City dwellers realize what they have been missing all their lives only once they purchase a house. As most houses come with a backyard, people get to experience true freedom. However, a dream can quickly turn into a nightmare if the backyard starts getting filled with junk. Before you know it, the fence is falling apart, the grass has turned yellow, and untrimmed branches are an accident waiting to happen.
In order to avoid this scenario, you need to take active measures to make your backyard look amazing. This job doesn’t have to be neither tedious nor expensive if you’ve got several smart ideas up your sleeve, like creating an outdoor bar, a fire pit, or building a deck. We are here to help with the following 8 tips that will help you clean, spruce up, and beautify your backyard in the most elegant of ways.
An Outdoor Bar
There isn’t an indoor house feature that cannot be transferred to the outside. One such functional piece is the bar. You can build it either from wood or metal or using a combo of the two. A trip to the nearest home center will get you a couple of bar stools that you can place around the bar. Trust us when we say that during the summer heat, your outdoor bar will be the center of social activity in the backyard.
If the bar idea proves to be a greater success than you have initially hoped for, you can extend the lounge area to an entire outdoor kitchen. All you need to start preparing meals in nature the primeval way is a functional tap to attach the sing to.
Swing Away
If your vision of the redecorated backyard involves an oasis of serenity, then you are in need of a hammock. They are super easy to install and they are a guarantee that you’ll spend many Sunday afternoons idling. If you’re not a fan of weaving, then buy a ready-made hammock made either from rope or PVC. The installation procedure should also be easy, because all you need are two points to fix it. These can be trees, walls (with pegs) or even the washing line pole.
You might want to consider adding another hammock once a queue forms for lounging in the first one. However, you could offer the children something else to swing on. A swing is an ideal addition to the backyard that will get the kids exhilarated. It is also fairly easy to install, as a metal or a wooden plank needs to be attached to a strong branch overhead. If you are unsure whether the tree can hold the weight of a child (and an odd adult), get hold of a freestanding swing frame.
A Green Wall
We have already labeled the fence around your property as a possible source of trouble. Since most fences are made from wood, they rot over time and stop serving their initial purpose. If you want to revive the old rickety picket fence, then decorating it with greenery should do the trick just fine. Plant some vines and climbers and watch them flourish. The location of the green wall should match the place in the backyard that gets the most sunlight during the days and that is easy access for watering purpose. Once the plants cover the entire surface of the fence, you will enjoy greater privacy and dust coming from the main road will not be able to breach this green barrier.
A DIY Fire Pit
The ultra-rich are not the only ones who can afford to have a fire pit in their yard. You could stay up late during chilly nights with the help of a DIY fire pit. All you need are stones that you can source from a nearby park or a forest and some mortar to bind them together. Once the main body of the fire pit is built, you can add a seating area around it, forming a semi-circle. A fire pit will enable you to stay longer outside, and if you have kids, they will spend the nights outside sharing stories around the campfire. If you want a touch of elegance to the whole business, then shop for blankets that will keep you extra warm.
The Addition of a Patio
Apart from staying up late, you should also aim to make the backyard as weatherproof as possible. Living in a humid part of the world means that spending time outside all day might not be possible without some overhead protection. Erecting a patio to shield the backyard from above is a great way to ensure the family dinner is not ruined by a sudden rain shower. In fact, patio experts from Brisbane and other places across the country offer custom patios that will match the décor of your house. This is the reason why patios are not really a DIY project, because even if you pull off the build, you would find it difficult to fit the design of the patio with the rest of the structure.
The Path to Elegance
One part of the yard that most homeowners overlook, probably because it is directly under their feet, is the pathway network. In residential structures, paths are mostly DIY works of the previous owners and few people ever decide to amend them. In reality, you don’t need expensive cobblestone or granite to pave the pathways. What you require is already there, as gravel and mulch would do just fine. When packed tightly together, gravel can even withstand the weight of a passenger car. Mulch, on the other hand, is much more suitable for paving paths winding through the garden. Essentially, if there is any sort of greenery involved, then colorful mulch is the ideal paving material.
All Four Corners
After dark, a single light bulb perched at the deck will not be nearly strong enough to light up the whole yard. What you need are several light sources and you can find them at the local garden center for a bargain. Solar lamp posts should be placed in all four corners of the garden to illuminate it entirely. Apart from their main role, they will attract insects and other flying pests away from the house. You will be able to enjoy the hot summer nights without being bugged by mosquitoes. Furthermore, if you leave the lights on after you retire for the night, the strong light they emanate will act as a deterrent for thieves.
Outdoor Storage Units
What every house lacks on the inside can perhaps be provided on the outside. Yes, we are talking about storage space that is always insufficient. If you plan it smart with the outdoor décor, you might get some extra exterior storage. The benches can be constructed in such a way that there is an empty box underneath them. The sitting area around the fire pit we spoke about earlier could also have a crate-like structure attached to it for storing blankets.
You can convert the old toolbox and place it next to the shed or the house for storage of garden utensils. Also, if you are using wooden pallets to create benches and armchairs, you could always add some boards the outside to create a nice little box inside the pallet. Add a couple of hinges and some candles, as you’ve got yourself an outdoor cupboard.
The backyard of your dreams is not that far away, neither in terms of time nor money. A patio will require you to call in the professionals, but a fire pit, a swing, and decorative lighting are all DIY projects. After you start turning any of these 8 smart ideas into reality, everyone will be amazed by your backyard!
About the Author
Patrick Adams is a freelance writer and rock-blues fan. When he is not writing about home improvement, he loves to play chess, watch basketball, and play his guitar. More than anything, he loves to spend his time in his garage, repairing appliances and creating stuff from wood.