If you’re anything like the average suburban dweller right now, you’re spending half of your free time out in your back yard. Outdoor living spaces are one of the most cherished features of modern real estate, and you’d be crazy not to be making the best of yours! Below are a few tips on how to do just that:
1. Invest in Landscaping Services
Contrary to popular belief, landscaping, or the practice of manicuring your outdoor lawn and shrubbery in a visually pleasing way, is not just cosmetic. Modern landscape design techniques, especially those that judiciously make use of trees, can help improve the air quality around your home, provide habitats for local wildlife, and reduce temperatures by providing shade. Furthermore, the industry has evolved so that the average landscaper nowadays has a Bachelors or even Masters in some sort of outdoor crafting discipline, and high quality service has become the benchmark standard. We highly encourage seeking landscape services, even if you just need some lawn repair tips, as a well landscaped backyard can increase your property’s resale value up to 14%!
2. After Landscrape, There’s Hardscape!
Once you’ve got your lawn, flora, and fauna squared away, it will be time to explore hardscrape ideas. Hardscraping is pretty much what it sounds like–ways to make your backyard pretty in non-plant ways, such as with pathways, lighting, retaining walls, paving, and fences. Our personal favorite hardscaping features include a mini-gazebo or trellis. These wood based additions add a touch of old country kitch to the yard as well as a barrier to the elements. If you’ve already conjured up images of that argument scene in Pride and Prejudice and are itching to build a gazebo, we recommending getting the advice of skilled carpenters. Sure, you can probably knock something together on your own, but skilled carpenters will do it faster and with the right materials. (In other words, skilled carpenters won’t result in the gazebo toppling on you and ruining your perfect Regency Romance moment. That’s what we’re saying).
3. Pick a “Finishing Touch” Aimed At Recreation
So you have your cherry trees. You have your bamboo torches and your awesome gazebo. Now it’s just a matter of adding that one piece of “oomph” to really attract guests to the outdoors. This oomph is up to you and can take many forms. Maybe it’s an outdoor mini-bar and some tasteful patio furniture. Maybe it’s a volleyball net, kan jam, or another sports themed activity. Maybe your ambition is a DIY fire pit. Whatever it is, we wish you the best of luck and can’t wait to see pictures of your little outdoor kingdom in the comments!