Hot summer trend: Inviting outdoor spaces

Key insights:

• Optimize your outdoor space for dining, relaxing, playing or entertaining with these tips.
• Prepare for the elements by including umbrellas, heaters and citronella candles in your outdoor area.
• Plants and lights help create ambiance for relaxing and gathering. Consider adding these and other decorative items to your deck or patio.

In the Midwest, homeowners enjoy the treat of all four seasons. However, summer months are limited, so it’s important to maximize the time and space you have to enjoy the sunshine, green grass and longer days.

With summer approaching, homeowners across Minnesota and western Wisconsin are preparing their yards to make the most of the warmer weather. Here are our favorite tips to spruce up your outdoor living spaces. Follow them and you’ll be hosting dinner parties on your deck or soaking up novels in your new lounge space in no time.

How to create an inviting outdoor space

Whether you’re selling your home and you want to bring the outdoor spaces up to par, or you’re a homeowner ready to enjoy fresh air on warmer days, it’s important to have a clean and tidy slate to build upon. Be sure to declutter your garage, lawn care supplies and any outdoor toys that may be lying around. To make sure the exterior of your home is extra polished before the outdoor festivities begin, try these exterior maintenance and cleaning tips, which will also help boost your curb appeal.

Once everything is situated, it’s time to begin implementing the latest trends for outdoor spaces in your yard.

Decorate an outdoor dining area

Take advantage of a deck or patio space to create an outdoor dining area. This space is great for entertaining dinner guests and for bringing the family to hang out or eat together throughout the summer.

When decorating your outdoor eating area, create a checklist of items you may need to purchase or dig out of storage to complete the space. Here are some items you may want to include:

• Durable dish set
• Carafe for water or sun tea
• Outdoor table and chairs
• Heaters for chilly nights
• Umbrella or other covering for shade
• Citronella candles to keep mosquitoes away
• Planter for fresh herbs, or a complete fruit and vegetable garden

Take your lawnside dining area to the next level with a barbeque, grill or entire outdoor kitchen, which allows you to enjoy the complete dining experience — from cooking to table — in your yard. Last, consider adding a firepit or fire table in your outdoor dining space. Not only do these elements exude luxe vibes, they also make a great center for gathering.

Build an oasis for relaxation

What’s more relaxing than lounging in your backyard, enjoying a warm summer day? To build a tranquil space in the comfort of your yard, consider what calms you down and what brings you joy. Here are some additions to consider incorporating in your backyard getaway:

• Lounge furniture
• A hammock
• Wind chimes
• Bird feeders
• Outdoor stereos or speakers
• Glowy lights or candles (for after dark)
• Textured pillows and light blankets

Plants are another great way to add both life and ambiance to an outdoor space. If you enjoy bird watching or observing butterflies and bees while relaxing on your patio, you may want to plant a pollinator garden. Not only will this garden help support the environment, but it will also add color and life to your calm oasis.

Make room for recreation

After a day’s work in the office or a weekend of lawn care, it’s time to play. Depending on how you enjoy your leisure time, there are a variety of options to create recreation spaces in your yard, such as:

• A corner for yard games such as cornhole or giant dominos
• Swings or benches
• A fire pit with a s’mores station
• A meditation garden
• A treehouse, trampoline or playset for kids

If you’re ready for a bigger undertaking and investment, you might think about installing a hot tub or pool — or building a she-shed or detached home office in your yard to satisfy your hobbies and recreational desires.

Optimize your space for entertainment

If you have a beautiful outdoor space, you might as well share it. When making updates to the exterior of your home, remember how to optimize the space for entertainment. These considerations are ultra-important to keep in mind as you set up dining and lounging areas.

Additionally, you can transform the face of your house to include a social front yard. Homeowners have come to realize the benefits of utilizing their front yards to socialize with neighbors. This space is also ideal for less formal occasions and gatherings. To do so, include some of these features in the front of your home and yard:

• A bench, rocking chairs or other seats on the front porch or near the front door
• Trees or umbrellas to create a shaded area for conversation
• Plants, shrubs and potted flowers for extra curb appeal

Enjoy a summer outside

Once your outdoor space is elevated, you’ll be ready to dine, relax, play and entertain! When moving forward with your outdoor living space, be sure to get an expert’s opinion.

Reach out to Edina Realty or your agent at any step within the process. If you’re ready to sell, our agents can provide you with top tips regarding the setup and staging of both your outdoor and indoor living spaces.