Creating a backyard oasis that\u2019s a desirable staycation destination is a growing priority for homeowners. With a focus on health and wellness, along with design to rival indoor living, what outdoor space features top the list?<\/p>\n
Outdoor Kitchens<\/strong><\/p>\n One of the most sought-after backyard features is an outdoor kitchen. If space and budget allow, a fully functional, built-in kitchen adds undeniable wow factor to backyard bay.<\/p>\n What do homeowners need to consider when planning an outdoor kitchen?<\/p>\n Start by choosing \u201cthe type of grill or smoker you\u2019ll be using. A gas grill will require a hook up to the gas line onsite. Often it is easy for contractors to provide a connection on the outside patio, which will determine the location of the cook center,\u201d says Cate Singleton, director of design with landscape company Tilly.<\/p>\n Next, make a wish list to help with space planning.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are many features that can be included and will help to determine the size, such as grills, side burners, drop-in ice coolers for beverages, under-counter refrigerators, smokers and sinks,\u201d says Singleton.<\/p>\n Another popular addition in an outdoor kitchen is a bar, which provides additional seating or a ledge \u201cfor guests to place a cocktail while spending time with the chef,\u201d says Singleton.<\/p>\n If homeowners are short on space, or don\u2019t want to commit to a full outdoor kitchen installation, portable kitchens are popular. Look for a cart on wheels with built-in prep space to transport ingredients from the indoor kitchen.<\/p>\n Cocktail Pools<\/strong><\/p>\n While a larger inground pool is often the anchor in an outdoor space, not every homeowner has the space or the desire to dedicate that much backyard real estate to a pool.<\/p>\n Riffing off a pandemic favorite- lounging in the backyard in an inflatable pool, just deep enough for wading and relaxing, cocktail pools have seen a surge in interest recently.<\/p>\n Cocktail pools are \u201cjust the right size,\u201d says Rich Masterson, co-founder of Southwest Florida-based Cocktail Pools.<\/p>\n Cocktail pools are essentially a smaller, shallower version of a larger inground pool. They take up less space in a backyard and have a flat bottom, which typically makes installation easier.<\/p>\n Cocktail pools are particularly popular with new construction homeowners, given shrinking lot sizes.<\/p>\n Choosing a smaller pool also leaves room for other outdoor features, such as a patio or a firepit.<\/p>\n According to Masterson, the most popular cocktail pool sizes are 7.5-feet-by-15-feet and 10-feet-by-20-feet, significantly smaller than the 16-feet-by-32-feet pool that had been a typical fixture in backyard design.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s all you need to splash around,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n In addition to being practical in a smaller yard, the cocktail pool design fulfills the trending aesthetic : simple luxury.<\/p>\n Cocktail pools are typically a sleek rectangle with built-in stairs. This design style embraces the greater trend toward \u201cclean lines, elegant and simple shapes,\u201d says Masterson.<\/p>\n Entertainment Walls<\/strong><\/p>\n Outdoor living spaces are being designed to replicate those found indoors.<\/p>\n Outdoor entertainment walls are trending, serving as both a focal point in the design, and as a one-stop entertainment hub that elevates the outdoor experience. The entertainment wall is typically a built-in feature on a deck or patio and often houses a T.V., a sound system and a fireplace, to add warmth on cooler evenings.<\/p>\n When designing the wall, practical considerations should play a significant role, especially with electrical access to the wall, as well as protecting TV and audio equipment against the elements.<\/p>\n There are outdoor-specific TVs that address light and glare exposure and offer water-resistant benefits. There are also enclosures to help protect against the elements you can use if mounting a regular TV.<\/p>\n Popular finishes and decor for entertainment walls include stone, brick, wooden trim and vertical gardens.<\/p>\n Covered Porches and Pergolas<\/strong><\/p>\n Structures that offer shade, as well as define space are trending, such as covered porches and pergolas.<\/p>\n These features contribute to the overall outdoor aesthetic, and enhance curb appeal, in the case of covered porches.<\/p>\n Singleton advises homeowners to look at a covered porch as an element of fusing an indoor\/outdoor connection.<\/p>\n \u201cA covered patio is a great location for outdoor dining and lounging,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n In terms of design, Singleton says that homeowners should \u201cfirst look at the current roofline to see if there is a way to tie a covered porch into the existing structure and allow for an extension of the indoor space.\u201d<\/p>\n Pergolas are also sleek, offer shade and serve as a striking focal point in the yard.<\/p>\n \u201cIf a free-standing pergola in the landscape works better with the outdoor space, then taking setbacks into consideration is important Many local municipalities will have a minimum distance from the property line for structures,\u201d says Singleton.<\/p>\n She also reminds homeowners to remember utility access and drainage easements when deciding on pergola placement.<\/p>\n A Focus on Flooring<\/strong><\/p>\n Gone are the days of scattering patio stones or building a simple deck to create space to spend time outdoors.<\/p>\n Decor choices are more intentional and work to support the visual continuity of the indoor\/outdoor connection.<\/p>\n A popular choice is to install the same flooring in indoor and outdoor living spaces, with durable, indoor \/outdoor tile, wood-look flooring or even concrete. This, along with keeping furnishings and color palette similar helps to extend sightlines, blurring boundaries between inside and out.<\/p>\n Natural materials are trending as biophilic design remains popular.<\/p>\n Or, for a more dramatic style statement, use brightly patterned tiles instead of patio stones or decking, embracing the trend towards bold color throughout the home.<\/p>\n Saunas and Hydrotherapy<\/strong><\/p>\n The backyard is the perfect place to create a spa-like experience to increase opportunity for health and wellness at home.<\/p>\n Outdoor saunas are popular, relatively inexpensive and easy to install for the DIY-inclined. There are several DIY sauna kits available on the market, or you can even integrate a sauna as part of the overall backyard design, integrated with a pool area, or decking.<\/p>\n Remember a sauna needs electrical, so tucking it into a remote corner of the yard may not be ideal.<\/p>\n Another popular spa-like feature is a hydrotherapy cycle, where a hot tub (or spa) and a cold plunge pool are incorporated into the outdoor design. The health and wellness benefits of cold plunging are being promoted currently, including reducing inflammation, circulatory benefits, muscle recovery and more.<\/p>\n The cold pool might be an inground, small plunge pool, suitable for one or two people, or for a more compact, less permanent option, choose a barrel or tank cold plunge pool, placed near the hot tub.<\/p>\n