Maryland has a lot to offer year-round – the fun of playing in the snow in Winter, enjoying the light breeze of Spring, sitting under Summer stars, and frolicking through leaves in Fall. For Maryland homeowners, you have a chance to enjoy every season right in your own backyard. This gives families a chance to get out their pent-up energy, bond, and host their friends and loved ones to make lasting memories.
If you’re one to spend most of your time outside, these are 6 must-have backyard upgrades for families you have to look into. These backyard upgrades improve safety, help you get the most from your space, allow more room for guests, and help you weather the tough stuff.
Dive in to see what we’ve learned after years of helping families improve their outdoor living space in Maryland. With a few small investments, you’ll be amazed how much cozier and inviting your backyard has become.
1. Outdoor and Deck Lighting
Because of the dramatic changes in seasons and weather in Maryland, outdoor lighting is a must-have for long winter nights or when cloudy days come rolling in. You can opt for traditional deck lighting, light posts, or our personal favorite, built-in deck lighting.
Built-in deck lighting can be recessed lights, attached lights, or even stair lighting. With deck lighting installations, you can manually switch on lights or have them solar-powered to illuminate the darkest areas of your deck. This prevents tripping, hazards, or skipping steps in the dark.
2. Built-In Fire Pit
Nothing helps families enjoy the great outdoors more than a fire pit in their own backyard. Instead of purchasing a standalone fire pit, patio builders can help you integrate a fire pit directly into your outdoor living space.
This creates a safe and enclosed space to host nightly fires without worrying about metal rusting or ash falling onto your lawn. When the family gathers for outdoor cooking, s’mores, and stargazing, everyone makes lasting memories.
3. Front or Backyard Patio
A patio is another safe investment families can make for their outdoor living space. It makes our top 6 must-have backyard upgrades because it’s safe, easy to maintain, and inviting. A new patio helps level out uneven ground and is safer than haphazardly placing pavers, which could leave cracks for tripping.
When professionally installed, a new patio also helps with backyard maintenance, because you don’t need to worry about mowing or weeding. Plus, a new backyard patio is inviting, giving you a level space to put your grill, outdoor furniture, hot tub, pet station, and more. When you’re not worried about mud, grass, or uneven ground, you’re more likely to spend time outdoors.
4. Built-In Benches and Seating
Perfect for porches, decks, or patios, built-in benches are an easy solution for hosting more and making outdoor living more comfortable. Built-in benches can match whatever existing structure you have – wooden decks and porches or stone patios.
When combined with your existing outdoor living structure, built-in benches can give more room to sit without worrying about fitting and maintaining seasonal furniture. Plus, you can expand to a gazebo structure for a shaded area that is the centerpiece of your backyard. You can even integrate into patios under decks for natural shade and weather protection.
5. Privacy Fence
Many Maryland homes are situated in neighborhoods, providing community and easy access to modern amenities. However, it can mean a lot of overlapping yards or sharing outdoor space. For families in Maryland, a privacy fence can be a wise investment that also improves home value.
A privacy fence helps outline your property lines, protecting both your kids and pets from getting out and from other animals or people from getting in. If a privacy fence is too secluded, Maryland homeowners can consider dog fencing, wooden fencing, vinyl fencing, and more for decorative purposes. A fence is a simple way to protect your yard while still creating a homey environment.
6. Enclosed, All Seasons Porch
When winter strikes or storms are common, don’t give up outdoor living. Get the most out of your space with an all-seasons porch. An enclosed porch helps you enjoy the outdoors year-round without being exposed to the elements.
A screened-in porch vs an all-seasons room often doesn’t have HVAC directly attached. However, many homeowners place space heaters and fans to help with climate control, giving them comfort while still being outside. Evergreen Fence and Deck can easily convert an existing porch or deck into an all-seasons enclosure, giving you the most of your living space in any weather.
Upgrade Your Backyard Today with Local Professionals
Evergreen Fence and Deck is a local, family-owned company serving Montgomery and Howard Counties in Maryland. We work closely with our clients to understand what more they want to get out of their homes. This may be a place to gather with friends, a way to cook more outdoors, or a way to enjoy the winter months without staying indoors. Whatever you’re looking for, we can help.
Call today for a consult, where we’ll learn more about you, your home, your lifestyle, and your outdoor living goals. Offering new builds and replacements on fences, decks, porches, patios, and more, we’re your one call for all your outdoor living improvements. Call today and let our family help improve your family’s outdoor living.