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Back yard makeover: where to spend and where to save

February 10, 2022 1 Comment

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By Rod Shiefelbein

The beginning of a new year is the perfect time to focus on updating your back yard. You donโ€™t need to spend a lot of money to make an inviting outdoor oasis, but it does take a little planning. With some foresight, you can create a beautiful outdoor space to enjoy for many seasons to come.ย 

Here are my top tips for where to spend and where to save. 

Jen Bishop of Interiors Addict’s own Trex deck

Where to spend?

  1. Outdoor furnishings 

If you want to create a comfortable backyard that is going to last season after season, itโ€™s important that you invest in UV and waterproof, well made furnishings that are constructed of quality materials. This will ensure your outdoor furniture, cushions and umbrella will last between our hot and wet summers.  

  1. Native plants 

While some plants are trendy, they donโ€™t thrive in every environment. By choosing to spend on plants native to your area, you know theyโ€™ll flourish and be hardy against changing wet environments. For example, I recommend planting banksia, lilies and tree ferns for humid areas like Far North Queensland and banksia and eucalyptus trees in drier Western Australia. I also suggest investing in high quality grass, as it will be in your back yard for a long time.

  1. Decking 

By spending a little more on a deck colour that looks great with brighter colours, it ensures you can update your soft furnishings without needing a new stain. For instance, I love the look of the Trex composite decking in Tiki Torch, a neutral brown timber look that works well with greenery or fiery reds and oranges. Itโ€™s also important that you protect any new landscape builds from water rot with a joist and beam tape like Trex Protect butyl-based tape. 

HGTV Dream Home 2018 in Gig Harbor, Washington

Where to save?

  1. Soft furnishings 

You can save on malleable items such as outdoor placemats, rugs and seat cushions. To easily change the feel of your backyard each season, I recommend choosing soft furnishings that are cool blues and greens for summer and warm reds and oranges for winter. 

  1. Potted plants 

Inexpensive pots can be purchased from Bunnings or Kmart and painted with your favourite colours to completely change the style of the pot and easily add a pop of colour to your back yard.

  1. Dรฉcor 

Itโ€™s worth thinking about how youโ€™ll use the outdoor area that season and the feeling you want to have when outdoors. For example, if you want to feel cosy in winter, blankets or solar-powered lights can instantly make your back yard feel more welcoming. Alternatively for summer, a portable pizza over or lawn games are so much fun and create a relaxing vibe.    

-Rod Schiefelbein is the Australian market manager for the worldโ€™s number one decking brand and inventor of timber-alternative composite decking, Trex Company. Rod has been in the Australian retail, commercial and residential building industry for over three decades.ย 

Juliet Love and Charlie Alone
Juliet Love on her new role at Better Homes & Gardens and working with Charlie
A long-time friend of the blog, we caught up with stylist and interior designer Juliet Love recently when we heard she was joining Channel 7โ€™s Better Homes and Gardens as…

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One half of popular parenting podcast @wedonthavet One half of popular parenting podcast @wedonthavetimeforthis, turns out former Neighbours actor @gemma_peanut is even more multi-talented than we thought! Will you check out the joyful and colourful reno of her holiday home (and airbnb) @yo_caba_caba?!

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Come and check out the before and afters via link in bio now and read the reno story. It's a real beauty.

And you can book it for your next holiday too!

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  1. Avatarvalorant boost says

    February 11, 2022 at 11:05 am

    good advice

    Reply

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