Having Outdoor Living Space That’s Fun and Functional

Create an indoor and outdoor living space you love. Use these tips to build or re-design your porch or patio so you can enjoy every minute in the sun. You might have a few chairs, maybe you even have a larger sectional that can help you seat more friends and family members when you invite them over. There’s so much more you can do to make your patio or combination indoor/outdoor area a spectacular living space where you love spending time. Use this guide to create a new spot at home that will quickly become your favorite area of the house. Just make sure you have enough seating for everybody in the family because your redesigned deck or patio is going to be the most popular part of the house when you’re done with your update.

Benefits of Outdoor Deck and Patio Areas

Having an outdoor space for relaxing with your family and entertaining can benefit both you and the environment at large. Here are some of the main benefits of creating a patio or deck area that you’ll really use: 

• Deck and patio areas give you more space for container gardens, herbs, plants, and flowers. This helps purify the air around you. Herb gardens even help put a little extra flavor on your plate so you don’t have to buy as many packaged items from the grocery store, which can reduce your carbon footprint and overall environmental impact. 

Birds, Pollinators and Butterflies

• Outdoor areas with native plant life can help bring birds, butterflies, and other animals. Having plants and flowers around will help support your local eco-system. 
• You’ll spend more time outdoors and less time inside the house. From getting natural vitamin D to simply boost your mood, spending more time outside is generally good for your health. 
• You will have a great space for entertaining friends and family. From kid’s birthday parties to barbecues, potlucks, and casual cocktail parties, an outdoor space is a great place to gather people you like spending time with.

Build Around Your Activities

A well-designed patio is one that offers lots of functionality for your favorite activities. Before you begin building or re-designing your space, sit down with a piece of paper, and write out how you want to use your patio. If you have a family that you share the space with, talk to them about outdoor activities they might be interested in doing at home if they had space. Do this early on in the design or renovation phase. That way you can craft a space that really works with clear objectives in mind.

Outdoor Kitchen

If you have a small budget, that doesn’t mean you can’t have an amazing outdoor kitchen as part of your outdoor living space. Link to this sister article on how to create a wonderfully entertaining outdoor kitchen space for a fraction of the cost.

Outdoor Living Exercise Space

Skip the gym and make space for exercise on your patio or deck. While portable mats are your best bet for bodyweight exercises, you can also include racks of weights,  outdoor gym equipment, exercise machines, and stationary bicycles if you have an indoor/outdoor space where they’re protected. Here are a few tips to help you create the ideal outdoor space for exercise: 

• Block out a section of your patio or deck exclusively for exercise. Separating workout space from lounge space can make both areas more functional and pleasant. Measuring your space and making a quick sketch of how you can set it up to meet your needs can be very helpful during the early planning phase. 
• Add equipment storage shed to your setup. For most people, a small, good-looking box built into your patio or deck can provide storage for items like yoga mats, weights, and more. Keeping these things handy will make it easier and faster to start your exercise routine. That will make you a lot more likely to do it and enjoy it. 

Pull up bars and such

• Consider mounting appropriate fixtures like a pull-up bar. A rack of free weights on a stand can also live outside if they’re covered with a durable, heavy-duty cover like something made for furniture. Just make sure you take them in during the winter months when you can’t use your patio due to rain or snow. 
• Install essential items for sports. If you have room, fixtures like basketball hoops can be a great way to mix up your exercise routine on the patio. Families with children can also benefit from having another way to keep your kids active available. 
• Leave a little open space in your design to keep your patio and deck flexible. That way friends and family members can join in and exercise with you. You’ll also have more room to expand and add activities to your routine.

Reading Space

A dedicated open area for outdoor exercise, yoga, and meditation is a smart addition to any deck or patio buildout or renovation and outdoor living space. Sometimes what you really need is a place to catch up on your reading though. To create a relaxing reading area, your first goal should comfortable seating that you’re happy sitting on for hours on end. Your existing sofa, sectional, or pair of lounge chairs will likely be a good start. Here are a few more focused ideas to help you enjoy reading outdoors: 

• Go for lounge furniture that can recline. Chaise lounges like those you might find near a pool are an excellent choice. Sofas and sectionals that you can stretch out on work well and allow family members to join you too. 
• Add throw pillows to your seating area. They’ll provide extra comfort for long stretches with a good book. 
• Position your reading area near an overhead light. This will allow you to read in the early morning hours or as the sun sets without worrying about eye strain. Outdoor pendant lights or bright string lights can work well if your reading area isn’t near any structure where you can mount outdoor light. 
• Find a way to keep bugs at bay. Citronella candles and torches are an excellent pick. Screened-in spaces also help shield you from bugs. You won’t want to slather yourself in bug spray every time you take a book outdoors. 

Privacy Considerations

• Consider privacy curtains around your reading area. Outdoor curtains can help shield you from the sun and they have the added benefit of filtering sunlight on bright days. Look for special UV-rated outdoor curtains that you can place on a track. Sheer curtains are also available, allowing some sunlight to get through while offering privacy. 
• Opt for an oversized umbrella for sun cover if outdoor curtains don’t work with your design. Moveable umbrellas on wood or metal stands can also do double-duty and be positioned elsewhere on your patio or deck when needed. 
• Make sure you have a table nearby. You’ll need a place to put your coffee, glass of water, and reading materials for the day. Even a tiny pedestal table allows you to keep your phone handy. 
• Keep an outdoor blanket nearby. A cool breeze doesn’t have to force you back indoors.

Home Office Essentials

Outdoor patios can double as a home or garden office if you’re smart about what to include in you outdoor living space. For example, if you build a comfortable table and chair set into your outdoor seating area, it’s incredibly easy to take your laptop out there and work anytime you want. Bonus points if you can add an electrical outlet so you have power for essentials like your laptop and tablet.

Indoor/outdoor spaces like sunrooms also make for excellent, more permanent home office setups. In these areas, you can easily add a desk, bookshelf, file cabinet, and anything you need to get your work done. Just make sure you don’t block the great view and natural sunlight that you’ll get in these spaces. You’ll also want to include some comfortable seating so the rest of the family can join you after business hours are done. Here are a few tips for creating an amazing outdoor office: 

• Choose a sturdy, durable table with comfortable chairs. Solid wood tables and metal designs with a glass top are often ideal. Even a small two-person dining set can provide a comfortable surface for work. 
• Add a tablecloth to your outdoor surface to make it more comfortable when you’re working outdoors. This will help if you spend more than a few hours in your new outdoor office. 

Just as if you were indoors

• Protect yourself from the sun by adding an umbrella, pergola, or awning. Tables that have built-in umbrellas can be a smart buy, but they’re not always necessary. You can add a free-standing umbrella to your work area and reposition it as needed when it’s time to relax. 
• Install a power outlet near your work area to keep your laptop, phone, and tablet charged. Covered outlets can be installed almost anywhere, including on wood decking materials. Keeping an outdoor-rated extension cord handy can give you power quickly and easily if you can’t install an outlet near your work area. 
• Keep it clean. You’ll be much more likely to use your outdoor office space if you don’t have to deal with dirt and dust. Tight-fitting furniture covers are a must-have for tables and chairs.

Perfect Materials for Your Budget

If you’re building from the ground up, as in creating a brand new patio from nothing, you’ll need to first start by building your patio or deck structure. In general, durable outdoor materials like natural wood, pressure-treated wood, and stone are excellent building blocks for an outdoor space. Pressure-treated wood is a particularly smart buy on a budget since it can last for many years with minimal care. It also costs less than materials like stone. Scored concrete can provide a more decorative look that’s well-suited to modern homes. Other strong materials include clay bricks, flagstone, and patio pavers can be used.

Mixing and matching materials to fit your budget and aesthetic is also perfectly acceptable when dealing with a patio or deck design, so don’t be afraid to get creative here. Not sure if two materials will work together? Get samples and try them out in your backyard. You won’t be able to cover a large expanse of space with samples, but having a real physical representation – even if it’s a small one – can help you decide if your idea is feasible.

Choosing the Right Furniture

The furniture you choose for your deck or patio plays a big role when it comes to the style of your indoor/outdoor space. Here are a few guidelines to help you make the right choice when shopping for furniture or adding new pieces to your space: 

• Match your home’s façade and style. Do you live in a modern home with lots of glass? Maybe you’ve got a Spanish-inspired home or an Italian villa look? Your deck and patio furniture should continue whatever trend your home and interior furniture have started. 
• Go for durable furniture that’s made to go outdoors. This is important even in combination spaces if your area gets a lot of natural light. Materials like metal and teak are particularly popular picks. 
• Opt for upholstery designed for outdoor spaces. It will last longer and be a lot easier to clean. Some outdoor upholstery options can even go right in the washing machine. 
• Aim to seat everybody in your family comfortably. You’ll also want to have space for a few guests, or at the very least, a little bit of open area that you can populate with overflow seating like folding chairs.

Update Your Lighting

Lighting is an often-overlooked element when it comes to outdoor décor. While you can’t make use of floor and table lamps unless they’re shielded from the elements in an indoor/outdoor space, there are other options that will work. Mounting lighting fixtures around the banister or railing of your deck is a particularly popular option. Overhead lights on the structure of your home nearby can also provide basic illumination for patios.

String lights are a less permanent option that can add a bit of ambient excitement to your space. They’re not particularly bright in most cases, but they have a certain elegant charm that’s ideal for parties and dinners. Up-light canisters designed for outdoor spaces can also be used behind furniture or next to tables. You’ll want to keep these pointed at a structure since they’ll be blinding otherwise, but they can provide both basic illumination and a sophisticated feel. They can also be used to light potted plants and decorative elements with ease.

Pay Attention to Nearby Landscaping

Your patio and deck are likely positioned over a backyard full of foliage. To make your space more enjoyable, focus on creating a garden area, or maintaining your backyard plants properly. While not specifically related to your deck or patio, landscaping your surrounding areas will improve the overall feel of the space. Including potted plants or incorporating, planter boxes into your design can also help create a more inviting deck or patio space that you’ll want to spend time on. A baker’s rack with an easily accessible small herb garden can also be a great addition for the budding gourmet chef in the house.

Decorative Pieces

Outdoor living spaces like patios and decks should be surrounded by nature and filled with comfortable, durable pieces of furniture like sofas, chairs, and barbecue grills. Maybe you’ve even given yourself a bit of open space that’s perfect for mediation, yoga, or your morning exercise routine. The work isn’t quite done though. One thing many people forget about is adding decorative accessories to their patio or deck to make it feel more like a finished space. You don’t have to go crazy and spend a fortune, but a few finishing touches can really go a long way toward making your space more inviting. Here are a few outdoor decoration ideas for your deck or patio area: 

Accessories fr your outdoor living space

• Add an outdoor rug to your porch or deck space. Look for rugs designed for either outdoor spaces or combination indoor/outdoor areas. These will stand up to tough weather and harsh sun. They’ll also be easier to clean. 
• Focus on adding throw pillows to outdoor seating areas like your sofa or lounge chair. Single-colored styles work well, allowing you to mix and match brighter tones with more neutral options. Prints and patterns can liven up any outdoor space that’s starting to feel a little stale as well. 
• Try adding a piece of art or a large decorative element. There are many options for adding visual excitement. Outdoor sculptures, outdoor rugs used as wall hangings and even patterned outdoor curtains can be hung. Outdoor curtains have the added benefit of providing some sun protection and privacy if you can use them to enclose your deck or patio. Make the most of your time outdoors by creating a deck or patio space that truly speaks to you. Whether you plan to exercise or catch up on your reading for work, these tips can help you build or re-design outdoor and combination indoor/outdoor spaces your way.

About Isabella

Isabella is Marketing Team Lead and does Content Marketing at Porch. She has an International MBA, and her hobbies are reading, writing, and music. 

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