It is no secret that more Australians are now embracing the joys of outdoor living—and why not? When you have sunny days for most of the year, you have to make the most of it by spending more time outside of your home.
Now if you still haven’t turned your backyard into your own outdoor living space, here are five simple tricks that will help you do that:
Start with your main structure.
The first step to creating an outdoor living space is to decide on a main structure that will house your living area, dining area or even kitchen. A pergola is the easiest choice for a main structure since it offers the shade and comfort that you need while also maintaining ventilation, which is exactly what you’re after with an outdoor living space. Once you’ve chosen the right pergola design based on your space, you can easily contact experts in pergola installation in Melbourne to put together the structure before you could do anything with the rest of your space.
Now if you want to add an outdoor kitchen, pond or any other structure in the space, it’s best to work on those first, so that adding the little details will be a lot easier after.
Think about your indoor space when designing your outdoor space.
Your outdoor living space should blend seamlessly with the rest of your house to create a more cohesive look rather than making your home feel like you have two separate living spaces. This is why it’s very important to think about your indoor space when designing your outdoor living space. The easiest way to create a more seamless feel is through the use of colours. For instance, if you’re using beige as your main colour indoors, do the same outdoors. You can also use a similar style of furniture for sofas, tables and chairs. Just choose furniture pieces that are made to withstand the outdoor weather, so you can enjoy them for a long time.
Now if you’re already feeling overwhelmed with the designing process, follow the tips of experts to design from the floor up. Choose flooring and carpet, then proceed to furniture and add the extra details later on so that everything flows seamlessly from the bottom up.
Identify the purpose of each area in your outdoor space.
Think about this like designing your indoor living space. You need to define each area according to its purpose to create a more functional outdoor living space that would fit your different needs. One good way to do this is by creating levels. If you have the space, you can elevate your deck or pergola to use as your living or dining area. Then, you can create a separate area for your outdoor kitchen and do the same for your lounge or entertainment area.
Now if you’re working with a smaller space, you can separate different areas with a rug or some plants so that you can use each space simultaneously, especially if you have other people over.
Add drama to your space with good lighting.
You might think that you don’t need lighting since you’re outdoors, but you do. In fact, good lighting is essential for making your outdoor living space more functional, especially when you’re entertaining at night. You can have hanging pendants or a small chandelier in your main dining area and use some string lights to add drama to the rest of your outdoor space. Now if you don’t want to add up to your energy consumption, there’s always the option to use solar-powered lights that will give you adequate lighting for up to eight hours without worrying about your electricity bills later on.
Incorporate a water feature.
Adding a water feature really upgrades your outdoor living space in more ways than you can imagine. But we’re not just talking about a swimming pool or jacuzzi here because if you don’t have the space—or budget—for that, you have other options. For one, you can install a small fountain that will let you hear the sound of water as you relax in your outdoor living area. You can also add a pond if you want to have some fish at home.
The bottom line
Of course, you can’t forget about adding the little touches that will turn your outdoor living space from just any other space into a part of your home. It could be some throws on the couches, a dainty coffee table or some good dinnerware to use for parties. It’s really all about finding pieces that will complete the look of your outdoor living space.