When it comes to your backyard, you want the look of luxury, but you don’t want to expend much effort maintaining it. After all, it’s your place to lounge and relax — not to work. So, how can you do it? Here are four things that you can do to have an effortlessly beautiful backyard.
Skip the Lawn
Historically, grassy lawns were seen as a symbol of wealth and status. When the design trend first started, only royals and nobles could afford to have properties with sprawling lawns. They didn’t need to use their green space for growing food or materials, like members of the lower class. The space was purely decorative.
Another reason why this was a style solely for the ultra-rich is that grass demands constant maintenance. These families could afford to hire groundskeepers, gardeners and other full-time workers to keep their lawn in top condition. Lower class families couldn’t hire anyone to help with a lawn, and they certainly couldn’t maintain it all on their own. It’s a lot of work.
The need for lawn maintenance hasn’t disappeared in the modern world. The lawns of everyday homeowners may not be as enormous as the ones owned by old-world royals, but they still require constant protection and upkeep. You need to mow it often to keep the grass blades trim. You have to pull out stubborn weeds. You have to put up signs begging strangers not to let their dogs go to the bathroom on your grass while they’re on walks, for fear that you’ll have to deal with ugly yellow patches.
Even watering a lawn can be complicated. You need to be careful not to under- or over-water it, especially during the hottest weeks of the year. Accidentally moving toward one extreme can turn the lawn into a dry, yellow mess. And sometimes, it’s completely out of your control. Heavy rainstorms and heatwaves can ruin your lawn, no matter how hard you try to keep it tidy.
Why should you give yourself so much work? Why would you invest so much time and effort if there’s still a chance that your lawn won’t look perfect? It’s not worth it. If you want a luxurious backyard, but you don’t want to spend most of your time taking care of it, you should get an enormous concrete patio.
Get a Concrete Patio
Traditional patios are usually made out of wood. Wood patios look great when they’re first installed, but they need regular care to maintain that brand-new look. This is especially a problem when you live in a place with long, harsh winters. By the time that the snow melts and spring arrives, you will need to scrub the grime off the wood. If there are cracks and splinters, you’ll have to sand it and stain it. And then, you will repeat this stressful process next year.
Concrete is a patio material that doesn’t require so much maintenance. It’s rugged, durable and effective no matter the season. It can handle a harsh winter without taking on any damage. You don’t have to scrub it, sand it, stain it or take extra care of it. If it gets dirty, you can quickly spray it down with a garden hose. Concrete can stand the test of time, so you can have it for years without needing to plan for a renovation. Essentially, you can have your patio installed and then never worry about it again.
Choose a concrete patio that matches your impeccable style. You can choose stamped concrete, which can replicate the look of natural stones like slate or flagstone. Or, you can get a fantastic limestone finish. Go to EliteConcrete.ca to see all of the concrete patio styles in their photo gallery and get inspired for your own backyard renovation. You’ll be surprised by the chic, modern designs.
Focus on the Right Flowers
You can set up a gorgeous garden that won’t need constant trimming, pruning and weeding. Skip the grass and neat hedges and plant a bunch of low-maintenance flowers in your backyard instead. Flowers like snapdragons and geraniums will bring fragrance, colour and freshness to the space. And the best part? They’re easy to take care of. All you have to do is remember to water them once in a while. If that’s too much of a chore, install a sprinkler system nearby. It will take that small task off of your hands.
To make things even easier, keep it simple with your selection. Choose one or two types of flowers. That way, you don’t have to remember different gardening instructions or needs. Having a single type of flower will also make a big aesthetic statement. Imagine a yard with a single trail of lavender or an enormous flowerbed of pink roses. It will be absolutely stunning.
Install an Outdoor Cooking Station
When the weather is warm, it’s always nice to ignore the dining room table in favour of the patio. To make preparing outdoor dinner easier, you should consider putting a cooking station right outside of your back entrance. A grill, burner, and sink would be a great start to build your outdoor kitchen but if you’d like to add more appliances, you can have an oven from Pizza Oven Pros, refrigerator, or cooler.
A sleek outdoor kitchen is the perfect home addition if you love cooking. Preparing food won’t be such a hassle. You don’t have to flit between your kitchen and your patio every five minutes, trying to get the ingredients, refresh drinks and gather dishes. You’ll have everything outside, already. Making dinner for the whole family will be a breeze, and hosting a barbeque for your friends won’t be stressful at all.
You won’t have to drag the barbeque into the garage every time the weather gets rough. The barbeque, the fridge and all of the other appliances will have a permanent spot. You can shelter the space with a roof or retractable awning so that you can whip up dinner rain or shine. A little bit of extra protection will keep your appliances safe from bad weather and keep them in top condition. You won’t have to worry about constant cleaning and maintenance.
When you have a big patio to lounge in and an outdoor kitchen to cook in, you won’t have to step foot indoors. You can enjoy the fresh air until the sun sets.
You don’t want your backyard to just look luxurious — you want it to feel luxurious, too. That’s why it should be filled with low-maintenance features designed for your convenience and comfort. With a sleek concrete patio, you don’t have to worry about toiling over your grass lawn. With the right flowers, you can have a rich garden without getting your hands dirty. And with an outdoor kitchen, you can have your drinks and dinner only a few steps away from your lounge chair.
Your backyard will be your little slice of paradise.
