You can’t expect your family to spend time in the backyard if there’s nothing for them out there. You see, landscaping is a chore while gardening (although an immensely fun hobby) might not be the passion that the entirety of your family will share. Therefore, what you need to take into consideration is the prospect of organizing your backyard into a proper living area. This way, you’ll give them one more reason to spend time outdoors, as well as utilize one more area of your property. Here are several suggestions on how you can pull this off.
Consider your flooring options
In order to set up an outdoor space, you need to make sure that the flooring is suitable for your setup. Placing your outdoor furniture on the grass may seem like a suitable solution at the moment, however, what happens during the colder part of the year. Here, you can go from constructing a wooden desk or installing stone pavers, all the way to inexpensive patio solutions like going for pea pebbles covered surface. The latter suggestion is incredibly frugal seeing as how it can cost up to $6 per square foot. Keep in mind, nonetheless, that this choice is far more impactful than it might appear to be at the moment.
Provide some shade
The next thing you need to worry about is providing some cover from the sun and rain. Here, you have several options. Construction a pergola or a whole gazebo may seem enticing but it’s incredibly expensive and not very pragmatic. Going for a shade sail can give you a more frugal option to do so but the most pragmatic option that you have available is to consider retractable roof systems. This way, you can control the amount of coverage that you receive at any moment with ease.
Furnish the place
Another thing you need to take into consideration is furnishing the place and here, yet again, you have so many options available. Opting for traditional outdoor furniture made out of wood, wicker or metal is a safe choice that you simply won’t come to regret. You can also opt for a hammock, which is more than a suitable way of getting some rest and relaxation. Keep in mind, though, that you have so much more to worry about than just the seating. For instance, those who have a wooden deck installed might find the idea of buying an outdoor rug most compelling.
Outdoor kitchen
One more thing that you need to take into consideration is the fact that your outdoor kitchen solves so many problems you didn’t even know you had. First of all, it keeps the place odour-free without the use of a range hood or aspirator. Second, it helps keep the place cool in the summer by taking all these heat-generating appliances outdoor. Not to mention the fact that cooking in nature may make it all into a more enjoyable experience. Still, the cost of setting up a high-end outdoor kitchen can be quite costly, this is why you need to consolidate your budget and see what exactly can you afford.
Do something for the kids
Instead of lamenting over the fact that your kids are glued to the screen all-day-long, why not give them a reason to go outside. How do you do this? Well, by organizing at least one part of your backyard into their playground. Depending on their age (as well as their number), you may want to construct a treehouse, install a seesaw and a swing or simply set up a sandbox for them to play in. A miniature soccer goal is also a great idea but it mostly depends on the predisposition of your kids and their interests.
In conclusion
The very last thing you need to understand is the fact that this project makes your property both more functional and more valuable. This means that if, later on, you decide to sell the place, you might get a surprisingly great ROI on this project. On the other hand, the benefits of making this area family-friendly can be seen on your lifestyle. Who knows, your organization of this area may even bring your family closer together.