by Julia Williams

Created on: April 04, 2007   Last Updated: April 18, 2007

Including the backyard as part of your living space brings many benefits. You'll get to enjoy the fresh air and mood-lifting sunshine in a beautiful natural surrounding. Additionally, having a nice place to entertain outdoors means you can invite more guests to your party, without fear of overcrowding.

There are three main components to consider when creating your backyard haven: ambiance, a well-defined sense of place, and furnishings.

AMBIANCE

The better your backyard living space looks, the more time you will want to spend in it. A lovely flower garden or tranquil water pond will create an inviting atmosphere. Cobblestone pathways, gazebos, gazing balls, arbors and trellises provide pleasing focal points and encourage your guests to explore the gardens.

Getting rid of the clutter in your yard will instantly make it more attractive. Remove scraggly plants, sickly trees and any landscaping you don't care for, and replace them with some trees, plants and shrubs you do like. Trimming back overgrown plants and trees will visually open up your backyard living space.

A WELL DEFINED SENSE OF PLACE

When creating a backyard living space, it helps to look at how you can artfully carve it up into separate areas, much the way a house is divided into rooms. Sometimes, all it takes to define a space is a patio table-and-chairs set strategically placed under the shade of a towering tree, or a couple of benches flanking a fountain. A barbecue set could anchor one corner of the yard, while a tall archway in the other corner could provide a stately entrance to the flower garden.

A deck or patio is an ideal way to create a defined sense of place in your backyard sanctuary. It's a great spot to sit and read the paper or watch the birds, and on warm summer nights it's the perfect place for casual get-togethers.

FURNISHINGS & EXTRAS

You'll almost certainly want to furnish your backyard with a patio set. Get one that includes an umbrella to provide shade on hot days, or for guests who don't want to be in the sun. A barbecue set is also a backyard staple, as are comfortable lounge chairs for sunbathing, reading and relaxing. A hammock is the quintessential summer accent.

Personalize your outdoor living space with whimsical accents like frogs, turtles or fairy figurines, garden statuary, windsocks, birdfeeders and birdhouses. A set of solar lights along the walkway or garden will provide soft light at night and a pleasing look during the day. A garden fountain is a nice way to add the beauty of moving water to your yard without a major expense.

Creating an inviting outdoor living space will take time, money and careful planning. However, the many rewards will be well worth it!

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