Spring has finally arrived! After such a long winter, it is time to get your outdoor areas up and ready for the warm weather. Whether you have a small patio or an expansive garden there are many ways in which you can breathe new life into your outdoor area. Below are five tips to help you maximize your enjoyment of outdoor living space this spring and all summer long!
Your home outdoor areas like the front porch, patio, deck, pathways and backyard are part of your home living space. It is rather advisable to apply minor revisions and additions to these areas in order to prolong the functionality and aesthetics of the design. Below are the five ways that you can follow in order to make your home exterior look more lively.
Add Colorful Pillows & Furniture
Introducing colorful pillows and furniture will bring lightness and brightness to your outdoor area. Go for colors that will contrast well with what you already have but still match your home’s style. If you prefer a toned-down look, go for shades like beige or white, but choose colors like yellow, orange, or blue for something more energetic. If there happen to be flowering shrubs and greens around, try using color schemes with similar hues so that they do not overshadow their natural beauty.
Well-Designed Exterior Lighting
Outdoor lighting is not just to improve visibility during night but also to improve the aesthetic values. Landscape lighting is applied to paths, staircases, and other similar structures which are meant to ease the movement of people in the exterior area at night; this is because the overall illumination enhances the general outlook of the particular area, and so those areas having some features that need to be exposed to the public are given special lighting for this purpose. The kind of uplighting that we can achieve with trees is just magical. Lighting fixtures that are installed outside the house today come in many beautiful designs ranging from lantern and post lamps to LED lights and other creative designs. Some have features such as own a built-in sensor that shuts off the light when the day is over, and other features such as motion sensors. This is a beautiful example of how well lighted exteriors turn into an inviting ambiance of an outdoor living space after dark.
Add Reflective Surfaces
Another great idea is to use reflective items because they can help to make a specific area brighter and a space appear larger. Hang a mirror on the wall or fence or employ mirrored furniture, decorative pieces, and other ornaments. They reflect light around the space, that means they are reflective. Such effects are also pronounced on the glass and metal, for instance the tables and chaises. For pools, tiles or a Pebble Tec type material in light blue or silver should be preferable as light colors reflect light. Paint the exterior part of the house with lighter colors of paint which at the same time have the property of reflecting light.
Power Wash
One of the quickest ways, and most dramatic, that you can freshen up your exterior is to give the exterior of your home and exterior hardscaping such as driveways, walkways and decks a power wash. Pressure washing eliminates accumulated grime, mold and other deposits on the surface to provide a clear look at the underlying material. This is unbelievable if one has to see it to be believed, how much brighter something can become after cleaning. You can rent a power washer from the home improvement stores or hire someone to wash it if it is ungainly for you to do it by yourself.
Incorporate Natural Light Elements
There is no better source of light that can illuminate a room or a house than sunlight. As far as possible depending on the orientation of your house, it is wise to eliminate any things that may hinder the entry of sunlight to your compound. Trim the excessive branches from the trees and shrubs in the compound if you want to let some light in. For those who want to incorporate such items as pergola, trellis or any other overhead structure that may be built over the structure, make sure that the material used is one that allows light to pass through them, instead of wooden or vinyl panels that would shut out light. Provide mirrored surfaces above to increase the impact of sunlight. It is possible to hang mirrors or reflective spheres on tree branches or any other structures that may be found within the area. They create an image of a rainbow sunburst as is observed when light goes through a prism.
Wrapping Up
By washing up the external areas, adding better lighting fixtures and ambient lighting, improving color contrast and designing, as well as using natural light sources, you can easily enhance the brightness of your home outside areas. Take time to relish in these newly amplified, welcoming spaces outside.
