There is an insurrection afoot. Every day, more people escape from the humdrum routine of daily life to embrace the pleasures of outdoor living. Gone are the bland meals cooked in a microwave oven. Here are the days of wood-fired ovens and outdoor barbecue grills. Gone are the evenings wasted in front of the television. Here are the nights spent chatting in front of the crackling flames of gas fireplaces or fire pit.
It’s time to join the rebellion. Step away from the cubicle. Embrace the fresh air. #ReIgniteYourLife. Here’s how:
Create the Supreme Backyard Retreat
Those once-a-year vacations are a great way to stretch your legs and recharge your batteries, but what about the rest of the live-long year? What if, instead of counting the days, weeks, and months until your next getaway, you could escape to a glorious retreat at the end of every workday?
You can. Transforming your boring backyard into a spectacular sanctuary of cozy living and good cheer can revolutionize your life and give you the space needed to de-stress from the worries of the day-to-day reality. By creating the ultimate retreat in the comfort of your own backyard, you can soak in the sun and breathe in the fresh air without having to drive hundreds of miles to gaze at distant scenery.
Tips and Tricks for Outdoor Living
Of course, creating the perfect outdoor experience is easier said than done. It takes time. It takes know-how. Thankfully, we’ve dug up some tried-and-true suggestions to help you design and build the picture-perfect backyard oasis. From an outdoor sink and refrigerator to a chaise lounge and a copper fire bowl, we know all the little features and add-ons that can take your outdoor living space from dull to delightful in no time at all. If you want to #ReIgniteYourLife, follow these outdoor living tips, starting with the most important one of all:
#1 Savor the Food
When you bring the eats and treats outside, you’re not just changing locations; you’re shifting mindsets. That’s because outdoor eating is a way of life. To sip cocktails and lunch with friends during the gentle days of spring; to dine with family underneath the stars on a balmy summer’s evening; to curl up in front of a fire glass pit with a book and a mug of hot cocoa on a chill winter’s night—there are many ways to live the outdoor life, but the joy of escaping the hustle and bustle remains the same.
Options, Options, Options – How you create your outdoor cooking areas is up to you. Whether you stick with a simple but powerful BBQ grill or whether you go the whole nine yards and install a complete outdoor kitchen depends on your habits, desires, space, and budget. Do you cook outdoors once a month or twice a week? Do you entertain often or seldom? Do you have a petite porch or a spacious yard? Would you prefer to spend a modest sum or would you be willing to drop a small fortune? Your answers will give you a clue to the ideal cooking setup.
The BBQ Grill – The one essential amenity for an outdoor cooking area is the traditional BBQ 
grill. No matter how elaborate your setup is, the grill will be the centerpiece. Selecting the right type of unit is therefore critical. Do you want a small, portable charcoal or Kamado grill, or do you want a built-in gas grill or BBQ smoker? Again, the choice will depend on your needs and your entertaining habits.
The Full Monty – If you’re looking for a more immersive experience, you should consider installing an outdoor kitchen in your backyard. Once upon a time, cooking outdoors meant roughing it. Nowadays, retailers like Starfire Direct have everything you need to make the most of your backyard cooking journey, including:
- Outdoor refrigerators so you never have to carry in food from the house kitchen or worry as the sun melts your hors d’oeuvres
- Storage drawers so you have everything you need right where you need it
- Icemakers so you can offer cold drinks and fresh seafood or fruit to your guests
- Sinks to prep your food and your hands
- Side burners or power burners so you can prepare food on a cook or range top with your real pots and pans
Whatever combination of amenities you end up installing in your outdoor kitchen, you’ll be glad you took the time to create the perfect fresh-air cooking space.
#2 Set the Mood
When it comes to outdoor gatherings, mood is everything. The particular ambiance you create says a lot about your individual style and the type of outdoor getaway you envision. There are many ways to set a mood, from adding exterior illumination to adorning the patio with decorative touches. Here are some of the most powerful ways to create an unforgettable atmosphere:
Illuminate Your Yard: #ReIgniteYourLife – Illumination is probably the single most important factor when it comes to setting the mood. In fact, the lighting can often make or break a scene. Essentially, you have two basic options: light by electricity or light by fire.
If you choose electric lights, you can go the LED route or the lantern route. Each has its benefits. While strings of bulbs or single-unit umbrella lights may give you more power, portable lanterns on each tabletop create an unbeatable ambiance. Of course, they’re not mutually exclusive. A combination of overhead lighting and tabletop lighting usually provides the best results.
If, on the other hand, you prefer to light by fire, then there are even more captivating ways to add a much-needed touch of brilliance to your humble yard. From tiki torches and gas lanterns to fire columns and fire bowls, the right glow can heighten the romance and boost the charm factor.
#3 Furnish Your Getaway
A backyard haven isn’t a backyard haven without the proper furniture. If you have no place to 
rest your weary body and put up your feet after a hard day’s work, you might as well lock the backdoor forever.
While there is a variety of furnishings that can help transform your yard into a festive space for both relaxing and entertaining, selecting the right pieces depends on how you use your outdoor retreat. Is it primarily an outdoor dining room, a sunbathing porch, a large party area, a family kitchen, or an intimate gathering space? Perhaps it’s all of the above, in which case you might consider investing in special partitions to create separate activity areas.
However you use your retreat, here are a few of the most common furniture ideas for your outdoor living space:
Outdoor Furniture for Outdoor Eating – If you plan to eat outdoors, you’ll need to invest in at least one dedicated dining set. If a romantic evening of drinks, food, and fire are your cup of tea, then consider getting a bar-height dining set equipped with a gas fire pit and high chairs. If a small, intimate gathering is more your thing, then a traditional round patio dining set might be more suitable. Another smart idea is to add umbrellas to provide much-needed shade and protection, particularly in the warmer seasons.
Festive Furniture – Spend most of the summer hosting pool parties and sunbathing? Chaise lounges are a must-have. Throw plenty of backyard bashes? Cushioned benches and gliders, which are large enough to seat a number of guests, are perfect ways to bring people together for good times and great conversation. Want to add a decorative touch to your patio? Throw down an outdoor rug underneath your table or even by the pool to soak up the extra water.
#4 Light the Fire
If you really want to turn your yard into a first-class gathering space, invest in a fireplace or fire pit. Perfect for both large festive gatherings and intimately quiet moments, fire pits 
have the last word in outdoor living. That’s because only a fire pit or an outdoor fireplace can provide the warmth and joy that emanates from an open flame.
With an outdoor fire pit, the possibilities for fresh air enjoyment are endless: You can curl up in front of the crackling fire with a good book and a cup of steaming apple cider or hot chocolate; you can invite the who’s who of the world over for a late-night bash in the great outdoors; you can catch up with close friends while sipping wine or cocktails in front of the dancing flames.
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to the open flame revolution. With a wide variety of design and fuel options—wood burning fire pits, gas fire pits, fire pit tables, fire pit grills, fire bowls, Chimineas—and a diverse set of styles—everything from the beautifully crafted copper fire pit to the stunning but affordable Beton Fire Pits—you can hand-pick the right type of flame to fit your unique backyard retreat.
Start Your Own Backyard Revolution
If you’re feeling crunched in and worn out; if you’re tired of being cramped in a confined space: then it’s time to #ReIgniteYourLife. Whether you want to host the year’s biggest backyard bash or just spend a quiet evening making a first-class meal under the stars with your significant other, the right outdoor living equipment will help you create the perfect backyard atmosphere. Before long, your home will be the ultimate party spot and the ultimate hideaway all wrapped into one.
To learn more about Starfire Direct’s dedication to outdoor living and backyard enjoyment, connect with us on social media by using the hashtag #ReIgniteYourLife.
