Having an outdoor space that you can use to entertain and to relax in is a wonderful thing. As we have all become used to being home a lot more over the past two years or so for lots people, including those planning to buy a Waterloo Region home, this has become an even more important consideration when comparing homes for sale than perhaps ever before.
The pleasure of home outdoor living can be made even greater though if you take the time to create an outdoor room rather than just adding a few pieces of patio furniture to a corner of the lawn.
Creating an outdoor room is not as difficult, or as expensive as you might imagine and even if you only have a very small space with some imagination and a little hard work you can create an outdoor room that will bring you pleasure for many years to come.
And if you are planning to sell your Waterloo Region home, a basic version of an outdoor room can be both a great ‘home staging trick’ and an extra attraction for would-be buyers in these times when great outdoor living space is higher on many homebuyers wants lists than ever before.
Here are a few basics and ideas to help you get started:
Choosing the Right Spot
Sometimes the perfect location for an outdoor room springs to mind in an instant – a patio or a small deck for example. In other cases, you may have to create the space from nothing in that unused corner of your backyard, the one that gets all the best sun time.
Planning is the key here. Take lots of pictures of the space you have to work with so you can review them carefully to choose the right spot. Consulting with a landscaping pro may help, or making use of a space planning tool like Planning Wiz.
Cover Up
The best outdoor rooms offer some kind of cover but if you do not have a covered spot or shady trees that does not mean that you have to spend hundreds of dollars on having some kind of roof built over your deck or patio.
A simple wooden awning is not that hard for someone with a bit of DIY know how to build or you could opt for a trip to Home Depot or a similar store where you can find a fairly large selection of canopies and coverings, some of which cost less than $100!
If you are creating an outdoor room on the lawn rather than on a patio or deck you will also need to define the floor space. An outdoor carpet can be a very easy way to do this and certainly one the most inexpensive and flexible options you can consider.
Furnish with Care
Every outdoor room needs a certain amount of furniture but it should not be littered with the stuff! The furnishings you do choose will depend on how much space you have to work with and also on how you plan to use the room once it is completed.
Ideally, every outdoor room needs a table, even if it is only a small one suitable for setting down a drink and a snack. There should also be some great casual seating, even perhaps a hammock if you have the room for true relaxation on those lazy summer days.
Lighting
You will need to add some form of lighting so that you can enjoy the space even after the sun goes down.
To avoid having to trail wires and extension cords across the space opt for some of the great solar lighting options that are available these days and consider lighting your tables with candles – choosing flame-less ones for safety and convenience is a good idea, especially if your household includes kids and/or pets.
Add Accessories for Visual Interest
Decorating your outdoor room is every bit as important as decorating all of your indoor spaces. Blank walls can be livened up with wall plaques, candle sconces, paintings or even hand painted murals if you are feeling crafty. And you can use smaller accessories to scatter around the surfaces in your outdoor room to give it more of a homey feel.
