Just because the crisp fall weather is rolling in and we’ve long since said goodbye to the pool weather, it doesn’t mean we should pay no mind to the backyard. If anything, autumn is a great time for a design project that will keep you loving the outdoors well into the winter-time. Here are some ideas to keep your backyard cozy this fall:
Fire Pit: outdoor fire pits and chimeneas have become all the rage in the summer months, allowing you to relax on a summer evening with friends around the fire. But what better time to enjoy one than in the fall when the temperatures begin to drop even more? Dedicate a special spot to gathering around the fire, put some rocking chairs, and don’t forget a heavy blanket.
Outdoor Kitchen
Depending on where you live and how cold it begins to get, you can enjoy the perks of an outdoor kitchen well into November. If you’re used to hosting dinners and cocktail hours, an outdoor kitchen may be a steep investment but a wise and useful one. An exterior cooking area can be as simple as a grill and dining area, or as elaborate as fully functioning kitchen. If you want to buy yourself more outdoor time in the colder locations, grab an outdoor heated lamp to stay toasty around the dinner table.
A wooden gazebo or pergola
This can be a great place to put an Adirondack chair and cozy up with a book on a Saturday afternoon in fall. A gazebo is great because in the fall months, side flaps can be added to it as a way to insulate. A wooden pergola can be used to envelop as a cover to your outdoor fire pit, making it feel warm and intimate. Both can also be decorated for fall: turn it into a spooky scene for Halloween, or an autumn centerpiece, complete with pumpkins and cornstalks.
Outdoor lights
We may be tempted to put away the tiki torches as we say goodbye to summer, but fall brings a whole new inspiration for exterior decor lighting. Try something as simple as a DIY project: classic mason jars with tea lights to line the ground, it will look pretty among the foliage.
Or check out fall-inspired exterior lights like these grapevine twig pumpkin decorations. Depending on your creative energy, create your own fall scene in a bucket, wagon or wheelbarrow, incorporating your own lights or lanterns for style accents.
Or if you’re particularly keen on DIY crafts and have the knack for carving pumpkins, try your hand at these little jack-o-lantern lights.
However you choose to go about adding design accents to your front or backyard this fall season, remember that it’s all about cozy charm: small projects and additions to make your outdoor area a place you want to utilize year round.
