Your Backyard Paradise – How to Create A Tropical Retreat at Home

Everyone needs their own backyard paradise, where you can escape from daily stresses and relax in a tropical retreat just steps from your back door. It may sound like a big job, but it’s easier to create than you think. These essential tips will reveal the important information you need to have a tropical paradise in your back yard. 

CONTENTS – In this article, you will learn the essential tips to create your own backyard paradise, including:

• How to Create A Backyard Oasis You’ll Actually Enjoy
• Tips to Make Your Outdoor Retreat Cozy
• Be Sure To Give It A Purpose
• Illuminate It At Night For Ambiance
• Final Thoughts on Creating a Backyard Oasis

How To Create A Backyard Oasis You’ll Actually Enjoy

Many of us like the idea of creating a backyard tropical oasis where we can be a part of nature, any time of the day, week, month or year. 

But actually building one can seem like a bit of a challenge. 

Just putting some wrought iron chairs on your patio usually isn’t enough.

I mean, it’s a good start, but don’t you deserve something a little more enticing?

Envision this.

You’re in a lush, tropical retreat, where you can recline in comfort and privacy with a book or a drink–or both!–in your hands. The stress has sloughed off at day’s end, and you’re feeling so relaxed that you might even take a nap, ensconced by the soothing sounds of nature.

Sound about right? 

Great. 

Then come along and we will take a look at some of the ways you can create a backyard oasis you’ll actually enjoy.

Essential Tips to Make Your Outdoor Retreat Cozy

Just because your oasis is outside, that doesn’t mean you need to rough it. 

And if you build something that’s purely functional, you’re much less likely to want to use it. 

You want it to be functional, cozy, and comfortable.

But how do you make an outdoor space cozy?

It turns out that there are a lot of things that you can do.

Keep reading to learn the most essential tips. 

Create a Shady Space

First, it’s a good idea to provide the area with some kind of shade. 

There are more than a few ways you can accomplish that.

You can:

• Construct a fixed roof that extends out from the side of your home. 
• Plant some fast growing shade trees.
• Purchase a retractable awning that covers the length of your patio space.
• Install a cabana, pergola, or canopy tent.
• Get a large mobile canopy (a shade that looks a little bit like giant umbrellas). 
• Bring in some cantilever umbrellas so you can adjust coverage as the sun moves.
• Put up some fun thatched Hawaiian Tiki Umbrellas like these to enhance the island vibe. 
• Invest in some palm, fern, or banana trees that can spend the warm season outdoors (and winter over in your garage).

Tailor Your Seating for A Vacation-Vibe

Another way to make your tropical paradise cozy is to upgrade your outdoor seating.

While you’re looking at seating options, you might consider a few different kinds of tropical-style furniture to create your island paradise. For instance, for the most relaxed decor, you might opt for furniture that is:

• Wicker
• Rattan
• Bamboo
• Teak Wood
• Wood

Above all else, though, it must be comfortable. Whatever you choose should be sturdy, large enough to comfortably suit you and whomever might join you, and makes you feel at ease.

Modern manufacturing has come a long way, so you can now get festive pillows and cushions suitable for the outdoors that are almost as comfortable and their indoor counterparts. 

You can opt for seat cushions with vibrant island prints, tropical colors, or soft pastels that evoke a breezy sense of calm.

Add Some Colorful Flowers

Another way to make your tropical paradise feel more cozy is to bring in some colorful flowers.

To make it feel more like an authentic tropical retreat, you might bring in some Hibiscus plants, with large, bright-red flowers, or fragrant jasmine. 

Or, go for an all-white look, with night-blooming Moon Flowers, fragrant Gardenias, and white Petunias. 

(Incidentally, many of these deep-throated plants will attract hummingbirds and butterflies, making your space even more enchanting.)

If you’re not keen on high-maintenance plants, try planting hardy succulents like aloe vera or yucca, which both impart a taste of warm destinations but require little care. 

Or, you can find artificial flowers, like these Bird of Paradise flowers, that look real to inject the burst of color and life needed to enhance your outdoor living space.

The Transformative Power of Sound

Sound has the ability to instantly transport us to a different head space. 

So, whether you play tropical bird songs, the sound of the surf, or some Reggae, get a good set of outdoor speakers to enhance your tropical paradise. Check out this Bluetooth speaker has a fun vintage vibe.

Any outdoor speaker system will become an invaluable addition to your private escape, especially if your home is within earshot of traffic, city sounds, or noisy neighbors. 

Give It A Purpose

Once you’ve sorted out the coziness aspect, the next step is to give your backyard oasis a purpose. 

There needs to be a reason for going there. 

For instance, you could turn it into a dining area by installing a colorful Fermob bistro table. This way, you always have an excuse for using it every meal time. 

Or, you can outfit your space with a beachy hammock to encourage resting within your tropical paradise.

If you have a bigger budget, you can also turn your backyard oasis into a kitchen and dining space. 

Many people are now installing kitchen appliances and kiosks outside so that they can cook and entertain at the same time. Talk about a luxury outdoor living space!

Honestly, you can just turn the space into a low-key reading area if you just want somewhere away from the house to relax and unwind while enjoying a good book. 

Just define what exactly it is you’d like to do there, and make it accomodating to the purpose.

Illuminate It At Night – Magical Ambiance!

In the introduction, we discussed the importance of being able to use your garden oasis day or night. 

So, for that reasoning, providing illumination is essential. 

One approach is to use solar-powered fairy lights or solar-powered string lights. These will give your outdoor areas a semi-magical appeal, especially if you surround the space with trees. 

You can also use solar-powered floor lights on either side of the outdoor area or steps. 

Solar-powered lighting collects energy from the sun during the day and then disperses it at night automatically without you having to connect them to the main power. 

This way, you can avoid the hassle of running cables across your lawn or out your windows. They also eliminate the need to turn them on and off, as most solar-powered outdoor lighting powers on at dusk on automatically.

Battery-powered candles with life-like “flames” are a nice touch, too, adding ambiance without any of the messy wax.

When illuminating your oasis at nigh time, you can also play around with different colors and tones. Mood lighting is a great way to enhance the atmosphere and bring out the best in the surrounding plants.

Another way to illuminate your tropical paradise is with tiki-torches. In addition to creating the feeling being at a luau, these provide the added benefit of a bug repellent. 

Finally, consider incorporating some kind of firepit or fire feature. 

This might be:

• a traditional open fire pit 
• a propane fire pit table with a glass wind-guard
• or a smokeless firepit (we love this one!)

Whichever option you choose, you will find gazing into a crackling fire can be meditative – and oh-so tropical.

Final Thoughts on Creating a Backyard Oasis

So, it really doesn’t take much to create your own tropical paradise, backyard oasis, private retreat—or whatever you prefer to call it.

The point is, it’s a space for you to disconnect from the outside world, and connect to your happy place.

And now, it’s right out your back door. 

Related: Taking Care of Trees: How to Keep Your Beautiful Trees Healthy

Photos courtesy of Canva Pro.