Top Tips to Designing your Outdoor Space

The buzzing sounds of cicada’s, sticky hot weather and ice cold cocktails, yup it’s finally summer! Living in Canada gives you a whole different appreciation for the summer, which is why you want to maximize your Outdoor Living Space. See what I did there, it’s a Living Space not just your backyard. Your Outdoor Living Space should be treated with the same curation that you would want inside your home.

With pandemic restrictions leaving many Canadians to only entertain outdoors why not finally tackle those backyard projects? Keep reading to see my top tips when beginning to plan out your backyard space.

1. Brainstorm your dream backyard

If you could have everything you wanted in your backyard what would it be? A glowing dining area where you can spend evenings with friend and family? Or how about a pool with a play area for your kids? Whatever it is – write it down. When you’re done you can go through the list and see what would actually be feasible in your space according to the size of the space and your budget. Pinterest definitely comes in handy at this stage to help you dream up all the ideas. Check out my Outdoor Inspiration Pinterest Board here.

2. Plan out the Zones

Now that you’ve got all your awesome ideas down on paper, sketch out your space and be sure to include measurements. This will help you plot out all the “zones” for your projects. It will give you a better idea of how the spaces will interact with each other. You can sit and live with this plan for a few days to get a better sense of how it can come together. Say you want to build a new deck, now you can see how much space the new deck can represent in your backyard and if there is room for that fire pit, pool, playhouse, and whatever else is on your list! Keep the sun in mind during this step. You want to make sure you are maximizing the light/warmth or shade where necessary. You probably don’t want to put a pool in a very shady spot of the yard for example. The sun’s path can also help you decide if gazebo’s or pergola’s are needed.

3. Get into the Nitty Gritty

Start really nailing down the vision as far as aesthetics go. Is it a sleek modern vibe or a casual coastal vibe? Since most backyards are open spaces you want to make sure you are selecting furniture and materials that are complimentary to each other. Some of the best decorated outdoor spaces incorporate a few things

• Natural Elements, we are outside so add plants and incorporate materials like wicker or rattan
• Cohesive colour pallette – I tend to gravitate towards neutrals and let the flowers add the pop!
• Decorate like your inside – don’t forget elements to make the space feel inviting, outdoor carpets, accent pillows, blankets by the firepit

4. Don’t overlook storage

For a lot of my clients with young families the collection of brightly coloured outdoor toys seems to grow every summer. If you have the space grab a large storage shed or if you’re handy there are lots of DIY tutorials online. Patio storage boxes are also a good idea if you need to store furniture or bbq covers when not in use.

I hope you found these few tips useful to get you started on planning your dream outdoor oasis! Our outdoor living spaces should feel like a fun and relaxing space that you enjoy spending time in!

I’d love to hear what you’re planning on doing to your backyard space!