Most people tend to dedicate their time and energy to embellishing their interiors. The complete setup can become your pride and accomplishment. While this is commendable, you shouldn’t forget to put out clever design ideas for your outdoor space. 

Perks Of Sprucing Up Your Outdoor Area

Apart from improving your facade, embarking on an outdoor design journey can help increase your curb appeal, especially if you’re planning to sell your house in the near future. It can also allow you to get the most value out of your property and make your residence stand out in the neighborhood. This can be a great way to attract attention and jumpstart the house staging process.

On the other hand, if you’re the new homeowner, your outdoor living area can become an extension of the practicality and aesthetics of your interiors. Enhancing its features allows you to maximize your purchase and enjoy the beauty of the outdoors.

Outdoor Living Space Design 101

Not everyone will get to see your indoor design accents. Hence, why not make your outdoor living corner—terrace, lawn, patio, deck—stand out? To help you, below are tips to decorate and enhance the look of your outdoor living space.

1. Factor In The Basics

Almost any outdoor area can be changed into a corner that satisfies your personal taste and furniture choices. However, before you begin assembling and moving everything, consider your intentions for the spot, its size, and the frequency of time you’d be spending there. 

For instance, you can decide to dedicate this area for dining and entertainment where you host parties, have barbecue sessions, and hold special events with friends and family. You can also make this an outdoor retreat area where you relax, unwind, enjoy the warm weather, and read your favorite book. If you have kids, you might want to make space where they can get physically active with their peers.

However, your purpose for it might change depending on the size of your outdoor living area. For instance, if you have a small corner, you can designate it as a place where you can lounge. However, if it’s quite spacious, you can assign it as an outdoor dining option for guests.

Moreover, these intentions will guide you in making major decisions during the design process. It can also potentially take out the guesswork and help you narrow down your furniture choices, saving you time and energy.

Apart from this, you must take into account the climate of your region. Are you situated in an area blessed by four seasons? Are you residing in a tropical country? Figure these out ahead so you can prepare and list down any waterproof and sun-protection resources that would come in handy over time. This is especially if you’re going to spend a lot of time in this area of the house.

2. Install Light Fixtures

Different light options can instantly transform your outdoor living area, especially when dusk breaks in. This design concept will not only provide you visual aesthetics but can also add protection and security to your home.

For instance, if you occasionally travel for work, a motion-sensing light post near your gate can help detect any person trying to go near your residence. Likewise, these lights are excellent options to ward off animals trying to ruin your newly conditioned landscape. 

Moreover, if you’re living in a tropical region, you can make use of solar panels as these allow you to save money and depend less on conventional energy. Your money saved can then be utilized for other design concepts you plan to try.

If you have a long pathway leading to your landscape garden, work with an electrician to install underground lights for you. These mini lights can surely transform the ambiance of your outdoor space. Alternatively, you can opt for globes to make your garden look enchanting. If you have a driveway, choose to have bollard lights to add an element of sophistication.

Fancy lighting isn’t only for your interiors. If you have architectural corners and design pieces you want to highlight, install floodlights. A chandelier in your outdoor dining space can add a gorgeous flare, while globes can make your landscape enchanting. Alternatively, you can simply reuse your series of lights and Christmas bulbs to add interest and ambiance to your patio. 

With a plethora of lighting options to choose from, it can be quite challenging to select the best ones that’d complement your outdoor spot. However, you don’t need to stretch out from your budget to make your home look cozy and pleasing. Instead, you can look into online resources and design websites, such as https://oregonoutdoorlighting.com/unique-outside-lighting-ideas/ and similar websites, to come up with lighting inspirations and insights on how you can approach and take advantage of your outdoor fixtures.

Moreover, make sure to invest in high-caliber light fixtures that can withstand humidity, rain, or snow. If the weather in your region is quite unpredictable, opt for lights that have water-resistant features. 

3. Showcase Your Furniture Pieces

If you’re wondering where to put your spare furniture items, try to move them out in your patio or deck. You can also visit the nearest flea market, thrift shop, and antique businesses and discover inexpensive furniture and other items that you can play around with and repurpose. 

You don’t need to break the bank to materialize the outdoor space of your dreams. If you have old yet still functional seating options, you can improve their look by priming them or spraying them with colored paint. 

Have a color palette and theme in mind that’d guide you as you decorate and revamp this outdoor corner. You can have a motif that would mirror your landscape’s beauty. If successful, you’d surely be able to create a mini oasis where you can chill, enjoy the warm breeze, and slumber.

Nonetheless, if you’ve saved enough cash, you can freely head on to the department store and look for quality furniture items that’d complement the rest of your outdoor accents. Going for quality is one tip to finding comfortable outdoor lounge pieces. For instance, if you’re going for a fun and carefree bohemian-inspired motif, you can get seating choices such as a hammock, swing, or hanging chair. However, make sure the structure can hold adequate weight. 

On the other hand, if you’re going for an urban look, stainless chairs, stone countertops, and metallic pieces can add a clean finish and make your entire space sleek. Regardless of your preferences, make sure the outcome is a space where you’d be encouraged to spend time. To ensure this, block off your schedule during the weekend to clean and tidy up your outdoor space. However, if you’re a busy professional, you can always ask someone to keep the look of your entire outdoor space. 

4. Accessorize Your Space

There are plenty of ways to accessorize your outdoor living space. For instance, you can take a few potted plants and flowers to make it appear and feel homier. Don’t be reluctant to use natural elements in your retreat corner to improve its overall appearance. 

However, if you feel like you weren’t endowed with a green thumb, you can opt for low-maintenance yet pleasing succulents such as cacti, aloe vera, and the like. These plants can survive in various weather conditions and sustain themselves with water. Surrounding yourself with fresh blooms, bright plants, and a set of greenery is also a refreshing way to unwind after a long day at work.

Moreover, upon shopping in your nearest flea market, look for collectibles, miniature pieces, artwork, candles, baskets, ornaments, and the like to embellish your space. Shopping for design items can help you mark a personal stamp to your outdoor area and stay in line with your concept in mind. It’s also a more economical move to do.

Embarking on this decorating process is also a brilliant time to challenge your DIY skills. For instance, you can sew and make placemats for your outdoor table. Try to take a look at your recyclable items and encourage your kids to join you. This is surely going to be a great entertaining activity that’d motivate them to be resourceful and innovative. Your finished outputs can then serve as decorative items to embellish your outdoor area.

Furthermore, if you have a white couch, add a touch of flair by throwing in a few colored pillows. This can add a pop of color to your seemingly subtle seats. However, if you feel a bit quirky, you can also go for a variety of shapes. 

What’s great about pillows is they’re portable and can easily be changed whenever you like. These décor and design efforts will also stand out in the midst of muted tones, making your entire space dynamic.

If you have a small space, you can place a large rug to open up the room and make it visually wide. A rug also comes in handy if you’re hosting dinner events on your patio. To keep it cohesive, choose a color that matches the rest of your design items to tie everything together. 

The Takeaway

Decorating your outdoor space can be quite time-consuming and demanding. However, all your efforts and strategic planning will be worth your while once you’ve seen your finished concept. By following the tips and suggestions above, you’d surely be able to slowly transform your outdoor area into a cozy space like how you’ve envisioned it.