Outdoor living spaces have been growing in popularity and amenities for years, but the restrictions imposed by the coronavirus are spurring even greater demand, new planning strategies, and new amenities. The sound of power tools has been roaring in neighborhoods across the United States with no signs of stopping. Necessity is one factor driving the backyard building boom. Americans have been forced to use their houses more — and differently. Here are our top ten renovations you can make this spring to spruce up your backyard.
If space allows, build a separate workshop in the backyard. Natural light and floor-to-ceiling glass windows are an awesome addition to keep it light and airy, which helps boost productivity and creativity and doesn't disrupt the visual flow of the landscape.
2. Build a Pergola or Gazebo
Nothing upgrades a space like adding an outdoor structure to your backyard. A Gazebo has many rewards and multiple returns on your investment. It adds a unique, fun space to a yard and brings you out all year long. While outdoor structures don’t necessarily count toward the total square footage of your home, they do provide much of the privacy and functionality of an indoor room. They also increase your home’s value. Realtor.com said, “51 percent of buyers surveyed earlier this year expressed that an outdoor living space was the most attractive quality in a home, over even open floor plans and curb appeal,”. Add in the fact that your new outdoor room will soon become everyone’s favorite and that square footage becomes very valuable indeed.
3. Add a Soothing Water Feature
Adding a landscape water feature fosters relaxation and peace. Flowing water calms the mind and revives the spirit. Landscaping water features add visual interest and charm for potential homebuyers. If you’re hoping to get a good resale value for your home, adding a fountain, miniature brook or even just a burbling ceramic pot is a good investment. A flowing water feature will mask nearby noise pollution while releasing a continuous flow of negative ions. Numerous researchers have found a connection between negative ions and stress reduction.
4. Optimize Your Indoor/Outdoor Functionality
Adding outdoor living space to a backyard extends the square footage of the home and makes use of every inch of the property. Blurring the boundary between indoor and outdoor spaces can help living spaces feel larger and bring more natural light into homes. To successfully achieve this, focus on creating a seamless flow from the indoor to the outdoor space. Having a coordinated indoor-outdoor flow opens more space for you to relax while reaping the psychological benefits of being more connected with the great outdoors.
5. Add a Fire Feature to Gather Around
To get the most out of your backyard, you want it to be functional for as long as possible. With an outdoor fire pit you can enjoy your patio throughout the year. Place your fire pit in a common area on your patio. Arrange chairs around the edges of your fire pit. Keep a few blankets on hand for those who get extra cold. Then, invite your friends and family to gather around the toasty spot you just created!
6. Make it Kid Friendly
Today’s kids
average seven hours daily in front of electronics, such as television, tablets, laptops and phones. There’s no denying what the statistics show — today’s kids are swapping active, outdoor play for a more sedentary lifestyle. Encouraging outdoor play in young children helps develop a healthy attitude about maintaining an energetic adult lifestyle. Not to mention, it will allow you to play with some cool toys!
7. Make it Adult Friendly by Adding an Outdoor Kitchen/Bar
A top benefit of having an outdoor kitchen is that they’re perfect spaces for entertaining. When food is
grilled out on the patio, guests can gather around the BBQ grill and socialize as dinner is being prepared. It might get crowded in an indoor kitchen when everyone hangs out with the cook, but outside there’s much more space. You can increase the comfort for your party guests by adding
patio heaters, outdoor furnishings, strings of lights, and some mood music.
8. Invest in an In-Ground Swimming Pool
Between work, school, friends, and everything else in between, it can be quite difficult to spend good quality time together as a family. That’s where a swimming pool can come in handy. Most pools have a large capacity that can accommodate most family members – and then some! A backyard pool installation can help add to the overall value of your home while also offering many health benefits too.
9. Illuminate Your Outdoor Living Space
Outdoor lighting adds illumination to your outdoor spaces making them usable at night. Lighting can add the right ambiance to your space whether you are with the family, or having a cup of tea alone before bed. You can even install outdoor lights that come with a dim feature. This will allow you to use brighter light when the kids are outside playing, and low light for romantic evenings with your spouse. Outdoor lights come in a variety of shapes and designs, making it easy to find lights that fit the other features of your home.
10. Embrace Your Natural Surroundings for Landscaping or a Garden
Landscaping with native plants can save you more money, time, and resources than non-native plants. Since native plants are accustomed to their habitat, they are able to hold water better than non-native plants, which will save you significant amounts of water. Native plants also tend to withstand the environment better than non-native plants. This allows them to withstand harsh weather and grow back the following year. Native plants are typically more resistant to disease, drought and other environmental risks than other plants. Also, by landscaping with native plants in your yard, you are contributing to a natural habitat for the animals that reside in the area.
