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Who’s ready to enjoy sun filled days lounging with the family? Or weekends entertaining friends surrounding the BBQ? All from the safety of your backyard! It’s finally time to get together again and enjoy the delights of spring and summer fun in Illinois! Let’s get your backyard ready for some summer staycation action with these luxury backyard renovation ideas.
“Whether you’re cooking, exercising, or just hanging out, plan to spend more time outside this year as backyards, decks, and patios evolve into comfortable, well-equipped extensions of the home. This year’s outdoor living trends are all about making your backyard, porch, or even balcony a regular part of everyday life.” Better Homes & Gardens
Now is the perfect time to embrace your backyard and transform it into a luxury resort-like experience. Level up your property in 2021 with Tom Len Custom Homes!
You may be wondering, why should we renovate our backyard? There are many benefits to upgrading this space. Top reasons include:
- It will greatly increase your property value, especially important if you plan to sell in the future!
- Create a safe space for entertaining loved ones, despite what’s going on in the outside world.
- Make the most of the spacious property you own, redesigning it with family fun in mind!
“A backyard renovation is now one of the most important home improvements you can make to your home. More than ever, people are spending more time at home and therefore need a place that they can relax, escape, enjoy, entertain and really call their own. Investing in a backyard remodel can help you maximize the enjoyment of home ownership and improve the quality of life for you and your family.” The Circle Home
Not sure where to begin with your outdoor renovations? Our experts are here to lead the way!
Designing the Ultimate Custom Luxury Backyard for Your Family…
As homeowners continue to embrace the outdoor lifestyle, luxury outdoor rooms are becoming a popular request. Start designing your backyard with the thoughts of comfort and ambiance at the center of your mind. The backyard space – much like the interior of your home – should have a natural flow to it, focusing one on “room” or “space” at a time.
A great way to break it down is into the following categories:
- Seating & Lounging
- Patios & Decks
- Entertainment & Utilities
- Landscaping & Gardens
- Wet Areas
- Materials
The best luxury backyards are designed with functionality, entertainment, and aesthetic in mind. A backyard can be used for more than lazy days by the pool. It can serve as the perfect environment for entertaining friends, celebrating special occasions, playing games with the kids, or finding peaceful solitude connecting with nature. Among some of 2021’s backyard design trends include vibrant colors, eco-friendly materials, harmony between indoor and outdoor life, and statement lighting.
Organization
Now that we have our sections organized, let’s dive right in (pun intended)! Whether you’re entertaining a large group of people or a small family gathering, having a suitable setting to accommodate them is very important. If you have a large backyard, you may want to consider creating sections for seating based on the activities that happen in each area. Along with functionality, luxurious seating areas should have furniture that matches your style preferences. For example you may want areas for painting or yoga! Get some layout inspiration from our Houzz backyard ideabook!
Patios and Decks
In the past, patios and decks have been primarily made out of wood. Recent style trends are showing decks built out of other materials that resemble wood but are stronger, such as brick or stone. These can withstand the regular outdoor wear and tear, especially for Illinois’ crazy weather conditions. Check out our Pinterest board for ideas!
“When it comes to materials, patios are made of pretty much one of six basic materials. It’s what you do with these materials that can give your outdoor surface an individual look or personal expression. The material you choose will be determined by personal preference, the location of the patio, your budget, and the size of the outdoor space, and what’s available in your area.” The Spruce
Outdoor Furniture
Choosing furniture built especially for the outdoors is vital – these pieces are extremely durable for all types of environments! The padding on this seating can be interchangeable, allowing you to switch up your color scheme or patterns as often as you desire. Patios and decks are also great dry spaces for eating. Enjoy your freshly grilled meal on perfectly matching tables and seating. Or enjoy a poolside treat on a small snack table. Other examples of trendy outdoor furniture include bohemian hammocks, cushioned lounge chairs, and oversized umbrellas for those extra sunny days!
Cooking Areas
This portion of your backyard oasis can quickly become the heart of all the fun! You can cook amazing meals without having to be separated from your guests. These beautiful outdoor kitchens can bring your outdoor experience to the next level. Create the perfect outdoor kitchen with grills, flattops, smokers and even an oven for baking! Don’t forget the wine chiller for sparkling summer wines! Sounds like a fantasy? Read more about how we can make this outdoor kitchen a reality!
Entertainment
Never miss your chance to celebrate a loved one by having a safe space specifically designed for outdoor entertaining. This area can be an enclosed canopy with a flat screen TV and premium surround sound setup. Recreate the environment of your favorite sports bar or vacation destination by making that the theme of this unique space…all from the comfort of your own backyard! Other examples include an outdoor projector for movie nights, a gaming area, or a karaoke machine!
“2020 has inspired homeowners around the world to seek rest and inspiration in their gardens. While designers have been keen on outdoor spaces over the last three years, trends for luxury outdoor furniture in 2021 reflect an increasing desire for relaxing. These sumptuous retreats can comfortably host intimate get-togethers.” ClimaHome
Landscaping and Gardens
When you’re designing a beautiful backyard, it’s ideal to create natural flowing sections on your property. A wonderful way to achieve harmonious flow is with creative landscaping. Practical and stylistic landscaping can both add much value when creating a luxurious outdoor environment. Gardens are wonderful for showcasing your favorite plants.
- Practical Landscaping: Adding high hedges around your jacuzzi or pool fence line to give your family and friends additional privacy. Using rocks, stones, and bricks that play into the nature on your property. These natural elements are hardy and will hold up against weather conditions. Within these areas you can also include fire pits for staying warmer on cool days, roasting marshmallows or simply for entertaining long into the night!
- Stylistic Landscaping: This includes possibilities for many unique garden themes, such as a Japanese or Tropical garden. You can customize your garden to fit your personal tastes and color preferences. Not to mention add special finishing touches such as art sculptures and peaceful waterfalls. The possibilities are limitless when it comes to creating a space that brings you comfort and peace!
Not sure which kind of garden would suit your property best? Gaze upon these beautiful garden designs from Country Living and work with our team of landscapers!
Wet Zones
Nothing says summer fun like splashing around in the pool with the kids or perfecting your tan on a lounge chair! The pool area is always an entertaining favorite. This space will require special flooring and seating that can withstand lots of water and direct sun. Having an experienced team of designers guide you through the process of creating a safe and fabulous pool area is key. Would you like a waterslide, color changing lights in the water, or a swim up bar? Let us help you prevent slips and keep the good times rolling!
Guest Accommodations
Do you have friends or family visiting from out of town? Save them money from staying at a hotel and enjoy more time together by building a luxury carriage house (or pool house) in your backyard. This allows guests to change and shower after a long day of swimming, as well as have a private place to sleep.
If your property doesn’t currently have an ADU and you’re interested in this concept, the Tom Len Custom Homes is ready to help you customize the perfect coach house for your family! With our team’s design expertise and reputable eye for luxury style, you’re sure to find a location on your property that ties both structures together seamlessly. Learn more about carriage houses on our blog!
Storage Areas
Whether you need to hide away floaties, towels, flip flops, or cushions, having ample storage is key to making sure your backyard stays organized! Having outdoor storage that blends with the furniture will help you to contain all the necessities that come with having outdoor furniture, a pool, or jacuzzi without taking away from the design and overall aesthetic! Did someone forget a swimsuit? Keep extras for guests on hand!
Flooring Materials
While designing the wet and dry areas, don’t forget about proper flooring! These areas will have heavy foot traffic therefore it needs to be durable and prevent slips & falls. This area may also sustain food and drink spills so let’s make sure it’s easy to clean. You want to pick flooring that can look beautiful but not be a headache to keep clean – as well as flame resistant. That’s why some of the materials we shared for counters and storage are also functional for flooring, especially stone and brick.
Lighting
The lighting you choose will have a significant influence on the ambiance and overall mood of your backyard at night. What kind of look are you going for? Some lighting is purely for safety reasons, such as lights surrounding the pool and walkways, while other lights serve as decorative pieces, such as hanging lights and tiki torches. Would you like to add an outdoor chandelier to the dining area? We can help with that!
Fun Extras
Adding small touches and special amenities will go a long way in making your backyard stand out and really feel like a resort! Things to consider: rinse off underneath outdoor waterfall showers, cozy up with your partner in lounge swings or rocking chairs, warm up by the fireplace, gather in the gazebo for tea time, or add a peaceful waterfall for meditating. This is your backyard, don’t hold back from what you really want to make it your own!
Backyard Aesthetic
Your luxurious outdoor oasis should serve as an extension of your home! The possibilities of designing this space to fit your personality and style preferences are endless. A few types of backyard design themes to spark your inspiration include: resort-style, coastal vibes, bohemian, minimalist, and country-inspired. Browse more themes here!
We’ve recently felt cooped up within our homes, distant from the ones we hold most dear. Now is the time to come together and enjoy each other’s company in the great outdoors! We will create a space that will serve you for many years to come and become a special place for the people you love to enjoy together.
Beautiful luxury outdoor design gives families the opportunity to enjoy their outdoor space to the fullest! Have you been dreaming of fun in the sun? Interested in creating a safe space for friends and family to gather? This is all possible when you create your dream backyard experience with Tom Len Custom Homes!
Tom and his team are experts in creating a safe, beautifully designed environment for families to entertain all while in the comfort of your own property. Share your desires with us and we’ll be sure to design a functional yet aesthetically pleasing luxury backyard that you’ll love! View our projects on Houzz to see examples of our work.
Summer is on it’s way, let’s make sure your outdoor environment is ready to enjoy the season! Schedule an appointment for our team to visit your home and assess the current exterior to determine the best plan of action! After discussing your personal style and desires, Tom Len will bring your outdoor space to the next level!