(BPT) – The backyard is more than just a lawn to mow or a place for the pooch to run around. Many homeowners are turning their backyards into an extension of their homes, bringing the indoors outside for additional living space.<\/p>\n
Upgrading or building a deck is the first way to incorporate an outdoor living space into the backyard. Some homeowners build an outdoor cooking space with their grill in mind, while others prefer a relaxing, living-room environment with comfortable seating and potted plants.<\/p>\n
“Your backyard should be your sanctuary,” says Janette Ewan, a Los Angeles-based interior decor stylist. “I’m all about multiple outdoor spaces. It’s really about looking at your outdoor space as an extension of your home.”<\/p>\n
Here are some tips to building your outdoor living space in your backyard:<\/p>\n
* An outdoor cooking area: If your family typically gathers in the kitchen, it would make sense to create another cooking area on your deck space, perfect for connecting with the family and for entertaining. Installing a grill is a good start, but also consider incorporating counters\/tables for food prep, a mini fridge, a sink and even a bar into your set-up, allowing you to prepare everything while outdoors.<\/p>\n
* A gathering space: Patios and decks are perfect for sitting around and enjoying visits from friends, especially if the spaces are decorated for the occasion. A few key pieces of furniture and well-positioned accessories are all that is needed. For example, a flat surface, like a patio, would look great with a Moroccan-style rug, combined with a small sectional. However, decks made out of natural material like Western Red Cedar<\/a> are best left uncovered, to showcase the warm, distinctive look. Whether the cedar wood<\/a> is left natural and turns silver gray, or stained to complement the coloring of your house, the wood will bring a beautiful look to your outdoor living space. Add a Mexican chiminea or a metal fire bowl to round out the “room.”<\/p>\n * Accent elements: “Adding elements like pergolas or arbors are a great way of creating impact without a huge commitment of time,” says home improvement expert Mark Clement, co-host of “My Fix It Up Life.”<\/p>\n These structures support climbing plants and vines, and help to separate your outdoor space from the surrounding area. This also creates a sense of enclosure, while still being open and letting in plenty of sunlight and fresh air. Western Red Cedar is a good material choice for an arbor or pergola compared to composite materials, because it is easy to work with, rot-resistant, and has natural oils that emit a wonderful aroma.<\/p>\n Whether you’re extending your home onto your deck or creating a new area on the lawn, the bottom line is to trust your eye and think about separating each space with a structure and grouping of elements. You’ll get years of enjoyment from your new favorite outdoor living space.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" (BPT) – The backyard is more than just a lawn to mow or a place for the pooch to run around. Many homeowners are turning their backyards into an extension of their homes, bringing the indoors outside for additional living space.Upgrading or building a …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":187,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[142,141,143],"class_list":["post-1550","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-lawn-and-garden","tag-garden-blog","tag-garden-ideas","tag-lawncare"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/homeimprovementblogs.com\/hg-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1550","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/homeimprovementblogs.com\/hg-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/homeimprovementblogs.com\/hg-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/homeimprovementblogs.com\/hg-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/187"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/homeimprovementblogs.com\/hg-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1550"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/homeimprovementblogs.com\/hg-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1550\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/homeimprovementblogs.com\/hg-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1550"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/homeimprovementblogs.com\/hg-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1550"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/homeimprovementblogs.com\/hg-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1550"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}