Get Outdoors with These 17 Outdoor Living Space Ideas
Make the most of your outdoor space!
The easiest way to turn your outdoor area into a living space that is just as comfortable as your living room is to furnish it with a few ultra-comfortable chairs and embellish it with some outdoor-friendly pieces of stylish decor. In this guide, we'll show you how to take this simple concept and use it for 17 outdoor living space ideas that you can easily make your own.
1. Furnish with Ample Seating
If you anticipate using your outdoor living space to frequently host guests or if you have a large family, you're going to appreciate having ample seating available. Think about furnishing your patio or porch with a large outdoor sofa or sectional that can seat your whole family with room to spare. Or consider furnishing your outdoor living space with an outdoor conversation set that comes with at least two chairs, a matching coffee or side table, and sometimes a central sofa or sectional.
The best way to enjoy your outdoor living area is to cook a delicious meal on a grill for you and your guests to enjoy. Put up a pergola or a canopy to keep you cool and out of the sun when you’re cooking.
If you have a pool or hot tub, consider placing outdoor lounge chairs nearby to create a classic poolside living space. Pair those lounge chairs with broad, beautiful patio umbrellas to amplify the summer vacation vibe.
Lounge chairs don't have to be limited to poolside areas. They can transform any outdoor area, from the narrowest of porches to the biggest of backyards, into a relaxing living space everyone can enjoy. Create the ultimate cozy corner by placing a couple of these lounge chairs on your porch and decorating with outdoor-friendly throw pillows and candle holders.
Even though your outdoor living spaces are outdoors, it's still a great idea to incorporate live (and artificial) plants and plant designs into the decor. Outdoor living spaces are unique because they can create the perfect balance of indoor comfort and outdoor freshness. Including plants in the decor – in planters or even in the rug design – is one way to ensure your outdoor space will have that balance.
Outdoor living spaces don't always have to emphasize lounging above all else; they can also be incredible spaces for enjoying meals and hosting dinner parties. If you have the room, consider furnishing your outdoor space with an elegant patio dining set that comes with a table and matching chairs. When shopping, filter by seating capacity to ensure the dining set you choose will be able to accommodate everyone comfortably.
When you’re lounging poolside, complete your space with a nice patio bar set where you can whip up your favorite drink or cocktail. Patio bar sets can be used in either covered outdoor living spaces or open patio space since they have shelves to protect your drinkware from wind or being knocked over. If you don’t have the space for a patio bar set, a patio cart can do the trick in half the space – plus they’re portable with wheels on the bottom.
When furnishing and decorating an outdoor living space, lighting can make all the difference. In the outdoor living space idea above, modern triangular string lights are paired beautifully with an outdoor wall lantern in a similar coastal style. Other options include hanging lights and post lights. Combining different types of outdoor lighting can help set the perfect mood for the whole space.
Although patio conversation and dining sets can place a huge emphasis on matching pieces and uniformity, don't put too much pressure on yourself to furnish and decorate your outdoor living space with all matching everything. Outdoor living spaces can look beautifully quirky and eccentric with furniture pieces in different wood tones and decorative elements of different origins and styles. The seating elements can even abide by the laws of gravity differently, as shown by the chair hammock and porch bench in the outdoor living idea above.
Instead of placing your outdoor seating around the conventional coffee table, consider centering it around a fire pit. Fire pits are the perfect outdoor conversation centerpieces – their flames produce one-of-a-kind outdoor-specific lighting reminiscent of beach bonfires and cozy campfires. If you want an outdoor living space that will have your family and friends chatting late into the night, go with a fire pit.
If you’re without a covered outdoor living space, build your own shade with a gazebo to provide a comfortable place to relax and sun relief on scorching days. Gazebos are spacious and provide enough space for a conversation set or other seating arrangements to fit underneath the roof. These shading options are also sturdy enough to be freestanding and withstand any outdoor weather conditions.
Celebrate nature further by creating your own botanical garden in your outdoor living space. To complete this area, use outdoor planters or arbors to showcase your plants.
Amplify your outdoor living space with an above-ground pool or hot tub! The convenience of having your own pool or hot tub in your outdoor space beats the crowd at your local pool or waiting to go on vacation. Some pools or hot tubs are slim enough in size to fit perfectly on your backyard patio without consuming too much space, so you can still enjoy other patio furniture like a sectional, table, or umbrella.
If you have a screened-in patio or covered outdoor living space, adding in a ceiling fan can make your space more comfortable by boosting the breeze on a hot day. Box fans can be an eye-sore since the chunky box sits on the floor or table, but an outdoor ceiling fan will be out of the way and still give the room the comfortable breeze it needs. It’ll also reduce the amount of energy your home uses since you’re not having to rely on blasting an AC unit.
Incorporating hammocks as an outdoor living space idea is a great way to relax comfortably on a lounge seat for a nap in the sun or to read a good book. Most hammocks are set up to encourage you to lay flat, but chair hammocks are also available if you would rather sit up instead of lay down while you relax.
Outdoor rugs not only elevate your outdoor area with botanical designs and colors, but they help to make the floor more comfortable too. Most outdoor areas include wood flooring, which can leave painful splinters in bare feet, so putting down an outdoor rug prevents this issue while also serving as a beautiful decor piece at the same time.
You don’t have to visit your nearest park to enjoy a picnic table – you can enjoy one in your own backyard! An outdoor picnic table in your outdoor living space can transform the meals and conversation you share with your friends and family. Their long seats can accompany up to three or four adults on either side, while having enough space on the top table for several dishes and plates to sit. If you don’t want to use the traditional picnic table bench as seating, you can opt for chairs with cushioned seating and back support instead.
