If you enjoy spending as much time as possible relishing outdoor living, why not extend that feeling beyond poolside to your backyard patio? It doesn’t have to cost a fortune to create a luxurious oasis of calm, centered around your patio. Some of our ideas can be implemented for just the cost of a few plants and hanging baskets!
Enlarging your outdoor livable space helps open up so many entertaining and relaxing opportunities for you, your family, and your guests and helps you make the most out of your home. Why not explore one or more of the following nine creative tips for building your own backyard patio oasis?
1. Think in Multiple Levels
Examine your backyard patio, plus the immediate surrounding space including pathways to other parts of your backyard, such as the pool, and design the space as a whole. One surefire way to do this simply and easily is to think about creating aesthetically pleasing and functional spaces on multiple levels. Look for ways to add seating, plants, shade, and visual interest vertically as well as horizontally.
2. Add Seating Options
One of the first areas to consider is seating. Your family and guests will want a comfortable place to relax in your new patio oasis, so choose pieces that work outdoors but offer indoor ease. Ignore the five-piece patio sets, by the way. Instead, take a more eclectic approach with individual furniture pieces that adhere to a singular color or style to bring the look together.
3. Add Some Shade
Enjoying the sunny weather is a key part of outdoor life, but when the sun gets too bright and hot, you’ll want some shade. A pergola, awning, oversized umbrella, or even a simple wooden frame to hold outdoor curtains will help you shield guests from too much sun and add a new level for adding decorative touches.
4. Think About Privacy
Even if you have a privacy fence surrounding your yard, you’ll want to add some additional features to shield the patio from the rest of your space. That way, the kids can enjoy the pool while the grown-ups enjoy each other’s company and some quieter conversation. It also provides a nice way to delineate the functions of different areas of your yard, which can help you maximize your enjoyment of each space.
5. Create a Lighting Scheme
You won’t just be enjoying the patio in the bright sunshine, so think about the lighting for your outdoor oasis. Avoid single bright lights and instead choose a variety of gentler illumination sources. For example, twinkle lights can be strung up around the edge of a pergola, canopy, or railing. Smaller lanterns can be used as both lighting and mosquito repellent with some citronella oil.
Automation, LED, and fiber optics go far to make a splash with color and design or to create a theme. Fire bowls and other fire features like pits and fireplaces and lighting throughout the landscaping and seating areas to enhance the outdoor space with thoughtfully planned illumination.
Remember to think vertically as well as horizontally and try to add lighting where it’ll be most needed.
6. Go Green
Add some lush green touches to your outdoor oasis for a truly stunning look. Make sure you pick plants that grow well outdoors in your climate and that are easy to care for. Here’s another place you can implement features on multiple levels. Hang baskets of trailing ivy or ferns from on high. Add ground cover plants such as lantana to frame your walkway or paving stones. In between, mix it up with flower boxes and planters of all sizes.
7. Build an Outdoor Shower
An outdoor shower can be a great addition to any backyard with a pool or hot tub, but it’s also a nice feature to enjoy on its own. Adding this touch of luxury will require a bit of an investment, so plan carefully and position it near the home to keep the costs of plumbing work down.
8. A Riot of Color
Add color to your patio by introducing pillows, vases, plants, planters, and more in a variety of shades. If you chose neutral-toned upholstery for your seating, here’s where you can jazz up the color scheme with a mix of colors in both solids and prints.
9. Create an Outdoor Kitchen
You’re not just limited to an outdoor grill, you know. Transcend the grill with a full-service kitchen area. You can create a simple sink area for washing up. Add an outdoor island that can combine storage below with prep space on top to make food preparation a breeze. That way, the chef can feel like they’re still part of the party!
