Building an outdoor living space can be more difficult to be done than said. If you already have a garden that you’ve already worked on and still plan on creating a living area, it’s important to divide them. It’s just right to separate the two because each of them has a different purpose and you don’t want to mix it up.
The outdoor living space is a place for relaxation, focus, and entertainment, while the garden creates a green atmosphere that contributes to the ambiance of the living space to make it feel more like home, and is pleasurable and welcoming. It’s also a place for hobbies where you can plant flowers and vegetables of your choice.
Considering a Proper Landscape Design
Whether you have a swimming pool area or a simple living space, a proper landscape design can create a more diverse area without neglecting unity and making it look chaotic and confusing.
If you have a swimming pool area, for instance, you don’t want to have a full-grown garden too near next to it. You want to have a separate area to put on sunscreen and sunbathe, or perhaps a little space for grilling meat. For a regular living area, if your space is big enough, you can have both an outdoor sofa and a dining table, especially if you invite everyone.
You also want to consider the purpose of your living space so you can incorporate it with landscaping. Perhaps you would like an entertainment space for your family and guests where you can organize a dinner or a barbecue party. It can be a little outdoor workspace where you can do your job and spend some time with nature at the same time. Or you can create it as a simple seating area where you get to have afternoon or morning coffees and/or nighttime cocktails.
If you have pets or often have visitors who come over with their pets, you should consider choosing your plants wisely since some plants can be hazardous to pets. You can also add pet-friendly features where your furry friends can have fun and go potty.
Building Your Outdoor Living Area’s Foundation
For the living space foundation, you might want to consider hardscape, or probably a mixture of flooring surfaces and textures. Yet especially hard spots to place your benches, outdoor sofas, and/or dining area. Also, choose the right kind of furniture to go with the outdoors, such as waterproof and weatherproof kinds, considering the purpose and the size of your yard.
Aside from that, you want to think about the type of roofing you want to put up. This can also be a separation from the garden itself. Adding proper roofing protects you from the weather, whether it’s too much sun and wind, as well as shelter from the rain. If you’re looking more into pretty things and aesthetics, you might want to look into seclusion composite fencing or canopies, such as pergolas and trellis, and decide which ones get your taste.
Planning the Utilities
This stage is being planned in the early stages of building an outdoor living room. Depending on what your purpose is, you must know which utility to prioritize. Such as plumbing structures for water faucets and sinks, electrical wirings, and/or a gas line if you’re prioritizing cooking and dining outdoors.
While you can do simple landscaping on your own, if you’re comfortable and knowledgeable enough, professionals must build utility plans.
Creating an Ambiance
You want to set up proper lighting to make your living space inviting and convenient to stay in. Make it especially beautiful at nighttime, wherein you can create it with both aesthetics and practicality. It can also serve a purpose for your security so you know and recognize the people you’re with when you invite guests over. It helps with socialization and sight, especially if you’re grilling and dining.
Perhaps you can set the mood a bit more through colors, whether neutrals, bright ones, or a blend of both. Adding colors to the living area separates it more from the garden, lessening the green color to make it seem more livable rather than forest-like. You can make this through furniture or throws.
Especially in colder states, you can have an outdoor fireplace built to keep your family and guests warm and outdoor fans to circulate the heat. Outdoor ceiling fans can be more space-saving and convenient for everybody.
Having a garden and an outdoor living space takes as much responsibility as when you’re building your house itself. It also takes proper maintenance so this isn’t perfect for someone who is always busy and can’t afford a gardener or professional outdoor cleaning. The cost of it all is also something you have to think through.
