Up next in 10
HOW TO CREATE A BACKYARD OASIS: 3 Tips for a Relaxing Outdoor Retreat
Aug 20, 2025
Dreaming of a backyard that feels like a vacation spot? 🌿 In this video, I’ll show you how to create a backyard oasis that’s beautiful, functional, and easy to put together. Whether you want a cozy retreat, a space for entertaining, or a simple refresh, these tips will help you transform your outdoor space without breaking the bank. Blog Post: https://diannedecor.com/blog/advice-tips/decorating-inspiration/backyard-oasis-ideas/ | CHAPTERS | 00:00 Intro 00:36 Finding Inspiration 02:58 Low Maintenance Options 11:01 Creating Multi-Functional Spaces 15:16 Outro | LINKS |* POLYPROPYLENE SAND MINE Waterproof Outdoor Rug - https://amzn.to/4mPEziO JONATHAN Y SMB108D-8 Ourika Moroccan Outdoor Area Rug - https://amzn.to/4fMrqoE Pauwer Reversible Outdoor Rug - https://amzn.to/4mwgrCq SOLAR LIGHTS
View Video Transcript
0:00
Hi, it's Linda Dianne from DianneDecor.com. In this video, I'm going to share with you three
0:08
tips for how to create a backyard oasis. If you've been trying to create your own outdoor relaxing
0:14
retreat, this video is for you. We're going to start off by talking about how to find inspiration
0:20
for your backyard, and then we'll jump into some low maintenance ideas for your backyard oasis
0:27
And then finally, I'll share with you some ideas for how to create some multifunctional spaces in your backyard
0:34
Let's get started. Number one is finding your inspiration. So before you start going shopping or planting or anything like that
0:44
take time to imagine what this relaxing retreat looks like for you
0:49
Because everyone's idea of relaxing is a little bit different. Some people love to hear the water trickling from a fountain or a little koi pond
1:01
Some people do not want to hear that at all. Some people want to have sort of like a soft jazz playing in the background while they sit
1:08
and they read. So think about what a relaxing retreat would be for you
1:14
If you really aren't sure, think about some of the places that you go outside, whether
1:19
it's a park or, you know, by a lake or you're out camping. And when you feel really good in that
1:27
space, notice the things that are around that space. What are you hearing? What are you seeing
1:31
Is it, you know, are you hearing wind chimes in the background? Are you just hearing the rustling
1:37
of branches and trees? Are you hearing the birds chirping? Think about things like that because you
1:44
could then go back and incorporate certain things into your backyard that's going to bring those
1:49
things to you in your new outdoor retreat. Then think about the styles that you like. Do you like
1:57
tropical, desert, boho, modern minimalist, coastal? These are all styles that you have the ability to
2:05
work outdoors just as well as you can work them indoors. So start to think of what style you
2:11
really like. What do you gravitate towards? And then finally, think about the purpose of your
2:17
outdoor spaces? What do you want to be able to do in them? Do you want a place where you can read
2:23
Do you want a place where you can swim and splash in some water? Do you want to garden? Do you want
2:30
to just entertain or to sunbathe or have family time? What is it that you want to be able to do
2:36
in your backyard oasis? So once you start to gather these ideas together, then you can move
2:43
on to the next step. Use things like Pinterest and Instagram to get even more inspiration from
2:49
others. Save them to boards and so that you can easily reference them later on when you are
2:56
starting to plan your outdoor space. Number two is to choose low maintenance options. One of the
3:02
biggest problems that people have with outdoor spaces is maintaining them. You have to cut the
3:08
grass, you have to trim the hedges, you need to, you know, weed your flower beds, you may have to
3:15
power wash your patio or scotch guard your furniture or, you know, even, you know, maintain your pool
3:24
or your bird baths and things like that. It can be a lot of maintenance depending upon what you
3:29
choose to put in your space. So the best way to help you maintain your backyard oasis and your
3:37
retreat long term is to choose low maintenance options where you can because you don't want to
3:45
have your outdoor space become a chore The whole idea is that you have a space where you can retreat to and relax in And if that space is a mess or every time you go out there you know the weeds are overrun and your plants are overflowing their pots
4:03
and, you know, it's just not a pretty space or a comfortable space for you to be in
4:08
you won't use it. So look for some low maintenance options. Here are a few that you can choose from
4:15
Use polypropylene outdoor rugs. These are rugs that are made of a plastic woven material
4:23
They are made to be outside. They can be power washed or pressure washed really easily
4:29
Do not try to use an indoor sort of carpet or rug outdoors
4:35
Use one that's made for the elements outside that is meant to be washed and sprayed down
4:42
This makes it easy to maintain. otherwise you're going to have a lot of trouble maintaining that rug between
4:49
whether you have to scotch guard it to protect it from the Sun or you're trying
4:54
to figure out how to deep clean this rug at the start of every season when you
4:59
get that outdoor rug it's made for those elements it's made to withstand the sun
5:05
and the water it will dry quickly it will wash up easily so definitely go for
5:10
one of the outdoor rugs. The next low maintenance idea is to use solar string lights or solar
5:17
lanterns. This is going to prevent you from having to figure out a wiring configuration
5:24
You won't have to be running extension cords or figure out where your outdoor outlets are
5:29
if you go with solar. So while these are slightly more expensive, this is for sure the best option
5:36
for a low maintenance outdoor oasis. Go for ones that have a dusk till dawn timer if possible
5:45
So ones that just kind of are triggered by the level of light. So some have timers, some are just
5:52
triggered by the level of light. Either way, you want something that's a hands-free option. One
5:58
that you don't have to turn on and turn off. It's just going to do so automatically. And the solar
6:03
lanterns and the solar string lights are the way to go here. Next is to choose resin or powder
6:11
coated furniture. So resin being plastic, those like plastic Ritton patio sets are a great durable
6:18
option, especially if you have your furniture out in direct sunlight. Another option if you want to
6:26
go for like a metal set is to use make sure that your metal patio set or lounge set is powder coated
6:34
so that it will withstand the elements. Wood furniture outside does require a little bit
6:41
more maintenance so if you have a wood picnic table or dining set or wood porch swing know that
6:48
you're probably going to have to make sure that you're sealing that on a regular basis so that it
6:53
really will weather well over time because even though lots of things are, you know
7:00
weather-coated in the beginning, it does wear off over time. So think about possibly going with some
7:07
resin furniture or even, you know, the patio furniture that's a metal frame, but it's wrapped
7:14
in like a resin rattan or a plastic rattan or something that is powder-coated. These will stand
7:20
up much longer in the elements than wood furniture. Another low maintenance decor idea is to incorporate
7:29
weather resistant storage benches or deck boxes. Use these to store your outdoor patio cushions
7:38
and blankets, pillows, anything like that that you're using with your furniture that needs to
7:43
be stored away from time to time If you have a big storm coming or if you are just going to be away for a while or the season has ended look for these nice water sealed deck boxes to store your things away You can also use these to store away toys or gardening tools
8:03
to keep them out of sight and organized. Potted plants are another great low-maintenance idea
8:09
You do not have to get on your hands and knees and dig into soil or worry about maintaining a
8:16
certain level of soil quality if you're just using pots. Now, there are a lot of ways to go about
8:23
potted plants or even raised planter beds as another great option. But either way you do it
8:31
whether you get the long sort of vertical green stock, you know, tower pots where you can do lots
8:38
of herbs or vegetables, or you just go ahead and do like a regular raised garden bed that you have
8:43
some flowers in. You can do hanging pots. You can do larger ones that sit on the ground and have some
8:49
artificial trees put in them or real trees. Either way, go for potted plants as opposed to digging
8:57
into the soil if you want a low maintenance situation. So let's say you love flowers or you
9:04
love the idea of clipping some fresh herbs, but you are not a hands in the soil sort of person
9:09
you can still do this with potted plants. They're easy to move around if you need to reconfigure
9:15
your space as well. If you are really not a gardening person and you prefer more of a
9:22
desert zero scape sort of situation in your backyard, think about using gravel paths and
9:31
rock gardens as your decor. These are of course a zero maintenance option. The only real maintenance
9:38
that you're going to run into with gravel is if you have like that pea gravel that keeps moving
9:44
around but there are solutions for that there's like a spray glue that you can give it a coating
9:48
to and it will kind of keep everything in its place and lightly clustered together as opposed
9:54
to having to continuously you know sweep gravel back into place on a path but a rock garden is a
10:02
really great option. Look for some nice, you know, boulders or other outdoor sculptures to accompany
10:09
your rock garden to give it a lot of visual interest. And you'll have a beautiful low
10:14
maintenance option for your flowerbed areas. And last but not least, go for drought tolerant plants
10:22
So if you are planting in your backyard, go for things that can withstand little water. So that if
10:31
you forget or if you are in a season of life where you just don't have the time to be outdoors
10:37
maintaining your backyard oasis, things aren't just going to die on you. Some drought resistant
10:43
plants are lavender, sedum, and some of the ornamental grasses are very hardy as well
10:51
These will all thrive with minimal care and are perfect for achieving a lush look in your backyard
10:57
oasis, especially if you are in a hot or dry climate. Number three is to create multifunctional
11:04
spaces. Your backyard should work as hard as you do. Even small spaces can serve more than one
11:12
purpose when they're styled with intention. Layering zones for lounging and dining and playing
11:19
all adds depth and flexibility to your space. This allows you and other members of your family
11:27
who may have different needs for their outdoor space to all enjoy the same area
11:33
So if you have kids that like to play around, but you really are aiming for a place to lounge
11:40
and read a book, you can create a multifunctional space where both of those things are possible
11:46
Here are some ideas for multifunctional outdoor spaces Number one is a dining nook that doubles as a workspace Add a weather dining table and chairs along with an umbrella or sail
12:01
shade to create a space that works for both meals and mobile work days. So if you want to
12:09
eat and have your breakfast outside and then go ahead and bring your laptop outside and work
12:14
out in the sunshine. You can do that if you have a nice little nook set up for yourself
12:22
If you like to entertain in your backyard, use built-in bench seating around the perimeter
12:28
of your yard so that you have additional seating when you have extra people over
12:33
but it's also not cluttering your space. And so when we say built-in seating, you can use
12:39
things like benches with planter boxes on the sides of them. I have one of these on my patio
12:45
that is from Sunny Days Decor and I absolutely love it. I will link it down below
12:51
But having these benches either along the side of your home or along the fence line will help
12:59
give you more seating space and keep your open areas uncluttered so that if you have kids that
13:06
still like to throw around the football. You don't have to worry about having different groupings of
13:12
furniture eating up your outdoor space, whether it's on your lawn or maybe on your patio itself
13:18
If you need that space to move around and you know you like to maybe play badminton in the backyard
13:23
or you know you like to set up a swimming pool in the summer and you need that outdoor space
13:28
consider utilizing more of a perimeter bench seating formula so that you can have a place
13:35
for everyone to sit, just push it to the perimeter so that you have a multifunctional space
13:41
A play area with convertible features is another great way to get the most out of your outdoor space
13:49
So there are lots of new like water table, sand table, picnic table combinations out right now
13:57
as well as sandboxes that also have, you know, canopies on them and they have a chalkboard
14:03
backing so that your kids can do a lot of different activities within the same space
14:09
These types of multifunctional pieces are really great for a backyard that you are sharing
14:15
with lots of different family members of different ages that may want to do different things
14:20
You don't want to necessarily have a space that's only catered to one or two members
14:26
of the family. By having these multifunctional pieces, especially play pieces for kids, you can let them have
14:33
have their zone and you can have your zone as well to do the things that you'd like to do
14:39
A bar cart is also a great addition to your outdoor space. An outdoor bar cart can double as
14:48
a plant stand, a planting or gardening station, as well as a drink station. You can also use it
14:57
as a food prep surface. You can kind of wheel it over to your grill and use that to help you as you
15:04
are cooking outdoors. It's really great to have one on wheels that can just move around really
15:09
easily and be this multifunctional piece for your backyard oasis. That's it for this video. I hope
15:18
you found it helpful. Those are three tips for going about creating a backyard oasis of your very
15:24
own. Don't forget to visit me at DianeDecor.com. I post all about home decorating ideas and
15:30
inspiration over there. If you like this video, please give it a like and consider subscribing
15:35
to my channel, and I'll see you in the next one. Bye
#Hobbies & Leisure
#Home & Interior Decor