Category: Outdoor Space

Wouldn’t it be nice if you had a shady spot to relax in your backyard? A pavilion will give you a covered and protected place that you can turn into a backyard retreat. It will give you more shade and protection than a pergola or gazebo. This protected space will become your favorite place for lounging, relaxing, entertaining, eating, or just hanging out.

These backyard pavilion ideas will help you get started building a pavilion in your backyard.

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1. Pavilion With a Privacy Wall

Transform your backyard into a secluded retreat with a pavilion featuring a privacy wall. This design not only provides a sheltered space for relaxation but also adds an element of intimacy, ideal for quiet afternoons or small gatherings. Use materials like cedar or stone for a natural look, and consider incorporating climbing plants for a touch of greenery. This pavilion style is perfect for those seeking a peaceful outdoor haven.

2. Small Steel Pavilion

A small steel pavilion is a sleek, modern addition to any backyard. Its durable structure withstands the elements, while its minimalist design creates an open, airy feel. Ideal for compact spaces, this pavilion can serve as a focal point for your garden, offering a stylish spot for outdoor dining or lounging. Accessorize with bold, contemporary furniture to complete the look.

3. Frosted Glass Pavilion

The frosted glass pavilion is the epitome of modern elegance. The translucent walls provide privacy while still allowing natural light to filter through, creating a bright, serene environment. This design is perfect for those who love to blend indoor comfort with outdoor beauty. Pair it with sleek, simple furnishings and ambient lighting for a stunning effect.

4. Contemporary Flat Top Pavilion

Embrace the beauty of simplicity with a contemporary flat-top pavilion. Its clean lines and uncluttered design offer a modern twist to traditional backyard structures. This style works beautifully in urban and suburban settings alike, providing a versatile space for entertainment or relaxation. Accentuate with minimalistic furniture and subtle lighting for a chic, sophisticated look.

5. Barn-Style Wooden Pavilion

For a rustic charm, consider a barn-style wooden pavilion. This design evokes a sense of warmth and coziness, making it ideal for larger backyards. The use of natural wood, possibly with a weathered finish, adds character and blends seamlessly with outdoor surroundings. It’s perfect for hosting family gatherings or simply enjoying a quiet evening amidst nature.

6. Traditional Bungalow Pavilion

A traditional bungalow pavilion brings a timeless elegance to your backyard. With its classic design and cozy feel, this pavilion is a nod to old-world charm. Opt for natural materials like wood or stone, and consider a shingled roof for added authenticity. This style is particularly suited for homes with traditional architecture, creating a harmonious outdoor space.

7. Backyard Pavilion With String Lights

Illuminate your evenings with a backyard pavilion adorned with string lights. This enchanting setup transforms your outdoor space into a magical setting, perfect for nighttime entertaining or relaxation. The soft glow of the lights creates a warm, inviting atmosphere, making it an ideal choice for those who love to entertain or simply enjoy the beauty of their garden at night.

8. Cantilever Pavilion

A cantilever pavilion is a striking, architecturally interesting option for your backyard. With its overhanging structure, it provides ample shade and a unique visual element. This type of pavilion is perfect for modern landscapes, offering a dynamic look that defies traditional design. Combine with sleek, angular furniture to enhance its contemporary feel.

9. Pavilion With Cupola

Add a touch of elegance to your backyard with a pavilion that features a cupola. This classic architectural element not only enhances the pavilion’s aesthetic appeal but also allows for additional ventilation and natural light. A cupola-topped pavilion suits a variety of styles, from traditional to more contemporary designs, and provides a charming focal point in your outdoor space.

How do you convert your backyard into a stylish outdoor living area without losing its natural charm? Stone pavers can be wonderful alternatives to plain concrete slabs or messy rock mulch.

Backyard patio pavers are far from one size fits all. From flagstone to brick and everything in between, there are countless varieties of natural rock available to choose from for your own backyard projects. And that’s not to mention the many great manmade paver materials on the market!

Keep reading for the top backyard paver ideas to inspire your future patio design or garden walkway.

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1. Flagstone Pavers

Flagstone is a great option when it comes to backyard pavers. Not only are they visually stunning, but they are strong, durable, and can withstand harsh weather. Their natural beauty and texture add depth and character to any backyard design.

Flagstones come in a wide range of sizes and variations, allowing you to create a personalized pattern that will fit your outdoor space perfectly. These pavers are also low maintenance, ensuring that you spend less time caring for your backyard and more time enjoying it!

2. Bluestone Pavers

Bluestone is a durable material, able to withstand harsh weather conditions and heavy foot traffic. The natural hues of blue, gray, and green blend together to create a unique and eye-catching look that will elevate your backyard to the next level. With bluestone pavers, you can create a patio, walkway, or other outdoor feature that is both functional and aesthetically pleasing.

3. Cobblestone Pavers

If you’re looking for a way to add some rustic charm to your backyard, cobblestone pavers may be just the ticket. These natural stone pavers have been used for centuries in Europe and are becoming increasingly popular in the United States.

They are durable and can withstand heavy foot traffic. Whether you’re creating a pathway or a patio, cobblestone pavers will create a warm and inviting atmosphere.

4. Limestone Pavers

Limestone is a sedimentary rock that has been used for centuries in architecture and construction. It is known for its earthy tones and subtle texture, which add character and charm to any outdoor space.

Limestone backyard pavers are a popular choice for their low maintenance, slip-resistant, and weather-resistant properties. The subtle natural variations in each piece create a unique and organic look that is both elegant and sophisticated.

5. Slate Pavers

If you’re searching for a long-lasting and stylish flooring solution for your backyard, slate pavers may be just the thing. The naturally occurring rock is renowned for its distinctive color variations, and its durability makes it a top choice for outdoor spaces.

The wide array of textures available – from honed to cleft – affords flexibility in design, and slate’s impermeability renders it resistant to stains and weather damage.

6. Interlocking Pavers

These versatile and durable pavers come in a variety of colors and textures, allowing you to customize your patio or walkway to suit your personal style.

Interlocking pavers provide a safe and slip-resistant surface for guests to walk on. The interlocking design of these pavers ensures that they stay securely in place, even in harsh weather conditions.

7. Concrete Pavers

With a wide range of textures, colors, and patterns available, you can create a unique and customized look with concrete pavers that perfectly complements your landscape. They are incredibly durable and long-lasting.

8. Round Pavers

Rather than the traditional square or rectangle shapes, the circular pavers offer a fun and intricate design that catches the eye.

By strategically placing the pavers and utilizing a variety of sizes and colors, you can create a truly one-of-a-kind backyard that reflects your personal style.

9. Pebble Paver

Pebble pavers add a natural and rustic touch to any backyard while offering a practical solution for creating a convenient and beautiful outdoor living area.

Pebbles come in various sizes and colors, allowing you to create a unique and personalized design for your backyard. Whether you prefer a gravel pathway or a full pebble patio, these backyard pavers will create a beautiful and functional space that you can enjoy all year round.

10. Travertine Pavers

Travertine backyard pavers are are a form of limestone and are available in a range of colors from ivory to red. Travertine pavers are durable and can withstand harsh weather conditions, making them a popular choice for poolside flooring.

Paired with the right landscaping, these pavers can add a touch of elegance and sophistication to your backyard pool. Plus, their non-slip surface makes them safe to walk on.

“You could hear the wind in the leaves, and on that wind traveled the screams of the kids on the playground in the distance, the little kids figuring out how to be alive, how to navigate a world that was not built for them by navigating a playground that was.”  –  John Green

Outdoor play is a vital part of the childhood experience and what better place to experience it than in your own backyard?

Children who spend ample time playing outdoors gain multiple physical, social, emotional, and intellectual benefits. Therefore, if you have a private backyard of any size, designing a fun backyard playground is a must.

Scroll through our gallery to see dozens of fun DIY backyard playground ideas suitable for kids of all ages. Whether you start with a premade playset or design a DIY backyard play area from scratch, you’ll be on your way to having the best kid-friendly yard on the block.

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1. Swing Sets for Timeless Fun

Swing sets offer a blend of fun and physical activity. Incorporating them into your backyard can create a focal point for children’s play.

Choose from wooden or metal sets to match your backyard’s aesthetic and consider adding features like tire swings for added fun.

2. Creative and Cozy Playhouses

If given a choice, many a kid would rather have a playhouse than a swing set. A playhouse is a mini-retreat for an imaginative child; a perfect place for reading books alone or hosting tea parties with friends.

A playhouse can also be integrated into a play structure, either at ground level or elevated with a sandbox tucked beneath. Backyard ideas for play house design can mimic the exterior of your main home.

Or you can go another direction entirely. Design a charming cottage for a creative little girl, or make a small red barn—a perfect touch behind a farmhouse.

A tree house is another great type of backyard playground shelter. Watch this video for tips on locating the perfect tree to hold your treehouse:

3. DIY Playset Projects on a Budget

Building a playset yourself can be cost-effective and customizable. Use materials like repurposed wood or recycled tires, and design it to fit your space and children’s interests.

Sturdy plastic slides, rock wall footholds, and other features are usually structurally sound well after wooden playset parts have worn out.

Browse social media marketplaces for PVC pipe and other material that can safely be repurposed into a swing set frame or teepee poles.

Hang a tire swing from a sturdy tree for an easy, affordable DIY swing. If you have a friend whose kid has outgrown their outdoor playset, ask if you can disassemble it and reuse some of the parts.

Adding personal touches like themed paint jobs can make it unique.

4. Dynamic and Versatile Playsets

Invest in playsets that grow with your child. Look for modular designs that allow for additions like climbing walls or rope ladders.

These adaptable structures can evolve over time to keep up with your child’s developing skills and interests.

5. Building Sandbox Playgrounds

A sandbox is the stuff kid dreams are made of. Who doesn’t have happy memories of digging for hours, creating roads, tunnels, and construction sites? While many playset kits come with an integrated sandbox, it’s easy and inexpensive to build your own.

Note that a sturdy lid is a must for any backyard playground sandbox. It will keep cats and wild animals from urinating or defecating into the sand between play sessions. It will also help keep the sand and outdoor play toys clean.

6. Exciting Backyard Slides

I’m sure your child would agree: a backyard swing set isn’t complete without a fun slide or two. A slide is a great addition to any playset as it encourages climbing. Getting to the top and repeating it helps build physical coordination—an important benefit of backyard play.

Playset slides come in many configurations. Get a short toddler slide if your children are very young.

Tall slides can be a climbing hazard for very small children, but tall, twisting, tunnel slides are ideal for big kids. Make sure you have a soft pad of artificial grass or a thick layer of wood chips beneath for a soft landing.

7. Modern Saucer Swings

Saucer swings are another vital feature when shopping for a playset or designing a DIY swing set. For safety reasons, look for swing set chains that are adjustable for height. A saucer swing set for young children should include at least one swing that has a backrest and safety strap.

These swings are great for both solo and group play, encouraging social interaction. They can be hung from trees or existing swing set frames and are ideal for lounging or active swinging.

8. Energetic Trampoline Fun

Trampolines have long been great ways for active kids to burn off excess energy.

Whether you have a full-sized, freestanding trampoline or a small bouncer pad for toddlers, try to include one in your backyard playground.

Prevent injuries from spoiling the fun by making sure your trampoline has a proper net enclosure. On a small toddler trampoline, a padded bar to hold on to is usually enough.

9. Safe Play with Artificial Grass

Artificial grass in play areas ensures a soft, cushioned surface, reducing the risk of injuries. It’s low maintenance and stays green year-round, making your playground look inviting.

Plus, it’s great for areas where natural grass might struggle to grow.

10. Mulch for Playground Safety

Mulch is not just for aesthetic appeal; it provides a safe landing for kids. It’s an affordable option that’s easy to install and maintain.

Opt for rubber or wood mulch to cushion falls and define play areas distinctly from the rest of your garden.

Garden design can be as much a part of curating a beautiful home as any of your interior living spaces. And if you’re planning to put your home on the market anytime soon, you can never have too much curb appeal.

While plant life is practically a must, there are countless structural elements that can be used to bring dimension, style, and functionality to your backyard. Arbors are one — tragically underutilized — example.

Whether you’re starting from scratch or reimagining an existing outdoor space, keep reading for the best garden arbor ideas of the moment!

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1. Create a Relaxing Garden Nook with Bench Arbors

Arbors don’t just make great archways. Add a functional seating area to your garden with a stylish bench arbor.

A bench arbor is exactly what it sounds like. Most bench arbors are made of solid wood. Some benches swing. Others are stationary.

You can find countless arbor designs with bench seats already attached or build your own as a weekend DIY project.

The best thing about a bench arbor is the built-in shade. Opt for a solid roof to protect yourself from the sun’s rays while enjoying your garden space.

Or train thick vine plants across your arbor rafters for shade that’s a bit more visually appealing.

2. Welcome Visitors with Elegant Entry Arbors

Freestanding arbors are used throughout garden design. But the most common place to find an arbor is above a fence gate or entryway.

Framing your garden gate with an arbor structure draws attention to the entry and makes it feel more like a formal doorway.

Arbors are often — not always — made from the same material as the attached gate and fence.

Arbor gates are purely decorative. They do not affect the function of the gate below. You can use your arbor to grow fruit-bearing or ornamental climbing plants and add some color to your fence gate!

3. Cultivate Charm with Garden Arbors

An arbor is an excellent alternative to a traditional trellis, especially if you don’t have a building exterior or fence with which to mount a trellis.

Arbors aren’t just for flower gardens! Use a garden arbor to grow delicious sweet peas, squash, or grapevines.

Don’t be discouraged if your new garden arbor looks barren the first year or two. Arbors get better with age. It will just take a little bit of time for your climbing plants to fill out.

Add winter color to your garden arbor with string lights, evergreen branches, and other decor. Come springtime, your garden greenery will re-emerge bigger and better than before.

4. Enhance Durability and Style with Metal Arbors

Metal is one of the most durable materials used in arbor design. And, despite their sturdy appearance, metal arbors are often lighter and more flexible than solid wood ones.

In a pinch, you can build a DIY arbor out of mesh fencing or metal arches. This project is ideal for supporting climbing vegetables or for wrapping with string lights as temporary yard decor.

Wrought iron arbors come with a Victorian charm that pairs nicely with traditional English- or cottage-style gardens.

This material can also be used to create modern, avant-garde arbor designs that will ensure your landscaping stands out from the neighbors’.

5. Define Your Patio Space with Arbors

Your patio might be a small section of your backyard. Or it could be the entire thing.

Either way, great patio design is the secret to giving yourself a beautiful outdoor living space that meets your entire household’s needs.

An arbor can be used to frame the entry point of your patio. Connect your new garden arbor to an existing privacy fence or opt for a freestanding design.

Installing an arbor or trellis can be practical as well as decorative. A wooden trellis covered with your favorite flowering vines (or even left bare) can double as a privacy screen for your patio space.

6. Grow Beautiful Climbing Roses on Arbors

According to Shakespeare, “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” And that applies to climbing roses, too.

Many gardeners are intimidated by the climbing rose. While it’s true that some varieties are sensitive to disease and pests, this isn’t the case for all.

The key to a successful climbing rose is selecting a variety suited to your climate and the specific planting location.

A garden arbor is the ideal support system for a climbing rose bush. An arbor will provide more surface area and be sturdier than a regular trellis — both important factors when cultivating a show-stopping rose bush!

7. Add a Touch of Tradition with Rustic Arbors

Rustic garden decor is beloved by many. So if you’re planning on adding an arbor to your garden layout, it’s important to know what rustic arbor ideas are at your disposal.

Many pre-built arbors boast a rustic finish. Look for a simple arbor made of cedarwood or another textured lumber. Leave your new arbor bare or adorn it with seasonal wreaths, lights, and other decor.

If you’re feeling crafty, customize your yard with a DIY garden arbor. A rustic arbor can be easily built out of foraged lumber or reclaimed pallet wood.

8. Embrace Nature with Vine-Covered Arbors

Some arbors are decorated with climbing plants as an afterthought. Others exist solely to support the vines that cover them.

Even if your garden arbor is more practical than ornamental, you should still invest time into finding the best design possible for your outdoor space.

There are many plant species that can be grown across an arbor or trellis.

But none can compete with the classic aesthetic of a lush, mature grape vine. Select a cultivar that grows well in your area to cover your grape arbor.

No matter the plant you choose, covering your arbor with a vine can be a great way to boost available shade. You can also use a vine to fill in your pergola roof.

9. Celebrate Special Moments with Wedding Arbors

Outdoor weddings will never go out of style. But turning your backyard or local park into a high-class venue can take a heavy dose of creativity. Arbors are the perfect structure to use at either end of your wedding aisle.

Even the simplest arbor can be decorated with live or artificial flowers and foliage. Twinkle lights are an excellent option for an evening ceremony and reception.

Be sure to explore all of your options before settling on a wedding arbor for your own special day. If you don’t have a garden arbor at the ready, many companies offer rentals specifically for this purpose!