The backyard is one of the most overlooked spaces in the home, a factor that may be closely linked to its underutilization. Whether you need to spruce up this space for your next holiday festivities or need a space to relax, your backyard makeover does not have to be a costly affair. The right creative projects will come in handy in helping you rejuvenate your backyard, giving you extra room for entertaining your guests. Below, we take you through seven creative homeowner outdoor projects to consider looking into.
Build a Patio
A backyard patio is one of the most straightforward projects to start with that will help ease you into your renovations. Composite deck tiles are the perfect start for this, acting as the go-to for homeowners with limited time and skills for building a patio from scratch. These tiles are easy to fit and install into your backyard, with most creative homeowner outdoor projects taking less than a day to complete. To begin your remodeling, pick out a location for your deck tiles, preferably one with an even surface and free of clutter for easy laying of your tiles. Composite decks are easy to maintain, allowing you to benefit from low-maintenance and fast installation. They also give you room to customize your space to suit your style, helping you stick to your preferred backyard theme.
If you prefer something a bit upscale, wooden decks or concrete patios are other options to get for your patio. These will, however, require you to utilize the services of a patio contractor since installing these alternatives needs experience. Getting an additional outdoor structure also calls for gutter installation, a factor that helps you prevent any water accumulation from ruining your patio. To test whether your gutter is in good working condition, run some water from the top and check for signs of leakages. The downspout needs to flow away from your patio and house, ensuring you avoid water pools from accumulating around your property’s foundation.
A backyard bar and shed are other creative homeowner outdoor projects to add to your patio if you love entertaining friends. Outdoor bars are perfect for the summer, acting as another project that will help you bring your backyard style to life. Whether you love a tiled bar top with glass shelves to showcase your array of drinks or like to keep things simple with an open bar, this installation will likely be your top pick for your backyard renovations.
Where possible, you can also extend your patio to accommodate a pergola, creating more space for your outdoor bar. This will make room for extra bar essentials, with examples of this being a refrigerator, storage cabinets and barstools to allow you to accommodate more people. This addition will also be essential during your winter months, acting as a multi-purpose storage area for your backyard furniture. In addition to this, the above patio features will come in handy in increasing your property value, helping you get more out of your resale price.
Create a Vegetable Garden
If you are looking for ways to reduce your monthly expenses, getting a vegetable garden should be your next project. For starters, choose a spot with enough sunlight distribution throughout the day. Next, consider the types of produce you would like to plant in your backyard and the various growth properties. This means picking plants well suited to your soil type and weather conditions in your area. With this in mind, you can then proceed to pick out the proper planting bed for your plants, whether raised or planted directly in your chosen spot. In addition to growing edibles for use at home, consider planting flowers for a pop of color. Hydrangea bushes and tulips are good examples of this and will come in handy in allowing your backyard to get more life. For low maintenance, local plant nurseries also stock up flowers in ready-to-use pots, reducing the time needed for caring for your blooms.
For additional creative homeowner outdoor projects, you can also opt for recycled backyard kitchen beds. To help with this, start by collecting items such as plastic bottles, wooden boxes and utensils, which can then serve as planters in your backyard. Plant seeds into these and within a few weeks, your garden will be ready for use. To keep your garden looking green all year round, make it a point to collect dried leaves from nearby trees and plants to help with mulch delivery. These will be essential in preserving moisture and introducing nutrients from the decaying leaves, allowing you to cut back on watering sessions throughout the week. In addition to this, getting different colored mulch from your backyard will also come in handy in enhancing the texture and color of your garden, allowing you to get a beautiful outdoor space.
Create a Stone or Gravel Path
While your previous backyard area may have lacked a proper pathway, your renovated outdoor space will certainly need an upgrade. Make it a point to create room for a stone or gravel path on your creative homeowner outdoor projects list, an addition that will open up your backyard space for easy navigation when you are hosting family and friends. For a simple makeover, mark the layout of your designated pathway with gravel or stones, keeping in mind your path will either be narrow or wide, depending on your available outdoor space.
Next, lay concrete slabs within a few inches off each other to act as stepping stones for your path. If you need help sourcing custom-made concrete slabs, an asphalt driveway contractor can help you pick out the best materials, assuring you of longevity in your backyard on the path. This will be crucial in helping you reduce additional maintenance costs for your pathway since elements such as snow and rain will likely cause deterioration over time.
Invest In Water Features
Getting water features comes next in creative homeowner outdoor projects that you should look into. The first item to consider investing in is a pool. Getting this option will require you to have significant backyard space, with its addition often requiring intense labor during the installation process. For proper pool installation, ensure you work with experts with a proven record of pool services to avoid any legal problems with your local authorities. Working with professionals will also be beneficial in keeping your pool maintenance service costs low, since incorrect installations could leave you with hefty property remodeling costs.
If you are low on finances, a stock tank pool will be another alternative to get to your backyard. While it comes with limited space, it still proves beneficial for cooling down during the year’s hotter months. Tank pools also introduce a fun element for kids, acting as an incentive for utilizing the backyard more. However, before getting your pool set up in place, ensure that you have a concrete patio to help protect your grass and surrounding areas from water damage. A custom-built stone platform can also help with this, helping you keep your renovated backyard in check. You can also opt for a solar panel installation in your outdoor area to keep your pool heated during the cold nights for added flair. This can serve as an alternative to a Jacuzzi, helping you elevate your dull nights into quiet relaxation moments with your partner or hang-out spots where your teenagers can wind down.
A pond also makes its way to this list of your water features section, making it another transformative project for homeowners in need of a laid-back project. All you need is a pot or bucket wide enough for your required water capacity and accessories such as stones and marbles for decor. You can also introduce water-loving plants, allowing you to get more aesthetic properties out of your water features.
Put Up a Fence
Whether you want privacy from your neighbors or are looking for a way to create order in your backyard, a fence is another item to add to your creative homeowner outdoor projects. For an exciting makeover, consider going for a custom fence design. Wooden fences can come in handy here, an area that a fencing company can help you with. Depending on your needs, you can opt for designs with open spaces or alternatives with closed options to keep away prying eyes. Keep in mind that different fences will come with varying maintenance practices, where some may need annual inspections to treat mold and others may require pressure washing to get rid of dust and grime.
If, however, your backyard has limited space and cannot hold a fence, a privacy screen will work just fine. These screens are perfect solutions to allow your backyard to feel more secluded when your neighbors live nearby. You can also use these as dividers to separate various areas of your backyard, such as your vegetable garden from your patio.
Paint Your Backyard
No matter how old your backyard feels, a good painting is another project to add to your list. Painting will be crucial in sprucing up your backyard, allowing you to get a new space in no time. For this, consider sticking to your color theme to ensure your new creative homeowner outdoor projects fit in with your current style. You can start by painting your furniture in a single color, while fixtures such as fences and dividers can take a different shade for a mix and match element.
Next comes the patio and outdoor window areas, where you can introduce a different color for a striking feature to help you accentuate your accessories. Before making any adjustments to your windows, make it a point to get in touch with window treatment companies to help out with any wood rot or metal rust in abandoned backyard storage spaces. You can also add stylish stencil patterns to your floor plan to help your backyard stand out further. The trick here is to choose a design that complements and blends with existing accessory and material patterns to avoid contradicting your existing designs. A feature wall can also help bring new life into your backyard, with most homeowners preferring bright colors such as sunshine yellow for a fresh look.
Build an Outdoor Fireplace
Last on our list of creative homeowner outdoor projects is a fire pit. Outdoor fireplaces are essential in tying up the above outdoor projects, allowing you to highlight your new backyard features with ease. Your fireplace can lean towards a minimalistic design or stand-out features, depending on the above project styles and themes. White wall stones are, for instance, good for showing off your backyard fire pit, a color that shines through all seasons for a welcoming and sleek touch. Metal fireplaces are other options to consider, as well as brick and copper materials. Your fire pit can run on various energy sources for fuel options, with a few examples of these being wood, propane, and natural gas.
In addition to the above features, ensure you also have enough sitting room around your fire pit. For this, you could consider upcycling old wooden pallets to act as your seating area or transforming them into tables. You can also set up a lounging space around your fire pit with pillows and blankets for movie night, with your fireplace being the perfect spot for roasting marshmallows. For extra cooking space, consider customizing your fireplace to suit your grilling needs, acting as a needed option for flipping burgers and cooking your meals for outdoor dinners. Lastly, remember to set up your projector and screen for the ultimate backyard outdoor night experience.
Whether you need a permanent remodel or are on the hunt for temporary creative homeowner outdoor projects to help invigorate your backyard, the above ideas are perfect for a start. While some require the services of a professional, others require simple installation, helping you cut down on your makeover time and costs. From introducing paths and fences in your backyard to building patios and fireplaces, these improvement tips are just some transformative features that will be worth your while.