Creating a Backyard Getaway

Make Your Backyard Your Relaxation Destination

Summer is here and your mind wanders to vacations and getaways. It’s fun to take a vacation, but it’s also wonderful to have a backyard that is your go-to place to relax and recharge! This is a great time to think about projects that are easy, inexpensive, and add fun that adds relaxation to your backyard. We are sharing some of our favorite ideas that would only take a day to a weekend to complete that can add a lot to your outdoor relaxation time this summer and year-round to your home and backyard!

 

Backyard Projects Create Relaxation at Your Back Door

We will give you some great backyard building projects to create a great place to have fun and relax in your own backyard. So many of our suggestions will make your home the destination place in the neighborhood for kids and adults alike! Each one of our suggestions we checked with these things in mind: is it easy, does it create fun or relaxation, can it be built in a day or weekend, can the project be done by someone that isn’t building savvy, and is the project inexpensive to not too costly to build?

 

Solar Lighting or Hanging Lights Beautify Your Backyard

Solar lights are so convenient and have come a long way over the last years. The cost of solar lighting has come down and lighting time has increased along with the amount of light created by solar lighting. You can use solar outdoor lights to light a path, as deck lights, or use solar lights as accent lights in your yard to highlight a beautiful tree, fountain, or view from your yard.

There are so many ways to use outdoor lights that can totally transform a backyard into an oasis of calm and relaxation. Whether you are using LED large bulb lights, mini-lights, or solar path lights, the options are amazing these days in selection and applications. In under an hour, you can transform the look of your patio, deck, or your entire backyard with the lighting options that are available today.

Stringing mini lights that are battery power under your patio umbrella creates a beautiful atmosphere to dine by or laze away in the evening. You can totally transform your backyard into a wonderland by stringing mini lights through the trees. Think of installing a swing in your trees that even adults can enjoy and looking up into the canopy to see the leaves and branches highlighted against the night sky.

 

Plants That Fill the Night Air with Wonderful Scents

A wonderful way to add relaxation to your backyard is planting plants that give off scents, especially at night. There are actually quite a few plants that are known for unfolding their blooms at night and giving off their wondrous scent and adding to the serenity of your garden. Most of these plants are available at local nurseries or can be purchased online; Gardenia Augusta, Evening Primrose, Moonflower, Devils’ Trumpet, Night Phlox, Night-Blooming Jasmine, Evening Stock, and my favorite Nocotiana give off an amazing scent at night.

 

Create a Backyard Movie Theatre

An outdoor movie theatre is something you wouldn’t have been able to build until a few years ago without spending a lot of money. Technology has come so far along that this project is not only simple but is also pretty inexpensive for what you get. I think it would be so much fun sitting on an outdoor sofa, eating popcorn with the kids, and watching our favorite movies this summer in our backyard. Roll down screens, outdoor speaker units, an outdoor sofa, and maybe a fire pit, and you instantly have transformed your backyard into a nighttime entertainment area that will be the envy of the neighborhood!

 

Relax in Your Outdoor Shower or Bathtub

Hot tubs can be expensive, but installing an outdoor shower is very simple and not costly. There are many simple ways to get water to an outdoor shower or bathtub. Erect a privacy screen out of latticework, plant some ivy, run your plumbing, and you have a wonderful outdoor shower. The first time I took a bath in an outdoor bathtub was by the ocean, the view was amazing, but being outdoors soaking in a tub was so relaxing and beautiful, especially under the night sky!

Some of the same preparation is needed, unless you live in an area where you have a lot of privacy, you’ll want to erect a privacy screen, but the rewards of an outdoor tub are worth the work. The best tub for an outdoor bathtub is an old steel clawfoot tub which can be picked up at most antique stores or building salvage yards. You can also install a shower head so that it serves as an outdoor shower and also a bathtub!

 

You Don’t Have to Camp to Sleep Under the Stars

There are so many sleep and health benefits to sleeping outdoors, but that’s for another blog article. You don’t need to go camping to reap the benefits of sleeping under the stars. From boosting your immune system to increasing brain function the benefits are numerous plus it’s fun! There are wonderful chaise loungers that can provide a great place to sleep, but if you want privacy and protection from mosquitos there are new pop-up systems that have you a couple of feet off the ground, with an enclosed tent with windows for ventilation, along with a built-in cot, foam mattress, sleeping bag, and even a pillow. The pop-up outdoor sleeping cot for two is a great size for one or two people.

Just search for outdoor sleeping equipment and you will be amazed at what you find. With how far technology has come there are many ways to be comfy, bug-free, and reap the benefits of sleeping under the stars!

Install a Gazebo-So Many Options

Building a gazebo in your backyard used to take a lot of building skills, but not any longer. From local stores to online stores the variety, sizes, and building material choices abound. Everything comes in a kit that you would need, all that you provide is a little time and some regular tools most of us have around the house.

There are so many different styles of gazebos, from rustic to very formal gazebos that would fit in a formal English garden. Gazebos can be very simple and a one-weekend project, to a more elaborate project that takes a few weekends. You can build bench seating into your gazebo, outfit it with a hammock, hanging swing, a hanging bed, or use it as a place to dine in the heat of the day, and at night with lights strung for a relaxing effect to sip some wine and unwind from a busy day. Gazebos also add value to your home and make for an inviting backyard to enjoy any time of year.

We also suggest for having a more relaxing summer, take house cleaning off your to-do list and give us a call at Crystal Clear Home, we would love to give you more time for fun this summer! Call us at 707-827-3316 or fill out our FREE ESTIMATE form and one of our house cleaning professionals will be in touch promptly to answer your questions and give you a cleaning quote.