{sprucing up your backyard}

One of our most favorite things to do around here is to be outdoors!

 

 

 Since we've moved into our home three years ago, it has been a goal of ours to fix up our backyard into our very own tropical oasis! You might remember from previous posts that my hubby and I love to "gift" each other {whether it be for birthday's, Mother's day, Father's Day, etc} with trees, plants, flowers, etc. It might seem boring to some, but oh so fun for us! I was recently contacted by SYNLawn to feature a guest post on Down with the Dearmores on "Ways to Spruce up Your Backyard"! I thought it was a perfect time to feature this post as that's exactly where hubby and I find ourselves today....plus I was excited for a few times myself!

 

This post was written by SYNLawn.  

With the warmer spring climate thankfully scaring away the chilly wintry blues we've encountered across the nation over the past few months, many families are eager for the summer weather to finally arrive. Since it's an ideal time to hang out with friends and family, or perhaps lounge by the swimming pool sipping a chilled beer while watching the game, or even hosting an elegant outside dinner party one evening, your backyard is soon going to be a hot spot for summer meet-ups. You can probably hear - and smell - the slow sizzle of barbecued meat and taste the deliciously fruit-filled summer cocktails already!

 If you and your family have been busy planning some heady times ahead, you might like to hear a handful of imaginative new ways to spruce up your backyard, which will help amplify the fun and frolics. Here are five neat ideas you might like to incorporate into your summer backyard preparations:

 New patio furniture - In many cases, you'd be surprised how dull and dreary a patio will appear if the furniture looks old and worn-out. If you are in the market for a brand new patio table and chair combo, make sure you choose something both stylish and timeless so it won't look outdated in a few years’ time. Also bear in mind the weather conditions that your furniture will have to cope with, as well as how dirty and streaked glass tabletops may eventually become. Whenever possible, go for a table and chair set manufactured from durable cast aluminum. Colorful throw pillows and plush cushions can also help brighten the area and invigorate the ambiance.

 Unique whiskey barrel side tables - If you want to spend a considerable amount of time holding numerous delicious BBQ cookouts, you'll know how everyone loves the popular beer-n-barbecue duo! One way to give your food preparation and mealtime areas a cool and creative touch is to get some wood-stained whiskey barrels and repurpose them as side tables for use at your alfresco event. Not only are they sturdy enough to handle different weather conditions, but they also bear up remarkably well against beer and wine stains. Stacking up a few wooden pallets is also a great alternative if you cannot find any whiskey barrels for sale.

 Homemade spray-paint Twister - This one is principally for the youngsters, or the kids in us all! If you own a backyard with a large expanse of grass, create your own oversized DIY version of Twister using a few cans of spray-paint. Simply cut out a large circle shape on a piece of cardboard using a large mixing bowl and then trace around the outline with spray-paint. Making sure they are spaced equally apart, fill each circle on your "grassy mat" with the four different colors that make up each row: blue, yellow, green and red. Then create your own spinner and play away to your heart's content.

 Your very own personal putting green - If your golf game needs a little improvement but you're a little nervous or self-conscious about trying to develop in front of a bunch of smirking onlookers, you may want to consider purchasing a private putting green. Many dedicated golfers choose a backyard artificial grass installation so they can practice their putting skills in the privacy of their own home. Since you'll be able to advance in secret, just imagine the looks of surprise on the faces of your golfing chums who you play against on a regular basis! They won't know what hit them when they see how well your putting skills have progressed on the sly.

 Light and heat - If you only have a petite backyard patio that becomes cold fairly quickly when the sun disappears at the end of the day, candles are a simple mainstay that offers warmth and a soothing glow if the moon fails to illuminate the area. However, if you want something a little different, a small fire pit can be installed to provide heat, and you can also make a lighting yourself using some colored string lights. Suspend them from nearby trees or swathe around fence posts. Another idea is to fill half a dozen super-sized mason jars with bundles of string lights. For added sparkle, paint each Mason jar with translucent glass paint.

 SYNLawn New Mexico are proud to provide synthetic lawns and artificial putting golf green products to residents living in Albuquerque, Gallup, Farmington, Los Alamos, Artesia, Rio Rancho and Santa Fe. Please visit SYNLawn online at New Mexico Artificial Grass or call us at 505-890-8889 for a free estimate.