Make Yourself An Outdoor Retreat!
If you are anything like me, you want an outdoor space where you can just sit, read and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee. There are plenty of elaborate spaces on the covers of magazines, but let's face it! Those are not usually realistic. The house that I currently live in has a deck, however, I have had patios in the past. One of my homes had a big beautiful patio that I loved to decorate and it was a beautiful place to escape to for sure! I haven't always had the perfect outdoor space. I once lived in a condominium that had a patio that I barely had room to step out on. Maybe that sounds like the outdoor space that you have to deal with or maybe you even have a balcony in an apartment, don't let that stop you from making a spectacular outdoor getaway!
First you have to decide whether you like to keep things formal, traditional, country, whimsical or eclectic. I have always preferred the front of my house to be a little more formal while the back can take on a crazy whimsical eclectic look. This is where my self expression gets to go a little nuts!
When creating your outdoor space, treat it like you would if you were decorating a room. Look at your backdrop. Do you have a wall that you could add something that reflects your theme? What about stringing up some patio lights? I just did that and I put them on a dusk to dawn timer. I love it!
Plants are an important part of an outdoor space. I like colorful flowers, but if that doesn't suit your fancy, try planting a bush or tree in a pot on your patio. They do amazingly well and can provide your own little personal forest. I personally planted a French Lavender in a pot this spring and it has become one of my favorites! It has grown like crazy and has a beautiful fern-like foliage that softens the area. Don't forget that if you are a vegetable lover, patio planters can be the perfect place for veggie plants and herbs to grow!
Do you have the need for privacy? If so, consider some bushes around your patio or a little section of privacy fence. I like to grow a climbers in a pot and use bamboo to construct a tepee trellis.
Find furniture that is comfortable and don't forget to grab a few outdoor throw pillows. They can add a splash of color and keep the area inviting.
What do you hear when you are on your patio or deck? It could be that you have beautiful music provided by cardinal like I do. However, I also have the sound of cars whizzing by on the street that runs by my house. You see, I live on a corner lot and it can get pretty busy around here! I live on the edge of town so I get to deal with a little country with some city sprinkled in. I prefer to have the sound of running water when I am in my relax place, so I created a small water garden using a half whiskey barrel, some rocks that I drilled holes in and a small water pond pump. It was extremely inexpensive and I have actually had it around for years and couldn't imagine my deck or patio without it! I stuck a frog on the top for fun!
These are just some fun ideas to incorporate into your outdoor living space. I hope that you will walk out your back door, take a look around and come up with some plans to make your back area your own little retreat!
As always, we love you to hear your ideas and thoughts! Please leave your comments in the section below!
Inspired to create the "Well-Lived Home"
Julie Atkins
Milkweed Farms