Outdoor Living Spaces

This question goes directly to the reader; did you acquire a backyard? But not just a backyard with ample space and beautiful vegetation? There may be a pool, a garden, or both. You may want to show it off to your friends and family or have monthly events. Or maybe you’re a homeowner who likes having quiet time in the mornings; look out onto your landscape while you sip a coffee. But what is missing? The answer is simple, a hang-out area. Or better known as an outdoor living space.

Though outdoors, you can consider this area as a living room. With an average of 300 days of sunshine in Denver, only a number of them are suitable for outdoor gatherings. But with fire pits as an option, the most common feature in outdoor living spaces, it can keep you warm and toasty while you sit in weatherproof and comfortable outdoor furniture. This article will dive into fire pits and cover all sorts of outdoor gathering areas for all seasons.

Remember that not all properties are the same or cater to particular gathering settings. Some open spaces cannot support an outdoor entertainment area. It all depends on the size and structure of the landscape. However, this written piece will help you pick the best outdoor living space for your home. And why stop at homes? Many commercial areas have been in the trend of installing firepits and outdoor cooking areas in their offices. It brings employees together for company growth and positive work culture.

Ideas for Outdoor Living Spaces

It takes a keen eye to suggest the best outdoor gathering space for one’s backyard. While there is a short list of use for these gathering areas, with many different ideas, aesthetics, and combinations of materials to pick from, it can take time to decide. This is the part of the article where we can have fun. The many ideas that can go into your outdoor living space can be infinite. Let’s dive in!

TV

One of the most popular styles is the outdoor living space with a TV, and a TV in your backyard is a great gathering area for gamedays and alfresco movie nights with your partner or family. Consider making it into a fun competitive section of your home, complete with a bocce ball, a big space to kick a ball, a sports court, pickleball, or a cornhole area. Also, almost all TVs and entertainment systems are weather durable.  Consider getting an outdoor weatherproof TV cover for when the TV is not in use.

Outdoor Kitchens

Another sought-after outdoor living space is the outdoor kitchen. It’s a great way to entertain your guests. And if you are an absolute BBQ fiend, we recommend a built-in grill or two and maybe a smoker and flattop grill. In addition to being a great way to entertain your guests, outdoor kitchens also offer the added benefit of keeping smells outside when cooking smelly foods. The grills, cabinets, stoves, sinks, and a smoke vent (optional), make it as functional as your indoor kitchen. Don’t forget that maintenance is required, the appliances must be kept clean and covered. Best of all, outdoor kitchens can possibly see an ROI between 100% and 200%.

Living Room

If your garden is lush and eminent in your backyard, it’s an option to go for the classic living room look. Think cozy couches, pillows, and blankets around a brick fireplace (which is the centerpiece) and fill it with vintage-looking furniture. Make sure to have weather-resistant furniture just in case. And who says your outdoor living space must be in your backyard? It is a bold move to have a social front yard. Your porch can be one of many places to socialize if you have the area or space. And if you are neighborly enough for a front yard outdoor living space, plant an edible garden for everyone to enjoy.

Firepits & Fireplaces

The most common, suggested, and at times the more popular option for outdoor living spaces are firepits and fireplaces. Many fire pits are surrounded by outdoor furniture, chairs, or couches. Landscapers can build most outdoor fireplaces within the outer layer of your house, or you can make a brick fireplace/pizza oven.

Outdoor Dining Spaces

There is space to consider for outdoor dining areas, not to mention the material the dining area is made of, and it must be durable for any weather. Lastly, some people like a lounging area to entertain family and friends. Smart outdoor lights usually accompany them. With all these different options, it is essential to remember that all these outdoor living spaces have their basic needs covered. A great area to gather friends and family for dinner parties, BBQs, and special gathering events.

Pool & Water Features

Design a paradise for your pool or modern water feature. Make sure the aesthetic fits the aquatic feel you are trying to portray. Adding some gorgeous greenery around the pool can enhance the look of the deep blue water and make it even more inviting. Bushes, trees, flowers, and other plants can also provide a haven for songbirds and provide a truly natural feel around the pool. An advantage of porcelain pavers is that they are engineered for long life and come in almost endless options of sizes, patterns, colors, and textures to compliment your space. Natural stones such as granite, bluestone, flagstone, porcelain pavers, and more will require the greatest investment out of the options we mentioned, but they provide so much more. Providing a sophisticated, timeless, and classic look to your poolscape, this material will enhance the environment and it won’t go out of style.

In regard to water features, not only does offer soothing sounds, but it also provides a sense of privacy and seclusion. It’s like having your own moat! Just be sure to include landscaping details like a bridge or stepping stones across your stream to connect your home with the rest of your yard. Your water feature can also be transformed into a courtyard, paved with porcelain pavers, concrete, and natural stone. So many ideas when it comes to making your water feature the center of your gathering area.

Learn how to choose the best plants for water features

Other Style Considerations

• Secret Hideaway: We recommend a personal garden aesthetic. Landscaping around a stone walkway, planting tall shrubbery for privacy, or creating visual appeal with a dry stream. Put up wicker chairs and hanging plants and install an arbor that can block the line of sight.
• Vintage Feel: We recommend a gazebo. It’s an excellent option if you want to protect your furniture and host special events. Keep in mind that not all properties can pull off the gazebo look.
• Modern: We recommend neutral color patterns. White and grey can give you that modern look. You can do black, but it has to be a bold look.
• Fun & Games: Remember what we said about keeping it competitive? We recommend mini versions of sports courts in your backyard if you want to keep the TV from taking away the attention of your outdoor space living. Consider mini basketball courts or mini golf courses, a substantial made-to-hang-out area.
• Chill Out: Another crazy idea would be to install swinging chairs. Not playground swing sets, but comfortable swing chairs with pillows and blankets to accent your gathering area, or you can put a canopy over the gathering area with fabric.

Materials

Now that you know what styles and functions to create your own outdoor living space, let’s dive into the basic steps needed to build one in your backyard. One of the steps is knowing what material you want, which will go best with your home and backyard. There are several options, concrete, stone, porcelain pavers, etc. For example, porcelain pavers are used as a patio, and you can put a wood pergola or roof over it to complete it. The primary wood structure is a deck, and you can put retaining walls for seating around it or a fire pit or fireplace to complete it. The second step would be the material on the second structure. If you built a patio, you could put a pergola or a wood roof structure. Or, if you created a deck, you could put a fireplace on it. Then, you install your focal point; tv, water feature, fire pit, and/or kitchen. It is the conversation piece that ties the outdoor living space.

What comes next is the landscaping. Beyond having a natural area as your focal point, landscaping helps fill your space. It’s not much of an outdoor space if it doesn’t have some beautiful plantings. Also, make sure to have great system controls for water features and fire pits.

We’re Here to Help!

With so many ideas and materials to work with, now you can decide which style suits your home best. Here at EDI, we are lucky to be equipped with the best Colorado designers. All the gathering areas we have installed have received positive customer satisfaction. We’ve even had customers build it all in one place: a TV room, water features, fire pits, canopies, wicker chairs, and an outdoor kitchen. The backyard alone looks like a resort! So, give EDI a challenge, we are in the business of making your vision come true! Contact us today!