Better Homes and Gardens BH&G Outdoor Living 2022

Grab a mug of hot coffee and head outside as you flip through these pages. Let’s start imagining how to make the most of your outdoor spaces. With a small deck that offers plenty of space for gathering in style, “Sweet Spot” (page 52) shows how to make any deck live large. In “Porch Refresh” (page 4), find tips on pulling together a coordinated color scheme. Bigger isn’t always better. The family in “Re-deck-orating Secrets” (page 18) struggled at first to create a cohesive feel on their oversize deck. See how they created dedicated dining and lounging spaces and infused the space with personality. The great thing about updating your backyard is that you can have some fun with it. We love the creative ways people repurposed sheds into offices, playhouses, and…

READY, SET, PAINT Before you start painting—architecture, furniture, or both—tick off these boxes. THE COLOR It’s always a good idea to sample colors before you commit. Sherwin-Williams’ Sue Wadden recommends testing colors by painting 2-foot squares of poster board and comparing them next to your siding, trim, and front door. THE PREP Clean and hose away grime. Sand the surface to get rid of any peeling paint, and so the new coat will adhere. Protect the house by taping off edges. For wood, choose a primer that smooths splinters and fills cracks. THE PAINT Buy exterior paint specified for porches, patios, decks, and floors. It’s formulated for high-traffic areas and will fight mildew, blistering, and UV damage. Bonus: It’s slip resistant, which is a must for rainy days. Outdoor living is all about comfort, and…

Round up family and friends, and welcome a new season of outdoor living with a firepit. There’s no need to wait until dark to gather around this firepit you can transform into a tabletop with an easy-to-build cover. The cover turns the firepit into a landing spot for an alfresco brunch or a place to kick back with a beverage after work. At twilight, pop off the cover, and light a fire to warm up a cool spring night. Pair two fire rings together to form this pit. Search out a large ring and a small ring—aim for the large ring to be at least 5 inches larger in diameter than the small ring. Position both rings in the ground, recessing them in a 2-inch-deep trench. If the rings are different…

SET THE STAGE Create zones. “Think about what you want to do in your space and how often you want to be there,” says Blythe Yost, cofounder of Tilly in Pearl River, New York. Melissa Michaels of the blog The Inspired Room thinks in terms of four sweet spots: grow (a plot for a garden), rest (a lounge, above, in either the sun or the shade, depending on what you like), eat (a paved, wood, or gravel area for dining and/or cooking), and play (a free space for kids to run wild). Decide how much real estate, if any, you’ll want to dedicate to each. Be smart about grilling. Situating an outdoor kitchen on a deck or patio makes food prep more convenient. For safety’s sake, it’s wise to position the barbecue…

It’s such a cliché to say that Chicagoans live for summer. But after the double whammy of winter and quarantine, it’s never felt so true. When my husband, Mike, and I bought our house in 2016, we had big dreams for the backyard, but first we needed to tackle more pressing projects like new windows and plumbing repairs. We bought some basic outdoor furniture that worked fine, but it didn’t have much character. Then 2020 rolled around, and we committed to staying home, so I focused all my creative energy on the deck, dreaming of brighter days ahead. The house is gray, so I had lots of freedom with my palette. I repeated a combo of red, yellow, aqua, and navy in each section and sprinkled around potted plants in a…