Deciding to stay home instead of traveling for the warmer months doesn’t mean you have to miss out on the fun! In this post, I’m sharing seven tips for a backyard staycation that will create long-lasting memories and a sense of escape. With the right patio sets, you make the most of your home’s square footage by arranging individual living spaces.
By bringing in patio sets, your backyard can become an extension of your home, creating spaces to dine, relax, and play.
1. Create a Conversation Area
Designing conversation areas is the first step to planning a backyard staycation that will invite everyone to stay awhile. This means having several seating options that are connected so family can sit in different areas but still see each other. It’s also a great idea to have additional chairs or benches that are easy to move.
My patio has three main seating areas: a covered lounge space, an alfresco area, and a cozy relaxation spot.
Fabrics Foster Visual Appeal
Under my pergola, there’s a comfortable space to relax and chat. I’ve hung outdoor curtains to enhance privacy and arranged the loveseats to face each other.
This arrangement’s light color scheme and variety of textures offer generous visual appeal. The furniture’s smooth finish and plush cushions are already inviting, but the added softness of the coordinating throw pillows, patterned rug, and curtains takes the aesthetic to the next level.
Outdoor Benches Add Versatility
I placed a wooden bench beside our house, which we use for relaxation and extra seating at meals. It’s easy to move to the table whenever we need it, and it stands out against our home’s white brick siding and the cool grey of the patio furniture and pergola.
2. Serve Meals Buffet-Style
When dining outside for your backyard staycation, easy and casual is best. Set out food buffet-style on the dining table (similar to how cruise ships present their dining experiences) so you can offer more variety without worrying about place settings.
Trays Make Cleanup Easy
Put condiments, plates, silverware, and napkins in a caddy or a tray so they can be easily taken out to the table. This also helps with cleanup, as you can load everything on a tray and take it inside when the evening is through.
Durable Furniture Ensures Easy Upkeep
In the past month, we’ve celebrated three birthdays on our patio. Having high-quality, durable outdoor furniture to use and enjoy has been so nice. Since we live in a small house and don’t have much storage, we keep these sets outdoors year-round. We’ve had our sets on the patio for two years, constantly exposed to the crazy Midwest weather, and they haven’t shown any sign of age or wear. They wash or wipe off easily, and I love having them ready to go at a moment’s notice.
3. Enhance Ambiance With Lighting
Lighting can completely change the energy in a space, and your backyard is no exception. Set the mood on your patio with various light fixtures, such as string lights, candles, lanterns, or outdoor chandeliers. All these add to the ambiance and introduce a cozy and inviting feel that illuminates your setting after the sun goes down.
Solar Power is Simple & Sustainable
We set up outdoor solar landscaping lights around our patio’s perimeter. It’s an earth-friendly option that saves time and effort. The lights are charged by the sun during the day and automatically turn on at night. The only time any work was involved was during the initial installation.
Overhead Lights Set the Mood
Under the pergola, a few strands of outdoor Edison lights provide most of the brightness. When I want a moodier atmosphere, I can turn off the string lights and let my round rattan chandelier illuminate the space. I love how candles and lanterns beside the patio chairs and patio loveseat enhance the glow in the evening.
4. Offer a Variety of Drinks
It's appreciated when resorts or events have an assortment of beverages at the ready. Borrow this idea for your backyard staycation by filling large metal tubs with ice and a bevy of bottled water, cans of soda, and other cold drinks.
Display Drinks in a Wheeled Cart
We turned this white cart into a color-coordinating beverage station. The extra shelf beneath is the perfect size for the drink tubs, and the top shelf offers space for bottle openers, straws, glasses, and a couple of cute decorations. Plus, the wheels make moving easy when we need space for other activities.
Adult Beverages Served Separately
If you plan to serve alcohol, store it in an outdoor Murphy bar for the evening. This provides convenient storage and a workspace for mixing drinks.
5. Go Play in the Yard
Create lasting family memories by playing together in your backyard. Set up board games and card games on the patio table, play bocce ball, badminton, or frisbee on the lawn, and light sparklers as the evening sets in. It’s the perfect recipe for a fun and unforgettable staycation.
Sparklers Make a Glowing Photo Op
Something fun you can try as a family with sparklers is to set up a phone or camera, adjust the settings to a slow shutter speed, and try to spell out a word or phrase. Keep in mind that this can be a challenge since you have to write the letters backward to appear forward in the camera.
6. Uninvite Pests to Your Staycation
The one thing that can put a damper on time spent outdoors is bugs. To make your backyard staycation memorable for something other than lots of bug bites, prep your patio and backyard beforehand with these insect-repelling tips:
Make homemade mosquito repellent: Use natural ingredients like lavender oil, coffee grounds, peppermint, basil, and apple cider vinegar. Avoid harmful ingredients if you have pets or allergies.
Attract natural predators: Place feeders, tall flowers, and water features in your yard to invite bug-eating animals like bluebirds, swallows, spiders, and dragonflies.
Remove standing water: Stagnant water is a mosquito’s favorite hangout spot, so regularly drain standing water in gutters, buckets, and birdbaths, and keep water moving in ponds and pools.
Set up patio screens: Use retractable or pop-up screen houses and gazebos to ensure mosquito-free spaces.
Clean your yard: To prevent mosquito breeding, regularly mow the lawn, trim bushes, and tidy up your yard.
Use mosquito-repelling plants: Plant herbs like basil, peppermint, and lavender, and spread cedar mulch to deter mosquitos.
Avoid mosquito-attracting plants: Keep bamboo, water lettuce, water lilies, taro, papyrus, and other pest-friendly plants out of your yard.
Nix the citronella: Studies show citronella oil is ineffective against mosquitos compared to DEET, lemon oil, and eucalyptus oil. To repel mosquitos, try placing candles containing lemon or eucalyptus essential oils around your space.
7. Take Plenty of Pictures
Lastly, make sure to capture the memories of your backyard staycation. Let the kids and adults take their own pictures, and use a camera timer to get at least one group photo.
Don’t forget to take pictures of all the effort you put into making your patio look inviting. Then, compile and print all your photos to make a memory book.
Meet the Author
Raised in Alaska but living in the suburbs of St. Louis with her husband, four children, and standard poodle, Rachel has a lifelong background in art and a BS in Family and Consumer Sciences. Her blog, Shades of Blue Interiors, is where she shares DIY projects in and around the home, furniture makeovers, woodworking, and interior design. Her work has been featured in several national magazines, most notably when she appeared on the cover of 100 Ideas Flea Market Style. Her hobbies include genealogy, watching her kids’ soccer games, and brainstorming the next project. Rachel’s passion is using her platform to help others create a home that reflects their unique voice through collected, intentional choices.