7 Backyard Must-Haves for Your Custom Home

February 23, 2021

Getting the chance to design and build your own custom home means you get to choose every detail to suit your needs and tastes. Not only does this include the interior and exterior of your custom home, but it also includes your backyard. Here are a few backyard must-haves for your custom home to help inspire you:

1. Space for a Garden

Whether you want to start your own vegetable garden or just have a variety of flowers and plants to enjoy, some space for a backyard garden is one of the backyard must-haves for your custom home.

Having an idea of what you want to plant and how big of a garden you want to manage can give you a good idea of how much space to set aside for this, even if it’s just some decorative shrubs at the front of the house. Just make sure you’re choosing the right plants for your area and the maintenance required for them.

Some plants are aggressive and will rapidly take over, so there are some plants to never grow in your yard. But, there are plenty of options that will fit right in, be easier to maintain, and won’t take over everything.

2. A Sturdy Fence

A sturdy fence is one of the backyard must-haves for any home. Not only does this help add privacy to your backyard, but it also provides some protection by helping to keep animals and people you don’t know out of your backyard. In addition to privacy and protection, a fence can also add to the style and curb appeal of your home.

If you have children or pets, a high-quality backyard fence is essential for keeping them in the backyard and for creating a kid-friendly backyard. This can help prevent them from roaming out of your sight before you can get to them and potentially getting into trouble.

3. Extra Storage

Whether it comes in the form of convenient storage under a deck, a storage closet near a patio, or a dedicated storage shed, some space for extra storage is a backyard must-have. You’re going to have stuff for the backyard. It could be tools, patio furniture cushions, toys or games, and more. Whatever those items may be, you’ll need somewhere to store them.

Although the garage can sometimes be a solution, it can quickly become inefficient and backyard items could end up taking space that you need for other things. Some sort of storage for the backyard located in the backyard can be the perfect solution.

4. An Area to Relax and Entertain

Another one of the backyard must-haves is an area to relax and to entertain guests. What’s included in this area will vary from person to person. Depending on your needs and how you want to use your backyard, this could be a simple patio or deck with some furniture, an outdoor kitchen, a spa-like area, or something else. The possibilities are practically endless and are only limited by your lot size, budget, and maybe local building codes in some cases.

5. Something Fun

Depending on what you want for your backyard, “something fun” could overlap with the area you create to relax and entertain, or it could be completely separate. There are a lot of fun things to build in your backyard and the right mix for you just depends on what you like, what you want, and what you need to get the most out of your land.

If you have children, a small playground or even a treehouse could be the perfect fun addition to your backyard. If you like to swim and have weighed the swimming pool pros and cons, a pool could be a great addition to your yard.

If gardening is your favorite hobby, you could expand your backyard into the garden paradise of your dreams. Several garden plots, gorgeous walkways, and a gazebo could help you create a large and luxurious backyard garden getaway.

6. Shade

Spending time in the backyard is a great way to relax and enjoy the sunshine. But, you also want to have some shade so you can retreat from the heat when you want to. A pergola, permanent roof or cover, or a retractable cover for your deck or patio can help provide some shade.

7. Good Lighting

Although you won’t need it when the sun is out during the day, you will want some good lighting in your backyard for evening or early morning use. Outdoor lighting options can be used to illuminate pathways and steps, highlight backyard features, provide general light for gathering areas while you’re using them, and more.

These are just a few backyard must-haves for your custom home to help inspire you. Enhancing the backyard is one of the classic ranch architecture design ideas and can fit into just about any home style. Designing and building your own custom home is an exciting journey, but there are a lot of details to cover and it can become stressful.

Instead of trying to handle it all on your own, partner with a reputable and experienced custom home builder with an in-house design/build process. They will walk you through the options, handle the details, and keep the process as stress-free as possible.

If you’re ready to start making your dream home a reality, contact Custom Home Group at 717-284-4090!