Create a Backyard Landscape Design for Relaxation and Entertaining

Modern backyard landscape design takes the traditional, simple lawn and extends the enjoyable living space of your home into the natural appeal of the outdoors. Today’s outdoor living spaces incorporate all the elements of indoor living, from purposeful living areas to detailed accents, to create a true estate home that is enjoyable throughout.The most important thing to remember when designing your outdoor living space is to blend the look and feel of your home’s interior into the exterior.
Choose a garden style that complements the style of your home and integrate the same color scheme, furniture style, and even add similar outdoor accessories.
Another way to define the unity between the inside of your home and your backyard landscape design is to connect the two with entrance ways.
A kitchen doorway may provide access to a sunny terrace with a fresh herb garden or the dining room could extend to an outdoor eating area. Consider connecting your bedroom to a romantic, fragrant flower garden.

For more information on backyard entertainment areas view our page on creative landscape design for backyard entertainment.

Extending Home Life by Creating Outdoor Rooms

Just like the inside of your home, your outdoor space should have designated areas for the many different things you and your family may do, from hobbies and relaxing to entertaining and recreation. Decorate your outdoor rooms just like you would the interior of your home, with fine patio furniture, weatherproof accessories, and integrate the same overall color scheme.

Consider these outdoor room and living area options:
• Dining areas and outdoor kitchens are common elements of a modern backyard landscape design. This may be as simple as a grill and picnic table or as elaborate as a custom outdoor kitchen with stainless steel accessories and fine patio furniture.
• Outdoor living rooms can serve many purposes and many upscale homes incorporate more than one outdoor living area to serve these functions. Plan this living space with consideration to the time of day it will be used and the amount of sunlight desired. These areas can be used for relaxing, lounging, entertaining, and even recreation and may integrate interesting decks, beautiful patios,or terraces into the design plan.
• Outdoor areas designated for recreation will depend on the hobbies and interests of you and your family. Swimming pools, outdoor spas, workshops, and backyard sports areas are all possibilities and can be tastefully integrated into your backyard landscape design.
• Living spaces designed specifically for sitting, lounging, or simply enjoying the beauty of the garden are equally important. These areas are often centered around a focal point of your landscape design, like a fountain, pond, or sculpture and are usually accented with comfortable seating.

Creating Indoor Comfort With Outdoor Accessories

The typical modern backyard landscape design truly reflects the comforts and beauty of luxurious indoor living right in the natural elements of the outdoors. There are a number of accessories designed to resist rain, sun, and other weather conditions that are traditionally found on the interior of the home.

• Fine patio furniture is an excellent way to add comfort and style to your outdoor living area. From traditional tables and chairs to more contemporary outdoor couches and weather-resistant recliners, outdoor furniture is a necessity.
• Outdoor rugs add safety as well as beauty to your outdoor area. Select colors and designs that blend with the rest of your outdoor design. Bright, vibrant colors are often an appreciated contrast to the neutral, cold hues of outdoor flooring.
• Curtains, shades, and other privacy accessories are designed for outdoor use as well.
• There are many other decorative accents found on the inside of your home that can add comfort and personality to your backyard landscape design as well. Candles, artistic wall hangings, and throw pillows are among a few of the accessories you can find designed for outdoor use.
• Incorporate your own personal tastes into your outdoor living space with your favorite patterns incorporated into furniture and accessories, unique water features, and majestic wind chimes.

Lighting in Your Outdoor Living Area

Just like indoors, lighting options are a great way to create the right ambiance and atmosphere in your outdoor rooms. The romantic flicker of candles is a backyard landscape design favorite, but there are several other possibilities to consider as well.

• Most modern homes feature convenient outdoor electrical outlets that are ideal for the many different styles of outdoor lamps currently available. Choose lamps that match your outdoor design style, blending with the colors and decor inside your home.
• Custom lighting design plans that incorporate just the right amount of light throughout your yard are also popular.
• Outdoor lanterns, lighting along walkways, and cozy outdoor fireplaces are other options.


Creating an outdoor living area can be as simple or as complicated as your home, budget, and tastes allow. It is important to remember that your landscape is an extension of your home and should reflect a similar style and appearance. The best backyard landscape design is a plan that allows you and your family to enjoy the beauty of nature and your favorite outdoor activities, while adding function and value to your property.
Our landscape design members are available to help you with every aspect of design and installation of your outdoor living area.


To get started complete just go to our Member Directory where you can choose from landscape architects, installation experts and other landscape related professionals who would be happy to help you with your landscape project.     http://www.landscape-design-advisor.com/backyard-landscape-design.html

Colorful Touches for Outdoor Decorating

Outdoor Wall Art

Add color to your outdoor decorating with a fence covered with suspended flowerpots. It's wall art for your outdoor room. Start with nine terra-cotta pots and coat the bases with spray paint. Next, plot the grid arrangement and secure pot hangers to the fence. Finish by suspending pots from hangers and filling each container with brightly colored annuals or herbs.   

Poolside Patterns

Use outdoor fabric to add color and style to pool or patio furniture. Polka-dot outdoor fabric adds modern flair and durability to the chairs. A freestanding umbrella in yellow adds a pop of color to the green foliage and neutral patio backdrop.
Editor's Tip: Outdoor fabric is an ideal choice for sun-filled areas and outdoor rooms because it's waterproof and fade- and stain-resistant.   

Bright Table Toppers

Outdoor dining is a treat in warm-weather months, so make it even more special with pretty table settings. A plain table runner gets a color boost from colorful appliques. Bright tableware adds splashes of color to the table. A white awning provides shade and brightens up the space.   

Colorful Furniture

Add pizzazz to a plain deck with colorful furniture. Mix and match chairs of a similar style in a variety of colors. Here, bright pinks, oranges, blues, purples, and greens fill the deck with summer colors.   

Pretty Fabrics

Create an outdoor room with fabric. This deck's setup is similar to an indoor living room arrangement. An all-weather rug anchors the furniture, and outdoor fabrics in pretty patterns cover the plush seat cushions. The arbor serves as a wall and ceiling, and panels hang from it like window treatments. Accents such as lamps and throw pillows complete the look.

    
 

Colorful Starting Point

The home's exterior creates the perfect starting point for this patio's color scheme. Orange accents, such as throw pillows, hanging fabric, and oversize letter B, pop against the green exterior. Wood candle holders and potted plants bring the natural elements of the yard onto the patio. With plenty of seating and multiple tables, this patio is just right for enjoying bright summer days and warm summer nights.   

Patio Dining

The home's blue French doors provide plenty of bright color for this patio. Because the patio is adjacent to the home's kitchen, the simple picnic table is great for taking meals outside.   

Pretty Posts

Separate a garden from the rest of the backyard with a colorful fence. The bright green and blue hues pop against the grass and plants. The fence provides a colorful view from any angle   

Easy Solution

Colorful containers are a simple way to brighten an outdoor space. Choose pots in various colors, sizes, and textures.   

Fire Flies

Create a twinkling treescape by suspending colored-glass votive holders from low-hanging tree branches with fishing line or wire. Colorful outdoor pillows, now readily available at retail, are a simple way to pop a little color into your backyard.   

Party Atmosphere

Metal furniture is generally affordable and it gives a cool color vibe to your garden or patio. A bar cart is always ready for a party, offering up a handy serving surface.   

Sunny Accents

Small basic accessories such as this galvanized container can be brightened with paint for a personal look. To be on the safe side, don't let food come into contact with the surface unless the paint you used is labeled food-safe.   

Citrus Punch

Give your backyard a shot of summer color with accents dressed in fruit-inspired hues. This citrus-color metal bistro table is home to an apple-green hobnail-pattern glass lantern.   

Cottage Charms

An unassuming garden shed becomes a festive focal point with bold stripes and scalloped molding. Before you begin, add a coat or two of water-base primer to the facade -- it will help your creative expressions last longer.   

Double Shift

Lanterns with bright graphic designs can light up an outdoor setting even before the sun sets. After dark, turn on battery-powered lightbulbs to increase the glow.     http://www.bhg.com/home-improvement/porch/outdoor-rooms/colorful-backyard-decorating-ideas/?psrc=S1104BRL4042S130_yarddecorating

Outdoor Upgrades,on the cheap!

We are deep in the throes of summer now, and spending our days and evenings outside as often as possible goes without saying (if you're lucky enough to escape humidity or the unforgiving desert heat.)
Here are a few easy ideas to add outside to make it that much more enticing..

Create a center piece from things you find in your garden. Add crystal goblets and touches of glass to up the delicate factor. (Bonus, this is free!)

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Install a swing and paint it a lovely bright color.

Give a gate a fresh coat of paint.

Introduce a breezy hammock and fill it with welcoming pillows.

There is nothing better than some good mood-lighting for al fresco dining. A cluster of lights is easy to install and offers quite the impact.

Install a DIY firepit. Stacked wood nearby makes for adds visual interest too.

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Hang and outdoor chandelier of candles.

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Plant a potted herb garden. Yum!

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Replace your traditional wheel shaped spigot with cute animal ones (LOVE the quail!).

(find it here)

Introduce an outdoor rug to your seating area and it will magically feel more complete.

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Adding outdoor drapes to a covered porch will instantly make your outdoor space cozy and soft.

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Now time to sit back in the shade with a glass of lemonade, relax and enjoy...

http://www.chapmaninteriorsblog.com/2010/07/outdoor-upgrades-on-cheap.html