We do not doubt that you did your best to spruce up your backyard and make it more pleasant for lounging and relaxing in general. However, as your family grows in size, new fixtures are the need for the kids and perhaps a secluded area for you and your spouse. All in all, you want to create the perfect family retreat for all your loved ones to enjoy it.
There are numerous improvements you can build, from a luxurious swimming pool to an outdoor kitchen. The budget won’t be that much of an issue because the garden and DIY centers are well-stocked and affordable these days, but you’ll need to be versatile. Here are the X essential steps to take to achieve a complete backyard makeover.
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The Importance of Decluttering and Cleanliness
Before you do anything to your garden, all the junk and disused items have to go. Not only does the garden need to be free of clutter, but you have to scrub hard and thoroughly clean the whole place. If you are an eco-aware person, then we recommend using homemade cleaners. You will be surprised how far lemon juice and baking soda can get you!
Once the backyard is all nice and clean, you can tend to the existing greenery. Buy weed killers that will eliminate all the nasty weed that had probably been growing for years in your backyard, making it look unruly. Dried-out branches should be cut for safety reasons and then repurposed for mulch if you’re planning a small garden. Furthermore, you can use large pieces of timber to create swings and benches we’ll mention in the next paragraph.
Hammocks and Swings
Apart from serving as a playground for the kids, the backyard’s primary role is probably going to be relaxation, i.e., the facilitation of it. Public parks have hardwood benches, which is a design you can always copy but why not be extravagant! We are referring to placing a hammock inside the backyard for ultimate comfort!
You don’t even have to bother with making your hammock, as all you need is a trip to the local garden center. There you’ll find a rope of PVC hammocks that are ready-made and easy to install using just a couple of nuts and bolts. If you have enough tree trunks in your yard, then the hammock can be freestanding, or you can attach one end to the wall of the house or even the laundry pole.
Hammocks are so comfortable that children will want to play in them as well, but you have something else installed (pun intended) for them. A swing is an ideal pastime for the youngest members of the family. They are fairly easy to make as all you need is a strong branch, two pieces of rope, and a wooden board that you can salvage off your property. Even if you don’t have trees inside the backyard, you can always purchase or weld a metal support frame.
Dining Outdoors
For the makeover to be deemed as a success, your family is going to have to transfer a part of their daily routine into nature. When the warm weather sets in, the best activity that you can do outdoors is dining. Yes, a candlelight dinner can get a whole new meaning if you install an outdoor kitchen. The power and water are already there; you merely need to direct them to the outdoor unit. If you think that this is too complicated or your yard is not large enough, then a simple barbecue will do the trick.
An Attractive Patio Design
Barbecuing outside is pleasurable for everyone, but bad weather has the potential to ruin the garden party. It would be handy if you had a roof over your head, now wouldn’t it? This is where patios come in as they not only provide structural support from below in the form of a deck but overhead as well. With a solid patio above you, you and your family can dine even during a shower. Apart from sturdiness, get acquainted with fashionable patio designs that would go well with the façade of your house. Remember, you are creating the perfect family outdoor retreat, so aesthetics matter!
Installing a Water Feature
We mentioned how there should be a tap within the outdoor kitchen. However, water features are more than welcome in other forms and larger numbers as well. If you have a big enough backyard and a hefty budget to spend, then a swimming pool would be the ideal addition to your house. The children will adore splashing around in the shallows and boasting in front of their friends that they have a pool of their own. If you decide to build a pool, don’t disregard the issue of safety, precisely because of the children and their wellbeing. A glass poll rail will ensure nobody gets into water inadvertently and that the pool appears luxurious.
Even if you don’t have a whole lot of money to spend on a backyard pool, you can still enjoy the sound of water inside your backyard. Your lazy Sunday afternoon nap would not be complete without the sound of running water in the form of a fountain. You can buy a ready-made one or make it yourself from the natural materials available in the yard. The only prerequisite is the existence of a water tap that will mimic a natural spring.
Finally, a water feature for the kids that you simply cannot let the backyard go without is a splash pad. They are fairly easy and cheap to install, but they are an endless source of entertainment during hot summer spells. You can get your children into their swimsuits and send them outside to run under the jets of water for hours on end.
Growing a Garden
If you haven’t created a garden inside the backyard before, it is probably because you are worried you’ll be a bad garden, Well, there are so many plant species, like walnuts and various succulents that require little to no care. If you position the garden within a corner of the backyard that is bright enough and that receives plenty of rain, then the garden will grow itself.
In terms of the flora, it doesn’t have to be all flowers and plants, as herbs and vegetables come with a practical purpose. With the hype about organic food going on, how cool it would be to be able to pluck a pepper from your backyard and consume it within minutes. It doesn’t get fresher than that!
A fire Pit to Fight the Chill
A water feature will keep your backyard teeming with life in the summer but how to get the children to leave their gaming console and step outside in the winter? The answer to this question is simpler than you might think, as you need to copy what your ancestors did: build a hearth. Well, not a real hearth but rather a stylish DIY fire pit that will prolong the time pleasant enough to stay outside. Get some blankets from inside the house, prepare some hot chocolate, and possibly roast marshmallows while huddles together around the fire. Telling stories will help the time go by faster, so before you know, it will be time for bed.
The 7 steps listed here are an excellent starting point for a backyard makeover tailored to meet the needs of all family members. A patio is a backyard improvement that the whole family will benefit from, but a splash pad will mostly be a thing for the kids to enjoy. Whichever feature or features you build in the end, know that a fully functional and spruced up the backyard is worth more than just money as it is a true oasis of tranquillity.
