“Wow!” I whispered to myself when I first saw the listing photos of what is now my backyard.

I imagined all the parties and outdoor dinners a girl could have on that deck. I pictured my family mixing and mingling out there.. I could see friends gathered around a fire pit, roasting s’mores.

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I sucked in my breath at the sight of the gazebo, romanticizing lazily lounging around on a warm Summer night.

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A few weeks later, which happened to be on my birthday, I toured the house, backyard and all, with my realtor.

The next week, I brought Matt with me. We made an offer that night.

I spent the next six weeks combing through Facebook Marketplace for an outdoor dining table, saving anything I liked.

On the day of our final walkthrough, right before closing, my realtor and I stood out on the deck as I rushed through a list of all the ideas I’d been collecting in my mind. “I want to put a dining table there,” I shared, pointing to the lower deck.

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“The conversation area will go under the gazebo.

The firepit will be here”, I waved toward the pea gravel patio.

“But, I’m not sure what to do there,” I said as I gestured to the upper deck.

“A hot tub?” She suggested.

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The Art of Space Planning

Every good space plan starts with a vision and your goals.

My vision and goals for my backyard includes:

• growing and gathering fresh herbs for cooking
• cutting flowers to create flower arrangements indoors
• dining al fresco, morning or night
• working outside when the weather is nice
• sitting around a fire on a cool night
• soaking in a hot tub
• relaxing, whether that's reading, just being in nature, or taking a nap
• gathering together with family and friends

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The Vision Board

I created a vision board with all the elements I wanted in my backyard, from the types of recreation, to my design style.

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When creating a vision board, ask yourself how you want to live in a space.

What mood and feelings do you want to experience?

How can the space support your goals and serve your lifestyle?

Keep your answers in mind as you determine your goals and create a vision.

Function

When designing a space, whether indoors or outdoors, you need to:

• Determine the intended use of the space
• make sure there's plenty of space for traffic to move freely about the area and to get into adjoining areas
• prioritize the primary function of the space
• work with the space to maximize its potential

Form

As they say in design, form follows function, meaning the intended use of a space dictates the design. Once you know how the space needs to function, you can design around it.

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My Backyard Design

Once we moved in, I worked to bring my outdoor dreams to life.

The Gazebo

I really wanted a space for conversation, relaxing, and lounging, and I pictured it happening under the gazebo.

I used a glider bench, a hand me down from a former neighbor, and inexpensive chairs from At Home to create a conversation area under the gazebo.

A sisal rug I already owned anchors the conversation area.

It sat like that for about a year when I scored an outdoor coffee table and side tables from Facebook Marketplace to finish out the furniture arrangement.

I added seat cushions that same year...

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As we've used the space, I've been adapting my design to accommodate the way we use it.

There are times I want to be able to lay down and nap. So, I plan on getting a longer couch for that.

I also want to add a tea cart so we can enjoy cold beverages while we're out there.

And, I"ll add some plants for color.

In the meantime, we're still thoroughly enjoying the space.
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I've had an impromptu wine date with our neighbors.

My daughter and I enjoyed a little charcuterie mother/daughter date under the gazebo.

All three of us, including our dog, Britt, sit out here on Summer evenings.

And we've enjoyed many laughs and conversations with friends.

Firepit Area

One Spring night last year, we hosted a Campfire party with hot dogs and S'mores.

The fire pit ended up on the lower deck. We pulled folding chairs from the garage, the outdoor rocking chairs, and the chairs from the gazebo around it. That set up, which happened organically, turned out to be the perfect spot for a fire pit area:

• It's an open space free of trees
• is large enough for several people to gather,
• and leaves enough room for people to pass through to other areas of the yard.

Tip: When setting a fire pit on a wood surface, use a flame retardant mat to keep embers from sparking a fire.

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​Dining Area

Every time I imagined dining al fresco it was either sipping tea in the morning or a enjoying a romantic dinner for two on a warm summer night. Either scenario was always tucked under the canopy of trees over the pea gravel patio.

I tested it out with a card table and chairs, and it felt so right.

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The Hot Tub

Here's a sneak peek of my vision board for the entire deck area with a hot tub and fire pit area.

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Would you like to see the rest of the design plan?

Go behind the scenes of Simply Home Society where I pull back the curtain on:

• the my plans for the herb garden
• what went wrong in my orignal design and why,
• along with some extra space planning tips you can use to create designs in your own home that art uniquely tailored to you.

When current society members saw the complete backyard design plan, one emailed,

"Such great ideas, Sharon."

and another member wrote to say,

"LOVE this peek into your planning process!"

I share my thirteen years of expertise because I believe YOU are the best person to declutter, simplify and design your home and life, and I want to equip and empower you to do it.

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Wishing you simplicity and ease,

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