Whether your plans include cooking, lounging, or exercising your green thumb, having outdoor space at home offers a lot of perks. In recent years, backyards, decks, and patios have evolved into much more comfortable, well-equipped extensions of the home that serve many uses. These popular additions make outdoor living easy to obtain all year round.

We want our clients and neighbors to be well-educated about their home’s equity, so we’ve come up with a list of popular outdoor living additions that will not only boost your home’s value, but also improve your quality of life. If you’re in need of a trusted vendor, thinking about a project, or interested in how much your home is worth, give one of our local agent exports a call.

A Paved Place for Everything

Before planning for gardens, kitchens, and everything in between, consider how you’d like to use the space. Plan for dining areas with tables and chairs, create a reading space with comfortable seating, and form an entertainment zone with TV and music wiring. Adding elements like these helps to define spaces and create designated areas within your yard.

Speaking of defined spaces, your options are endless when it comes to ground cover, decking, and patios. Concrete, gravel, brick, stepping stones, or even moss can all be used to create backyard zones and flow depending on your end goal. If you’d rather have something more interconnected with the interior of your home, consider a screened porch off of the living or sunroom. You’ll love the joined feeling from inside to outside and the ability to enjoy the covered space regardless of the weather.

Outdoor Kitchen & Dining

One of the most impressive ways to enjoy your home’s outdoor space is by adding an area to gather to eat, drink, and socialize. In fact, a 2021 design trends report by the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) found that 60 percent of homeowners are hoping to add outdoor kitchens to their homes. Whether you’re thinking about selling now or in the future, this kind of addition would surely boost your home’s value when it’s time for resale. There are multiple options for outdoor kitchens and dining depending on your size, budget, and desired usage. Some options include:

• Edible garden: Growing fruits and vegetables that turn your home into a yard-to-table buffet.

• Satellite or off-set kitchen: Includes supplemental cooking elements, like grills and pizza ovens, to accompany the main interior kitchen.

• Independent kitchens: Includes elements like a prep space, sink, storage, and refrigeration, as well as cooking elements, so that most cooking can be done outdoors.

• Dining: Add ample outdoor seating and consider adding built-in or modular options that provide shade and protection from the outdoor elements.

4026 St. Germaine Lane (Sold) Listed by Erin Gannett

Impressive Gardens & Greenery

Have a green thumb? Adding to a yard’s garden and greenery is visually and mentally rewarding for you and your guests. Gardening is a popular hobby for homeowners looking for a way to relax outside, make their yard beautiful, and eventually celebrate the outcome of their hard work. If you’re looking to add some character and greenery to your outdoor spaces, you can’t go wrong with sprucing up the garden.

When it comes to gardening, there’s something for every person’s skill set and preferences. Whether you are adding hanging pots to your front door, growing herbs and vegetables out back, or planting bushes for your landscape and curb appeal, everyone can find yard work that speaks to them.

2300 Queens Road East (Sold) Listed by Jack Marinelli

Year-Round Decor

The key to being able to enjoy your outdoor spaces all year long is having these areas equipped with furniture and items appropriate for every season. As seasons change, so do our maintenance tasks and outdoor usage. Having decor and furniture that’s suitable for these temperature changes will help your space remain a place to enjoy at any point.

Consider investing in a fire pit for colder months, an umbrella or outdoor fan for warm afternoons, and a string of lights for the days when the sun sets a little too early. These kinds of elements will allow you, your family, and your guests to relax outdoors regardless of the time of day or year. Make sure that you also have seasonal blankets, pillows, and decor to use when you want to switch your style up.

2200 Brookwood Road (Sold) Listed by Lauren Dayton

Privacy & Protection

The more time you spend outside, the more emphasis you’ll want on the privacy and protection in your own backyard. Whether you are reading a book in a secluded space, enjoying happy hour on the patio with friends, or cooking out with the whole family, you will want a space designed to keep the shade in and the intruders out. Installing umbrellas, adding walls, and planting trees can provide privacy from neighbors, sunshine, and pests.

When planning for your backyard lounge space, make sure you think about how the elements will transition throughout the whole year to optimize your potential enjoyment. These simple upgrades will make that area just as appealing in the cold as it can be all summer. If you need a vendor for an installation or are wondering what your home’s value is, one of our local experts can help.