Outdoor Rooms

When March rolls around, I get spring fever and CAN’T WAIT for outdoor living! Here in Scituate Harbor we live outside from the spring to early fall. Today I’m excited to share some fun ideas and outdoor rooms!

Pinable image of multiple outdoor rooms - sheds, pool, stone steps, patio

Is outdoor rooms misleading? I guess I mean outdoor living spaces or outdoor spaces in general. I love to create entertaining zones in our yard and thought I’d give you some ideas for your own yard, regardless of the size of your yard.

Nice weather feels so close, at night I’m hearing peepers, in the morning the joyful sound of song birds, and I’m feeling the warmth of the sunshine. It has me excited to do more in our yard this spring and summer.

Creating Outdoor Rooms

Simply click on the button to learn more about each space or idea!

A Paver Patio

Girl sitting on stone steps with dog. Paver patio.

This patio is brand NEW and we have big plans for it this spring and summer. We’ve hung string lights (I’ll share a how to soon), but also have ideas for planting and modular tables.

You can see how it currently looks right now.

Paver patio, shingle home with weathered cedar table and woven chairs

The stone steps were also new with this paver patio and I love how they have an “old feel”.

Stone steps with bluestone. Leafy Fern and chippy basket with fishing floats.

Paver Patio

Adding Flowers

I really love growing all kinds of plants and flowers in our yard. When we first moved in there were only handful of plants. We’ve added everything and have got to know what works for our salt air and soil.

Mountain hydrangea in bloom with shingled home in background

Favorite Flowering Plants

Classic Adirondacks

Adirondacks are classic and that’s for a good reason! For me it comes down to that classic style and pure comfort! The ones we have in our yard are made of recycled plastic and are so heavy. They’ve really stood up over time. We leave them out all winter and pressure wash them come spring.

Rescue dogs in yard with white adirondack chairs and pool

Get the look of classic adirondacks

Building a Garden Shed

We have no garage so having an extra out building is essential. Last summer we built the sweetest garden shed with our boys and plan on continuing to add to this space this summer. We’ll be adding some plantings around this area. We went for a beautiful creamy white for the exterior.

Pretty white garden shed with flower trees

More about the Garden Shed

Create a “Secret Garden” Walkway

In the very front of our house I planted a “secret garden” loads of peonies, hydrangeas and day lilies planted in crushed shell beds line a paver walkway.

This is how friends and family enter our back yard and pool area. I wish you could smell the peonies while you’re reading this.

Paver walkway leading into backyard. White fence with moongate and peonies on either side.

Learn to lay a paver walkway

Relaxing by the Pool

One of the best decisions we ever made was the pool. We added the pool 5 years ago and we’ve made the best memories out here as a family. I’ll always remember Conor swimming in the pool for the first time – they were pumping water in and he was swimming! He is the first one in each year!

It’s the perfect space for morning coffee, a lunch break, or a simple dinner of burgers and salad. Our friends love to come for a swim and a potluck. The boys enjoy swimming laps and Max (our little rescue dog) loves sitting on the top step. Our other dog, Poppy, doesn’t like the water.

Pool with loungers and teak set. Pool surrounded by lush plants

We feel so lucky to have this space. I shared the whole process of the pool installation and the reveal. We did the landscaping ourselves and also built the retaining wall.

Things to consider when installing a pool

An Outdoor Room

Speaking of outdoor rooms, we have one with the pool house. Originally this was a little she shed before we had the pool. The Pool House is a mini version of our own but even more coastal!

Pool house with gray siding and blue door - starfish wreath on door

We hung shiplap and created a little bar area to mix drinks. It really is perfect having this space! We can store outdoor cushions in the hidden storage benches, friends can change or relax in the shaded interior.

Shiplap walls, woven pillows, black hooks and shells - interior pool house

See more of the pool house

Beautiful Teak Furniture

I LOVE teak furniture. In fact, we have a few sets and I love how it ages to a beautiful silvery gray from the salt air. I’ve found some beautiful pieces to add to our pool area. These sets get better and better each year.