The Perfect Backyard’s Checklist
No matter if you are planning on selling your home in the near future or if you are simply looking to enhance your living quarters then making improvements to your yard can reap some rewards. Especially here in Fort Lauderdale where we get to enjoy the outdoors throughout the entire year, you really can extend your square footage outside. Here is a checklist of 8 items for making your yard the best that it can be.
Patio
The most popular outdoor amenity is to have a place to dine or lounge. For this, you will need a surface like a deck or patio that will be accommodating to tables and chairs. If you don’t already have one, you can always enhance yours with nicer materials like pavers or warm things up with outdoor carpets.
Furniture
Less expensive or uncomfortable furniture is not going to make you want to relax and spend time outside. Invest in some quality pieces that will withstand the elements while making you feel like you want to sit for hours outside.
Shade
Especially during the really warm months you will want to give yourself a break from the direct sunlight at times. Consider a large umbrella that you can move or retract depending on the strength or position of the sun. This is a very simple and relatively cost effective solution.
Lighting
Nobody wants to relax outside with a powerful spotlight aimed at them all of the time. While some strong lights near your cooking station might be helpful, create some mood lighting in your lounging areas with string lights, perimeter lighting or lanterns.
Heat
Yes, even in South Florida there can be some cooler evenings where you wish to add some heat for comfort. Electric heaters above or freestanding propane heaters that can be rolled out are great solutions. Or, if you have space by your lounge areas then a firepit can provide both warmth and lighting for gatherings.
Grill or Kitchen
Grills are great, kitchens are better. A good gas grill at the least is a must as your grilling solution. However, investing in a basic outdoor kitchen will not only make meal preparations even better but can also add some value when it comes time to sell.
Activity Area
Patios are great to have but so is a little area of green space too. Especially when entertaining groups of guests you may wish to play games that require some grassy space. From croquet to cornhole having a patch of grass will give you these options while also making your pets happy!
Zones
With the above mentioned options of having patios, cooking and grassy spaces you will want to define these “zones.” Sometimes using different materials can be enough, but if you need ideas for further defining each then pathways can make for good separations. For designating a lounge area from a cooking area, try doing a warm, inviting outdoor rug with your furniture spaced around it.