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Having another area in your house where you can sit and relax during your free time is nice. Imagine enjoying a fine meal or reading your favorite novel while you marvel at the outdoors. Surely, with your outdoor living area, you can enjoy nature without leaving the comfort of your home.
Simple Ways You Can Improve Your Outdoor Living Area
If you have an outdoor space, such as a backyard, patio, or garden, you should try to maximize its use. Regardless of the size of your outdoor area, there are a variety of things you can do. Check out some of the most awesome ways to improve your outdoor space.
Start Working on Your Garden
Creating a garden is not only for aesthetic purposes. It also allows you to enjoy several benefits, like getting more Vitamin D, improving muscle health, and minimizing the risks of developing early-onset dementia.
In creating a garden plot, you need to prepare a few pieces of equipment such as a shovel, garden hose, trowel, and bucket. Outline the area where you will place the garden bed and remove the patches of weed or grass. Then, dig up the ground and get rid of the pebbles and rocks. If you have poor-quality soil, you need to prepare your own mixed garden soil.
Don’t forget to edge the bed to deter critters from crawling into the plot. When transferring the seedlings, make sure you have extra spaces in between to avoid crowding the roots. Once you finish planting all the seedlings, you can add a thin layer of mulch to keep the soil moist.
Make sure that you tend to your garden regularly. Optionally, you can install a rain barrel so you can gather mineral-rich rainwater for your plants.
Consider Building an Outdoor Kitchen
If you love grilling meat, baking treats, or cooking all kinds of hearty dishes, then building an outdoor kitchen should be on top of your home expansion checklist. Cooking outdoors is a fun activity you can share not only with your dearest family members but also with your friends and colleagues.
You can conveniently host a barbeque if you can entertain your guests and prepare and cook the meals all in one place. Having an outdoor kitchen is also perfect if you live in a warm region.
Some of the basic appliances you can add to your outdoor kitchen are an outdoor grill, fridge, and side burner. If you’re willing to spend more, you can add a vent hood, tank bin, icemaker, and wine cooler.
Enjoy Eating Meals Outside
If you have an outdoor kitchen, naturally, you would want to have a place where you can enjoy eating your meals. Many homes today are built with spaces where you can add various types of outdoor dining furniture. But, if your place doesn’t have a prepared al fresco dining area, you can easily make one yourself.
Use the free space near the outdoor kitchen area. Position a few durable chairs and a sturdy table near the kitchen bar. Choose furnishings that match the overall theme of your outdoor space. Moreover, select items that can fit the available space.
If you don’t have an outdoor kitchen, you can just create your outdoor dining area on your porch, near your garden, or by the swimming pool.
As much as possible, you also install light fixtures so you can use your outdoor dining space in the evenings. Also, you should add an umbrella to protect your eyes and skin from the harmful rays of the sun during the day.
Create a Comfy Lounge Area
Not too keen on building an outdoor kitchen or dining space? You can simply set up a lounge area where you can lay down and check the latest happenings on social media. When you set up an outdoor lounge, you need to consider a few things.
First of all, you need to check the size of the outdoor space. How big is it? Will you have enough space for other activities? How many furnishings can you fit in? Can the area accommodate a large group for parties or just a few members of your family?
You will also need to consider your budget and goals. How much can you allot for the additional decor, furniture, and whatnot? How do you want to use the lounge area?
By clearly outlining the specifications of the area plus your needs and budget, it will be easier to think of a design theme for your lounge. For example, you can add a large TV where you can binge-watch your favorite series or the latest basketball game with your friends.
If you just want a place where you can retire during the late afternoon, you may want to add a long outdoor sofa, rug, cushions, and pillows.
Create an Outdoor Fire Pit or Fireplace
If you love spending your day off with a bottle of beer while listening to a laid-back playlist or snuggling with your loved one, you will love having an outdoor fireplace or fire pit. Fireplaces and firepits instantly add a charming and homey vibe to an outdoor space. These are quite popular in the home improvement industry today.
You can opt to hire a specialist to build a fire pit or fireplace. It’s the best option if you don’t have spare time. If prefer DIY, you need to make a couple of preparations.
First, you need to consider the special permit required in your area. Are there prescribed specifications for chimneys? Also, think about why you want an outdoor fireplace so you can effectively create a functional design.
You will also need to consider the materials in building the fireplace. Choose durable and heat-resistant materials like brick, stone, and concrete. If you want to build a traditional fireplace, you will also need a flue pipe.
Love all the home improvement ideas above? I hope these tips and tricks can give you all the inspiration you need for your future outdoor living area projects. Whatever outdoor space improvement ideas you choose, I’m sure your project is going to look amazing. Once you finish setting up your outdoor space, remember to keep it clean and tidy at all times.
FAQ:
You can improve your outdoor living area by creating a garden, building an outdoor kitchen, setting up an outdoor dining space, establishing a comfy lounge area, or adding an outdoor fire pit or fireplace.
To start a garden, gather equipment like a shovel, trowel, and garden hose. Outline your garden bed area, remove weeds, dig the ground, and prepare your soil. Ensure to space your seedlings properly and consider adding mulch and a rain barrel for watering.
When building an outdoor kitchen, consider the available space, essential appliances like a grill and fridge, and extra features like a vent hood or wine cooler. Additionally, think about how you plan to use the kitchen for entertaining guests.
You can create an outdoor dining area by using available space near your outdoor kitchen, porch, garden, or pool. Position durable chairs and a table, ensure proper lighting for evening use and add an umbrella for sun protection.
For building an outdoor fire pit or fireplace, use durable and heat-resistant materials such as brick, stone, and concrete. If building a traditional fireplace, remember to include a flue pipe and check for any local permit requirements.
