When buying a new home, it can be easy to get caught up in decorating the interior. The different choices of curtains, blinds, chairs, and bedroom design trends can overwhelm even the most level-headed homebuyers. 

In the midst of this hustle and bustle, people often overlook one of the other important aspects of their new home: the backyard. 

Maybe you’ve done some low-maintenance landscaping, but your backyard still looks bare. Picking out some outdoor accessories is a fun fix, but you might not know exactly what to buy. This list will help you decide what to include to give your backyard the look and feel you desire. 

1. A Hammock

There are few things in life more relaxing than an afternoon nap in a hammock. Lay suspended in the shade while a soft breeze caresses your face and let the cares of the world float away. A hammock can be hung between any two trees, as long as they have the strength to support it. 

If a traditional hammock isn’t your style, consider a half-hammock, half-beanbag. This hybrid still hangs in the air and provides a feeling of weightlessness, but is usually wider than a traditional hammock and provides the additional cushioning of a beanbag chair. 

2. A Fire Pit

A hammock might be the most relaxing thing in the world, but a fire pit is a close second. Memories are born from late summer evenings spent around a fire, but you don’t have to go camping to achieve that feeling. A fire pit can give you the same sensation without the need to forgo the comfort of your bed for a few nights. 

Most fire pits are little more than a hole in the ground with bricks to stop the flames, but you can purchase uniquely shaped fire pits that give your backyard a style of its own. Not only does it give a safe area to light a fire and roast marshmallows, but it also overflows with style.

3. Festival Lanterns

The Japanese summer festivals celebrate the best season of the year in a way few other events come close to doing, but you don’t have to travel all the way to Japan to capture that same style. Japanese-style paper lanterns come in a variety of colours and the LED lights that illuminate their interior are low-energy and totally heatless. You can add splashes of colour throughout your backyard without worrying about the lanterns catching fire. 

4. An Inflatable Outdoor Movie Screen

What’s better than sitting in your backyard and watching a movie? With an inflatable outdoor movie screen you can light a few citronella candles to ward off any pesky mosquitoes and enjoy Frozen on the big screen. You can even host all of the neighbourhood for a big movie night-slash-barbecue. Have everyone bring a bit of food and have a potluck. 

5. An Inflatable Water Slide

The best thing about inflatable outdoor activities is they aren’t permanent. You can break them out during the times of year when you need them and put them away when it’s too cold to spend too much time in the weather. An inflatable water slide is definitely a summer accessory, but it’s a ton of fun to be able to blow it up and slide down into a pool when the days get too hot. The kids will love it, and parents will love a bit of time to themselves. 

6. Cooler Tables

You need tables in your backyard. You need a way to keep your drinks cool in your backyard. Why not combine the two? Cooler tables are exactly what they sound like: tables with coolers underneath. Just fill them with ice and enjoy a nice, crisp drink when the sun starts beating down.

 

7. A Swing Set

There is no single accessory that brings a backyard together quite like a swing set. The combination of swings and slide is a classic that folks of all ages recognize, and it absolutely deserves to be a part of your backyard. It will give your children a special memory they will carry with them throughout the rest of their life, and there’s something to be said about sitting in a swing with a good book at the end of the day. 

Take a look at these accessories and decide which ones best fit your ideal backyard. Once you move into your home, you’ll spend a lot of time inside decorating in those first few weeks. When it comes time to go outside and get some fresh air, make sure your backyard is set up to celebrate summer!

Photo credits: fire, hammock, girl