5 Steps to Make Your Dreamy Outdoor Room Ideas Come True

Having an outdoor room is a great addition to any house. All you need is a garden that's big enough to fit one and the creativity to make it look as great as possible. Nonetheless, we know that not everybody knows where to start when building an outdoor room design, so we put together the following list of outdoor room ideas for you to follow and create the best backyard room to relax after a long day. 

Five Steps to Create an Outdoor Room Design on a Budget

1. Find a Flat Spot

The first step for building an outdoor living area and brainstorming outdoor room plans is to find a flat piece of land. You're in luck if you already have a balcony, deck, or patio. If not, you must select a location that is as leveled as possible. Weed barrier fabric can cover the grass or weeds in the chosen area. This will be the foundation for your new outdoor living area. 

When planning to build a bigger outside area, it is crucial to remove all the grass and weeds, smooth the ground using a roller, and make sure the floor is leveled.

2. Create the Floor

A floor is vital to any room; it should feel stable, leveled, and safe. 

Natural materials, such as gravel or stone pavers, are great options, as they will blend nicely with the surrounding environment's characteristics, especially when used for an outdoor area. 

You can use decomposed granite (DG), made of natural granite particles. DG is more stable than gravel and may be used as a substitute or as a base layer for concrete pavers because of the tiny diameter of the rock.

Compared to other paving solutions, the price of DG is one of the cheapest you'll find. Landscape vendors sell the raw material for around $50 per cubic yard. 

Gravel is another low-cost alternative for flooring. A pea gravel pathway or patio costs around $5 per square foot, and it includes a layer of base rock. Moreover, it will cost half as much if you install it yourself. 

However, remember that you must include the cost of a header, which can be either made of metal or wood. A metal header costs $6 per linear foot, while wood headers cost about $5 for a wood header, but we recommend getting black metal headers because of their looks. 

3. Put up the Walls

Walls are crucial components of any backyard cabin and outdoor room design. Therefore, once you define the perimeter of the area you want to build and put up the walls, you will feel pretty much the same as if you were inside your house. Nevertheless, unlike an interior space that needs solid walls that extend from floor to ceiling, all that is required to establish this sensation outside is suggesting there are walls. An existing wall, an established hedge, or a balcony railing are all great alternatives for your backyard shed studio. 

If you don't have any vertical materials to work with, you can simulate a low wall by laying out a garden bed at the perimeter of the outside space and planting your favorite shrubs there.

4. Install the Ceiling

Ceilings shield us from the weather, be it rain, sun, or worse (imagine getting pooped on by a bird). However, a solid ceiling is not the best option for an outdoor environment because you will want to see the beautiful view of the sky when sitting in your outdoor room decor. Instead, include a roof overhang in the design of your outdoor space. Alternatively, you can build a trellis or pergola to offer a sense of shelter. 

5. Choose the Furniture

Choose furniture that fits the area to give the modern garden shed a sense of fluidity and openness. Before making a purchase, stretch out and sit on the chair or sofa you are considering buying to make sure it is comfy. Always keep in mind that outdoor lounge furniture is meant for relaxing. 

Furniture that can be folded and is as lightweight as possible is especially useful in regions where the winter weather forces you to store your items inside your house. 

Using woven furniture is a great shed house idea and outdoor room decor because it's airy, light, and pairs nicely with other materials in your garden. 

The adaptability of woven furniture is probably one of the best you will find. You can pair this furniture type with a small cottage or a white clapboard exterior, which will look equally stunning. 

Moreover, in addition to cozy chairs in your outdoor room decor, a coffee table or side table can be useful for putting a glass of water or a book on top.

Tips for Decorating an Outdoor Space

1. Add a Rug

Outdoor rugs are great tools for attracting visual attention to a seating area and providing the furniture with a larger space in your outdoor room plans. They will give you an area where you can be bare feet, relax, and stay cozy. Outdoor carpets, however, are made to endure heavy foot traffic and inclement weather, unlike inside rugs. 

Still, it is good advice to regularly rinse off your outside rug if it becomes muddy and use a broom to keep it clean. You can also choose a dark hue to cover the grime and trash while making the lighter accessories and furniture pop. 

2. Comfy Pillows

Pillows can enhance the comfort of your seating spaces while creating a warm atmosphere that can be even better than your home's living room. Outdoor cushions must be made of weather-resistant fabric, most of which have a lightweight polyester filling. 

Weather-resistant materials are not waterproof; they will resist sun fading and prevent water retention, which might result in mildew. Your pillows might get slightly damp in the rain, but they will dry relatively quickly! While not in use, some people keep their pillows in deck boxes or storage benches.

3. Great Lighting

Several lighting alternatives are outdoor-ready for your outdoor room decor, such as any waterproof pendant light, but you can turn an interior pendant light into an outdoor one. One of the main things you must consider is if an outside light requires hardwiring. If you have rods or beams overhead, it's easy to create electrical wiring that connects to your outdoor area. However, you can use a plug-in option because this job is challenging enough without electrical work.

Because they are so simple to drape and plug into outlets, string lights are a popular option for outdoor spaces. Moreover, there are many lovely solar-powered light solutions available right now! 

Some options are low torch-style lights, pendants, and string lights for your backyard room ideas. Nearly all lighting will provide a fantastic environment when the sun sets, regardless of what you think is best for your garden.

4. Choose Your Curtains

You might believe that outdoor curtains are a little too much. However, they are a great small house extension idea if your area seems too boring or not too visually appealing. A curtain can be the ideal solution and backyard room idea to make everything look much nicer. You will be pleased you took the risk once you notice how your curtains give your garden a new level of refinement. 

However, remember that to install your curtains, you must buy an extra-length galvanized pipe for the curtain rod. Luckily, you can find this at any nearby building supply store. Be aware that most hardware stores sell 10 feet long pipes, and you may need something between those measurements, so you may have to purchase more than you need to, which won't be cheap. 

Nevertheless, this will prevent you from having to support the pipe in the center. This way, you can easily draw both curtains to the side to provide as much sun protection as possible. 

If you purchase curtains, make sure they are made expressly for outdoor usage to avoid mildew problems. You can also use a rope to pull the curtains back when not in use. Moreover, move the drapes and rod inside for the winter when it gets too cold to use this area.

5. Vertical Plants

Some people decide to use plants to make the area look more interesting. This is especially useful if you don't have any outdoor-friendly paintings to place out there. Most outdoor-friendly pots are designed to be installed on walls. This means they should have mounting holes on the back, so you can just hang them on your fence using screws. A great outdoor room idea is to use Silver Falls, as they look so wonderful when they stream down from the planter. 

6. Table Decorations

Tablecloths can be used both outside and indoors. Adding one to your outdoor table is one of the best ways to elevate your garden and backyard room idea. You don't need too many ornaments, but adding some candles when you feel like having a special dinner is a nice touch. Some other fantastic items you can always have on your table are terrariums and plants.

7. Pots and Plants

Tall plants, especially those in corners and next to entrances, help you fill the area around the furniture. A great option is to use tropical plants here and switch them to a sunroom when winter comes. Although certain evergreens can last an entire winter in their pots, trying it might be risky. Moreover, a great summer house idea is to separate your garden's sections with tall evergreens and big pots. 

8. Fireplaces

You can purchase a gas fire pit rather than an outdoor coffee table. These fantastic elements are great for cooking s'mores and make everything look much more put together once fall arrives! Moreover, you can purchase little lava rocks and propane bowls to place on your coffee or dining tables. You can also get taller fire pits for your outdoor room plan if you don't have enough room for a big one.

9. Add Some Shade

Shade is always appreciated, especially when it is hot outside. Nevertheless, umbrellas also provide outdoor room plans and spaces with an additional ornamental element. Your patio's seating area could need a bit of shade for it to be the best place for relaxing, but that doesn't mean you must spend all your money on it. 

You can simply buy a freestanding, tilting umbrella that you can move around according to where the sun is shining. Sail shades are also a fantastic idea! They provide a pretty good shade, but you must find places to anchor the sail's corners.

Getting an ADU for Your Outdoor Room

If you don't want to go through all this process to have an outdoor room, you can simply get an ADU and place it in your backyard. However, if you are unsure where to begin, you must consider every factor that might affect the total price. Still, owning a prefab studio can have many wonderful advantages if you don't have enough room at home to store your belongings. 

Although installing a work pod can be somewhat expensive in some circumstances, it has many wonderful advantages you might have yet to consider. 

A modular accessory dwelling unit provides additional storage space for all your tools and equipment. This is extremely helpful when you have stuff lying around your home and are unsure where to store them. 

Many people want to keep their possessions as secure as possible. Having an ADU may help them achieve this because they can add a variety of padlocks and security features to stop others from stealing their bikes or other equipment.

The last great advantage of installing an ADU as your outdoor room ideas is that it usually increases the value of your house. Nevertheless, this will rely on several variables, including the materials' quality and curb appeal. Backyard office kits can be used just like any other room in your house, and you'll get paid for them when you decide to sell your property.

Bottom Line

After reading this handy guide on how to create the best outdoor room plan for your house, you are ready to improve your backyard and turn it into one of your favorite places in your house. Still, feel free to check out our store and learn about all the fantastic outdoor furniture deals we have for you.