10 Ideas To Build the Outdoor Living Space of Your Dreams

by Emily Hackeling

As a child, I spent many afternoons basking under the North Carolina sun on our back deck. One of my favorite memories is rocking away on the front porch listening to the late summer sky crack and pour all around us. It was a lucky way to grow up. And, it’s stuck with me today: any day spent outdoors is a day well spent. As much as I cherish my humble 900-square-foot steal of a San Francisco apartment, shelter-in-place has me spending a considerable amount of time daydreaming about outdoor living spaces.

Sipping morning coffee on a patio. Looking out from a balcony at night. Grilling barefoot during the golden hour. Walking through dewy grass to get the newspaper. Being able to get outside without walking down a hallway and three flights of stairs.

I spend my free time, which is plenty these days, thinking about the home I’ll build one day. It’ll have a big wrap-around porch, a fire pit for telling ghost stories at night, a hammock hanging from a big oak tree, and white jasmine vines climbing up the side of the back patio...it’s not a goal if you’re not aiming high, right?

If you’re like me, dreaming of your future outdoor oasis, or working on making the most of the yard you already have, these 10 outdoor living ideas can transform your space and make a “stay at home” order feel like a blessing.

1. Light it up

Tasteful lighting can make even the coldest concrete corner feel cozy. There are several types of lights that are gracing the covers of every home magazine lately: woven bamboo pendant lighting, solar string edison bulbs, and rechargeable LED hanging lamps.

2. Roast, grill, repeat

Whether you’re a grilled-peaches-and-asparagus or an Oscar-Meyer-Weiner type of person, a grilling station can transform your outdoor living space into the most-used part of your home. An alternative to the traditional grill? Try an outdoor pizza oven.

3. Campfire...without the camping

You can roast marshmallows and sleep in your own bed with a backyard fire pit. The great part about these are the plentiful options: you can purchase a fire pit table that you can light with the flip of a switch for some warm cozy goodness, or you can build a brick or stone pit directly in the ground. Either way you choose, you’ll open up your outdoor space for wintertime usage.

4. Dine in fresh air on the patio table

You don’t need to look up the weather forecast when you can have your morning coffee outside! Try a plain stained wooden table and metal chairs for a rustic look, a picnic table for a casual option, or a full teak table and chairs set for a more upscale look. When you’ve got space to sit and dine outside, you can mix up a regular weekday dinner to get some fresh air.

5.

Bring the outside in

You can easily make your living room or indoor dining area an outdoor space with an open floor plan and sliding doors. These are popular in modern homes or converted garages, where the garage door opens up to allow you to walk freely outside. You can also get floor-to-ceiling windows that fold and open up to bring the outdoors in on sunny days.

6.

Bring the bar to you

Why venture out on the town when you can make cocktails or crack open a beer in the comfort of your backyard? There are several ways you can create an outdoor bar space. If you’ve got plenty of room, try an overhanging roof, tiled floor, marble countertop, and built-in sink. Then line up fun bar stools on the other side for guests. If you’re tight on square footage, like me, then you can try an outdoor rolling bar cart to bring your martinis and margaritas on the patio for an afternoon.

7. Bring a taste of Gaudí to your home

While flowers come and go with the seasons, you can add a permanent splash of color to your outdoor space with bright tiles and mosaics. One of the most fun projects I’ve done came after a visit to Park Güell in Barcelona, where building after building is coated in gorgeous mosaics. You can easily and cheaply buy grout and old plates from Goodwill to smash. Try tiling the ground, the walls, the ceiling, or adding stepping stones through the yard as a colorful pathway.

8. Bring plants up high

Especially for those who are working with a deck or balcony space, hanging plants are an easy way to reinvigorate your outdoor space. There are endless varieties of hanging plants, so choose the ones that are right for your light source. Try the string of pearls hanging succulent, impatiens for a pop of color, or any kind of fern for a drapey green look.

9.

Shower under the sun

Outdoor showers aren’t just for dirty dogs or muddy children. With the right tiles, shower head, and privacy screens, you might prefer your outdoor shower to your indoor one.

10.

Knit your seating

Macrame is back. Now we’re seeing it all over outdoor living spaces — with knit or crochet plant hangers – but also with seating! Here’s another opportunity for a fun DIY project (or you can buy your own from Anthropologie). Whichever you choose, you won’t regret your afternoon naps and reading time spent swinging in the sun.

Not only is outdoor living space fun for decorating and living in — it’s also an investment. It has become even more precious in 2020. If you’re looking to transform your home for higher value later on, consider investing in your outdoor space — you’ll get to take advantage of it now, and you’ll get greater benefit from it later on when it comes time to sell.