Spring is upon us, and it’s time to start making good use of our outdoor living spaces. Outfitting your deck or patio as an outdoor living or dining room is a great way to enhance gatherings and enjoy some time outside. Besides the traditional BBQ, your deck can be used in a lot of other ways, allowing you to get the maximum enjoyment from it. You can design your deck to suit your own unique interests, and use this space to invite the whole family to join you outside.
Plant a Garden
If you’ve got a green thumb, you can turn your deck into a gardening space that is bursting with life. There are several options for bringing plants on to your deck or patio, and all of them will still leave plenty of space for lounging or dining. Planters of some kind are ideal because you can rearrange them to suit an occasion, and they can be moved indoors during the cold months. The patio is the perfect setting for a container garden, and the variety of pots you use can brighten up the space.
Planter boxes can be fitted nicely around the railing of a deck, or placed on the ground around the edges. Hanging plants draw focus upward to expand the space. A small cabinet or storage bench placed on the deck or patio can hold all of your gardening tools so you can keep everything you need nearby.
Sleeping Al Fresco
When the days are hot and the nights are mild, the backyard practically begs you to stay out later. You can spend the whole night under the stars if you set up your deck or patio as an outdoor sleeping space. You can simply string up a couple of hammocks, or go all out and outfit your deck with comfortable, versatile day beds. Sail shades can be positioned to block the morning sun if you hope to sleep in a little late. A fire pit installed on your patio, or a portable fire bowl that can be brought out for the occasion will complete the effect. You can have all the fresh air and freedom of a campout, without the hassle of preparing or packing up for the occasion. Best of all, you can sleep out as often as you want!
A Place to Play
The patio or deck can be the perfect place for kids to play if you take the time to set it up right. This will encourage your kids to get outdoors on hotter days when they need the shade, and even on rainy days when they need the shelter. Turn your deck into a day at the beach by adding a sandbox. Choose one with a cover to keep things contained when not in use. The wooden variety with a cushion placed over the top can even provide additional seating during social gatherings. Filling up a kiddy pool in the yard will add to the fun and keep your kids busy all day long. The patio is also a great place for an art center. Finger paints, chalk, washable markers, you name it! Your little Picassos can go to town, and you can hose them and the whole area off when they’re done. They’ll be begging you to spend time outside with this kind of setup.
