Outdoor design: Inspiring outdoor living space ideas
If you’re interested in outdoor design and outdoor living space ideas, then this post is for you! Last time we talked about how to decorate the inside of your home with plants, now we dive into decorating the outside of your home.
Whether your home has a yard, a small garden, a patio, a veranda, or a balcony, you can take advantage of that available exterior area to make it a lovely extension of your living space.
In this article, you will find different ways you can achieve an enjoyable outdoor oasis regardless of the size of your space or your budget.
What space do you have and how do you want to use it?
It all begins with determining what usable space you have at your disposal to create a sitting area and if size allows, what other activities you can incorporate to make your outdoor living most enjoyable.
There are so many ways you can enhance your outdoor space. Investing time and effort into your outdoor design not only allows you to enjoy your outdoor living space but also adds value to your home.
Should you go the professional outdoor design route?
If you are starting from scratch and you have a healthy budget and lots of space, you can have a landscaping design company plan out your outdoor design project to maximize the use of your available space but also to meet your specific needs and wants. This can include, a pergola, gazebo, swimming pool, outdoor spa, hardscape, a firepit, built-in outdoor kitchen, a play area, landscaping with specific plants and irrigation. The possibilities are endless.
Just make sure you get quotes from at least 3 vendors before making a decision. While you are considering these options, ask to see prior projects and always ask to speak to former customers for references, so you can get a good idea of reliability, work quality, and timeliness.
What if you don’t have a lot of space or money?
Outdoor design is not limited by the footprint of the space. It may be a large area, a patio, deck, veranda, balcony or a small patch of ground outside. No matter the size, it provides an opportunity to set up an area to lounge, dine or just enjoy a beverage a la fresco.
So, if you are on a limited budget and you are willing to do some work yourself, then you can achieve a lot with a bit of effort and inspiration.
Here are some outdoor living space ideas to consider when planning your outdoor space.
Outdoor design to protect you from the elements
Unless you want to spend most of your time basking in the sun, you need a shady spot.
This can be an overhang, a covered patio, pergola, a sun shade or umbrella. Even setting up a couple of chairs and a small table under a tree can accommodate your need for a shady area. This will make your outdoor space more usable in the hot summer months or during spring showers.
Choosing the right furniture for your outdoor space
The type and size of outdoor furniture are determined by the area you are working with, but try not to overcrowd your outdoor area because you want to allow some room for accent pieces that make the space more visually pleasing. I will cover more on this topic later.
Introduce lighting to your outdoor design
Lighting creates a sense of ambiance and can make your outdoor space usable after the sun goes down.
What you use and how you use it depends on your space and budget but here are some outdoor living space ideas on how to illuminate your outdoor area.
Photo by Roberto Nickson on Unsplash
Bring a warm glow with string lights
Solar powered or wired string lights can be hung on the perimeter of a patio cover, a pergola, along a fence, in trees or even strung from the house to any vertical element to provide ambient lighting and a cozy mood when sitting outdoors in the evenings.
Use tiki torches for an added layer of interest
Tiki torches stuck into the ground around your seating area can be used to not only add the warm glow of fire but can also keep those pesky bugs away.
Layer in candles and lanterns for a romantic touch
The addition of candles and lanterns is a lovely way to create a pleasant atmosphere and a romantic vibe to your outdoor living space.
If you want to avoid an open flame, try solar lanterns and battery powered candles.
When planning your outdoor design remember to illuminate your landscaping.
Add solar up-lights to accentuate your landscaping
This kind of lighting is a great way to highlight trees, shrubs, or even pathways. This enhances your landscaping and creates a beautiful play between light and shadows that results in a majestic effect in your outdoor space at night.
Introduce more of nature’s elements
Incorporating various elements from nature to your outdoor design will offer a sense of serenity, coziness, and a connection to nature – even if you’re living in the center of an urban area.
Highlight your water features
If you decide to install a fountain, or other kind of water feature, choose one that has integrated lighting to illuminate the water and create a magical glow in the evenings.
Add fire to the mix
As you consider outdoor living space ideas, remember the element of fire. This can be a fire pit or an outdoor fireplace. Think of how lovely it would be to sit around the fire on a cool evening. Not only does it provide warmth but the ambiance it creates is unsurpassed.
Outdoor design for cooking and dining
Photo by RDNE Stock Project on Pexels
For those of you who crave that outdoor grilling and dining experience, there are endless options depending on the size of your exterior space.
You can fuel your cooking passion with a built-in outdoor kitchen that includes a grill, beverage fridge and prep area, or with a simple stand alone grill, tucked in the corner of the patio, veranda or balcony. Whatever you use, the food that comes off that grill is sure to be delicious!
Now let’s not forget that you need to have somewhere to enjoy that lovely food. If space allows, set up an outdoor table and chairs in a shaded area. Even if your space is limited, a bistro table and chairs can serve this purpose too.
It all depends on what your available space is and how you want to use it. But, while you are considering your outdoor design options don’t forget to accessorize for a visually appealing aesthetic.
Use accessories to enhance your outdoor design
Photo by Taryn Elliott on Pexels
When looking for outdoor living space ideas, treat your outside in the same way as you would your interior decorating. This is your opportunity to bring texture and color through accessories.
Your outdoor decorating can incorporate accent pillows, a lovely outdoor rug, maybe some outdoor curtains strung up on the sides of your patio or deck, a citronella candle or even a cordless oil diffuser with citronella essential oil to keep your area bug free.
And let’s not forget that the most important reason for setting up an exterior space where you can sit, grill, or just lounge is to enjoy fresh air and nature. So, why not bring nature closer to where you can enjoy it the most. That would be right next to where you are sitting.
Bring plants closer to you
Your outdoor design should include live plants by your seating area, no matter how large or small your exterior living space is.
Photo by At Home With Dia ©
This can be as simple as a small potted plant on a table or a number of large pots with flowering plants or lush green foliage strategically placed by your seating area.
When you are decorating with plants try to vary the height of the pots and plants and group them in odd numbers. This creates an interesting arrangement that elevates the look of your outdoor space.
On balconies or small verandas consider hanging pots, or planters that can be placed on the railing. This provides you with the benefit of pretty flowers or plants without taking up valuable floor space.
Another option for balconies or verandas where you want a bit of privacy from your neighbors, is to put a long planter and trellis at the far end of the space with a trailing vine that not only provides a visual barrier but gives you the opportunity to enjoy the greenery. Now that’s what I call a “two-for-one” approach!
When considering outdoor living space ideas it is important to take into consideration your overall color scheme. This brings me to the topic of how to make your outdoor space look stylish and cohesive with your interior spaces.
Outdoor design should reflect what’s going on in the interior of a home
This means that your outdoor furniture, pillows, rug and even the color of the pots should be similarly colored to your interior furniture and color scheme.
This is especially important if your outdoor area is visible from your interior spaces because the goal is to make your indoor color palette flow to the outside and provide a harmonious and cohesive look.
This can be achieved by including pillows or planters in a color that complements your interior color palette to inject interest and transform the energy of your outdoor space.
So once you set up your outdoor living space, the question is what will you be looking at while you are enjoying your beverage of choice?
Outdoor Design outlook – No view? Here’s what to do!
I spent several years in California renovating, staging and flipping houses and in the process I reviewed many properties that were for sale. What always made me shake my head was when I saw “Peek-a-boo view” in the MLS listings. This is because from experience I knew that most likely this meant that when you actually went to the property you would probably catch a sliver of a view of the Pacific Ocean from a window or you got a glimpse of the water between the two houses that were across the street.
Yet these properties always had a higher asking price than those without “a view”.
So let’s discuss what you see while you are sitting outside.
I have come across many homeowners who spend quite a bit of money on furnishing their patios with comfy outdoor furniture, grills, and other outdoor accessories but neglect to do anything with their yards. They just sit on the patio staring at a patch of lawn, a fence, or the back of the neighbor’s house and windows.
Isn’t the whole purpose of outdoor design to be able to enjoy nature? I don’t know about you, but I certainly don’t want to be looking at an old wooden fence or a bare wall when I’m relaxing on my patio. 😉
How do you address those “no view” situations?
When you are planning your outdoor project, set aside some of your budget to make what you look at more pleasurable. Consider planting some vines on trellises, a row of shrubs, and even a couple of trees to soften up the look of the fence. This can serve as the background or foundation of your landscape which will grow to create a nice view of greenery.
Photo by At Home With Dia ©
Even if you don’t have a green thumb, or have no idea of what to plant, take a few pictures of your space to your local garden center or nursery. They can offer suggestions on low-maintenance plants and may even offer planting services for a fee.
If you are considering your outdoor design and already have some trees or plants in the area, take the time to spruce up your vegetation by trimming branches that are overgrown and tidying up your flower beds. Some pruning, weeding, and new mulch go a long way.
So while we are on the topic, we should also address the “view” from your windows. Let’s admit it, if you have something nice to look at through your windows, it makes being inside more enjoyable.
For example, standing at the kitchen sink washing dishes. This tedious task is made more tolerable when you can look out the window at a beautiful garden or an area with lush greenery.
Photo by At Home With Dia ©
In this example, an old wooden fence was painted the same color as the house to brighten up the area. A combination of climbing and low plants were then planted to create an appealing view from the windows.
Outdoor design key points
Determine what usable space you have to create an outdoor living area
Find a shady area to set up your seating
Don’t overcrowd your outdoor living space with furniture
Find creative ways to illuminate your outdoor space
Fuel your cooking passion with an outdoor grill
Accessorize based on your interior color scheme
Bring nature closer to your seating area with potted plants
Create a view if you don’t have one
So as you can see, with these outdoor living space ideas, “sweat equity” and a bit of money, you can transform your exterior space to a lovely area where you can relax, enjoying nature and fresh air.
If you liked these ideas, please share a comment below. I would love to hear how you plan to use some of this inspiration to make your outdoors a beautiful extension of your living space.
