Backyard ideas: Top 10 ways to transform your home life outside

Jaw-dropping changes to traditional faves and stunning makeovers thanks to cutting edge home tech are changing backyards forever.

Backyards tend to be front of mind during a crisis such as the pandemic.

“We are stuck at home, when we are meant to be overseas and off our heads with boredom,” says Myles Broad, of Melbourne’s Eckersley Garden Architecture.

So, little wonder, as we spend hours under our favourite tree surveying the garden, it can start to look a little tatty – especially when / if we have a little extra money to spend.

“Everyone is focusing on home improvement,” says landscape designer Will Dangar, of Dangar Barin Smith.

Backyard makeovers are front of mind.

“Covid forces people to be more inward looking. When they are stuck at home in a corner of the garden, they look at things they hadn’t considered important before,” he adds. We‘re also spending more time in our outdoors spaces meaning we want them to work as hard as they possibly can.

For smaller spaces, furniture has become multipurpose. Lounge and dining combos, such as Harvey Norman’s Sage collection for example, combine comfy lounge chairs with a dining table, so saving on space.

Multi-purpose furniture is increasingly popular, confirms Clare Cornish of Cosh Living.

“Think modular sofas, ottomans and nesting tables, items that can be enjoyed for a range of uses, whether relaxing or entertaining,” says Clare.

While we might have more down time, our gardens and outdoor areas are working harder. This is a time to make every space count. Here, the outdoor living trends set to shape the season ahead.

TOP 10 IDEAS TO TRANSFORM YOUR BACKYARD

1. Time for zones

Gardens are being divided into zones with clear functions, such as lounging, dining, cooking, exercising and playing.

“Each zone is furnished to make the most of every square metre,” says Selma, “with a rug and dining setting to section off an eating area, or a lounge setting for reading and relaxing.”

And there’s a new must-have – a home bar.“

Divide your outdoor area into zones.

“We’ve tripled our outdoor bar offering this season,” says Brendan Nash, of Harvey Norman, with its Bella seven-piece bar setting reflecting this trend.

Bottoms up.

2. Fuss free foliage

Vertical planting is a trend, but the appeal of green walls is wilting.

“They use a lot of water and need lots of maintenance,” says Will.

“You are better with just a vine. Star jasmine is a cracker and so is orange trumpet vine for bold winter flowers.”

Myles agrees: “Plant a creeper, such as Boston ivy, trail it along mesh and there you go.” And, while the edible garden may be on everyone’s lips, forget cabbages and courgettes – a vegie garden is too hard yakka, says Myles. But herbs are thriving. “In my gardens, I often weave in oregano, sage, rosemary and thyme for ground cover or go the full shebang, with parsley, basil and coriander in raised beds or large pots.”

Vines can make a backyard.

3. Furniture outdoor not just outdoor furniture

Advances in foams and fabrics have revolutionised furniture, says Clare, making it plush and comfortable.

“We no longer have to sit on hard foams and scratchy fabrics – outdoor technologies are advancing so rapidly that foams feel like indoor ones but are incredibly weather-resistant. Fabrics imitate indoor linens for a relaxed, luxurious look that can be sprayed with a hose.” Outdoor furniture in plant-based materials, such as timber, rattan, wool, jute, sisal and hemp, blends into the environment, creating warm retreats.

“Furniture with a natural appearance looks right at home, with the timber, subdued colours, rope-like textures and matt finishes in harmony with the surroundings.”

4. Shrink your pool

Pools are shrinking. Will and Myles argue why spend $150,000 on a pool used just three months of the year, when it could be more usable garden space?

“I often persuade clients to go with something as small as 3.5 metre round – not rectangular – and off the shelf that you can just drop into the garden,” says Myles.

Honey, I shrunk the pool.

“It’s a fraction of the price of a standard pool and with less than half the running costs.” Water features are much subtler than in the past, with the pool often becoming the de facto water feature, he adds.

5. Resort-style living

We’re bringing holiday destinations home. Think resort-style living, complete with palms and cabanas.

“There has been an increase in sales of resort-style furniture, spa-style fixtures and cocktail bar set-ups,” says Selma Nada Rajah, of online homewares retailer Temple & Webster.

Myles’ customers set their sights further afield to the Mediterranean – think white masonry and crazy paving, olive trees and rosemary.

Go crazy with your paving.

“Inspiration is coming from places like Cabo as well as the Mediterranean,” adds Matt Leacy of Landart. “Natural materials like recycled timber, tea-tree stick fencing, overhead shade structures and natural stone are layered with texture.”

6. Outdoor accessories

From in-built trampolines to outdoor cinemas with tiered seating, the garden is becoming a playground for young and old.

“We have been installing a lot of in-ground trampolines instead of the above-ground monstrosities of the past,” says Matt. “They are less obtrusive.”

While the initial outlay may be around $15,000, it’s a toy that should last for 15 years with minimal maintenance.

In-ground trampolines will last for years.

7. Crazy paving

Crazy paving, such as Luca from Eco Outdoor and Endicott, is a firm favourite.

“It reflects a more organic, naturalistic approach, a deconstructed look,” says Myles.

“In the same vein, we are seeing curved paths rather than rectangles, rectangles and more rectangles.” Gravel features heavily in this looser, relaxed look. “Arches and curves appear in most of our designs, adds Matt. “We have been through a long period of straight, square lines, so this feels like a natural progression.”

Front Garden at Bronte designed by Landscape Gardener Hugh Main From Spirit Level Design. Picture: John Appleyard

8. Fire pits are a must-have

Letting people enjoy their outdoor spaces throughout the year, fire pits have become hot favourites.

“Fire pits replicate the camping experience within the comfort of the backyard,” says Selma. “They are also fantastic for light and warmth, and some designs come with grills for cooking or tabletops, so they can be converted to coffee tables or function as storage for firewood.” Again, reflecting that primal love of fire, barbecue cooking’s the buzz, but not within a bells-and-whistles outdoor kitchen, says Myles.

“Clients want something simpler and back to basics, such as a Weber kettle or an Argentinian parrilla grill. Tired of technology and to be at one with nature, they want the old cinder-box barbecue.”

9. Light it up

LEDs have proven a game changer in lighting, says Will, for both cost and versatility.

“Because clients are spending so much time outside, we are hanging lights in trees and on furniture, and not just built into hardscaping.”

Cost and versatility make LED lights a game changer.

“New outdoor lighting includes pendants and portable lanterns,” says Clare. “Clustered pendants that hang over outdoor dining tables give an amazing soft glow, a look usually reserved for interiors. And, with their knitted design, our Tribu Monsieur Tricot pendants throw intricate shadows.”

10. Go sustainable and long lasting

Green’s the go. “We offer sustainably sourced timber furniture with Forest Stewardship Council accreditation, as well as furniture made from other sustainable and recycled materials,” says Selma.

Longevity, argues Will, is another path to that end. “Rather than pay $3000 for an outdoor setting that lasts a year or two, we suggest customers spend more than $10,000 on something that can be passed through generations.”