The Backyard Resort Trend: How to Make Your Patio Feel Like a Vacation

Not everyone can escape on a resort vacation, yet we still want to feel transported and pampered. That’s why more homeowners than ever are creating backyard spaces that feel luxurious and spa-like.

From outdoor kitchens to open-air movie theaters, bougie backyards are in.

Granted, it’s quite possible to spend as much money elevating your yard’s aesthetic as you would on a luxury vacation, but there are ways to boost your yard’s wow factor and still stay within a budget.

Explore one or more of these suggestions to nudge your outdoor area into a space in which you’ll happily relax, entertain and feel indulged.

Resorts provide multiple spaces to accommodate their guests’ varied interests: bars, pool and spa areas, sunbathing, games, conversation.

Similarly, you can create a multi-use yard by dividing it into zones designed for specific activities. Depending on your lifestyle and preferences, these may include:

• Outdoor kitchen or grilling station

• Dining space

• Conversation/lounge area

• Bar or beverage station

• Games and recreation

• Backyard movie or entertainment area

• Swimming pool or spa

First, decide how you would like to use your space. A family-oriented yard might include zones for cooking and dining, a play area and comfy outdoor furniture for chilling. A yard designed for entertaining could contain a bar area under a covered patio with a TV or movie screen to watch the game.

Once you know how you want to utilize your yard, choose the best location for each zone. For instance, outdoor kitchens are typically placed closer to an entrance for easy access to prep space, while a fire pit may be set toward the yard’s perimeter.

Keep in mind that some existing areas might already be well-suited to your preferred activity, while others may need to be reimagined. Some passive areas have the potential to become purposeful space. For instance, you might turn a narrow side yard into a quiet conversation area or a bocce court.

Zones are often established using visual or physical dividers, such as pavers and pathways, planters and raised beds, or a change in surface materials. Concrete, grass, gravel, wood decking or an outdoor area rug are among the ways to define each zone. You can also create boundaries with garden beds, a raised garden planter, wooden divider, low hedge, wall or a structure like a pergola or cabana. Or, define a zone through a change in levels, such as from a raised deck to the lawn.

You don’t have to undertake expensive landscaping to separate spaces. A row of large planters can substitute for a garden bed, for instance. Smart furniture placement and the right size outdoor area rug can also set an area apart visually.

While each zone has its own purpose, use a common theme to tie them together. Whether your idea of the perfect getaway is inspired by the tropics or a mountain chalet, you can evoke that ambiance throughout each area through your furniture style, accessories and materials.

Resorts are experts at providing the lavish indulgences that make us feel special. You can infuse some of those same luxuries in your own outdoor space by focusing on comfort and atmosphere, rather than extravagance.

Replace worn, dated or basic patio furniture with something a little more upscale and you’ll be on your way to creating that luxury resort feel. Think daybeds and oversized outdoor furniture, hammocks and hanging chairs – the type of sought-after seating some guests will fight over!

Overhead on your patio or covered porch, an outdoor ceiling fan is a splurge you’ll never regret.

You can find a grill in virtually every American backyard, but if barbecuing is your pleasure, maybe it’s time for an upgrade to one with side burners, a rotisserie or griddle. Branch out with a smoker or pizza oven.

Do you long to build an outdoor kitchen? Many of the items you’ll find in a fancy outdoor kitchen do not have to be constructed. Equip a nearby porch, patio or covered structure with some of the same amenities, like a prep table, cabinets, a beverage cooler or an outdoor sink.

If you can swing it, a built-in bar area is often a favorite backyard spot for entertaining. For a more cost-conscious alternative that still feels like an indulgence, add a bar cart, bar tables and stools.

Are games more your style? Plenty of options are available, from yard-sized classics like checkers and tic-tac-toe to designated areas for volleyball or cornhole. From basketball nets to pickleball courts, a recreation zone designed around your favorite activity hardly seems like a splurge at all when it’s something you can enjoy at your leisure, every day.

Finally, don’t neglect the senses when creating a backyard luxury experience. Add comfort with plush cushions; introduce warmth and movement with a fire pit or table. The soothing sounds of a bubbling water feature or fountain can also cover disturbances from traffic, air conditioning – or your neighbors.

If you own a swimming pool, you’re already on your way to realizing a resort vibe, but how you style your pool area can carry the aesthetic into luxury spa territory.

Padded chaise lounges, convenient side tables and adjustable umbrellas step up the comfort level, while baskets filled with beach towels and sunscreen ensure all needs are met.

Follow the lead of top resorts by incorporating tropical plants or other greenery into your poolscape.

Enhance the area at night with perimeter lighting, floating lights and solar decor.

Pamper yourself and your guests with pool floats and loungers made for fun and relaxation. From full-length rafts and inflatable chaise to pool rings and noodles, pools are more fun when there are enough pool toys to go around.

And while you’re thinking about entertaining, consider a few extra poolside perks. Floating drink holders and coolers are the kind of little luxuries that let the pool fun continue uninterrupted.

On the other hand, beach balls, a water basketball or volleyball set up the pool game for those who enjoy a more active resort-style pool experience. The kids will love water target games, snorkels, swim fins and dive toys.

For another great pool-area splurge, how about a poolside shower? Some portable models are less expensive than you might think. Plus they’re a great way to encourage swimmers to rinse off sunscreen, which can affect pool water pH, and grass clippings, which dirty the water and clog the filter, before hopping into the pool.

Having a swimming pool is one way to mimic a spa setting, but it isn’t the only way to achieve a resort-like style. If you don’t want a pool or can’t afford one, consider more cost-friendly, space-saving, yet opulent alternatives like a fish pond, splash pool or other spa-inspired water elements.

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With residential outdoor lighting sales increasing yearly, it’s no secret that improving your backyard lighting is one of the easiest ways to maximize your outdoor space while creating a luxury ambience.

The key is to add light in layers - above, at mid-range and below. A mix of lighting creates an inviting mood more effectively than a single light source.

There are many ways to achieve a resort atmosphere with effective outdoor lighting. Consider blending in a few of these options:

• String lights: Use around a patio or pergola, on light poles, along a fence line, strung from structures or tree branches

• Path lights: Add safety along a walkway or edge a garden

• Lanterns: Along patio perimeter, by a porch entrance, on deck rails

• Flameless candles: On tables and deck rails in candle lanterns and vases

• Chandeliers: The ultimate indulgence for your porch or covered patio

• Spotlights: For safety, to highlight landscaping or architectural features

• Garden torches: For ambience along patio perimeters, near walkways

• Fire pits and tables: Add light and atmosphere to a conversation area or hang-out zone

• Floating lights: For ambiance around the pool

Sun is fun, but shade makes activities like dining, chatting or watching TV more comfortable. Also, creating a covered area is another way to define a zone for a “room-like” feel outdoors.

Luckily, there are a number of attractive products made for shade that are available in a range of sizes and price points, so they can be custom-suited to various situations.

The size of your yard and the purpose of each zone will influence the type of shading you select.

Start by taking advantage of any natural shade that’s available, like trees, shrubs and tall landscaping. Then, consider a retractable awning or shade sail over the patio. Locate your dining area under a pergola or gazebo, set up umbrellas by the pool and install curtains or roll-up outdoor shades on the porch.

Such resort-inspired touches keep your guests cooler and more comfortable and shield them from sunburn and squinting.

Shade also makes it easier to use electronic devices outdoors, protecting your eyes from painful glare and your equipment from overheating.

Providing shade for those who prefer to be under cover is another way to enhance a yard’s spa-like feel.

Think of the way we describe the perfect outdoor paradise. Our ideal getaway might be an exclusive beach, remote island, private resort, hidden cove, secret hideaway.

Our personal outdoor spaces rarely offer as much privacy as our dreams, but you can take steps to create a measure of seclusion – even if you’re just screening your balcony from the one next door.

Backyard privacy fencing can be a worthwhile expense, especially when little luxury touches are added, like solar-lit fence post caps or string lights. To add height to your current fence, consider options like lattice panel extensions.

Planting small trees near a fence or low boundary wall, or installing a trellis for climbing plants, can also add visual height and block an unattractive view or a nosy neighbor.

Trees and hedges provide natural separation in a yard, but be sure to research the plant’s growth rate and mature height. You could wait years to enjoy the shade and added privacy a slow-growing tree would offer. Avoid trees that might eventually interfere with overhead power lines.

Other low-cost privacy options exist, even when greenery alone isn’t the solution. For instance, gauzy curtains hung around a patio or porch add for softness and seclusion. Decorative wood screens or lattice panels can be extended from a building or erected to define a zone’s perimeter.

Even small improvements in privacy can make your yard feel a little more removed from the outside world.

Creating a resort-style outdoor area takes planning. To get the most use out of your space, consider your priorities, then design a layout that makes sense based on your preferences and budget.

If you can’t finish the entire makeover at once, focus on one project at a time. Work with what you have and build on it. Slight changes, introduced gradually, can make a big impact over time. You’ll enjoy the satisfaction of building on your vision each year.

Finally, add personal touches like a quirky outdoor decoration or patio cushions in a signature color that make the space uniquely your own.

Creating a resort-style backyard doesn’t have to involve a five-star renovation. Start with an area that will make the most initial impact, or a focal piece that inspires the full project.

Despite the glamour of your favorite home improvement shows, you don’t have to feel pressured to achieve perfection. The point is to create a space that matches your lifestyle and makes your everyday life feel a little more like a vacation.

Aside from the aesthetics, outdoor rugs serve several practical purposes. They visually define and finish off a space. They’re more comfortable underfoot than hot decking or concrete. During a season when we’re more likely to be barefoot outdoors, patio rugs catch dirt that might otherwise be tracked into your house.

An outdoor rug can enhance just about any outdoor space, including a porch, patio, deck or balcony. Patio rugs bring comfort to a seating area, add elegance to an outdoor dining area and add a cozy touch to a front porch.

To choose the right size outdoor rug, first measure the area where you want it placed. If using an outdoor carpet under a dining set, allow about a 24-inch overhang around the entire table.

For conversation areas, decide on furniture placement. Common configurations include:

• All the furniture legs on the rug

• None of the furniture legs on the rug

• Only the front legs on the rug

Also consider the traffic pattern to ensure that the rug doesn’t interfere with doorways or pose a tripping risk.