5 Tips for Creating the Best Outdoor Oasis in Your Neighborhood
“Home” encompasses much more than the walls in which we store our possessions! It is the yards into which we escape, the streets we walk, the neighbors we meet and memories we make. When you create a space optimized for outdoor living in a neighborhood, you get to make the most of all of these moments.
5 Ideas for Outdoor Living In a Neighborhood
So, what project will help you create the space of your dreams? Find some inspiration here.
1. What’s Cookin’, Good Lookin’? Outdoor Kitchens Are Hot
Kick your summertime gatherings into high gear with a fully equipped outdoor kitchen. This way, you can store all of your BBQ and cookout essentials easily without missing out on any of the fun. No more trudging back and forth into the house for tongs, burgers, or more of your famous salsa. It’s all right there, neatly stocked away and organized in outdoor fridges, coolers, and chillers and ready to be grilled, seared, smoked, or sauteed to perfection.
In addition to the superb opportunities for entertaining, this space offers a lot of benefits. You won’t heat up your house in the summer by cooking (and opening and closing… and opening and closing the door to fetch this or that), and you can integrate fire features (e.g., fire pits) or heaters for year-round enjoyment.
2. Rethinking the Living Room
Who says the living room has to be indoors? An outdoor living room offers a fresh spin on entertaining and gathering, as well as lounging and relaxing. Comfortable sofas and chairs, hammocks, sound systems, outdoor fireplaces, tables for drinks, snacks and books make this the perfect relaxing retreat. Don’t forget board, card, and yard games, and trendy house plants and accessories make this the most pleasant, well-used room in the house. Or… actually, out of the house!
3. Light It Up, Up, Up
Lighting is a versatile addition to your outdoor space, and it serves different – equally important – functions. You can use subtle downlights or even spotlights to emphasize and enhance focal features (e.g., sculptures, water features, etc.) and string lights to add a whimsical look and feel. You can also integrate unobtrusive lighting for safety. Whether it is lining your paths with solar lights or installing step lights for easy flights up and down the stairs, the right lighting allows you to extend your enjoyment long into the evening.
4. Social or Secret? How About Both?
Imagine… You have the yard in which everyone wants to gather, catch the game, bring their best dip, casserole, or salad to the potluck, or just sit around, shooting the breeze and making memories. With outdoor TVs, speakers, covered areas, comfy furnishings, and designated space for cornhole, bocce ball, giant Jenga, or horseshoes – along with your outdoor kitchen and/or bar – you have all the makings of an envy-inducing social hub.
But… As much as you like your neighbors, friends, and family, you also like some alone time. Some time to relax, read, have a cold iced tea, or just zone out after a long day. Enter your secret garden.
If you have a little nook, perhaps nestled along a fence or brick/stone wall or located in the back or side yard, turn it into your own private retreat. Strategic use of elements such as tall shrubbery, hedges, hardscape features (walls, fences, lattice work with climbing plants, etc.) can create the seclusion you want. A narrow arched opening, trellis, or rustic latching gate is a great entry point, and it also marks the line between social and solitude.
5. Take the Plunge
Whether it is listening to the ocean’s waves, watching the ripples on a lovely lake, or taking a soothing shower or bath, water helps reconnect us with a sense of peace. Bring that into your yard on the scope and scale that makes the most sense for you. It could be a full poolside paradise with dazzling blue water. It could be an aerated pond stocked with graceful koi. Or how about a tranquil waterfall fountain to soothe away stress?
Maximize Your Life
Outdoor living is about more than a kitchen, an inviting bonfire, or even space for a game (or seven) of cornhole. It’s about making the most of your time, building relationships, enjoying your property, and feeling great – inside and out.
For ideas, and for a solid plan for making them into a beautiful reality, connect with GreenImage.
