5 Ways To Revamp Your Backyard

Is your backyard simply a place you go to hang out the washing or an area for the kids to run around in? While these are really important functions, you could be missing out on your backyard’s true potential. Here are five ways to revamp and transform your backyard into a more liveable and utilised space in your home.

1. Outdoor extensions

If your living areas are fast approaching their limit and you simply need more room for your lifestyle and family, your backyard could hold the answer. By adding a patio, deck or sunroom, your outdoor areas can become another ‘room’ in your home. In doing so, you’ll be investing in your lifestyle as well as the value of your property. To unleash the true potential of your backyard, talk to a builder who specialises in these type of projects, such as Additions Building. Be sure to check out their website, photos of previous builds and customer testimonials. If you’re going to invest in such a significant addition to your home, getting the right builder is absolutely critical.

2. Shade and styling

If you have an existing area in your backyard that is concreted, paved or decked, it might simply be that you need some shade to create an outdoor room. You can choose from umbrellas, shade sails or retractable awnings to transform your backyard quickly and relatively cheaply. Simply add some comfortable furniture, BBQ and pot plants to voila – your new outdoor living area awaits.

3. Create an outdoor theme

Many backyards and gardens are a random assortment of plants and weeds, with no real cohesive design elements. The most effective way to update a tired backyard is by creating a sense of consistency and purpose. A great way to do this is by choosing and creating a theme in your outdoor areas such as tropical, cottage, retro or native. This theme should influence furniture, décor, plant selection and placement and even garden ornaments. If your aim is to make your outdoor area another ‘room’ and to simply flow on from interior spaces, it’s essential that the theme you choose matches the rest of your home.

4. Dedicated outdoor areas and functions

Years ago, backyards were not considered to be part of the house and were usually just one large open area. An excellent way to improve the form and function of this space is to divide it into dedicated areas based on how you want and need to use it. For example, is there a better place you could locate your clothesline? Could it be closer to the laundry or in a sunnier spot? Do you need extra storage space for all your gardening equipment and have the room to install a shed? What about areas for the kids to play and run around. Have a think about all the ways you use your backyard as well as the path of the sun and existing elements such as trees, plants, garden beds and fixtures (e.g. clotheslines). Then grab yourself pen and paper and create a map of how all these elements could better work together or be positioned. If your budget permits, call in some expert help from a landscape architect.

5. To lawn or not to lawn

In years gone by, the crowning jewel in most backyards was the lawn. These days, lawns have become sorely neglected due to longer working hours and the cost of water. While there is nothing quite like lying down on a lush green lawn and watching the clouds, a nice bit of turf takes money and time to establish and maintain. If you have both of those, great – but if you don’t, consider reducing the amount of grass in your backyard and other ways you could utilise that space. You might want to opt for decorative pebbles / stones or simply create bigger garden beds.

Revamping your backyard can either be a major renovation or building project or it might be a fairly simple makeover. Just be sure to think about the way you want or need to use this space, incorporate some basic principles of good design and if necessary, call in some expert help from reputable builders or landscapers.