Luxury Meets Nature: Ideas for a Chic and Sustainable Outdoor Space

You connect with nature and enjoy the fresh air in your home’s outdoor space. Nature provides a great backdrop for entertaining or enjoying a soothing remote workday. No matter how you use your outdoor space, you likely don’t want to harm the environment by doing so. Thankfully, many innovative and attractive methods exist to use and decorate your outdoor space without negatively affecting the world around you. You can become one with nature while you spend time outside.

Repurposed Wood

One of the most beneficial features of an outdoor space is a place to relax, like a patio or deck. You can use any material from any source you’d like for your patio, but wood is a solid choice—it’s natural, renewable, and recyclable. If you’re worried about the tree population, repurposed wood is a perfect choice. Repurposed wood has already been used for other projects and is treated to look and function like new. You won’t waste tree resources but can still take advantage of the beauty and sustainability of wood. I found many sustainable wood options by looking for a deck builder near me. Local sources may have just the sustainable materials you’re looking for at competitive prices.

Used Furniture

Outdoor furniture can be expensive, and you’ll likely have to replace it after a few years when it becomes faded or affected by the elements. You can reduce your outdoor furniture’s price tag by choosing used. Used furniture reduces resource waste and keeps your wallet happy. Most used outdoor furniture will be lightly faded or slightly worn but still have many great years of use. You won’t have to worry about function or looks—most people won’t sell used patio furniture past its prime. 

Natural Materials and Fibers

If you can’t find the right look or options with used furniture, you may have to build your own or buy new. You can remain in harmony with the environment by picking your materials wisely. Choose renewable, reusable, or recyclable materials you can source in the natural environment. Most metals, wood, cotton, wool, stone, bamboo, silk, linen, and hemp are all-natural fibers or materials that are reusable or recyclable. Avoid plastics or synthetic materials like polyester; throwing these items out will take far longer to break down in the environment (sometimes hundreds of years), causing pollution. 

Recycled Water

When you water plants or build a water feature in your outdoor space, you must regularly use a continuous water supply. For water features, you can supply recycled or rainwater sources to reduce water waste (and avoid increasing your water bill). Put out some containers to collect rainwater to use in your garden. Collecting rainwater is free and harmless in most locations, but check your local laws to be certain. By recycling and harvesting water, you can enjoy it without draining resources.

Bird and Butterfly Native Gardens

Plants and flowers enrich and entice wonderful creatures like bees, birds, and butterflies to the garden. Inviting birds and butterflies to your garden helps the ecosystem around you thrive and fosters the growth of plant and animal species. When you select your plants and flowers, choose native plants. Native plants will thrive naturally in your local climate and not harm surrounding flora or fauna. Before growing any plant, ensure that it does not harm local wildlife or is invasive to other plants. Invasive species can be troublesome to remove or control. 

Solar Lighting

An outdoor space isn’t as useful if you can’t use it for half the day! You’ll want a beneficial way to illuminate your patio without draining your wallet or resources. Solar-powered lighting is wonderful for those purposes. Most types of outdoor lighting can harness solar energy, a renewable, clean resource. Solar lights won’t affect your energy bill, either! Whether you want charming bistro string lights or professional spotlights, you can find some solar options that are sustainable and functional.

Composting

If you’re growing a garden, you’ll want to say no to harmful, toxic fertilizers. You can make the best fertilizer without purchasing anything extra at all. Take your organic waste like eggshells, coffee grounds, vegetable peels, fruit cores—practically anything from the kitchen—and start a compost pile. Compost is a natural plant fertilizer, encouraging full growth and beautiful blooms. As a bonus, you’ll add less to landfills, which greatly helps the environment.

Natural Shade

As beneficial as the sun is, you’ll want it in smaller doses. When you start enjoying your patio, you’ll likely find the sun too warm and bright. You can also increase your skin cancer and sunburn risk by letting the sun beat down on you all day. Shade is the perfect combatant to reduce the potency of the sun’s rays. Trees can make excellent natural canopies that filter direct sunlight. Consider positioning your patio or furniture directly under tree canopies for the full effect. Alternatively, you can use a pergola, canopy, umbrella, or cabana made from natural fibers that can filter the harmful heat and light from the sun. With an umbrella, you can control when it shades you, which can be useful for many.

Feature Photo by Sanju Pandita via Unsplash