Creative Ways to Expand Your Outdoor Living Space
People love spending time outdoors for several reasons. Some of these include enjoying the greenery, open space, and fresh air. There are many health benefits of spending time outdoors. It helps lessen anxiety or depression, relieve fatigue, ease stress, improve memory, and so on.
Do you want to expand your home’s living space or modernize it? Then consider expanding your outdoor living space. Some people add extra rooms or bathrooms to their homes because they want to increase the square footage. Although they may succeed in creating more space, doing so will only offer the things you have already.
However, you will enjoy your home better if you expand the outdoor living space. Expanding your outdoor living space will boost your home’s curb appeal, improve functionality, and add more value to the property, points out RentEasy Management.
When you have a nice outdoor space, you can explore it without resorting to the indoor area alone. If you enjoy spending time under the sun or intend to host events for your neighbors, friends, and family, you should consider expanding your outdoor space.
Improving your outdoor space requires creativity. When doing so, there are some vital things to consider:
- Comfort – add comfortable seats to the space.
- Nature – utilize the natural elements and greenery on your property.
- Lighting and heat – provide lighting and heat sources.
- Water – improve or incorporate water and water features.
Your outdoor space should blend and integrate so well that you can use them for various purposes if you consider all these elements in your outdoor space.
Below are some creative ways to expand your outdoor living space.
1. Add an outdoor kitchen
An outdoor kitchen will serve as the heart of your outdoor living space. It will offer similar functions to your indoor kitchen. It will ease the stress of constantly having to go indoors to the kitchen while hosting events.
An outdoor kitchen will allow you to spend time with your family and friends while preparing your meals. Depending on your budget, you can install the basic features such as a small refrigerator and grill or add a complete kitchen with a dining area.
The only thing that may limit you is space and budget. Otherwise, you have several options for your outdoor kitchen. The location of your outdoor space also matters. You may need a complete kitchen if it is separate from the main building. However, a basic kitchen will be suitable for outdoor spaces closer to or attached to the main building.
2. Create outdoor rooms
There are several options for adding an outdoor room. Some of them include a patio, shed, summer house, yurt, and pergola. They help create an outdoor area that allows you to spend more time outside to enjoy the greenery and fresh air. Outdoor rooms provide a space where you can entertain your family and friends. Outdoor rooms are also central features to boost your home’s curb appeal.
Consider adding an extended patio with a roof and wall if you want a comfortable sitting area. Doing so will protect your outdoor furniture from the elements and also offer privacy. You may consider retractable or permanent roofs and walls. Planting gardens around the outdoor room will help beautify it. You can decide to attach your outdoor room to the main building or have it as a separate structure. It depends on the space available.
3. Install a fireplace and adequate lighting
Your outdoor room will require a fireplace that will serve as a heat source to provide warmth. In addition, the fireplace will be a central focus. Having a fire pit in your outdoor space will make it cozy and provide warmth as people gather around it.
Lighting is also essential in your outdoor space. It provides adequate illumination, highlights features, and beautifies your outdoor space. Good lighting will make it comfortable and attractive to use the outdoor room at night.
4. Install water features
Installing a water feature depends on your intention for the outdoor area, the available space, and your budget. You can choose from various water features. Some of them include a water wall, fountain, waterfall, fishpond, ornamental pond, swimming pool, outdoor hot tub, water garden, and so on. Water features beautify the outdoor space and add more value to the property.
5. Keep furniture and seats
As part of expanding your outdoor living space, you need comfortable seats and furniture. Without these, the outdoor space will be less functional. When choosing furniture, ensure that they are weatherproof, flexible, ultra-comfortable, and can serve dual purposes. You may go for footstools that can convert to side tables or ottomans that also function as coffee tables.
The bottom line
Although you need more time and hard work to expand your outdoor space, the results are valuable. Professionals can assist you with more creative ways after assessing your outdoor space. For more help with creating your dream outdoor living space give the experts at Landscape Pros in Virginia a call.