You’ve achieved your goal–owning a home with a backyard that’s just waiting to be transformed. Transformed into what, though? Sometimes having that much room and so many possibilities for it can be overwhelming to consider. Do you want to entertain a crowd? Have an excellent place for your kids and their friends to play? Get your hands in the dirt for a vegetable or flower garden? Here are a few ideas for revamping your backyard into a space that everyone in your family will enjoy.
Hobbies
If you already have a hobby or want to pursue one, your backyard is a great place to configure a base for it. Build a woodworking shop or a DIY space, bring out an easel for painting or a pottery wheel, or set up an archery butt or a net for volleyball or badminton. Even just creating a comfortable space to read or study on a beautiful day counts!
Entertainment Space
When most people think of backyards, they think of parties, barbecues, and all sorts of get-togethers. According to Keystone Custom Decks , a deck or pergola can be a great option for an entertainment space. You could have a fire pit, grill, water features, TV, and more. Even small backyards can be transformed into attractive party spots with the right plans.
Fitness
Backyards can be terrific places to get your fitness on, and you don’t have to spend a ton of money on constructing a fun exercise area. It could be as simple as buying a mat and blocks for yoga, some hand weights for strength training, or setting up an obstacle course or training circuit. If you live in an area that has good weather year-round, according to InstallIt Direct , you may want to go the extra mile and turn your yard into your personal gym. Numerous websites can show you how to go about this for maximum effect and minimum cost. Find what exercises you enjoy and make your backyard work for you!
Food
For some, an open backyard is an invitation to put in a garden. Maybe you’ve dreamed about growing your own fruits and vegetables or raising a small flock of chickens for eggs and meat. While vegetable gardens are a popular use of backyard space, you’ll want to check with your city if you want to keep chickens or other animals like goats. In essence, there could be limits on how many animals you can have or raising animals outside of traditional pets may not be allowed altogether. You don’t have to turn your entire backyard into a farm, but even growing a small vegetable garden can be satisfying.
Outdoor Kitchen
When people think of backyard cooking, they mostly think of grilling or smoking meat. If your vision of your backyard is as an entertainment space and your future entertaining plans involve food, you may want to consider installing a full outdoor kitchen. According to Paradise Restored , outdoor kitchens have all the elements of a regular kitchen, including ovens and refrigerators, but are incorporated into decks and patios. Remember that you can’t use “regular” appliances in an outdoor kitchen–look for devices that are specifically built for outdoor use. An outdoor kitchen doesn’t necessarily have to be just for gatherings, either. Being able to get out of your regular kitchen and cook on warm days is a significant benefit of having one, too.
Landscape Garden
Making your backyard a beautiful oasis is a common fantasy, and it’s the rare homeowner with a backyard who doesn’t think about at least planting a bed of flowers or a couple of trees in it. The internet practically overflows with landscaping ideas–it’s just a matter of how elaborate you want things to be. From planting bulbs along a walkway that will sprout into gorgeous blooms in the spring to a full-on English garden to something in-between, it’s essential to find out what plants will thrive in your climate and plan accordingly. Patience is also important. It may take a few years for the reality to match your vision, but many will tell you that’s most of the pleasure of gardening!
Water Play
Having some available water to cool off on hot summer days is enticing to many homeowners, and if you have the room, putting in a pool naturally comes to mind. In fact, according toOpendoor , it can increase the home’s value. It doesn’t have to be elaborate; an inflatable pool can be a lot of fun and doesn’t require much in the way of maintenance. If you want to go in a more permanent direction, an above-ground pool can be an economical choice, or you can go all out and get an in-ground pool with features like hot tubs and slides. Before you turn your backyard into your personal water park, though, be honest with yourself about how much it’s going to be used, and if it’s worth your time to keep it up.
Playground
Homeowners with children naturally want a secure place for their kids to play. It’s safe to say that after gardens, play areas are the most popular uses for an open backyard. If your kids are old enough, have a family meeting, and encourage them to come up with ideas for their space. Sometimes just a swing set and room to run around is okay for them, but maybe they dream of a treehouse or their very own pirate ship. What they choose doesn’t have to be permanent either. As they grow, their idea of what makes a good place to play will change with them. Consider items that can be converted, like life-size dollhouses for smaller kids that could make good clubhouses or alone places for tweens and teens. Make sure your playground matches other things in the yard. According to Holloway & Associates , it’s important to do so if you want to sell your home at some point.
You don’t have to settle on just one idea for the most inviting backyard. You can have a garden, a playground, a meditation spot, or a workshop. Just like your home, your backyard will evolve, and your dreams for your outdoor space will evolve with it.