6 minute read
Blissful Outdoor Living
WORDS BY SARA SHERMAN
FROM STUNNING SCENIC views of the sea to intimate backyard barbeques, an outdoor living area is an extension of your home.
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It can often be overlooked and become a graveyard of thrown-together odds and ends, flea market furniture, and leftover indoor things that don’t fit anywhere else.
Many homeowners are also reluctant to spend a lot of money on creating a great outdoor space, since it’s exposed to the elements most of the time.
Whether you’re wanting a private space to enjoy on your own with a zen-like tranquillity or an easy place to invite friends and family over to enjoy drinks and get-togethers, these tips will help you transform your outdoor area into the space you’ve always dreamed of.
A clear path from indoors to out seamlessly connects spaces.
1. Play up nature
When planning an outdoor space, take a look around. What is already in your backyard that you can capitalise on for your own use?
Maximize the day with a balance of natural light and cooling shade.
Perhaps bougainvillea plants are thick and provide a natural privacy barrier that can serve as a fence for your pool? Whatever Mother Nature has provided, use that as a cue for how your space can naturally fit into the landscape.
This approach can also help determine how you plan your space.
2. Weather ready
The outdoors is naturally vulnerable to the brutal Caribbean sun as well as rain, wind, and animals. Just like taking the natural foliage into account, make sure your outdoor area isn’t fighting an uphill battle against the elements.
3. Add a splash of colour
An easy way to add colour to your patio or yard is with plants and planters. Flowers provide natural colour, while choosing brightly coloured pots and planters adds lasting vibrancy wherever you want it.
Changing the pots out may be simpler than needing to continually replant blooming foliage.
From dawn till dusk, good lighting creates ambiance.
4. Blur lines between indoors & out
Create a seamless transition from your indoor living space to outdoors by making a clear path with pavers— rock or wood. Outdoor areas that are the most easily accessible are likely to be used regularly!
Indoor/outdoor living is enhanced with interesting water features and unique materials.
5. Use space wisely
No matter how much space you have to work with, using it in a practical way can help you make the most of the outdoor area while also helping you get more out of the space.
Think about how you want each area to be used and make it clear which areas are for sitting and chatting versus eating or taking in the view. Furniture ‘zones’ make this easier, as would curtains or other cordoned-off areas.
6. Appreciate the view
Nobody likes a patio that doesn’t allow for enjoying the stunning Caribbean view. Don’t forget that imbibing the view should be a major decision-making point as you plan your space.
Blocking the scene with furniture or plants defeats the purpose. Instead, strategically orient the view as a side or front-facing focal point.
7. Natural materials
In addition to working with the natural flora and fauna that are already present, natural materials like wood, glass, metal, and bamboo will create a more seamless transition from indoors to out.
8. Light it up
The summer parties don’t stop once the sun goes down. Lighting an outdoor area can be as simple as placing batteryoperated lanterns in places where people gather or as extravagant as hard-wiring lighting for the entire area.
A variety of seating options ensures a comfortable place for everyone.
9. Traffic patterns
Be mindful of how you get to, from, and around your outdoor space. There is typically a ‘path of least resistance’ that gets used most, so marking it clearly with pavers can help show the way.
Noticing other ways to get around the space can also aid you in determining where furniture would be helpful or hindering.
10. Find focus
A good ‘room’ will always have a focal point. Whether it’s a firepit, a water feature, or simply the fantastic view, this focal point will determine everything else in the outdoor area.
Create clear ‘zones’ for chatting, eating, and taking in the view.
How you orient your furniture and where people organically gather will become clear with a welldesigned space.
11. Seating options
Offering a variety of places to sit will give guests options during get-togethers. A dining area can have all the same chairs, but seating areas can incorporate sofas, benches, chairs, stools, and even lounge pillows or poufs.
12. Scenic route
Create a sense of wonder in your backyard with winding paths that connect different spaces.
A slight curve in the path forms a curious place to explore and makes people want to follow along to see what’s out there.
13. Double duty furnishings
Your outdoor space has limitations in land ownership, so make sure the pieces you choose for the space have more than one function.
Ottomans can serve as storage bins, and end tables can also serve as planters or places to put lighting.
Longer lounge chairs that can lie flat double as bench seating for a crowd.
14. Balance view & privacy
Enjoying the view is paramount, but nobody wants to feel exposed. Strategic plantings can add coverage to make some areas of the outdoor space feel more private. Large bushes or tall plants can shade a pool or sunbathing area, while a lattice screen encloses a space without sacrificing light.
