Creating Your Backyard Getaway

The streak of 90 degree temperatures has finally broken, thanks to a welcome 'cold' front that brought rain to our parched state. Now comes the most enjoyable part (at least for me) of summer: Sitting outside with a cup of coffee in the morning, enjoying dinners with friends on the patio, and watching the kids redecorate their play structure with odds and ends they find around the house. Though I LOVE my backyard, I still find myself trying to fine tune the sitting areas to create a more cohesive and relaxed feeling. So, here is what I have learned along the way on my journey to move my backyard living space to the backyard retreat I envision.

1. Look at the space you have. Is it sunny during parts of the day and shady during other times? Is it wide open or broken up? With a little bit of observation you can identify very distinct activity areas that lend itself to specific uses. For example, a wide open space might be an ideal location to place a dinning area to accommodate your guests. A small shaded area might lend itself to enjoy a book and a cold drink in the middle of the day and a graveled area might just be the perfect spot for a fire pit.

2. After you identified your different area/s think about how you envision that area to look like. Browse the internet and magazines, find layout ideas that speak to you, furniture styles that appeal to your eye and your climate.

3. Start looking at sales at your local home-improvement stores, in home-design centers, on Craigslist and neighborhood websites. August marks the end of season and Labor Day weekend specials are widely advertised.

4. Area rugs can help define a space. Make sure it is suited to be outdoors and in the elements. Also, just a word of caution: Having an area rug on a finished surface, like a deck, could lead to discoloration, either from the dyes in the rug and/or UV exposure differences between the exposed and covered areas.

5. Use outdoor seat cushions and outdoor pillows to soften features, add comfort, texture and dimension to your backyard retreat. Think about draping a couple of blankets over chairs or outdoor seating to add style and offer warmth on cooler evenings.

6. String lights, lanterns or candles in a protective hurricane add light and a festive atmosphere on summer evenings.

7. Privacy is important to make you and your guest feel comfortable and relaxed. Think about living privacy fences that can grow and add interest through texture and color (plants like Clematis, Honeysuckle, and Wisteria grow on trellises and arbors and provide shade and privacy once established). Another option is privacy fencing, which comes in many different styles and colors.

8. Create shade through umbrellas or retractable awnings to add additional usefulness and versatility in an area.

9. Lastly, accessories your garden with planters filled with seasonal foliage, garden statures, weather proof art (such as decorative wrought iron, plates or garden plagues, additional side tables).