1. An outdoor space should be designed to seamlessly blend with your home. Both the exterior materials and décor should contribute to a consistent flow with your existing home and interior space. Homes with HOA management guidelines in place will want approval for any designs and additions to make sure your space is consistent with the neighborhood design and regulations.

2. Placement of your outdoor space is key. Think about how the space will be used. Will it be accessible and allow guests to easily flow between the interior and exterior? Ensure the design and placement work with how you envision using the space. If you are a frequent entertainer, you probably want to make sure your outdoor space is easily accessible to the kitchen so that you aren’t carrying trays of food and drinks long distances or up or down stairs.

3. Think of all the ways you plan to use your outdoor space and assess your priorities. Do you need a cozy nook for reading and relaxing? A space for intimate dinners for 2? Enough room to host the annual family reunion? The more planning you do upfront, the less you’ll suffer from the “I wish we had done this differently” syndrome down the road!

4. When planning your space, not everything needs to be done upfront. If you are planning on adding a pool or a full kitchen later down the road, as budget permits, plan the space to allow for these additions down the road.

5. Map out your space in advance. Take some roping and mark off your area. Place newspapers down measured in the approximate sizes of tables, chairs, benches and other items. This will help you “walk” the space before it’s too late and you discover it’s too cramped.

6. Consider seating options. A porch or deck will likely have some store bought seating, but also consider how you might be able to add built in seating to a deck or stone terrace with built in benches or low stone walls that can double as seating when needed.

7. Design several smaller areas where guests can gather and mingle. If you have a large patio or deck space, small, intimate areas can be designed using plants as dividers. Outdoor rugs can also be placed to separate and define an area.

8. While outdoor fireplaces and built in fire pits are popular options, they might not be in everyone’s budget. There are more affordable portable fire-pits that can be purchased at any home improvement store and will serve as fun (and warming) focal points to any outdoor gathering.

9. An outdoor space needs adequate lighting. Lighting is not only functional for safety purposes, but it sets the mood and the tone of your space. Both elements need to be planned accordingly.

10. Budget adequately for landscaping. If you’ve dug up the exterior for a porch or patio, there’s a good chance that prior landscaping was removed in the process. Don’t forget to allow for ample replacements that will bring beauty to your outdoor living space.

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