If you close your eyes, you can probably envision your dream backyard. Maybe it has an outdoor kitchen and an expansive patio to entertain your large family. It could have a privacy screen of gorgeous trees and lovely containers full of bountiful blooms that change with the seasons, giving you some seclusion from the neighbors and beautiful scenery to admire.
You can almost hear the steak sizzling on your gourmet grill and the soft wind rustling through the trees, right?
When it comes to an outdoor entertainment area, you want an oasis you can truly use and enjoy—something special.
To ensure you get the space you’ve always wanted, we put together some tips to help you obtain the ideal exterior oasis for your Chicago area home.
*While this article offers helpful landscaping tips for residential properties, we now specialize exclusively in commercial landscaping services. If you manage a commercial property or HOA, see how we can enhance your landscape here.
How to Create the Perfect Outdoor Entertainment Area Design
Gathering ideas and assembling photos of your admired outdoor entertainment areas is always fun. So many spaces seem to have a clean look and excellent flow, and it’s hard not to flag every one you see in magazines or online.
But while all of these places you find may work perfectly for the people who use them, you have to think seriously about what kind of outdoor space will work best for you.
You certainly don’t want to install a landscape you don’t use.
Consider these tips for planning the landscape nook that best matches your needs.
1. Reflect on How You Will Use the Outdoor Space
Any outdoor entertainment area design looks great on paper. But you want something functional as well as beautiful.
You must consider how you’ll use the space when it’s completed. How you regularly spend your time will factor into the details.
Ask yourself these questions during your outdoor living space design planning:
- Do you plan to eat meals outdoors? How many people will you need seating for regularly?
- Do you want to cook outdoors?
- Do you want to sit in front of a fireplace or fire table for warmth and light on those cooler Chicago evenings? What kind of seating will be necessary for this
- What type of furniture and how much will you need to seat your regular company on your patio? Will you need built-in or additional seating for large parties?
- Do you envision having a swimming pool as part of your more oversized design?
- Do you need landscape lighting to ensure you can enjoy your spaces in the evening hours?
Once you have these answers, share your thoughts with your landscape designer so they can create a backyard that best fits your lifestyle.
2. Think About Components and Amenities
Thinking about your yard as a whole can mean you neglect one of the specific must-haves for your outdoor entertainment area.
Wanting an outdoor kitchen is one thing. But what elements are necessities in your outdoor kitchen? What kind of grill? Do you want to store some cooking utensils and accessories outdoors? Then you’ll need cabinetry.
Do you plan on entertaining as you cook? Then you might want to ensure the space is open to ensure you can interact with your guests behind the grill, serving them drinks from your small outdoor fridge and bar area.
By discussing these components when your outdoor area is being designed, your landscape professional can devise a master plan that includes your must-haves.
Not sure what amenities you might be missing? Here’s a helpful list to review:
- Kitchen appliances include grill, sink, refrigerator/freezer, dishwasher, ice maker, etc.
- Landscape lighting
- Storage solutions
- Water features
- Fireplaces or fire features
- Pools and accessories
- Planting beds
- Landscape containers
- Pavilions, pergolas, and other landscape structures
- Audio/visual accessories like outdoor sound systems or televisions
3. Embrace an Outdoor Living Space Design That Works Today and Beyond
Many companies can offer you cookie-cutter landscape designs. You might even notice this in some nearby neighborhoods where the patios look similar from home to home. Sure, they’ve worked for others, but will they work for you?
The patio, outdoor kitchen, pool area, and other spots that work for you should be one-of-a-kind. That’s why you must find a company that is known for creativity and unique ideas, with customer reviews that speak to this collaborative concept and take your insight and lifestyle seriously.
A cookie-cutter space can’t fit your specific family now and into the future. Consider today’s usage as well as the practicalities to come. Some questions to ponder:
- Will children or grandchildren be regularly using your outdoor entertainment area?
- Do you have aging relatives or those that would need special access?
- Will you be adding to your home shortly?
- Are you considering a landscape upgrade now and additional ones in the future? Things like utility lines or plumbing for a future addition might best be added now to ensure easier installation.
Go Beyond Boring When It Comes to Your Ideal Outdoor Entertainment Area Design
We hope these tips give you some ideas for your outdoor entertainment area design.
We know the whole process can feel extremely overwhelming, but we want to make it easier for you. Ultimately, you want a landscape company that will meet all of your specific needs and design and install a space that is exactly what you envisioned, or possibly even better. This starts with a smart design and finishes with a smarter and meticulous installation that stands the test of time.
By working with a company that takes your input seriously, asking you questions and listening to your input, you can feel comfortable making a choice that will end up giving you a Suburban Chicago landscape you’ll use for years to come.
Ready to see how KD Landscape can transform your Greater Chicago area landscape into something beyond your expectations? We’d love to share our design and installation expertise with you and deliver a custom space that shines. Get started today with a free consultation. Together, we can prepare a plan that works best for you. Then you can just sit back and enjoy your yard.
