As a hot-spot for gathering, entertaining and relaxing with friends and family throughout the warm-weather season, backyards are an extension of our favourite living spaces, similar to living rooms and kitchens.
To help transform your home’s exterior into the ultimate outdoor oasis, Sharon Grech, Benjamin Moore colour and design expert, shares three tips for creating an inviting backyard that you won’t want to leave.
Ambient accessories. There’s nothing better than enjoying a relaxing evening outdoors on a warm summer night. Outdoor accessories that illuminate your backyard with light – like lanterns, stringed mini-lights and fire pits, – are fun and easy ways to set the mood and create a tranquil and ambient space.
Serene stains. Neutral-hued colour palettes like beige, grey and brown are typically a go-to for interior home design and are quickly becoming more on-trend in outdoor living spaces. Natural-inspired hues can transform a backyard into a calm and serene setting while pairing nicely with many exterior home fixings like brick, stucco and shingles.
“When selecting a stain colour for decks, fences and outdoor furniture, opt for complementary tones that tie into your existing backyard colour palette,” says Grech. “You can also play around with the opacity of stains, the same way you can with paint finishes. Most stains, like Benjamin Moore Arborcoat, come in a variety of opacities, ranging from solid to semi-transparent and translucent and each vary in intensity, either emphasizing or subduing the look of your chosen colour.”
Fresh foliage. Complement the serene look and feel of your backyard with lush and leafy plants. Mixing different types of plants that vary in height, texture and width will add depth to the space and further enhance your outdoor oasis. “Hosta, boxwood and lady fern are great options that work well together and add a nice pop of textured greenery to a neutral-hued backyard,” says Grech.
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