A well-loved patio becomes an extension of the home, and formally of us, our favorite part.”
– Robert Frost
Our backyards are the setting of some of our fondest memories, serving many purposes. They are a place to gather, a place to relax, and a place to enjoy our own personal piece of nature. Landscaping sets the scene for your outdoor lifestyle, customizing your space for the way your family lives, dines, and plays, and it’s amazing how a fresh change in your backyard layout and materials can make your entire property feel brand new.
Outdoor Dining on the Patio
On those perfect summer days, we all love to take our meals outside and dine al fresco. Creating an outdoor space for enjoying meals with family and friends is one of the best investments you can make. Whether you’re clinking glasses with friends on the Fourth of July, hosting a barbeque birthday party for the little ones, or just enjoying a glass of wine and a bowl of cherries with your sweetheart, it’s always better on the patio.
Outdoor Dining on a Budget
While it’s a wonderful thing for your outdoor dining area to be all decked out, you can achieve a similar mood on a budget with a few small changes. A bistro set with an elegant table and chairs adds character and charm to small patios. For larger spaces, an outdoor dining set with an umbrella gives your patio a restaurant feel and some shade when needed. Hang overhead string lights for enchanting evening parties. Plant flowering shrubs around your patio border and install standing planters of annuals to surround your guests with color.
Outdoor Kitchens
For the outdoor dining enthusiast, an outdoor kitchen is a must-have feature. Today’s outdoor kitchens are available in materials that can be matched to the style of your home and patio, with high-end features like pizza ovens and wine fridges. Complete your outdoor kitchen with an outdoor dining room to complete the experience. Warning: your friends may never stop asking when you can host them next!
Creating a Backyard Utopia
For some of us, our backyards are sacred places. They’re a hideaway from our busy lives and a place to sit peacefully, meditate or read a good book. They are a relaxing location to reconnect with nature and enjoy the sights, smells, and sounds of the outdoors. Even a yard that’s little more than a fenced-in patch of lawn can be transformed into a natural paradise with a few the right design and installation team.
Water Features
Adding a water feature to your backyard truly adds a new element to your outdoor living space. A water feature can be purely decorative, like a natural stone fountain, or a ready-made habitat for frogs and fish, like a pond or waterfall. The sound of softly babbling water is nature’s background music for a relaxing day in the backyard.
Garden Paths & Seating
There’s something whimsical about a cobblestone path to lead you through a garden. Stone strikes a balance between the visually appealing and the practical, and can be used in so many ways. Stone steppers organize spaces while keeping the natural aesthetic of your garden, while larger vertical stones and boulders provide endless options for outcropping, seating, and decoration. Wherever your garden path leads, a garden bench, swing, or conversation set is the final touch to give you a cozy little spot to enjoy your backyard oasis.
Patio Birdwatching
Over 429 bird species call Iowa home, and your backyard is a convenient spot to observe them in action. If you’re a natural birdwatcher, a few changes in your backyard environment can bring more feathered friends into view and keep you comfortable for hours of observation.
Attracting Birds to Your Backyard
For some of us, outdoor time is for the birds! Coax them in by creating a bird-friendly environment. Plant different varieties of ornamental trees around the yard, which will appeal to a broader range of bird species, or native plants to attract familiar faces. Some birds get territorial over their preferred birdfeeders, so it’s a good idea to spread out several feeders with assorted seed to reduce competition. If you don’t have a water feature, a simple pump fountain or birdbath offers birds a place to refresh themselves – a delightful sight to watch!
Birdwatching from the Patio
Birdwatching is a waiting game, so your ability to birdwatch goes only as far as your ability to sit comfortably. A place to relax in the shade will allow you to stay vigilant without getting too much sun in your eyes, or your skin! Make sure your backyard’s best viewing spot is complete with comfortable outdoor furniture, an outdoor-friendly coffee table for beverages, and a good pair of binoculars.
Family Leisure on the Patio
Childhood should take place outdoors as much as possible. Spending time out in nature and away from technology gives you and your children or grandchildren a space to unplug, bond, and make new memories. Many of your favorite summer vacation activities can be recreated right on your property without losing any of the magic.
Backyard Activities for Kids
Kids love the outdoors as much as adults do, but they need a stimulating environment to let their imaginations run wild. Within safe view of the patio, installing an outdoor play structure or swing set gives them a chance to interact, pretend, and get some exercise in the fresh air. An in-ground pool makes for a whole new level of fun for all ages, and secures your home as the place to be on hot summer days. Encourage a love for nature by letting kids paint birdhouses or make DIY birdfeeders to incorporate in the backyard environment.
Backyard Activities for Families
The moments we spend with many generations of family at once are the ones we remember our whole lives. Kids, parents, and grandparents may not have the same taste in movies, beverages, or music, but the natural setting of your backyard is a place where none of that has to matter. While roasting hot dogs and marshmallows around the fire, we can put the focus on storytelling and togetherness. A round of board games on the patio table opens the air for laughter. The patio also makes a great referee stand for a pickup game of badminton or soccer.
Building a Family-Friendly Deck or Patio
When there are active kids in the picture, the less time we have for for deck and patio maintenance. Using low-maintenance materials and furniture makes messy activities, like tie-dying and foam fights, a stress-free affair to clean up. To create an atmosphere of warmth in the evening, try adding string lights or an LED lighting system around your patio seating. Cap things off with beautiful flower planters with colorful annuals and a porch swing or hammock to add a fun, whimsical feature for relaxing and chatting for everyone in the family.
Patios are so much more than another entry into our homes. A well-loved patio becomes an extension of the home, and for many of us, our favorite part. Patios can be an urban retreat into nature, a refuge for winged wildlife, a gourmet dining experience, and a place where childhoods are made – all in one day. In many ways, how we build our patios dictate a lot about how we’ll build our memories with family and friends. By building our dream patio layout, we can enjoy the absolute best moments that homeownership has to offer.
