Your backyard is an extension of your home; when it is underutilized, you’re seriously missing out on your home’s full potential. Even if you’re not a fan of the great outdoors, many backyard designs limit your exposure to bad weather, pests, and wildlife while taking advantage of everything your home and garden have to offer. If you’re not sure what to do with your home’s backyard, learning what other homeowners are enjoying might help you gain some inspiration.
Custom Decks
A deck or patio space makes the perfect focal point for any backyard. Modern homeowners are adding a personal touch to this relaxing home upgrade by incorporating custom features, such as climate control, kids’ play areas, multiple levels, fireplaces, entertainment centers, built-in spas, and more. Patios and decks are even being customized according to the home’s climate. Deck builders in Florida are implementing custom options with sun-blocking shades and coastal styles. Companies like Keystone Custom Decks Tennessee build a lot of rustic masonry for outdoor fireplaces and kitchens to match local deck preferences. California sees more Bohemian (also known as "boho") and minimalist custom designs in its patios. You can add whatever you’d like to a custom deck space to promote relaxation and enrichment.
Resort-Style Pool and Spa
A backyard pool is a timeless home feature that many families enjoy. Custom pool builders are being contracted to go above and beyond when it comes to pools, however. Instead of a default pool shape and design, more homeowners are opting for custom pool shapes, energy-efficient features, matching hot tubs, built-in waterfalls, and other personalized options. Custom pools can work well in yards of various sizes, and even the simplest details can create a resort-like experience, such as a poolside bar or comfortable deck loungers. Consider what you enjoy about a pool experience and incorporate those elements into your own backyard, from waterslides to outdoor hot tubs with jets.
Luxury Outdoor Kitchen and Bar
A backyard barbecue or meal isn’t a modern tradition, but newer homes are going above and beyond when it comes to outdoor cooking. Instead of just a grill and a picnic table for the family, patios often feature full-size kitchens, complete with barbecue smokers, stone countertops, a wet bar, and wood-fired pizza ovens. For those who love a mixed drink, poolside bars or drink-mixing stations are also popular. Bistro-style dining areas make it easy to entertain friends or family with a delicious meal. Your landscaping can include some home-grown ingredients to make the space even more special.
Edible Gardens and Urban Farms
With the rising cost of groceries and the increasing favor of outdoor kitchens, edible gardens and farm-to-table foods are a priority in modern outdoor spaces. More homes are planting edible gardens or adding a small-scale farm to allow for more off-the-grid living. Growing crops can help you save money on groceries in the long term, and you’ll always have convenient access to whatever you need. It’s not unusual to spot a chicken coop or miniature goat stable in larger backyards, too. A small set of crops can make the perfect complement to an outdoor kitchen and can help feed the local wildlife.
Pollinator Oasis
Environmental pollution is making it increasingly difficult for pollinators, including birds, butterflies, and bees, to survive. Pollinators play a vital role in helping plants grow and thrive in the world, and bees provide us with delicious honey. Eco-conscious homeowners are creating gardens that attract pollinators and protect them with pollinator-friendly flowers, bird feeders, and shelter from inclement weather. Plants like milkweed help monarch butterflies breed and thrive. A pollinator garden goes well with an edible garden or professional landscaping, so there’s no harm in adding it to your yard.
Pet Sports
Backyards are a great space for pet parents to enjoy time with their dogs or even cats. You don’t have to restrict your yard to only being a space for dog potty breaks, however. Providing your dog with sufficient space for play, sports, or other activities can offer them ample enrichment. Agility courses, frisbee tossing, pet toy bins, dock diving pools, or barn hunt spaces can make your backyard space the envy of every dog in town. Installing an outdoor catio can help your feline friends enjoy the sun as well. Even rabbits or guinea pigs enjoy an outdoor play area. If you’re passionate about your pets and have the room to spare, you may want to think about including some of these fun additions to your backyard plans.
Cottage-Inspired
If you’re anywhere on social media, you’ve likely heard of the “cottagecore” trend, or home and fashion designs that mimic a charming storybook cottage surrounded by nature. You can easily add this style to your backyard space. Create some beautiful flowerbed zones, a quiet waterfall, and a cottage-style summer home built from an outdoor shed to make the space look like it fell straight from a fairytale. Vibrant flowers, wind chimes, and other garden decor can easily add to the theme.
Year-Round Climate Control
Year-round enjoyment of an outdoor space is rare; many patios lack climate control or shade options, making the space uncomfortable during certain temperatures. Greenery choices may be limited in some seasons, and most plants will either go dormant or not survive the winter. You can add climate control easily to any deck plan or backyard space. For colder months, hot tubs, patio heaters, and outdoor fireplaces or fire pits are great ways to entertain and stay warm, even in winter. Enhance the space with evergreen shrubs and trees for visual interest. You can stay cool in warmer months with the help of misting fans, swimming pools, drink stations, tree shade, pergolas, or patio umbrellas. The more climate control you add, the more you can treat your backyard as another room in your home.
Conclusion
It’s intimidating to come up with a design plan for your backyard. From pools to a cottagecore summer home, there are so many renovation options that can increase the comfort and utility of your home. Year-round climate control can help you entertain and relax outdoors throughout the year. A full-size outdoor kitchen paired with an edible garden can help you create delicious meals using fresh ingredients. If you love nature, adding some pollinator gardens or a pet-friendly paradise can help you connect with the outdoors better, including your furry family members. Start by making a list of what you’d like to see in an outdoor space.