When thinking of the outdoor spaces around your home, there are four qualities you want them to have. You want as much space around your home as possible. You want the outdoor area to be a magnet for people’s attention.
The outdoor area of your home should improve the usefulness of your home. Lastly, says TaylorStMgmt.com, should improve the value of your property.
How do you create an outdoor area that meets your expectations in terms of how much you enjoy the space and how much value it adds to your property? The key to an outdoor area that is beautiful and functional is good planning.
Even if you do not have a large expanse of open space around your home, you can make the little space you have count.
A great way to improve the function and aesthetics of your outdoor areas is to add outdoor living space. Outdoor living spaces are a fun way to increase the effective square footage of your property; they blur the boundaries between inside and outside living.
They let you express your creativity in ways that adding more rooms or a bathroom to the home will not do.
But what are the best options to consider when thinking of adding an outdoor living space to your property? We explore some of the most creative outdoor living space ideas below.
Creative ways to expand your outdoor living space
When creating an outdoor living space, a few of the things you want to think about:
- The purpose of the space
- The best furniture for the space
- The seating arrangement you want for the room
- What kind of entertainment systems you should buy
- Any additional features for the yard?
Types of outdoor living spaces
Depending on how you plan to use it, an outdoor living space may be attached to the main house or can be a standalone structure.
You may build it to be completely or partially enclosed or without any sides at all. The outdoor living space can have a permanent or retractable roof or a garden trellis.
Here are the different types of outdoor living spaces you can add to your home:
● A lounge area with a TV
This kind of outdoor space serves as a place for entertaining friends or hosting parties. You can also set it up as your own private movie theater or gaming room. It can serve as a nice place to lounge near the pool or somewhere to sit around on lazy Sundays.
The space should be designed to protect your TV from the weather while letting people maximize the TV viewing experience.
● Outdoor kitchen and dining room
This can be a full-fledged kitchen or a makeshift arrangement for cooking simple meals. The attraction of an outdoor kitchen is it adds a touch of magic to outdoor entertainment. It introduces fun into the process of preparing meals because it lets you do it while joining in on outdoor games.
● Outdoor fireplaces or fire pits
This kind of room is for creating a cozy space in the yard during the evening or late at night. Open fires have traditionally served as a gathering place for the entire clan after sunset.
A modern outdoor fireplace serves the exact same purpose; it is a great feature for spending romantic evenings outside or spending meaningful time with friends and family.
● Patios and decks
Patios and decks are the quintessential ways to increase your home’s living space. They can be built in almost any corner of the backyard and according to a wide range of designs.
While patios are paved areas built directly over the ground, decks are elevated above the ground. The right structure for your home depends on your needs.
Other features to add to your outdoor living space
To maximize the appeal of outdoor living space and get the most use from it, the features inside and around the room are just as important as the structure itself.
● Furniture and seating
You need the right furniture to help you create the look you want for the space. You also need furniture that can handle being exposed to the weather.
The furniture pieces in the room should be diverse enough to serve different purposes and they should match the overall outdoor aura of the room. Also, your seating arrangement should align with the purpose of the room
● Outdoor entertainment systems
Today, there are so many options for bringing quality sound to an outdoor living space. You can find TVs, movie projection systems, and loudspeakers that are specifically designed for use in the yard. Before you buy any outdoor entertainment system, make sure it matches the look of the space.
● Add a water feature
When designing your outdoor room, make sure you adopt a comprehensive approach that takes the entire yard into consideration.
You don’t want the space to stand in contrast to the rest of the yard. The adjoining areas should complement the design of your outdoor living space. One of the best ways to do this is to add a water feature to the yard.
