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Bringing the Inside Outside: The Backyard

The backyard used to be reserved for kids: a squeaky swing set, toys, and maybe a sandbox. With the advent of effective mosquito control, portable outdoor heaters, and increasingly affordable outdoor furniture and fixtures, adults are finding that the backyard is fun for them, too.

Increasingly, homeowners are using the backyard as an extension of the home for family and entertaining – and they’re using it all day long. Affordable patio furniture, gazebos and cabanas add instant charm to the backyard and provide shade during the day. Outdoor fire pits and fireplaces bring romance to evenings under the stars. One example of a manufacturer cashing in on the trend is Heat-N-Glo, who manufactures a prefabricated outdoor gas fireplace that can be finished to mimic the one inside the house or be given a look of its own.

Most guests often end up congregating in the kitchen so why not bring the kitchen to the backyard? Oversized, built-in grills bring the cooking outdoors. Outdoor landscaping is more than plants and shrubs – specialized designers can build a complete outdoor kitchen with stainless steel versions of all major appliances.

The backyard is no longer reserved for a few months (or weeks in some places) of the year. New mosquito control technology is effective on areas as big as a half an acre and limits the need for slathering up with insect repellant, annoying bug zappers, and “fragrant” citronella candles. Portable outdoor heaters, like those found at restaurants, keep the fun outdoors when the warm weather goes south for the winter.

As home prices increase and lot sizes decrease, homeowners are beginning to consider the backyard as another part of the home to be decorated and enjoyed.