A backyard getaway is exactly what you need when travel bans are in place, and the pandemic has put a halt to most of your usual leisure activities. Since you will be spending a lot of time at home in the foreseeable future, transforming your backyard for a great dining experience might save you from a post-2020 mental breakdown.
If you lack inspiration, why not use your travel journal or album for reference? With your extensive travel experience locally and abroad, it should be easy to determine which aesthetic will give your backyard that touristy feel.
Allow these three backyard amusement ideas to give you a better idea of how much fun and leisure you can enjoy from the comfort of your home.
Dining in Greece
What better way to spend your meals than to step into a Greek-inspired backyard? Create a beautiful perimeter using a white stone fence. This will enable you to have a clean and Greek-like backdrop to work with. When it comes to recreating that Mediterranean feeling, choose a diversity of plants that will survive in diverse weather.
An olive tree is eternally reminiscent of the goddess Athena and is a top recommendation for Greek gardens. Surround your olive trees with succulents, perennials, and other colorful flowers to add a burst of color. Of course, your dining experience will not be complete without vegetable crops you can harvest in raised beds. Go for easy-to-grow plants like lettuce and tomatoes. You can accentuate each plant bed with herbs that you can add to your salads and pasta.
As for your dining area, go for something in wood or stone that you can decorate in white and blue. The same goes for storage areas you may have in your backyard. If your current shed is beyond repair, look for a storage building around your city that complements your aesthetic. After all, a backyard is a backyard no matter how pretty, and you’ll need somewhere to put your power tools.
Once you’re done, you can enjoy your meals in a Greek setting. Doing so will not only refresh your mind. It could also help you eat healthier.
Dining in Japan
Does your backyard need a bit of Zen to eradicate the tumultuous remnants of 2020 from your home? Then a Japanese-inspired garden is what you’ll want to consider.
The great thing about this theme is that you have a variety of options for decorating your fence. You can line it with bamboo, cover it with vines, or repaint it in white, gray, or mahogany brown. If Cherry blossoms are difficult to ship to your location right now, then perhaps Japanese maple trees are more achievable. They’re an especially good alternative if your backyard isn’t spacious. Maple trees don’t grow as large as Cherry Blossom trees, and the timid growth of their branches make for a more minimalist appeal.
Surround them with boulders and different-sized rocks, preferably near water features. Small fountains and ponds enhance a Japanese garden’s naturalistic style and give you a soothing backdrop while dining.
Finish with wooden furniture—traditional Japanese style or not, depending on your preference—and cozy lanterns hanging overhead. This kind of environment will allow you to de-stress after a hard day of work and help you feel refreshed enough to meet tomorrow’s challenges.
Dining in Mexico
If you’re looking to revitalize your house, then a Mexican-themed backyard is just for you. What you’ll get is a mix of Moroccan architecture and Spanish colonial style that will give your outdoor dining experience a vibrant atmosphere.
For plants, go for tropical ones like fruit trees and cacti. Oak and birch are popular options, as well as mango and apple trees. Transform your patio flooring using ceramic in warm colors such as reds in the shade of terracotta. When it comes to decorating it, you can get as creative as you want in mimicking Aztec designs.
To the fun part: Mexican furniture is usually made of wood and is embellished with colorful cushions and pillows. Take out the shawl you bought from your last trip to Mexico and drape it over the backrest. Make it cozier by adding a fireplace made of adobe stucco or brick that you can use for cooking. Once done, feel free to invite friends over for a less risky social gathering and some Mexican-inspired meals.
Creativity Goes a Long Way
When you’re missing overseas travel, a backyard getaway that offers a great dining atmosphere is one of your safest and most affordable solutions. Identify which foreign country you’d like to dine in and go all out in recreating its aesthetic in your backyard. After all, you need someplace else to spend your vacation money.
