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Backyard Ideas — 15 Brilliant Ways to Make the Outdoors Fun and Functional
This article explores fifteen brilliant ways to transform a backyard into a functional and enjoyable outdoor living space. It emphasizes viewing the backyard as an extension of the home, suggesting design approaches that accommodate various interests and activities. Julia Mack, founder of Julia Mack Design, advises incorporating modern, minimal forms for comfort and a clutter-free aesthetic, allowing the landscaping to be the focal point. The article provides diverse ideas, starting with designing a lanai to create an outdoor lounge area. Dan Mazzarini of BHDM Design + ARCHIVE by Dan Mazzarni and Julia Mack highlight lanais as insect-repellent and weather-safe extensions that add financial value and offer spaces for relaxation and entertaining.
Next, the article discusses integrating a pool into the backyard design, with Thomas Flint of Thomas Flint Landscape emphasizing clean lines and simple designs. He also suggests considering water sounds, reflections, lighting, and even fiber-optic stars for a unique nighttime effect. For those seeking luxury, incorporating a hot tub or home sauna is presented as a way to create a hotel-like ambiance, offering a tranquil space for reflection and a communal area for socializing, as noted by Michael Amantea of Amantea Architects.
Lighting plays a crucial role in enhancing the outdoor atmosphere, and the article suggests installing whimsical hanging lights, such as rattan or wicker lanterns, to provide a diffused, warm glow. Marie Flanigan of Marie Flanigan Interiors explains how hanging lights in trees can naturally illuminate an alfresco scene. Comfortable, low seating with weather-proof materials like teak, wicker, or steel, softened with pillows and upholstery, is recommended for creating an ideal outdoor living room. Natasha Baradaran, founder of Natasha Baradaran Interior Design, advocates for designing exteriors with a series of outdoor moments, coordinating with landscape architects for planting and special outdoor pieces.
Privacy and aesthetics can be achieved by landscaping with tall trees and plants. Kat Aul Cervoni, a landscape designer, suggests using birds of paradise or Dracaena Marginata for dramatic foliage and dimension. An outdoor fireplace is proposed as an elevated alternative to firepits, offering a versatile gathering point, as detailed by Aly Morford and Leigh Lincoln of Pure Salt Interiors. Creative flooring with eclectic tiles is presented as a way to introduce pattern and define distinct areas, a technique used by David Lucas of Lucas Interior to create the effect of an area rug.
For those interested in sustainability and fresh produce, growing vegetables in a modern garden design is encouraged. Christian Douglas, a landscape designer and edible garden specialist, emphasizes the importance of small-scale food production and integrating various fruits, berries, and herbs into ornamental landscapes. The article also highlights the trend of outdoor kitchens, which have become central to al fresco dining. Leigh Lincoln shares her personal experience of designing an outdoor kitchen to maximize living opportunities and create a warm, inviting space. The concept of a broken plan outdoor space is introduced, advocating for distinct zones created through level changes, different flooring materials, or furniture groupings, as exemplified by a Texan property designed by Christina Simon and Ten Eyck.
Creating a sunken seating area, reminiscent of 1970s conversation pits, is suggested for intimate gatherings, providing a sense of security and calm, according to David Lucas. Smart watering systems, such as irrigation or leaky hoses, are recommended by landscape designers Mel Brasier and Garrett Mage of The Manscapers, and David Andersen, to ensure plant longevity and ease of maintenance. Finally, the article advises considering an outdoor dining room as an extension of indoor living space and tying the deck into the property's exterior using suitable materials like Thermory Ash, as suggested by Steve Ritchey of Seed Studio Landscape Design, while cautioning against environmentally harmful tropical hardwoods or composite decking. The article concludes with tips on making backyards look better with plants and on a budget, suggesting smart patio furniture, upholstery, fencing, pergolas, and water features.
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