The weather is changing. Can you feel the warm breeze dancing along your bare arms? Can you imagine sipping from a chilled glass of lemonade and lounging in your backyard on a lazy Sunday afternoon? To help you get in the spirit of summer, check out these five accessories that make a big difference in an outdoor living space.
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Privacy, Perfume and Plants
One reason we don’t make more use of our backyards is because we feel the eyes of our neighbors watching us, even when that isn’t so. To create an element of privacy, build a green wall.
Also called a living wall, green walls add color, fragrance and whimsy to the backyard, while also complementing the architecture of your home and keeping neighboring spies from following your every move. Country Living writes that you can plant perennials, annuals, or even edibles when building your plant wall. According to She Knows, the best plants for your vertical garden are: the maidenhair fern, wax flower and lipstick plant. Even herbs and vegetables like lavender and spinach can be grown on the vertical scale! This summer enjoy a sprig of rosemary in your iced tea as you indulge in the natural beauty of your yard and garden wall.
Soothing Sounds
The sounds of a bubbling stream or gushing waterfall remind us of our place in nature and the transience of it all. It’s a relaxing sound; it makes no demands. Though man-made, bringing a water fountain’s essence into our backyard gives us a glimpse of the magic that is the Stanislaus River or Yosemite’s waterfalls. Our fountains echo these powerful forces of nature and help us to center ourselves after long days weighed down by work and obligation.
According to the Health Benefits of Water, water helps purify our air by making negative ions that kill airborne germs and bacteria. Not just this, but the aesthetics and music of water help us to calm down and relax. Because our senses (visual and audio) are being assuaged, we feel better, lighter in step. Water fountains bring us mental and physical health benefits all while looking like a natural architectural element in the backyard.
Warm Yourself by the Light of the Fire
One of the amazing things about hot summer days are the cool summer nights. But who wants to go back inside after the sun goes down?
A glass encased fire pit is both modish and functional, and did I mention how to make a fire pit yourself? The Art of Doing Stuff estimates that the total cost of building your own modern geometric fire pit is a clean $25, not including the time you spend building it. Acting as both a heater, lamp and statement piece, the glass fire pit shows off your craft skills and your innovative style.
Staying Hydrated in Style
Part of enjoying a hot summer day is sipping on a refreshing beverage. Going in and out of the house for a top off is a hassle, and bringing out an IGLOO cooler is unsightly. Fortunately, there’s a product out there that satisfies our thirst.
The ice cooler table has all of the freezing punch of a cooler without the ugly exterior. Available in a variety of styles for the savvy shopper or easily built by the do-it-yourselfer, the ice cooler table keeps your drinks cold and stored in the outdoor furniture you use, saving on space and capitalizing on storage. The ice cooler table transforms your backyard environment from sorry to sleek.
Keeping Cool When There’s No Breeze
Without even the lightest breeze, venturing outside on a hot summer day is none too appealing. But when we can make our own breeze, the outside is no longer viewed as a hot summer waste land. Outdoor ceiling fans provide the cool gust of wind to sit comfortably on the back porch with a magazine in our laps and a glass of wine in our hands.
Houzz has found that outdoor ceiling fans can make a porch feel as much as eight degrees cooler in the summer, making swinging in the hammock or lounging on the chaise that much more wonderful. The outdoor ceiling fan doesn’t just cool us down, but it also provides a light source when the sun goes down and can feature as sophisticated or playful architectural ornament on the covered porch or deck. Outdoor ceiling fans help keep you cool in style!
The backyard can be a place for games or rest, parties or solitude. Whatever your backyard style, make sure you have everything you need to rock it!