How to Improve your Outdoor Living Space for 2022

Your outdoor living space can add much to your life as you extend your home and make use of nature during the warmer months. A garden, patio or balcony can be your haven from the world, where you catch a few moments with your loved ones or a quiet time alone.  

The great news is that improving this important space can also increase the value of your property, so any investment you make pays off in multiple ways. Not only is your home worth more, but your immune system is boosted by being outside. You take in more Vitamin D from the sun, which improves your mood. Your eyesight is protected, and you are likely to suffer less from inflammation. In short, we are meant to be outdoor some of the time, so making the most of this space is a sound investment all around. 

Invest in your garden 

Did you know that 75% of our young people spend less time outdoors than prison inmates? Despite its crucial role in our physical and mental well-being, one in nine children has never been to a beach, forest, park, or other natural environments. 

Are you sensing it is time to get your children out in the garden?  

Here we offer some hints and tips for making the most of your outdoor space so your children appreciate the value of nature more. 

Install lighting

One of the ways to increase the social opportunities offered by your garden is to install some lighting. Extending a barbeque long into the evening is a sound way to increase the value of the outdoors. Also, lighting can give a stronger impression that the lighting is an extension of your living space and not just an add on to the house. 

Create different zones

Making your garden multi-purpose is a great way to make the most of this outdoor living space. Having a place to eat your meals is one way to use the garden. A patio area with a table for the morning coffee or an impromptu picnic is a great way to spend time outdoors.  

Equally, you could build in a veg garden to grow food. Sharing the veg garden duties with kids is an important life lesson about where our food comes from and helps the whole family eat healthier. 

You might also want to create a zone for wildlife. Having a pond is one way to encourage small mammals and amphibians to the garden. A bird table is another way to bring interest to the garden, as it is a home for the hedgehogs, as with growing food, starting young people early with an insect hotel. 

Add in a fire pit 

Something quite primal about the fire can calm us and draw us out in the garden. It is a great place to socialise and share and a few drinks, and there are some genuinely beautiful designs out there now.  

If you enhance the patio with a fire pit, add some scented plants, too, such as lavender and rosemary. The overall sensual effect of your patio area, with the fire and the smells of the plants, will keep you out in your garden long into the evening. 

Add a water feature

To improve the calming quality of your outdoor space, you can also add the sound of water. Stimulating our senses is the key way to make the most of our outdoor area, and the trickle of water feature can do just this. Added to the sound, there is the way water can capture light. 

With the right feature, you can also attract wildlife to your outdoor area. Even a small fountain can attract birds looking for a drink. However, a pond can add so much interest if you have the space. You will become a haven for wildlife. It is not just about keeping fish; you will also attract newts and frogs and maybe even some small mammals. 

Get comfortable

Finally, add some pillows and throws to your seating to increase your desire to use your outdoor space as an additional living area. Making the area as comfortable as possible will increase your desire to stay outdoors amongst nature with all its health-enriching effects. You can always bring them in at the end of the night or use a waterproof cover to keep them from the elements. 

Get outdoors for a better life

We are meant to spend more time outdoors than we do, and our bodies and minds respond positively to the experience. The more you do make whatever outdoor space you have appealing, the better investment in yourself and your home. 

© Copyright 2022 Antonia, All rights Reserved. Written For: Tidylife