Hosting a barbecue or get-together in your backyard is a staple of the summer season. With sunny days, warm weather, and late sunsets, your backyard is your place to relax and enjoy the season with the people who matter most. While some backyards cost tens of thousands of dollars and include a variety of cutting-edge features, you don’t have to spend huge amounts of money to spruce up your backyard and make it fun for your family and friends.
In fact, there are countless DIY solutions that can make your space your own without a massive price tag. With that in mind, here are a few DIY tips that can turn your backyard from a boring, dull area to a private oasis for fun and excitement:
1. Create a place to relax
The perfect backyard is more about comfort and fresh air than amenities and fancy features. The first step to creating a comfortable space is designing where you and your friends or family will relax. Whether this is a back deck, a shaded stone patio, or simply a hammock in a tree, decide what feels right for you.
2. Find comfy outdoor furniture
Regardless of the make of your lounge area, you will need to fill it with comfortable outdoor furniture suitable for your family’s needs. If you entertain a lot and have large barbecues, consider building a picnic table with additional seating for everyone. If you prefer intimate gatherings with smaller groups, pick out a small patio set. In this case, it is best to think about how you want to enjoy your backyard: are you hoping for romantic candle-lit dinners, rowdy barbecues, or quaint picnics on the ground? Once you decide how you want to enjoy your backyard, you can make your vision a reality.
3. Watch for shade
One of the most crucial aspects of any backyard is shade. On hot summer afternoons, even if you spend them by the pool, having shade can be the difference between a fun afternoon with your friends or you suffering from heat exhaustion, sunstroke, and sunburns.
Trees are the best form of natural shade, and planting a few extra trees in your yard can pay off huge dividends when they grow taller, especially if you plan to live in the same home for years to come. Beyond trees, you can also opt for pop-up patio umbrellas, or you can build a trellis overtop of your patio and cover it with ivy, making a semi-shaded space with a natural feel.
4. Light it up
Don’t let the party stop when the sun goes down. Instead, consider lighting up your backyard with the peaceful glow of string lights or tiki torches. Not only do these lights create a romantic, understated ambience that is sure to impress, but they are also much more aesthetically-appealing than standard backyard floodlights. For an eco-friendly solution, consider lining your backyard or your patio with solar lights that can recharge on sunny days and automatically turn on at night.
5. Make it cozy
Once your basic lounge area has been established, you can add more features to make it your own. A simple outdoor rug can tie together your patio and make it feel cozy. Alternatively, a mini patio fireplace or a covered fire pit – but check local fire regulations first – can let you enjoy a small, rustic fire with your family and friends. If you want to get a bit more extravagant, consider using an old white sheet as a projection screen and host movie nights in your backyard.
6. Make it private
One of the most important aspects of any comfortable backyard is privacy. For many people, it can be difficult to relax in your own space when your neighbours can see you from their back deck or when their dog barks at you every time you come outside.
To combat this, consider putting up a stylish wooden fence to make your area more private, quiet, and secluded. Alternatively, you can set up a series of privacy screens or a vertical garden to separate your space from your neighbours.
7. Make it fun
Now that you have your perfect, private backyard oasis, it’s time to focus on the fun stuff. You have a dining area and a lounge space for your friends, so maybe it’s time to add a barbecue and portable bar to your backyard party area. Now, you can entertain your friends and enjoy a meal in what feels like your own private patio bar.
For added comfort, consider adding rooftop coverage so you can enjoy the space even when it rains. Depending on the size of your yard, you can also outfit it with your favourite games such as horseshoes or water-volleyball. For smaller spaces, pick up some board games, cards, and dice to enjoy an evening of table games with your friends.
For more ideas on how you can revitalize your backyard to create a customized space tailored to your family’s needs, call Solda Pools at 289-201-2351 or visit our website here.