and there can improve their appearance.
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Thus, depending on your expectations, you can decide whether your outdoor spaces require a few touch-ups or a radical makeover. Now, it’s not always the extreme situations that take place. In simple words, it might also happen that your outdoor spaces need neither a radical makeover nor a touch-up. All they need is redesigning, remodelling, or redecorating.
Now, many people get worried thinking that changing the functionality or appearance of an outdoor area will cost them an arm and a leg. But it’s not true, as you can always seek affordable solutions. You can find a large number of reasonably-priced products and services for reinventing your outdoor spaces. You can redesign your big and small outdoor spaces on a budget by buying low-cost items and hiring cheap services.
Moreover, the tips mentioned ahead in this blog post will also help you a lot. Regardless of whether you implement any of these tips or not, you should always avoid compromising on the quality. Trying to cut corners might save you some dollars in the short run, but in the long run, you might end up spending a large amount on repairs and replacements.
How to Improve Your Outdoor Spaces Efficiently?
The fact that search phrases like “Why is outdoor play important in early childhood?” and “Does outdoor living space add value?” are used on the Internet proves that people remain curious to learn whether outdoor living can benefit them or not. You must already be aware that spending some time in nature is essential for the body as well as the mind.
In today’s fast-paced life, where people find it difficult to take the time out for visiting gardens, mountains, and other places, having an outdoor space that brings nature to your home is nothing less than a boon. So, there is no doubt in the fact that creative outdoor spaces can enhance the quality of life of both children and adults alike.
In such circumstances, you should show dedication to creating outdoor spaces that exhibit nature, fun, and a unique appeal. Whether it is outdoor spaces landscaping or outdoor spaces architecture, you need to pay attention to detail in every aspect related to your outdoor spaces. We have curated a list of tips that you can use for improving your outdoor spaces, thereby increasing the resale value and curb appeal of your property.
Points and Tips to Consider for Decorating Outdoor Spaces
Before sharing the tips for beautifying your existing and future outdoor spaces, we want to draw your attention to some steps that you need to take.
- Determine the Objective
- Decide on the Appearance
- Plan and Draw the Layout
First of all, you need to determine the objective, i.e., the purpose or the use of the outdoor space. You need to ask a critical question to yourself – “Am I satisfied with the way my outdoor area is being used currently or Do I need to change the way it’s used”. In the case of outdoor spaces that are just in the planning stage, you can decide the use by keeping in mind your present and future needs.
Let’s have a look at the simple example: You have a backyard that has two chairs and a small round table. You have been using this setting for having evening tea. Now, if your backyard is large, you can use it for hosting small dinner parties, brunches, and get-togethers. All you need to do is to change the setting by replacing this furniture with new furniture that can accommodate more people.
It’s worth mentioning here that you don’t need to settle for just one type of purpose. You can use your outdoor areas for multiple purposes, like reading a book, having meals, cooking, and entertaining the guests. You need to have clarity regarding the purpose so that you can come up with the best outdoor spaces ideas.
Image Credit: Lisa on Pexels
Once you have decided on the functionality of your outdoor space, it’s time to determine the aesthetics. Whether it’s an existing outdoor area or a yet to be created one, you can make it look the way you want. The reason why the majority of the people think about outdoor spaces remodel is that they are not happy with the appearance of the same.
Therefore, you should leave no stone unturned in giving your outdoor spaces the look you desire. Open your wings of imagination and envision your dream outdoor areas. If you are having difficulty picturing your outdoor areas, you can take the help of magazines, TV shows, and even the Internet.
You can easily come across numerous pictures of beautiful outdoor spaces on several websites. In the case of the existing outdoor areas, your dream picture might seem far from achievable. But don’t lose hope, as you can always consult the professionals for outdoor spaces design.
Based on the functionality and aesthetics that you want to achieve in your outdoor area, you can decide the layout of the same. For example, if you want your patio or porch to be an area equipped with a fully functional kitchen and seating arrangement, you should ensure that the kitchen is closer to the entrance. The reason is that you should be able to bring items from your indoor kitchen to the outdoor kitchen.
Similarly, if you want to create an outdoor entertainment area with the required facilities, you need to choose the most suitable walls for electrical switchboards. In order to have outdoor spaces for events – social and professional – you should have a water tap. Making the correct layout plan is essential for building quality outdoor spaces.
You don’t necessarily need to hire the services of an architect for preparing the layout plan. You just need to keep in mind certain points like convenience, safety, and privacy. Then, you can create a mental image of the placement of different objects in your outdoor area.
A clear vision of the functionality and appearance of your outdoor spaces will make it easy for you to determine the layout. Once the layout part is taken care of, you can make the right decision regarding various aspects, including but not limited to furniture, lighting, and décor.
Now, let’s delve into the tips hoping that they would serve as useful ideas for outdoor spaces.
- Right Enclosure
- Adequate Privacy
- Formal Zoning
- Suitable Colour Palette
- Durable Furniture
- Proper Lighting
- Correct Seating Arrangement
- Alluring Beauty
- Centre of Attraction
- Personal Touch
Covered outdoor spaces are preferred by many people owing to the climatic conditions of Australia. You can choose to keep your outdoor spaces fully enclosed or partially enclosed. Outdoor areas that are enclosed stay protected from harsh weather elements like the scorching sun, rainfall, hailstorm, and strong winds. In the case of a partial enclosure, you should consider the sunlight and wind coming in different corners of your outdoor area.
Pergola is often the first choice of people who want enclosed outdoor areas. But you can also use louvre panels, pavilion, shingle roof, slatted roof, steel panels, canopy, awning, tarp, fabric, and other objects for covering your outdoor areas. As far as the colour, style, and texture of the material are concerned, you should take into account the overall design of your outdoor area, the type and colour of the furniture, and other important points.
Whether it’s inside your house or outside your house, every area should be created in a way to have an element of privacy. You can use a brick wall, concrete wall, stone wall, fence, trellis, wooden lattice, tall trees, leafy plants, hedges, container gardens, and much more. Such types of objects can also give you added benefits of security and zoning.
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Walls or fences are important for keeping the prying eyes away and safeguarding your possessions from anti-social elements like thieves and burglars. If you are fretting over the cost of building a wall or a fence, then stop fretting as you can always find a cost-effective solution. The availability of a huge variety of home improvement products has made decorating outdoor spaces on a budget possible for everyone.
A large number of people are of the opinion that outdoor areas should have an open layout. Would you keep the dining table and television near each other in your living room? We know that your answer would be ‘No’. Then, how can you place items randomly in your outdoor space? Even if you want to create a relaxing environment in your outdoor spaces, formal zoning is beneficial in many ways.
You must draw the boundaries between different sections of an outdoor area. Zoning helps to define the exact use of each section. Your guests will easily understand which sections can be used for purposes, such as sitting, dining, and entertaining. You can use pathways, walkways, trees, plants, water features, fire features, rugs, carpets, floor runners, and more for drawing the indicative boundaries.
When it comes to selecting the colour palette for outdoor areas, most people get confused. Many reasons can be attributed to this fact. People are not able to decide whether the outdoor areas should be synchronized with the outdoor areas or not in terms of colours. Some people feel that having different colours indoors and outdoors can ruin the character of the house.
But others believe that the use of the same colours can make the whole property look dull. We would say that you should not be afraid of experimenting. Instead of going by the opinions of others or following the popular trends, you should see what is the best option for your outdoor space. Keeping in mind the character and depth that you want to give your house, you can decide the colour palette.
Image Credit: Francesca Tosolini on Unsplash
Before that, you should equip yourself with the knowledge about how any particular colour can affect the vibe of a place and the mood of people. White and neutral tones give a feeling of tranquillity, whereas, bold colours give a feeling of excitement. If you want to make your outdoor quiet spaces, where you can feel calm and relaxed, you should opt for these tones.
However, if you want to have outdoor spaces for events, you should go with bold colours. Red, dark blue, purple, and orange can liven up your family and guests whenever they are spending time in the outdoor area. If you want to get the best of both worlds, you can choose a combination of soft and bold colours that complement or contrast with each other.
While determining the colour palette, you should remember to choose colours for every surface and object. You need to pick the colour for walls, sheds, and floors. Then, you need to decide on the colours for buying curtains, furniture pieces, planters, décor items, and other objects.
Often, people commit the mistake of using the old and spare furniture pieces in their outdoor areas. Some people even buy pre-owned furniture for use in outdoor spaces. While there is nothing wrong with using pre-owned furniture, it should be ensured that the furniture pieces are suitable for outdoor use. Garden, backyard, patio, and other outdoor spaces face the wrath of nature.
So, you must buy furniture that is capable of withstanding weather damage. Even if your outdoor spaces are fully enclosed, you should use appropriate furniture pieces. While buying pre-owned furniture, check whether it can be used outdoors or not. It should be resistant to mould, mildew, stains, and other problems. This same principle applies to electronic items, electrical appliances, décor items, and more.
Just like the indoor areas of your home, outdoor areas should also be well-lit. Outdoor lighting makes your outdoor spaces safer for use. You can avoid of risk of tripping over furniture and other objects lying on the floor. The best part is that you can get a vast array of options for outdoor lighting. You can use wall scones and chandeliers if you want upwards-facing lighting.
Image Credit: Carl Hunley on Unsplash
If you want downwards-facing lighting, you should use ceiling lights, string lights, and lanterns. If you are someone who frequently uses outdoor spaces for events, you should consider getting the lights installed on walkways and pathways. Outdoor spaces that have proper lighting can be used in the dark without the fear of accidents, thefts, and pests.
The seating arrangement is a huge factor affecting the overall appeal of your outdoor area. The seating should be such that people feel comfortable and at ease. It’s worth mentioning here that the seating arrangement does not include only the furniture. It is a comprehensive term for the type of furniture pieces kept in your outdoor area and the way they are placed.
Decorating small outdoor spaces as well as large outdoor spaces becomes a smooth affair when you buy the right furniture and make the correct seating arrangement. The furniture should be placed in such a way that not everyone has their back against the house while being in the outdoor area. A group can have a conversation when some people sit with their backs against the house and others don’t.
Sofa and bar stools are must-have furniture pieces in outdoor areas where get-togethers and celebrations take place. If you have kids, then you should include small chairs in your furniture. Those, who like to read a book or take a tap in their outdoor space, should certainly buy a hammock, a swing, or a daybed. For small outdoor areas, you should buy furniture that has storage space.
Having beautiful features in your outdoor spaces can increase the overall aesthetic appeal of your home. In today’s time, building great outdoor spaces, whether through new construction or re-designing, is hassle-free. You can get a plethora of options when it comes to making your outdoor spaces look spectacular. From walls and floors to furniture and curtains, all kinds of surfaces and items can be used for increasing beauty.
Image Credit: Robin Jonathon Deutsch on Unsplash
You can opt for accent walls, landscaping, antique carpets, tree lighting, decorative plant pots, and other ways to improve the look of your outdoor areas. DIY (Do-It-Yourself) enthusiasts can keep handmade planters, flowerpots, and other items. You can incorporate the elements of water and fire by keeping water features and fire features in your outdoor spaces.
While every surface and item present in your outdoor space should be pleasant to look at, you must have one object that serves as a centre of attraction. This object can be a stunning furniture piece, flowering tree, outdoor kitchen, pool, beer tap, exotic plant, beautiful light, water feature, fire feature, wall, or anything else. A koi pond, water fountain, fire pit, and ornamental garden – all can be a centre of attraction or a focal point.
Whether you have small outdoor spaces or large outdoor spaces, a focal point can take their visual appeal up a notch. If possible, try to have those objects as focal points, which can improve the functionality of your outdoor areas. For example, a stylish propane fire pit, while being a centre of attraction, can also be used for roasting marshmallows.
Needless to say, every person wants their home to be a reflection of their personality. Most of the time, people spend heavily on design, products, and decoration to make their homes look unique. They invest a lot of time in choosing the furniture, kitchen appliances, carpets, curtains, décor items, and more. If you follow the same approach, you should include your outdoor areas in the plan as well, but without spending extravagantly.
Image Credit: Randy Fath on Unsplash
When people enter your premises, they see one or more of your outdoor areas before seeing indoor areas. So, it makes complete sense to give a personal touch to the outdoor spaces by using a little creativity and smartness. Some good outdoor spaces ideas include showing your hobbies, fields of interest, skills, and fun side through carefully selected products and design trends.
For example, if you like to play the guitar, you can keep miniature guitars in different corners or places of your outdoor area. If it’s your passion to bake cakes, you can set up a small baking station with the necessary equipment and accessories for baking cakes whenever your guests arrive. If you are fond of reading, you can keep a small bookshelf in the covered outdoor area.
Along with the tips mentioned above, you can also use your own ideas. You just need to sit in a quiet place and brainstorm. Keep a pen and paper in hand and note down every idea and thought that comes into your mind.
Conclusion
Regardless of how big or small your outdoor space is, you should never ignore some basic points like cleanliness, organisation, and environment. You should always keep your outdoor areas clean. You should keep all the objects organised. Last but not the least, you should set up your outdoor space in such a way that it evokes feelings of warmth and comfort.
We hope that you would have liked this blog post! If you have some tips to share, please feel free to post them in the comment section.
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Priya Bhagtani is a passionate content writer with an experience of more than five years in this field.
