When we were looking to buy a home, one of my “must haves” was a pool. Having grown up with one, I was well aware of the countless hours that can be spent outside playing in one (for kiddos) and relaxing on a warm summer day (for adults). So when I saw that the home we ultimately purchased didn’t have a pool, I was initially wary. Yet upon seeing it, my hesitations dissipated as the backyard proved to be spacious enough to put one in (at some point), have space for a playground, and an area for lounging + dining as well. And while it’s our goal to someday have a beautiful backyard oasis, complete with a built in fireplace, pool, and bbq… right now we’re doing what we can to create a backyard space that’s inviting, warm, and perfect to unwind in after a long day (or week) with a glass of rosé.
At this point, we only have partial use of our patio space, since the other area is currently a storage space for our general contractor (… not particularly fond of this, but crossing our fingers construction is complete in the next few weeks). Given that, we don’t have all of our furniture assembled… so I thought I would share with you my design inspiration, with all the products we’ve purchased and can’t wait to use over this summer.
In designing the outdoor space, I was hoping to maintain the general light + airy theme that we used inside the home, and take inspiration from many of the spots we’ve traveled to over the years. Knowing that we’d be spending a little more time at home with two littles around, I wanted the space to be a place that transported us to some of our favorite places, while only requiring that we open the backdoor. And with just half of the furniture set up, it already feels that way…..
I’ve received a few questions about the items, so I thought I would share some of the answers here in case you’re wondering the same….
1. How do you like the fire pit height + how is it hooked up?
We went back and forth between this height + a fire pit that was much lower to the ground…. and ultimately opted for the higher one for safety and practicality. We figured that this option can actually act as a small table to place drinks and small plates much easier than one that is lower to the ground. As far as the hookup, it’s fueled by a propane tank, so it’s very easy to use.
2. White with kids? How do you keep that clean?
The cushions are made of a material that, for the most part, wipes clean very easily… often just with your bare hands. For other stains (like crayons… not saying that’s happened to us….) we use this stain remover which seems to work miracles. We also purchased covers for all of our furniture + use them when we’re not sitting in the furniture.
3. How did you install the backyard lights?
TJ + my dad installed these in a couple of hours. We basically bought a 12ft 2×4, secured it in a bucket with cement, dug a hole, buried the hole, and then strung the lights from the post to our pergola.
When the entire space is complete, I’ll be sure to share more photos!
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(Details || Umbrella | Outdoor Couch | Outdoor Chair | Outdoor Love Seat | Fire Pit | B+W Pillows | B+W Rug | Hanging Lights | Lace Lantern | Cage Lantern | Planter | B+W Side Table | Dining Chair | Dining Table | Dining Bench)
