When you’re fortunate enough to live in the paradise of Hawaii, you know firsthand about the compelling allure of outdoor life. Nature isn’t just something you go visit. It’s an integral part of the entire Hawaiian way of life.
And with a few strategic upgrades, you can refresh your outdoor living space in Hawaii and expand the ways you can use your home’s exterior. Whether you’re planning to sell your home quickly in the coming months or intend to stay and enjoy your home’s beautiful outdoor spaces yourself, consider these six ways to give your outdoor areas a makeover this summer to enjoy all the beauty of Honolulu more fully.
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1. Upgrade Your Lighting.
Start by taking a close look at your outdoor spaces at dusk and during the dark evening hours. Can you see where you’re going? Do your guests have enough light to see each other and the surrounding spaces?
If you spot dark corners and unlit spaces, consider upgrading your exterior lighting features. Mark out areas for safe, brighter pathways between your home’s doors and your outdoor areas. You can also explore smart lighting options that will let you control the outdoor lighting with voice commands or through smartphone apps.
2. Create Visual and Functional Focal Points
You’ll also want to think about your home’s exterior in terms of focal points and function. It might even help to use graph paper to lay out your outdoor living spaces roughly to scale. That will help you visualize your home space as if they were rooms in your home, albeit rooms without walls. When you begin thinking of “the outdoor living room,” “the outdoor dining and cooking area,” or “the outdoor conversational area around the fire pit,” instead of one great big “outdoors,” you can more easily bring those interior design principles to bear on each of your small spaces.
3. Add the Right Seating Mix.
When you think about your outdoor spaces in terms of zones and individual functional areas, it becomes obvious that you and your guests need the right seating to make the most of those areas. A small conversational area surrounding a fire pit, a separate eating area next to the outdoor kitchen, a padded bench in front of a water feature — all these areas are created to support a specific function, and the seating you choose for each of those areas should be selected with that function in mind. Look for outdoor furniture that’s weather-resistant and that continues your interior design statement as you bring that aesthetic to the outdoor spaces.
4. Create Outdoor Living Spaces
Lanais are the ubiquitous feature of Hawaiian homes, originating in the islands to help create and honor a connection between the natural beauty of the islands and the people lucky enough to live there. If you don’t have one, it’s a great investment that adds value and appeals to potential home buyers.
If you do have one, you can expand it to create more outdoor living spaces around the room. Adding outdoor living spaces means comfortable furnishings and functional areas. Make it more of a living space by bringing interior design principles to the outdoors. Be intentional about your decor and think about ways to add comfort and aesthetic beauty to your outdoor living room.
5. Give Your Landscaping a Makeover With Native Species.
Take full advantage of the natural beauty that surrounds your Honolulu home by choosing your plants, bushes, and trees with a sustainable eye toward indigenous species. Selecting landscaping plants that naturally grow well in the tropical Hawaiian climate reduces both the effort and the amount of money you’ll need to spend to care for them. Native Hawaiian species will also help echo and amplify the astonishing natural beauty that surrounds your home and property. What’s more, choosing native species for your Hawaiian home landscaping is a more sustainable and eco-friendly option.
6. Add a Water Feature If Possible
As an island, Hawaii is surrounded by water, and a water feature is a great way to reflect that association. Including a water feature, such as a fountain, in your outdoor upgrades helps create a lovely spot that encourages relaxation and peaceful enjoyment of your home’s exterior. It’s not always feasible to add a working water fountain to your home’s exterior spaces, but if you can, 15minutes4me it’s a great way to help you and your guests connect more fully to the beauty of nature.