Guest Article by Curtis Fisher

Why spend a fortune every year on theme parks, camping trips, and too-short vacations when you can have your fun and relaxation every day in your own backyard?

Home-based recreation is becoming nearly as popular as home-based offices these days.

And these at-home vacation wonderlands add value to your home to boot! It’s definitely a win-win for everyone.

Let’s explore just what an “extreme backyard” means, and then we’ll look at how to make one happen for you.

Extreme Backyard

We love being outdoors, it’s in our nature-literally-to want to be in nature. It’s also true that we like our comforts, too. Extreme backyards take those two and marry them into a space that we design for the maxim benefits of each. Whether we’re looking at upscaling how we entertain ourselves and guests outdoors, or we’re creating fun and exciting leisure activities, there’s almost no limit (other than our wallets and imaginations) as to what’s possible.

Tennis Anyone?

There are a couple of choices available for your court surface. The two most common types of concrete tennis courts are reinforced concrete and post-tensioned concrete, with post-tensioned concrete providing the best overall performance.

The overall size of a regulation tennis court for doubles play is 60 x 120 feet and 78 x 27 for singles, with a surface that is as level as possible.

An Outdoor Kitchen

We’re not talking about a bar-b-cue grill with a tarp cover here. But a real cooking and dining area for your family and guests. Think first about convenience. Scout the outdoor kitchen area for convenience and think about plumbing lines and electricity. It may be necessary to set the outdoor kitchen flush up to your home or you could have those pipes and lines run underground as well. Think outside the box and try a pizza oven or a bar.

Your Very Own Fairway

If you own a very large piece of land and are willing to spend lots of time maintaining the course, create your own miniature golf course. If you’ve got a bit of property, you could make a par four or five course. But if you just have an average big backyard, it should be a par three. The yard should be mostly flat and not too many hills or slopes. If you have a moderately sized backyard, your course should be about 15 yards. Include three sand traps, one along the side of the fairway and at least one in front and behind. Then prepare to maintain-mow-your green every two to three days,

A Drive-In Movie Without the Drive

Building your own outdoor movie theater is a lot easier than you might imagine. From a simple projector/sheet combo to a full-fledged theater, it’s all up to what you want. It’s possible to get a decent projector for under $1,000 and an outdoor screen from $25 all the way up to $400. An Echo Tap or a similar Bluetooth speaker can be a great option for sound. Some comfy seating and a few tables for snacks and, voila! Your very own non-driving drive-in theater.

A Wedding Venue

A nice, small home-based business that can also be fun is hosting wedding ceremonies. If you’re organized and enjoy hosting, you can turn your backyard into a wedding venue. A nice gazebo, some chairs, and a music system can make a great start.

Keep the Fun Going

Sunset doesn’t mean the fun has to end. For almost all your outdoor activities, you’ll need to have a proper outdoor lighting system. Before you purchase outdoor lighting, review case studies from professionals who actually do that for the pros, such as what it takes to light up large to mid-size outdoor complexes for professional sports and install lighting for stadiums.

Your backyard can be your own daily vacation getaway, small business venture, or a place for entertaining friends in comfort and style. Make sure you use the right materials to ensure your project will not only be long-lasting but will add the most value to your home. And with the proper lighting, your space will not only be safe, but you’ll enjoy your space all day-and night-long.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Curtis Fisher created Tradesbright.org to highlight the stories of tradesmen and women who have raised the bar by going above and beyond to help a fellow neighbor, community member, or someone they happened across while on the job. Big or small, the acts of kindness deserve to be recognized!"

If you would like to write a guest article for Susan Newberry Designs, feel free to contact us.

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