When a Back Deck is More than Just a Deck

It’s finally fall and that means it is finally cool enough to sit outside again and enjoy nature. One of my favorite things to do is sit outside on weekend mornings and drink coffee with the Big Guy. It’s like date night but without getting dressed up.

Disclosure: This is a compensated post written in partnership with Wayfair, but, as always, all opinions are my own.

After almost 20 years of marriage, with a tween and a teenage daughter, you have to squeeze in that alone together time anywhere you can get it. Seriously, it’s not about what you do but with who you do it. For me, sitting on the back deck with a hot cup of milky coffee in my pajama pants and a comfy sweater sitting next to the Big Guy is one of my favorite things to do.

Of course, I wouldn’t turn up my nose to sitting on the back deck under the stars sitting on that same love seat enjoying a nice glass of Malbec. It’s about making the time and effort to find those stolen moments with the ones you love.

This summer, we traveled a lot so we didn’t get to do everything we wanted to our yard. Like, I’m still waiting for my hot tub to show up. But we did do something that really changed the entire aesthetic of our yard and gave us some privacy. I mean, what’s the point of going outside on the deck to enjoy some alone time with your favorite guy away from the kids if every single person who lives in the addition can walk past on the walking path? So, we put up a Gazebo and strung some globe lights.

The gazebo gives us privacy and protects us from the elements and bugs. It has a mosquito net around all 4 sides (because mosquitos love me and nothing ruins an intimate moment than itching and scratching) and, for extra privacy, it has nylon walls that can zip around all four sides. The globe lights add the perfect warm glow inside the gazebo.

Not to say that we only use the gazeebo and lights for spending time alone together, it’s great for parties too. We strung globe lights throughout the entire yard and it’s perfect for when you are entertaining. We like to entertain as a family and it’s nice to have the warm glow in the yard so children and adults alike can see how to get to and from the house. The gazebo comes in great as a retreat for those of us who want to enjoy the party but not get eaten up by the mosquitos.

The thing that makes my backyard my dream backyard is the fact that it’s not an extension of our living space. With the gazebo, it’s almost like having another room in the house but instead of being surrounded by four walls, you are surrounded by nature. But if there are trees you want to removed in order to boost your backyard appeal, there are tons of tree services online, like the one you can see here. There is nothing quite like spending time with the ones you love, listening to the owls comingle with your children’s laughter, playing cards or making up silly songs, having a few drinks or just enjoying a conversation while the kids chase fireflies around the yard. These are the moments memories are made.

A dream backyard is not about what you have, it’s about what you do in the space. For us, our gazeebo and globe lights create an ambiance that affects the way we feel when we are in the space. We are happy because we are together and these days are fleeting like a dream you’ve woken from smiling. You smile because you feel happy but you can’t remember why and does it even really matter?

What do you do to make the space in your house feel like a home?