Is there any better season than fall for spending time outdoors? It’s not too hot, not too cold and that is why Southern California is the envy of the nation now. To properly enjoy the season, along with the crisp scent of fallen leaves, the crackle of a warming fire and a sip of pumpkin spice, creating a cozy outdoor retreat is the key. Use these tips to carve out a niche in your backyard oasis and truly get into the spirit of the holidays.
Choose the Perfect Place
Before you go any further planning for and creating a cozy outdoor retreat, first think about the best spot for it. Try to avoid open space, such as the middle of the lawn or next to the pool.
It will make your job much easier if you already have a nook that can be carved out in a corner of abutted walls or fencing, the end of a pathway, next to a hedge or nestled beneath a sprawling shade tree or the leaves of big, tropical plants. These types of locations already provide a bit of privacy and have natural walls.
A Pathway is Pleasant
We’ve all seen them – paintings portraying a stone pathway surrounded by flowering bushes and leading to a gazebo or other special place located at the end of the path. There is a reason this type of artwork is so popular – it hints of a secret garden, a cozy outdoor retreat hidden away from the world where you can easily imagine yourself curling up with a good book or simply laying back and looking up at the stars.
If possible in the space you have outdoors, create a walkway that meanders through your backyard and ends at a snug little seating area. You may want to line the pathway with romantic string lights or subtle markers to help find your way in the dark.
Flexible Furniture is Fine
Don’t limit yourself to using a nook during a single season or time of day. Creating a cozy outdoor retreat that functions year-round requires flexible furniture options. Make sure the seating is deeply plush and comfortable, but also lightweight enough to change out as warranted by the weather. For instance, you may want to relax in a lounge chair in the summer but be enveloped by big cushions in a recliner come winter. A small folding table is a nice addition when the weather is hot and sunny, but as the temperatures get cool, you may want to swap that out for a small fire pit with a rim big enough to set a mug of cocoa.
Look Up
Creating a cozy outdoor retreat nestled amongst greenery and surrounded by walls – either solid or leafy – is a great way to hide away in comfort. But you could also take the privacy concept one step further by adding a ceiling of sorts. This could be anything from a pergola to an outdoor umbrella to a shade sail. A topper for your outdoor retreat also protects you from rain, sun, and breeze. Picture an oversized double lounger with thick upholstery nestled into a corner surrounded by flowering vines and covered by the shade from a market umbrella with wood pole. Talk about cozy!
There is no reason you can’t consider creating a cozy outdoor retreat right now. And it might even make a great holiday gift for that very special person in your life who deserves a little privacy and a lot of comfort.
