Outdoor Design and Living Ideas

After the past year of restricted travel and lots of time spent “vacationing” at home, gardeners are more convinced than ever about the importance of making their outdoor spaces extensions of their homes. The style and location of these open-air living areas should be well thought out, and they should blend into the surrounding landscape. Yes, you can go to the extreme of creating a backyard filled with garden rooms of different themes, but fortunately, there’s hope for all of us who don’t want to start from scratch or go quite to that level.

What do we mean by “outdoor design and living”? Well, most of us work hard to make our landscapes as visually appealing as possible. But what good is a great-looking garden if you only look at it instead of live in it? Incorporating modest patios, or widening a path, or even adding some soft lighting can make an outdoor space more inviting—a place where you want to stay and linger instead of just walk through.

In this collection of articles, you’ll find ideas for making patio seating areas more comfortable, tips on creating outdoor rooms, and even some guidance on making your deck more private. We even offer folks who are limited by space ways to make their small footprint an outdoor oasis. Simple style and location changes can completely alter the feel and functionality of an outdoor living space.

These inspiring articles are the blueprint for achieving a worthy vacation destination, right out the back door.

In this collection you’ll find:

• Plans for creating garden rooms
• Steps for perfect seating areas
• Plans for outdoor entertaining
• Tricks for making a small outdoor living space seem larger
• Insight into how personal touches make an outdoor space feel comfortable
• Container planting plans for privacy
• Guidance on giving an outdoor space good flow
• Outdoor lighting ideas for every budget

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  Four Design Ideas for a Small Space

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  Seating Areas Made Simple

  Your ideal outdoor living space is only three steps away

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  Living on the Grid

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  A Tiny Courtyard Garden Makeover

  This once-neglected patio gets a lively lift thanks to a few designer tricks

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  Two Takes on a Courtyard Garden

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  How to Design a Functional Kitchen-Patio Garden

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  A Cozy Covered Porch Garden Room

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  How to Design a Secluded Seating Area

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  How to Create a Relaxed Kitchen Garden Retreat

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  Personal Touches Make all the Difference

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  Four Ways to Use Container Plantings for More Privacy

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  A Garden of Several Courses

  Dividing a tiny lot into distinct spaces makes this small serving seem like a feast

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  How Does Your Garden Glow?

  Creative use of candles helps you see your plants in a different light