Tag Archives: backyard

Magical Contemporary Pavilion Is The Perfect Addition To Your Yard This Spring

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Spring is currently in full swing, and it is the perfect time to spend your days in the outdoors, taking in some fresh air, and letting the lovely spring sun soak through our skin. There couldn’t be a better time to be in your backyard! I mean, you can do a lot in your backyard! We shouldn’t underestimate our backyards, as they can be major spaces of fun, recreation, and relaxation. And a wonderful addition to your backyard could be the Cosmo Pavilion by studio AMDL Circle for the fellow Italian company Ethimo.

Designer: AMDL Circle

Studio AMDL Circile gave the classic garden pergola a contemporary and beautiful twist in the form of the Cosmo pavilion. This stunning and quaint pavilion is created to frame outdoor furniture settings while also providing protection from the elements. It brings a sense of comfort and coziness to the rough outdoors – although for rough can your backyard be? The structure is intended for the evenings, when the integrated LEDS shine upwards, away from the pavilion, scattering light across the fabric canopy, and in turn forming a warm and cozy ambiance.

The pavilion is created by joining FSC-certified teak columns, which is a typical material of choice for furniture, since it artfully weathers over time, with an aluminum upper structure, which beautifully spreads outwards to create a lovely sculptural roof. Ethimo describes the product as “a new dimension for outdoor living in harmony with nature” and makes it available in a number of sizes and configurations. “Cosmo meets a desire to create a private space, an ‘indoors out of doors’ that can be used in any season and at any time of day,” said Ethimo.

The Cosmo Pavilion makes for a wonderful addition to your mundane yard, it adds an almost fairytale-ish atmosphere to the space while functioning as a comfy and serene space to spend your evenings in. Quite obviously, it is quite a large structure, and can only be accommodated in yards with plenty of space, it isn’t a great fit, or rather will not be able to fit in small backyards.

The post Magical Contemporary Pavilion Is The Perfect Addition To Your Yard This Spring first appeared on Yanko Design.

How To Design Your Backyard Garden From Scratch

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Starting a garden can be a fun as well as a meditative experience where you care for, nurture, and enjoy watching your plants grow and produce fruits or vegetables. Since starting a garden from scratch can feel overwhelming, let’s simplify it into manageable steps to maximize your space and enjoyment. While gardening fundamentals vary based on location, season, microclimate, soil, and plant preferences, here are some general steps to begin your first garden from scratch.

Image courtesy of: kryzhov

1. Consider Your Planting Options

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Before starting your journey of creating and nurturing your private garden, it’s important to understand whether you want a vegetable garden, a herb garden, or a flower garden. Whatever you decide, it’s good to grow vegetables your family enjoys, and for flowers, choose between annuals for long blooms or perennials for longevity. It’s always wise to start small and grow gradually until you feel comfortable.

2. Choose a Sunny Spot

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Observe sunlight patterns in your garden to determine plant needs for full sun, part shade, or full shade, and consult online resources for suitable species for your unique conditions. Most vegetables and flowering plants require 6-8 hours of full sun daily, so assess your yard’s sun exposure to identify suitable spots. Even if your yard is mostly shady, certain plants like impatiens and begonias can thrive. Select a flat area for your garden to avoid dealing with slopes, which can be more challenging and costly. Ensure convenient access to a water source for your garden’s requirements and consider the accessibility of your garden space for watering, harvesting, and tending to your plants.

3. Gardening Tools

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Essential gardening tools are important to ensure the successful cultivation of plants. Pruning scissors are important for maintaining plant health, enabling precise trimming and removing dead parts. For soil preparation and planting, a spade, trowel, and garden fork are essential, allowing for efficient digging and root clearance. Watering equipment includes a garden hose for larger areas and a watering can for delicate plants, ensuring optimal hydration without damaging young growth. Combatting weeds necessitates tools like a forked trowel and gardening knife, enabling efficient removal to maintain the vitality of the garden.

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Start by clearing the area of weeds and sod, which refers to a layer of grass and the soil beneath it that is held together by roots. For quick results, cut out the sod using a spade.

4. Test the Soil

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Consider a soil test for insights into your soil’s composition, including nutrient deficiencies and recommended remedies, or opt for DIY kits offering basic insights. Based on your soil test results, amend your soil by adding necessary nutrients or adjusting pH levels to create the optimal growing conditions for your plants. Add 2-3 inches of compost to new beds during preparation or apply it to existing beds, allowing earthworms to incorporate it over time, improving soil structure and nutrient availability for plants.

5. Prepare the Planting Bed

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Loosening the soil in new beds before planting aids root growth and nutrient absorption. Opt for manual digging, especially for smaller beds. Work the soil when moist but not overly wet or dry, about 6-8 inches deep, mixing in organic matter. Note that healthy soil contains numerous bacteria, fungi, and microbes, allowing plant roots to penetrate easily due to their suitable texture and structure, which is determined by the proportions of clay, sand, and silt in the soil.

Another way to garden is called no-till gardening. First, clear away any debris and grass. Then, spread a thick layer of compost over the area, at least four inches deep. If you’re dealing with tough weeds, you can try sheet mulching. This involves using cardboard to compost the weeds while keeping the soil intact. It’s also a good idea to keep your garden beds no wider than 4 feet so you can easily reach the center.

6. Choose Your Plants

Image courtesy of: RossHelen

Opt for plants suited to your climate, soil, and sunlight conditions. You can also browse the internet for plant options. Here are a few beginner-friendly choices:

• Annuals: Marigolds, Petunias, Snapdragons, Impatiens, Zinnias, Geraniums
• Perennials: Black-eyed Susans, Daylilies, Hostas, 0Coneflowers (Echinacea), Sedum
• Vegetables: tomatoes, Peppers, Lettuce, Carrots, Cucumbers, Squash (zucchini, yellow squash)

7. Plant with Care

Image courtesy of: RossHelen

Most seed packets and transplant containers come with basic planting instructions. Once you’ve done the groundwork, begin planting. For seeds, follow guidelines such as planting them three times as deep as their diameter or as specified. Be cautious with seeds needing light for germination, ensuring they’re not buried too deeply. Transplants are usually planted at the same depth as in the pot, with exceptions like tomatoes. Wait until the danger of frost has passed to heat-loving plants. Young plants may require protection or hardening off before being planted outdoors.

When planting seeds, sow them at the specified depth on the packet, firming the soil gently, and water when the soil surface dries out. Some plants prefer cooler temperatures and can be planted in autumn or late winter, while others thrive in warmth and should wait until after the risk of frost has passed. Mid-spring and mid-autumn are optimal for planting perennials. Annuals can be directly sown in the garden or started indoors a few weeks before the last frost date. Alternatively, purchase young plants for transplanting into prepared beds and ensure proper watering after planting.

8. Start Watering

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Water seedlings daily to prevent them from drying out, adjusting frequency as they grow. Newly transplanted seedlings need watering every other day until their roots are established. Afterward, water once a week, considering soil type, humidity, and weather conditions. Clay soil retains moisture longer than sandy soil. Test soil moisture by feeling 3-4 inches below the surface; if dry, water slowly and deeply. Water in the early morning to minimize evaporation.

9. Add Mulch

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Apply a couple of inches of mulch to the soil for moisture retention and weed suppression, choosing from materials like shredded bark, straw, or river rock. Organic mulches, such as bark or compost, enrich the soil as they break down. Avoid covering seeds you want to grow; opt for quickly decomposing mulches for vegetable gardens, and longer-lasting options like bark chips for perennials. Mulch acts as a protective cover, aiding in moisture retention, soil cooling, and weed suppression, while enhancing the garden bed’s appearance. As organic mulches decompose, they enrich soil fertility. Covering the soil with rocks and organic matter inhibits weed germination and maintains soil moisture and warmth while providing nourishment for beneficial soil organisms. Match the right mulch with each crop: wood chips for fruit trees and shrubs, and lighter options like straw or leaves for delicate vegetables.

10. Maintain the Garden

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Regular maintenance involves watering plants before they wilt, removing weeds before they seed, and clearing away dead or diseased vegetation. Support tall plants with trellises or stakes, and harvest vegetables promptly when ripe. Garden maintenance follows a seasonal rhythm; for instance, in spring, prevent weeds, while summer requires vigilant watering, and fall is meant for pruning and cleanup. Throughout the growing season, attend to your plants’ needs: remove yellow or deformed leaves, stake plants for support, and prune dense growth to improve sunlight and air circulation.

Happy Gardening!

The post How To Design Your Backyard Garden From Scratch first appeared on Yanko Design.

Top 10 ultimate outdoor designs to totally liven up your yard

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Being stuck at home during the pandemic really did teach us a few lessons. One, being, that you can actually do a lot at home, especially in your backyard! It definitely made us realize we shouldn’t underestimate our backyards, they can be locations of major fun, recreation, and relaxation…depending on how we do them up. You can turn your backyard into an ideal date spot for you and your partner, or host a barbecue party with the best grill in the market. We’ve curated a collection of product designs to help you transform these exciting ideas into a reality. These products will turn your yard into the ultimate relaxation destination. We bet you won’t want to step out of your yard, once you introduce these products to it. From a tiny modular tabletop grill that makes outdoor cooking fun to outdoor furniture that is made from recycled plastic, but feels and looks like wood – these designs will majorly transform your humble backyard.

1. The +Base Modular Griller

When people think of cooking outdoors, they often presume it’s all about grills, mostly because it’s the most common type of cooking you can’t conveniently do indoors. Of course, that’s probably not the only kind of food you’d want to eat, but other styles of cooking would require other cookware and, consequently, a larger space. The +Base modular griller, however, supports almost any kind of cooking you’d want, from frying (teppanyaki), smoking, stewing, grilling, or even keeping wine warm.

Why is it noteworthy?

Made by a small family-owned Japanese factory that specializes in sheet metal fabrication, the All-in-One Grill is carefully designed to maximize the limited amount of space available, like small grooves on the grill’s frame that keep the skewers in place. The wooden base that protects tables from the grill’s hot bottom also acts as a lid when the griller has to be stowed away.

What we like

  • Let’s you cook in seven different ways
  • Simplifies outdoor cooking

What we dislike

  • Hardcore grillers may not prefer this design

2. Stack Stool and Combo Table

A stool and table collection that recently grabbed my attention is Nardi’s Stack stool and Combo table. Designed by Raffaello Galiotto, Italian furniture brand Nardi launched a stool and table collection that features a linear design complemented by strips of wood.

Why is it noteworthy?

Crafted from 100 percent recyclable regenerated polypropylene, the furniture collection has been designed to look like traditional timber furniture. Lightweight and sturdy, both the stool and table can be easily lifted, handled, and transported from one location to another. And the fact that it has the appearance of wooden furniture only adds to its list of pros!

What we like

  • Looks like it’s been made from wood
  • Occupy minimal space once they have been set aside and stored

What we dislike

  • The aesthetics of the collection are quite dull and boring

3. The Dzome

The Dzome is a versatile garden office pod, that provides you with some personal space and time when you need a break from the everyday hustle-bustle. It offers a moment of rest on an otherwise hectic day.

Why is it noteworthy?

Anthony Hodson designed the Dzome to tackle the frustration and boredom people began to feel while working from home during the pandemic. Although offices have slowly begun to open up, there are a large number of people who still work from home, or follow a hybrid model of working – one which involves working at home, and at the office. In such a scenario, it can still be difficult to maintain a work-life balance, since you do tend to spend a lot of your time confined to your home.

What we like

  • Helps us strike some work-life balance
  • The pod is inspired by nature and the Fibonacci sequence’s Golden Ratio

What we dislike

  • Ideal for big backyards, but won’t work for smaller yards

4. OD Stone 8

The new OD Stone 8 from Focal’s line of Littora 200 outdoor speakers features a round, egg-like shape and textured finishes that deceive your eyes into thinking they’re made of stone. These loudspeakers easily fit almost any outdoor motif, whether it’s a lush garden or a pool with concrete surroundings, which covers pretty much all poolsides.

Why is it noteworthy?

These speakers are IP55 rated, which means they’ll survive both a rainstorm and an accidental jet of water from the pool.

What we like

  • Easily merge with any outdoor motif
  • Resemble mushrooms and stones

What we dislike

  • No one will probably mistake these speakers for real mushrooms and stones if that’s what you’re seeking

5. Make.Work.Spaces

This specific micro office is a pretty versatile one! It can be placed in your home, at a corporate office, or even out in public. You can position multiple Make.Work.Spaces in your office, create spaces for employees to gain some privacy away from the office chaos, or for you to work in peace in your backyard.

Why is it noteworthy?

When it comes to working from home – the Make.Work.Space functions as the ideal home office! Besides serving as a home office, it could also be used as a quiet space to simply relax and unwind in as well. Sometimes we do need privacy in our own homes, especially if we’re living with family, friends, or roommates. It’s an economical and efficient way to maximize your living space!

What we like

  • Comes in three different modules to meet the diverse needs of diverse people

What we dislike

  • The option to use the micro-office in public spaces maybe difficult to put into reality

6. The Threefold

This modular furniture brings the users a lounger they can lay back on with support, or it can instantly transform into a low stool for the aged who cannot sit cross-legged on the ground. And when you want to keep your food or a board game you’re carrying along, the Threefold can become a sturdy table. A perfect companion for picnics and camping, the Threefold construction is supported by stretchers and is safe and secure to use.

Why is it noteworthy?

There is frankly no dearth of adaptable furniture for picnics, camping, and outdoor events, but the Threefold presents its own use case, courtesy of its incredible versatility and effortless, timesaving flip in form. This is essentially true since the traditional mats we carry outdoors are limited in form. The fabric mats would offer more comfort, versus a semi-wooden mat like the Threefold, however, it has limited application. If you have realized, it excludes a section of users who cannot sit on the ground for convenience and comfort, compelling you to carry an additional folding chair. The conceptual Threefold outdoor furniture here extends adaptability to each individual’s needs in one useful unit.

What we like

  • Transforms into a lounger, stool, and coffee table
  • Safe + sturdy design

What we dislike

  • Not very aesthetically pleasing

7. The Outlaw Bike

What if you could ride to work on a bike and disassemble it at the destination to reassemble it as an armchair to sit on in the meeting room? It is not easy for industrial designers to create a product disguised as a completely different idea. This is how the Outlaw Bike was born in Brazil though. We can argue, and you will read further why, that the bike is designed as an awareness campaign against the Brazilian tax regime, but it is in fact a project that will have many minds latching onto the idea for industrial gains.

Why is it noteworthy?

The bicycle, a design by Cardoso Cycles for a collaborative awareness drive by Talent Marcel and Bicycling Magazine, can be disassembled instantly to be assembled into an armchair and a table. The idea is to draw the Brazilian tax authority’s attention to the tax burden that affects the sales of bicycles in the country.

What we like

  • The furniture or bike is made from the same parts and the same material. It’s only that they are assembled differently

What we dislike

  • The design might seem unnecessary to some

8. Stump

Called Stump, the lighting design is a sturdy light designed to illuminate and light up the outside areas of the Island of Møn, although it would look great in your backyard as well!

Why is it noteworthy?

The light was designed specially to combat and reduce light pollution. Featuring the shape of a bollard, the lighting design features an oxidized cast iron body and a transparent cap.

What we like

  • Includes a warm-toned and low-energy lighting fixture that emits a soft and radiant light
  • Its sturdy structure can be used as a stool for people to lean on

What we dislike

  • Not the best option, if you want a lighting design that provides more illumination

9. The Tripster

Dubbed the Tripster, this unique portable chair from Trippy Outdoor is a convenient little piece that you can stash in your garage or the back of your car and pop out whenever you need it!

Why is it noteworthy?

I had to stop myself from calling the Tripster a foldable chair because honestly, it doesn’t really fold. Built with a unique yet incredibly simple assembly mechanism, the Tripster effectively plugs in and out, going between what’s essentially a comfortable high-back outdoor chair, and two easy-to-store pieces of wood.

What we like

  • Creates a seating device that travels exceptionally well, and is a breeze to set up
  • Lightweight form

What we dislike

  • Doesn’t look very sturdy, especially for a slippery sand surface

10. The LIPOWER Mars-2000

Meet the LIPOWER Mars-2000, a beer-cooler-sized power station that gives you up to 2000W of power no matter where you are. Whether you’re camping outdoors, spending a cool evening at the beach, going on a road trip, or even taking your camera and drone on a day-long expedition for work or casual photoshoots, the LIPOWER Mars-2000 is a pretty capable portable power source that’s equipped with EV-grade LFP batteries for sustained power no matter what your requirement.

Why is it noteworthy?

The 1460Wh power station weighs 35.5 lbs (16.1 kilograms) and comes with built-in handles that let you load it on the back of a car and carry it pretty much anywhere you want. The LIPOWER Mars-2000 offers 10 different ports to charge/power a whole slew of devices, including 3 110V AC ports, 3 12V DC ports (including one car outlet), 3 USB-A ports (including one USB3.0 port for fast charging), and one USB-C port that outputs 60W, making it perfect for phones, tablets, and even laptops.

What we like

  • There’s also an input for plugging solar panels into the LIPOWER Mars-2000, charging it via solar energy up to 80% in 5 hours, according to its makers, LIPOWER

What we dislike

  • It’s a pretty bulky design

The post Top 10 ultimate outdoor designs to totally liven up your yard first appeared on Yanko Design.

Top 10 outdoor designs to bring your yard to life

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Being stuck at home in the pandemic really did teach us a few lessons. One, being, that you can actually do a lot at home, especially in your backyard! It definitely made us realize we shouldn’t underestimate our backyards, they can be locations of major fun, recreation, and relaxation…depending on how we do them up. You can turn your backyard into an ideal date spot for you and your partner, or host a barbecue party with the best grill in the market! We’ve curated a collection of product designs to help you transform these exciting ideas into a reality! These products will turn your yard into the ultimate relaxation destination. We bet you won’t want to step out of your yard, once you introduce these products to it. From a tiny modular tabletop grill that makes outdoor cooking fun to outdoor stools and a table that can be stacked together like a totem pole – these designs will majorly transform your humble backyard.

1. The +Base modular griller

When people think of cooking outdoors, they often presume it’s all about grills, mostly because it’s the most common type of cooking you can’t conveniently do indoors. Of course, that’s probably not the only kind of food you’d want to eat, but other styles of cooking would require other cookware and, consequently, a larger space. The +Base modular griller, however, supports almost any kind of cooking you’d want, from frying (teppanyaki), smoking, stewing, grilling, or even keeping wine warm.

Why is it noteworthy?

Made by a small family-owned Japanese factory that specializes in sheet metal fabrication, the All-in-One Grill is carefully designed to maximize the limited amount of space available, like small grooves on the grill’s frame that keep the skewers in place. The wooden base that protects tables from the grill’s hot bottom also acts as a lid when the griller has to be stowed away.

What we like

  • Let’s you cook in seven different ways
  • Simplifies outdoor cooking

What we dislike

  • No complaints!

2. The Bungalow Luggage

Whether you’re backpacking, planning on fishing, or just want to spend time at the lake, foldable and easy-to-carry furniture is definitely going to be on your top priority list. A collapsible furniture range that is relatively luxurious, ultra-lightweight, and packs up into a travel trolley you can tote after you; the Bungalow Luggage by designer Eunsol Lee sets a stage for unique camping experiences.

Why is it noteworthy?

There is no dearth of foldable camping chairs and tables out there. You could even pick a set of tables and chairs off the shelf but this idea of a portable furniture set has its own merits. Unlike the other metal rod collapsible furniture for the outdoors, this one designed for National Geographic is convenient to transport. Just fold up the two chairs and the table into their bags and the trio sits evenly inside a suitcase you can lug along. This ease of portability also comes in handy when you want to fit the furniture in the boot of the car.

What we like

  • Packed in a travel trolley-style sturdy case
  • The metal spokes aligned as hollow table legs become the base for a wooden plank tabletop

What we dislike

  • No complaints!

3. The Tomori Lantern Kit

Designer Yuji Yanagisawa envisioned the Tomori Lantern Kit. Rather than providing a ready-made lantern, Tomori is actually a kit that lets you quickly set up a lantern and then quickly put it away when you no longer need it. The best parts about this lantern kit are that it takes up almost no space when collapsed and can also use any conventional flashlight that can fit inside its clamps.

Why is it noteworthy?

The base of the kit is a foldable cardboard piece that serves as the flashlight holder and stable structure of the lamp. The kit comes with a rather nondescript LED flashlight that you can use on its own when not docked inside the lantern. In fact, the cardboard base can hold any cylindrical flashlight that is less than 30mm in diameter and 160mm in length. This means that you can use the same flashlight for the lantern as well as for typical uses, or you can have a set of backup flashlights when one’s battery goes empty.

What we like

  • The entire kit, excluding the flashlight, folds down to a flat A4-sized package, perfect for stashing in bags or drawers, ready for use in an emergency

What we dislike

  • No complaints!

4. The LIPOWER Mars-2000

Meet the LIPOWER Mars-2000, a beer-cooler-sized power station that gives you up to 2000W of power no matter where you are. Whether you’re camping outdoors, spending a cool evening at the beach, going on a road trip, or even taking your camera and drone on a day-long expedition for work or casual photoshoots, the LIPOWER Mars-2000 is a pretty capable portable power source that’s equipped with EV-grade LFP batteries for sustained power no matter what your requirement.

Why is it noteworthy?

The 1460Wh power station weighs 35.5 lbs (16.1 kilograms) and comes with built-in handles that let you load it on the back of a car and carry it pretty much anywhere you want. The LIPOWER Mars-2000 offers 10 different ports to charge/power a whole slew of devices, including 3 110V AC ports, 3 12V DC ports (including one car outlet), 3 USB-A ports (including one USB3.0 port for fast charging), and one USB-C port that outputs 60W, making it perfect for phones, tablets, and even laptops.

What we like

  • There’s also an input for plugging solar panels into the LIPOWER Mars-2000, charging it via solar energy up to 80% in 5 hours, according to its makers, LIPOWER

What we dislike

  • No complaints!

5. The NEW JOY Collection

The NEW JOY collection of outdoor furniture immediately strikes one as unconventional from the first time you see it. In terms of both form and material, the design is inspired by round tubes or pipes that you’d see in public facilities. Although they can be painted with different colors, there is still something inherently raw with their appearance, especially with the use of simple lines and circles to form the structure of the benches and tables.

Why is it noteworthy?

The table, for example, is meant to be used while standing up, but that isn’t exactly unheard of. What makes it different is that you’re supposed to stand on a round platform that you can rotate with your feet. This way, you can twist your body or keep moving even while you’re working on your laptop or talking with other people. It does raise some concerns about whether such motions are actually safe, especially outdoors where one could fall on pavement or hard ground when caught off-balance.

What we like

  • The NEW JOY’s simple design and use of easily accessible materials make it easy to produce and distribute

What we dislike

  • No complaints!

6. Totem

Just like its namesake, Totem resembles something like a totem pole that has five distinct segments stacked on top of each other. When disassembled, four of these segments function as stools you can sit on, while the fifth and top section serves as a table. Except for having the table on top, there is no specific way to arrange these pieces, making cleanup almost like a game rather than a chore.

Why is it noteworthy?

Both the stools and the table look to utilize black metal frames, hopefully, powder-coated rather than painted. Thick, drum-like cushions provide the actual seat for the stools, while the low table’s surface is made of multiple slats of wood. The standard setup has four stools and one table, but the combinations can be as few as two stools and a table.

What we like

  • Space-saving design
  • Creates a way for people to gather at a moment’s notice while also giving the space a distinctive look when not in use

What we dislike

  • No complaints!

7. The Threefold

This modular furniture brings to the users a lounger they can lay back on with support, or it can instantly transform into a low stool for the aged who cannot sit cross-legged on the ground. And when you want to keep your food or a board game you’re carrying along, the Threefold can become a sturdy table. A perfect companion for picnics and camping, the Threefold construction is supported by stretchers and is safe and secure to use.

Why is it noteworthy?

There is frankly no dearth of adaptable furniture for picnics, camping, and outdoor events, but the Threefold presents its own use case, courtesy of its incredible versatility and effortless, timesaving flip in form. This is essentially true since the traditional mats we carry outdoors are limited in form. The fabric mats would offer more comfort, versus a semi-wooden mat like the Threefold, however, it has limited application. If you’d have realized, it excludes a section of users who cannot sit on the ground for convenience and comfort, compelling you to carry an additional folding chair. The conceptual Threefold outdoor furniture here extends adaptability to each individual’s needs in one useful unit.

What we like

  • Transforms into a lounger, stool, and coffee table
  • Safe + sturdy design

What we dislike

  • Not very aesthetically pleasing

8. The Outlaw Bike

What if you could ride to work on a bike and disassemble it at the destination to reassemble it as an armchair to sit on in the meeting room? It is not easy for industrial designers to create a product disguised as a completely different idea. This is how the Outlaw Bike was born in Brazil though. We can argue, and you will read further why, that the bike is designed as an awareness campaign against the Brazilian tax regime, but it is in fact a project that will have many minds latching onto the idea for industrial gains.

Why is it noteworthy?

The bicycle, a design by Cardoso Cycles for a collaborative awareness drive by Talent Marcel and Bicycling Magazine, can be disassembled instantly to be assembled into an armchair and a table. The idea is to draw the Brazilian tax authority’s attention to the tax burden that affects the sales of bicycles in the country.

What we like

  • The furniture or bike is made from the same parts and same material. It’s only that they are assembled differently

What we dislike

  • The design might seem unnecessary to some

9. The OO Stool X Plasticiet

OO STOOL x PLASTICIET Limited Edition Designer

OO STOOL x PLASTICIET Limited Edition Series

Meet the OO Stool X Plasticiet. The limited-edition series is a fresh take on the flat-pack stool. It’s a more sustainable version as it is made of plastic waste.

Why is it noteworthy?

The OO Stool X Plasticiet can be flat for packaging and transportation. It can also be considered by Ikea as the original OO stool. The latter was also considered environment-friendly as it was made using CNC from different kinds of materials like a wood, bamboo, plastic, single board, and reclaimed doors.

What we like

  • Flat-pack design
  • Beautiful colorful pattern

What we dislike

  • No complaints!

10. The Tripster

Dubbed the Tripster, this unique portable chair from Trippy Outdoor is a convenient little piece that you can stash in your garage or the back of your car and pop out whenever you need it!

Why is it noteworthy?

I had to stop myself from calling the Tripster a foldable chair because honestly, it doesn’t really fold. Built with a unique yet incredibly simple assembly mechanism, the Tripster effectively plugs in and out, going between what’s essentially a comfortable high-back outdoor chair, and two easy-to-store pieces of wood.

What we like

  • Creates a seating device that travels exceptionally well, and is a breeze to set up
  • Lightweight form

What we dislike

  • No complaints

The post Top 10 outdoor designs to bring your yard to life first appeared on Yanko Design.

Bring your yard to life this summer with these fun + functional designs

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Sustainable Atria Outdoor Kitchen Design

In these pandemic-stricken times, we find ourselves spending more and more time at home. However, sitting in the same old four walls of our bedroom can become quite boring, and sometimes the only fresh air we really get is when we step out into our yards. Although we shouldn’t underestimate our backyards, they can be locations of major fun, recreation, and relaxation…depending on how we do them up! How about turning your backyard into an ideal date spot for you and your partner, or hosting a barbecue party with the best grill in the market? We’ve curated a collection of product designs to help you transform these exciting ideas into a reality! These products will turn your yard into the ultimate relaxation destination. We bet you won’t want to step out of your yard, once you introduce these products to it! From an outdoor kitchen to a portable outdoor chair that takes seconds to set up – these designs will majorly transform your humble backyard!

1. The ATRIA

Abimis Atelier Atria Outdoor Kitchen Concept

Atria Outdoor Kitchen Details

Try imagining an outdoor kitchen as it can be more fun and exciting. I can totally see myself whipping up a meal for family and friends as I welcome them to my house for the first time in two years. Planning a new outdoor kitchen may be a challenge, but good thing there is Abimis with the ATRIA.

Why is it noteworthy?

ATRIA is an outdoor kitchen system that is customizable and efficient. The design is flexible, which makes it an ideal solution. It’s meant to be installed outside your home, maybe at a guesthouse or the patio. The modular design and stainless steel material make the Atria easily customizable to suit your taste and needs.

What we like

  • The open kitchen configuration includes modules in different colors and finishes
  • The ÀTRIA is available in different heights and comes with adjustable feet for stability
  • The kitchen system is easy to clean and is 100% recyclable

What we dislike

  • No complaints!

2. The Tripster

Dubbed the Tripster, this unique portable chair from Trippy Outdoor is a convenient little piece that you can stash in your garage or the back of your car and pop out whenever you need it!

Why is it noteworthy?

I had to stop myself from calling the Tripster a foldable chair because honestly, it doesn’t really fold. Built with a unique yet incredibly simple assembly mechanism, the Tripster effectively plugs in and out, going between what’s essentially a comfortable high-back outdoor chair, and two easy-to-store pieces of wood.

What we like

  • Creates a seating device that travels exceptionally well, and is a breeze to set up
  • Lightweight form

What we dislike

  • No complaints!

3. PANO

Concept PANO Beam Projector Details

PANO Beam Projector Design

Some households are even switching to getting home projectors. Instead of getting more giant TVs, they prefer projectors to achieve that cozy, home movie theater feel. We have seen and tried several projectors already. Most of them are just concept designs, but there are a few we really want to turn into reality, like the PANO. It’s perfect for those movie nights in your backyard!

Why is it noteworthy?

The PANO Beam Projector is a portable version that is great for the home and for outdoor adventures. For example, if you’re into camping and are looking for evening entertainment, you can quickly bring your Pano projector and be ready to play your favorite movie or TV show. This portable beam projector doesn’t look complicated to operate. The design is a simple rectangular prism inspired by an SUV. On one side is the projecting lens and what appears to be a fabric speaker grille. On the top surface is a button and what we’re assuming is a zoom ring.

What we like

  • Portable design
  • Lightweight compared to older projector models

What we dislike

  • It’s still a concept!

4. The Noori V02 AIRY

In 2019, the Noori’s V01 grill basically won all our hearts. It became the go-to grill option for barbeque lovers! And this year, Noori is back with their latest V02 AIRY model! Excited much? Me too.

Why is it noteworthy?

Boasting an enameled steel construction, the Noori V02 AIRY is a multifunctional outdoor grill, pizza oven, rocket stove, and a fire pit – all in one! Not to mention, it’s probably one of the best-looking grills I’ve seen in a long time, it’ll be the perfect visual accessory to your backyard. The grill consists of six refractory concrete internal plates. These plates + an AIRY cylinder make up the grill’s innovative AIRY system (which also gives the product its name). This basically means that to set up an open fire, you simply need to remove a few refractory plates from within the AIRY cylinder, which instantly exposes the flames, creating the mesmerizing flame dance we all love to watch in an open fire!

What we like

  • Features a pizza disc
  • Portable design

What we dislike

  • No complaints!

5. The AirHood

Styled almost like a Dyson Bladeless Fan, the AirHood is a portable hood that sits on your countertop, sucking in the fumes from your stove, induction cooker, or even your grill. Available in both wireless and wired formats, the AirHood works partly like a chimney, and partly like an air purifier.

Why is it noteworthy?

A switch on the top lets you choose between three fan speeds, depending on what you’re cooking, and the AirHood even comes with an optional Base Boost – a platform that elevates your hood by a comfortable two inches. Once switched on, the AirHood pulls fumes into its inlet, where the air first passes through an oil filter that traps the grease, and then an activated carbon filter that purifies the air of any toxins. Clean air then makes its way out of the outlet at the back of the device, keeping your kitchen air clean and eliminating the risk of accidentally triggering your smoke alarm.

What we like

  • When not in use, the AirHood serves as kitchen decor, thanks to its minimalist, sculptural appeal
  • Its simple surfacing and polished plastic construction allow you to clean your AirHood with just a damp cloth

What we dislike

  • No complaints!

6. The Conic

Designed primarily for use in outdoor activities; the Conic is a helpful extension of a flashlight, which should come in handy to light up the entire camp or make those two-handed tasks easier to carry out. It will be a great help thus while cooking or maybe when playing board games at the camp.

Why is it noteworthy

The gap between outdoor flashlights and lanterns is narrowing with transformation in design. This inventive approach has given birth to a new domain i.e., an outdoor lamp, which double duties and makes sure you’re never found wanting while camping or traveling. Conic is an embodiment of such a design, which is a nice transition from the traditional, boring light sources you’ve been accustomed to packing in your backpack.

What we like

  • A far cry from the traditional flashlights
  • Portable
  • Multipurpose design – can be used indoors and outdoors

What we dislike?

  • No complaints!

7. NUO portable pizza oven

To let you discover restaurant-quality wood-fired pizza right at home or in the garden; Noox Design offers NUO portable pizza oven that’ll transform the way you have been baking pizzas at home.

Why is it noteworthy?

An essential appliance for a compact kitchen, NUO is designed for the world beyond large, electric ovens. This one is actually a hybrid oven that lets the baker choose between gas or wood flame. The oven works conveniently without electricity and sits comfortably on a flat surface courtesy of its metal legs. On a simple push of the knob – placed on the side of the oven – the NUO can ignite automatically and then allows one to toggle between the choice of flame and its intensity.

What we like

  • The oven can reach temperatures of up to 500-degree Celsius within
  • It can let aficionados prepare pasta, meat, fish, veggies, and more with the flavor of firewood if that’s your taste

What we dislike

  • Weighs slightly heavy owing to its thick walls and stone floor

8. Aeri

Meet Aeri, an inflatable canopy that you can carry anywhere inside a backpack, and inflate in 3 minutes with the press of just one single button. Aeri helps you effortlessly set up a canopy or an outdoor shelter in an instant. Designed to be used for recreational outdoor use, Aeri can easily be carried to the beach, campsites, the park, or even your backyard. It uses a four-pillar arch design that provides the perfect shelter against sun, wind, and rain, and its entirely inflatable design runs on a rechargeable air pump that can be operated independently by a single person with zero assistance.

Why is it noteworthy?

The patent-pending inflatable shelter fits into a moderately sized backpack, and when unfolded, can comfortably provide a 10ft x 10ft shelter to an entire family or a group of 5-6 people. Its UV-blocking fabric works wonderfully against the sun, creating a shaded sanctuary against harsh sunlight, and the fabric’s even waterproof, making Aeri ideal for rainy weather too. While Aeri doesn’t come with metal supports like traditional tents or canopies, it makes up for that with a clever arched architecture. The arched pillars create a rigid support structure that stays stable even in windy conditions, and if things get too out of hand, Aeri’s built-in tether system lets you hook it to the ground.

What we like

  • Ultra-light
  • Easily portable

What we dislike

  • Unsuitable for extreme weather conditions

9. Shelf

Developed in the design language of DHL, PDF Haus aimed to give Shelf a simple box silhouette with a freewheeling attitude, taking inspiration from the color scheme, materials and finishes often chosen by DHL for their vehicles and brand aesthetic. The grill even comes with DHL decals and tags that can be adhered to the metallic grill’s front case that turns into its table extension. While most gas stoves come with a separate carrying case, Shelf’s entire grill has been turned into one that can be consolidated and carried away.

Why is it noteworthy?

Shaped and carried like a slim briefcase, two metal clasps open and slide out to reveal the Shelf’s grill and supplementary table space. Just beneath the grill, Shelf includes two retractable shelves that create more space for whoever’s cooking to place their spices, utensils, or tools. Blooming from Shelf’s underside like an awning, the shelves, and the sliding tables nearly double Shelf’s overall area.

What we like

  • Unique briefcase form
  •  An intuitive, recognizable control panel that allows users to adjust temperature and flame settings
  • DHL-inspired aesthetics

What we dislike

  • The grill is given more weight once propane gas containers are inserted into its underside to activate it

10. The AERIAL A1

The AERIAL A1 is a fusion of the best aspects of three separate products. It combines the safety and sheltering of a tent, with the comfort and carefree nature of a hammock and the tautness/springy-ness of slacklines. Designed by industrial designers with a true passion for the outdoors, the AERIAL A1 quite literally elevates the idea of camping. Rather than pitching tents in the ground, this one straps itself to trees (or even cars), taking your camping experience up a notch.

Why is it noteworthy?

Climb into the AERIAL A1 and you literally feel like you’re sleeping on clouds. The tent’s slackline structure requires you to stretch the base out so it’s virtually flat (unlike a hammock, which naturally takes a curve)… this effectively gives the AERIAL A1’s tent-bed its ‘spring’, making it feel like a cross between a hammock and a waterbed. The AERIAL A1 can easily be mounted over rocks, roots, or even a river. If the ground isn’t suited for tent-pitching, or if you just want to ‘upgrade’ your camping experience, the AERIAL A1 can quite easily be suspended above the ground. Conversely, if you’re in an open meadow with nothing to tie your shelter to, you can just pitch it onto land like any other tent.

What we like

  • Can take as much as 440lbs of weight once suspended
  • Uses a 2-point connection on either side, keeping your tent from ever rotating or flipping over

What we dislike

  • Has space for only one person

The post Bring your yard to life this summer with these fun + functional designs first appeared on Yanko Design.

Bring your yard to life with these inspirational products designs

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In these pandemic-stricken times, we find ourselves spending more and more time at home. However, sitting in the same old four walls of our bedroom can become quite boring, and sometimes the only fresh air we really get is when we step out into our yards. Although we shouldn’t underestimate our backyards, they can be locations of major fun, recreation, and relaxation…depending on how we do them up! How about turning your backyard into an ideal date spot for you and your partner, or hosting a barbecue party with the best grill in the market? We’ve curated a collection of product designs to help you transform these exciting ideas into a reality! These products will turn your yard into the ultimate relaxation destination. We bet you won’t want to step out of your yard, once you introduce these products to it! From single-use shipping containers repurposed into swimming pools to a prefab tiny backyard home – these designs will majorly transform your humble backyard!

1. The Noori V02 AIRY

Boasting an enameled steel construction, the Noori V02 AIRY is a multifunctional outdoor grill, pizza oven, rocket stove, and a fire pit – all in one! Not to mention, it’s probably one of the best-looking grills I’ve seen in a long time, it’ll be the perfect visual accessory to your backyard. The grill consists of six refractory concrete internal plates. These plates + an AIRY cylinder make up the grill’s innovative AIRY system (which also gives the product its name). This basically means that to set up an open fire, you simply need to remove a few refractory plates from within the AIRY cylinder, which instantly exposes the flames, creating the mesmerizing flame dance we all love to watch in an open fire!

2. Cover’s tiny backyard home

Located in Los Angeles’s Highland Park neighborhood, the backyard tiny home was designed and constructed by Cover as a rental experience for Lazarus and her partner, Didi. Like most of Cover’s structures, the Highland Park tiny home is a prefab project. The architects at Cover oversaw each of the home’s design and construction decisions, creating an idyllic, semi-outdoor backyard oasis destined for the LA sun. Sporting a prefab, panelized structure, steel framing gives rise to the backyard tiny home and its many dynamic features.

3. Modpools

Dubbing them “the world’s cardboard boxes,” Rathnam felt inspired to build the pools as a means of giving the discarded shipping containers new purpose and new life to backyards. The shipping containers are purchased by Rathnam after goods are shipped to North America from China since they would otherwise just be discarded and not reused for shipping purposes. Depending on your backyard and its building parameters, Modpools can be customized to fit.

4. Iam Sauna

Iam Sauna is a lovely tent-style sauna provided with a wood-burning stove that allows people to enjoy the outdoors even in the cold weather to regain the lost energy after a long day. A Japanese-style sauna tent is extremely portable; you can carry it along whether you’re biking it up or driving for a picnic with your family. In addition to portable design, the sauna tent is effortless to set up. A single person can install the tent in under a minute. One will be required to stretch out the pull tabs on all four sides and instantly, a stable and usable tent is ready.

5. Cook Nook

Though non-electric toaster and oven combos have struck their brilliance with the outdoorsy, the gas-powered Cook Nook presents an added advantage with a stove. There is so much one can do with the non-electric toaster, stove, and oven combo. It can be used for making toasts, roasting chicken, baking cake and even preparing a meal when electricity isn’t a luxury. So, when stepping into the wilderness, a portable and lightweight gas-operated toaster, oven, the stove is the icing on the cake since it opens up possibilities for a great treat for a large family or friends gathering with the choice of pizzas, cookies, and other delicious.

6. The Bungalow Luggage

Packed in a travel trolley-style sturdy case with four wheels, you get a pair of chairs and a table with a foldable top. The collapsible frame, seat, and backrest form the chair, while the metal spokes aligned as hollow table legs become the base for a wooden plank tabletop. The chairs have a nice canvas seat and the table seems pretty robust; together the furniture outside your camp will become your closest confidant in comfort!

7. The BBQ&co Grill

EIKI DESIGN STUDIO, a Kyoto-based product design studio’s refreshing barbeque grill design is a budding image of this new lifestyle prompted by the COVID-19 restrictions. The lead designer of the project, Seiki Ishii closely analyzed the dynamics of city living without compromising on the cooking of mouthwatering rotisserie, churrasco steak, or grilling the fresh salmon sushi from the market. This cross-cultural cooking space results in an elegant and compact BBQ grill that brings home the style of Spanish and Brazilian BBQ grilling. One that is dominated by wood burnt in the chimney to create a constant fire for the most evenly cooked delicacies.

8. MYC

In researching fireproof materials to build her grill, Singer found mycelium, a fireproof, vegetative part of a fungus that’s safe and edible for humans. Mycelium hosts an array of properties that make it the ideal choice with which to build a disposable grill. Inexpensive and very easy to grow, mycelium is an accessible, sustainable alternative building material that’s water repellent, naturally insulating, and entirely biodegradable. After cultivating her own lot of mycelium, Singer constructed prototypes of MYC and envisioned the disposable grill lining the shelves of convenience stores and gas stations to bring the choice of sustainable disposable grills to the masses. Following the use of an MYC grill, instead of searching for the nearest garbage can, grillers can simply cut up and leave MYC at the campsite to biodegrade and fertilize the earth.

9. The Zome Building Kit

You don’t have to be an architect to want to build a bamboo structure of your own thank to the ‘Zome building kit’ by Giant Grass! The studio has made a DIY kit that is basically a larger-than-life LEGO project which can live in your backyard or be scaled up to create a community space. The ‘zome’ is a flexible space that can be used by children to hang out in the backyard, like a gazebo for you to entertain guests in, a greenhouse for seedlings, a creative space in the office, a quiet space for yoga at home, or a glamping tent – it can be anything you want it to be. This DIY kit is perfect for those who want to live sustainability and enjoy working on projects which result in a productive reward.

10. The Wooly Eco-Friendly Cooler

Wool has a pretty good reputation as an insulating material, but you don’t instantly think of wool being used to keep something cool. Sure, woolen sweaters, mitts, socks, caps, they’re all used to trap your body heat and keep you warm, but with insulation, the inverse is true too! Meet the Wooly Eco-Friendly Cooler, an outdoor cooler that uses eco-friendly wool (as opposed to chemical insulants) to keep your cool drinks cool… and as an added bonus, it comes with a lid that doubles up as a charcuterie board so you can pair your wine with a few cold cuts of meat and some eclectic cheeses, or your beers with some chips and dip and a couple of cocktail nuts too!

The post Bring your yard to life with these inspirational products designs first appeared on Yanko Design.

Bring your yard to life with these products designed to transform your backyard into the ultimate fun space!

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In these pandemic-stricken times, we find ourselves spending more and more time at home. However, sitting in the same old four walls of our bedroom can become quite boring, and sometimes the only fresh air we really get is when we step out into our yards. Although we shouldn’t underestimate our backyards, they can be locations of major fun, recreation, and relaxation…depending on how we do them up! How about turning your backyard into an ideal date spot for you and your partner, or hosting a barbecue party with the best grill in the market? We’ve curated a collection of product designs to help you transform these exciting ideas into a reality! These products will turn your yard into the ultimate relaxation destination. We bet you won’t want to step out of your yard, once you introduce these products to it! From single-use shipping containers repurposed into swimming pools to a tiny backyard home/office – these designs will majorly transform your humble backyard!

Dubbing them “the world’s cardboard boxes,” Rathnam felt inspired to build the pools as a means of giving the discarded shipping containers new purpose and new life to backyards. The shipping containers are purchased by Rathnam after goods are shipped to North America from China since they would otherwise just be discarded and not reused for shipping purposes. Depending on your backyard and its building parameters, Modpools can be customized to fit.

You don’t have to be an architect to want to build a bamboo structure of your own thank to the ‘Zome building kit’ by Giant Grass! The studio has made a DIY kit that is basically a larger-than-life LEGO project which can live in your backyard or be scaled up to create a community space. The ‘zome’ is a flexible space that can be used by children to hang out in the backyard, like a gazebo for you to entertain guests in, a greenhouse for seedlings, a creative space in the office, a quiet space for yoga at home, or a glamping tent – it can be anything you want it to be. This DIY kit is perfect for those who want to live sustainability and enjoy working on projects which result in a productive reward.

Boasting an enameled steel construction, the Noori V02 AIRY is a multifunctional outdoor grill, pizza oven, rocket stove, and a fire pit – all in one! Not to mention, it’s probably one of the best-looking grills I’ve seen in a long time, it’ll be the perfect visual accessory to your backyard. The grill consists of six refractory concrete internal plates. These plates + an AIRY cylinder make up the grill’s innovative AIRY system (which also gives the product its name). This basically means that to set up an open fire, you simply need to remove a few refractory plates from within the AIRY cylinder, which instantly exposes the flames, creating the mesmerizing flame dance we all love to watch in an open fire!

Wool has a pretty good reputation as an insulating material, but you don’t instantly think of wool being used to keep something cool. Sure, woolen sweaters, mitts, socks, caps, they’re all used to trap your body heat and keep you warm, but with insulation, the inverse is true too! Meet the Wooly Eco-Friendly Cooler, an outdoor cooler that uses eco-friendly wool (as opposed to chemical insulants) to keep your cool drinks cool… and as an added bonus, it comes with a lid that doubles up as a charcuterie board so you can pair your wine with a few cold cuts of meat and some eclectic cheeses, or your beers with some chips and dip and a couple of cocktail nuts too!

The main appeal of a tiny home remains privacy and mobility, both of which are answered by the DROP office. While most tiny homes focus on setting up the place for a single owner, DROP provides two comfortable and fully equipped home offices. The dimensions of the cabin match that of a shipping container, the design is built and ‘dropped’ onto the site of your choice, reducing the environmental impact of construction! Need a break from work? The outdoor deck and fully openable windows allow you to immerse in your surroundings. With one fair-sized panoramic bedroom, three-piece bathroom, and fully-equipped kitchen – the cabin is yours for rest as well as work.

Adam Cornish’s Wooden Hammock challenges the notion that Hammocks need to be built from flexible materials like cloth or rope. It instead, comes with a series of wooden strips, suspended together by rope, with rubber members between the wooden pieces to spread them out and prevent them from rubbing against one another. Ultimately, designed to be a rest for your spine, the Wooden Hammock takes inspiration from it, using a series of wooden vertebrae to achieve flexibility! The hammock comes manufactured from plantation-grown Accoya plywood, letting it have the same strength as regular wood but with lesser ecological impact.

As things are beginning to ease down a bit and everyone is seeking a way to detox in the greenery all around, UENOA architects have designed GREEN BASE, a minimal structure ideal for socializing, work remotely, and other exciting activities. The design of see-through structure was headed by architects Yoshinori Hasegawa and Fumei Horikoshi who on request of the farmer wanted to design on the green land something that reciprocates with the pandemic lifestyle and lets people enjoy farmland activities. The likes of cooking the harvested vegetables from the farmland itself or having a warm evening gathering after a day’s hard work. The farmer had one strict requirement for the building structure, for it to be “technically reproducible and inexpensive to make’. Thus the architects used vinyl cladding material which also doubled as a way to keep the building transparent for people sitting inside to have a clear view of nature outside.

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QubeStove’s new rotating pizza oven dons a heavy gauge stainless steel coat that shines with all the possibilities of different pizza pies. The heavy gauge stainless steel looks clean and packs a punch, but it also establishes the oven’s long-lasting durability and ability to retain a lot of heat (that’s upwards of 1,000℉). A high-temperature, ceramic glass door both allows users to check on their food without opening the oven and covers the woodfire, inner mechanics. Once the oven’s hot enough and after you’ve decided on your pizza toppings, garlic marinara, cheddar cheese, seared pineapple (maybe), some fresh basil, you can slide it right onto the oven’s rotating pizza stone and watch the magic happen.

I want this Hanging Lounger by KODAMA in my own backyard ASAP. It’s a comfy nook to snuggle in with your favorite book or to simply take a power nap in the afternoon. You can also spend some quality time with your friends, family, and pets in the lounger.

Parsonson Architects created the Herald Garden Studio – a functional, flexible, freestanding 183-square-foot structure that sits in your backyard to accommodate all those growing pains! The studio includes office space, a bathroom, storage space at the rear, a play area , and a guest bed in the loft up the ladder. The loft is a cozy private corner and has a net panel in front for safety for children/pets. The studio has a number of windows on the upper level to let in natural light. Wooden beams set in a triangular arrangement make the structural framework and to keep the costs low the walls are clad with zero-formaldehyde oriented strand board (OSB).

These single-use shipping containers repurposed into swimming pools will bring your backyard to life!

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Rathnam’s company, Modpools essentially converts single-use shipping containers into backyard pools that could be installed underground, aboveground, or anywhere between.

Over the course of this pandemic, we’ve seen everything from prefabricated backyard tiny offices to an outdoor mobile bar and kitchen designed for summer BBQs. With so much of our focus on the environment and the potential of our own backyards, designers are getting creative with sustainability and how they construct these at-home retreats. After transforming disused shipping containers into self-contained home offices, Paul Rathnam, seasoned pandemic backyard renovator, returns to shipping containers, only this time he’s turning them into pools.

Dubbing them “the world’s cardboard boxes,” Rathnam felt inspired to build the pools as a means of giving the discarded shipping containers new purpose and new life to backyards. The shipping containers are purchased by Rathnam after goods are shipped to North America from China since they would otherwise just be discarded and not reused for shipping purposes. Depending on your backyard and its building parameters, Modpools can be customized to fit.

No matter where you live, Modpools can be integrated into your home’s environment. Aware that prospective buyers might mistake the recycled shipping containers for emptied garbage dumpsters, Rathnam says, “The uphill battle with containers is that it looks like a dumpster.” Homeowners can rest assured, however, knowing their new backyard pool wasn’t a public dumpster yesterday. Maintaining a clean and dent-free look, Rathnam’s Modpools are formed from single-use containers that only ship goods such as cellphones, computers, and clothes.

Customizable for your own backyard and its parameters, Modpools can be configured in different geometric shapes to fit the size of your garden or patio, or whatever your configuration may need – indoor or outdoor. The shipping containers can be cut down from their 20-40’ lengths to fit any size or shape needed for your particular backyard configuration.

The temperature of Modpools can be raised to 104-degrees Fahrenheit for colder environments. The Modpools are adjusted and welded about an hour east of Vancouver in Rathnam’s factory so that all the construction happens off-site prior to the pool’s installation. The good news is on-site installation can be finished in a matter of only a day.

Designer: Modpools

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Glass windows can be installed to the side of Modpools for underwater viewing.

Modpools can be installed underground, aboveground, or anywhere in-between.

Modpools can also be cut down in length to fit indoors, shrinking down from a length of 40-feet to 20-feet.

Aboveground Modpools would be a great addition to the heat of the backyard during the summer months, lasting over 30 years.

Bring your backyard to life this summer with these products designed to help you unwind!

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Summer is around the corner, and it’s almost time to beat the heat! Add COVID-19 to the mix, and our options for summer activities are really quite limited this time around. However, why don’t we turn inwards, instead of turning outwards as always?! A great option could be using our humble backyards as recreation spaces! How about turning your backyard into an ideal date spot for you and your partner, or hosting a barbecue party with the best grill in the market? We’ve curated a collection of product designs to help you transform these exciting ideas into a reality! These products will turn your yard into the ultimate summer destination. We bet you won’t want to step out of your yard, once you introduce these products to it!

You don’t have to be an architect to want to build a bamboo structure of your own thank to the ‘Zome building kit’ by Giant Grass! The studio has made a DIY kit that is basically a larger-than-life LEGO project which can live in your backyard or be scaled up to create a community space. The ‘zome’ is a flexible space that can be used by children to hang out in the backyard, like a gazebo for you to entertain guests in, a greenhouse for seedlings, a creative space in the office, a quiet space for yoga at home, or a glamping tent – it can be anything you want it to be. This DIY kit is perfect for those who want to live sustainability and enjoy working on projects which result in a productive reward.

Parsonson Architects created the Herald Garden Studio– a functional, flexible, freestanding 183-square-foot structure that sits in your backyard to accommodate all those growing pains! The studio includes office space, a bathroom, storage space at the rear, a play area, and a guest bed in the loft up the ladder. The loft is a cozy private corner and has a net panel in front for safety for children/pets. The studio has a number of windows on the upper level to let in natural light. Wooden beams set in a triangular arrangement make the structural framework and to keep the costs low the walls are clad with zero-formaldehyde oriented strand board (OSB).

Gravity Series 800 Griddle follows Masterbuilt’s Gravity Series 560 and Gravity Series 1050. Its design and construction are pretty similar to its predecessors though it has been meticulously engineered to make outdoor cooking simpler by giving the controls in your hands. Yes, the searing temperatures and slow-low cooking on the new grill + griddle can be controlled from the convenience of your smartphone, which syncs via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. In addition to controlling the cooking temperature, you can also monitor cook time from the app, while the integrated fan maintains the heat based on your desired setting.

The Sling Hanging Swing Chair by Studio Stirling is perfect to lounge upon on those lazy Sunday afternoons! The beautiful hanging chair is handmade and exhibits unique craftsmanship. Not only will it add comfort, but also a quotient of style to your otherwise mundane backyard!

In the mood for a romantic dinner for two? Look no further! Because you can now experience this in your own backyard with the Landscape Frame! Designed by Bergmeisterwolf Architects, this two-square-meter bench with an attached table is made of Swiss pine and is the perfect addition to your backyard to create an intimate and cozy spot!

The Cocoon Spherical Tree Bed is literally something out of a fairytale setting! The tent remains suspended above ground because let’s face it, how will a spherical tent remain upright on the floor? The tent comes with a huge 3-meter diameter and holds a double bed, living up to the glamping quotient of the evening. The design is made of an aluminum frame and comes with a waterproof layer to ensure the rain won’t come in and dampen your plans! It’s the perfect cozy little addition to your backyard!

The Wooden Outdoor Shower by WoodMaster honestly has me going gaga! This little outdoor shower is a personal relaxation space with privacy, of course. Pop in for a cool shower on those unusually hot and pesky summer days!

Cellars have been used across the ages to store food or even act like bunker houses in case of natural disasters. Groundfridge takes that design one step further by adding fresh food refrigeration to the game. The trick used by Groundfridge is by utilizing the natural insulating capacity of the ground and the cooler night air temperatures. The balance of this design allows you to store your vegetables, fruits, cheese, and even wine throughout the year. Ventilating this project uses a fan with a timer that replenishes the cool air during the night. Here’s a sustainable underground fridge for your backyard!

I want this Hanging Lounger by KODAMA in my own backyard ASAP. It’s a comfy nook to snuggle in with your favorite book or to simply take a power nap in the afternoon. You can also spend some quality time with your friends, family, and pets in the lounger.

The Faz Pot by Ramón Esteve is not only a good and functional planter but also a quirky and geometrically fascinating product that promises to jazz up your boring old backyard. Replace the conventional planters in your backyard with intriguing designs like these!

This tiny studio apartment sits in your backyard to give you a bonus functional and flexible space!

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Not every family can move into a larger home when they are falling short on space as children grow up. While it would be an ideal solution, it involves uprooting everyone from friends, extended family, adjusting to a new school/job as well as the whole process of moving which is extremely draining. To offer a smarter, more convenient solution, Parsonson Architects created the Herald Garden Studio – a functional, flexible, freestanding 183-square-foot structure that sits in your backyard to accommodate for all those growing pains!

Sometimes the best solution is to find a way to make the most of what one already has. Herald Garden Studio was born from one such situation because the client was a couple from New Zealand and they live in a small two-bedroom Victorian cottage that was getting cramped with their two growing sons. They didn’t want to leave their neighborhood and this compact backyard studio was the perfect economical solution. It provides additional space for a peaceful retreat, to study, work from home, make-shift guest house, or even storage. It is separate from the house but visually connected and linked by a sheltered outdoor space.

The interior incorporates an office space toward the front of the studio, a bathroom, and storage space at the rear, and the play area and guest bed in the loft up the ladder.

The loft is a cozy space, made more secure with the installation of netting at the edge.

There are a number of windows on the upper level to let in natural light and bring in a view of the valley outside.

To keep costs low, a range of simple materials was chosen. Wooden beams, set in a triangular arrangement, form the supporting structural framework, while the walls are clad with zero-formaldehyde oriented strand board (OSB), and the roof and the rear and side walls covered with green, corrugated Colorsteel, a low-cost option that matches the surrounding garden.

In addition, there is a pergola covered with durable but inexpensive polycarbonate and a wooden deck that extends around most of the studio. A hole has been cut into the deck to accommodate an existing olive tree.

The architects explain:

“Both the deck, pergola, and the main interior space have been conceived as one triangulated structure, stitching together the spaces and reinforcing the interior-exterior connection, while relating to the delicacy of the surrounding vegetation. Materials are unadorned, raw and but carefully assembled.”

Besides the walls, the interior sliding doors and bathroom counter are made from OSB as well, all finished with natural WOCA oil. Some people may understandably balk at the idea of having wall-to-wall coverage of raw OSB, but it’s an economical choice that is both easy to maintain, and also helps to emphasize the openness and minimalism of the space.

Nevertheless, there are pops of color here and there in the sea of honey-colored OSB, most notably in the bathroom at the rear of the studio, which features a shower stall clad with a red Invibe panel board. There’s also a custom-designed lighting sconce, again made with the red Invibe panel board.

Created with simple and cost-effective materials, this award-winning garden studio is a great example of urban infill on a small scale, a well-built solution that allows one family to continue living on a compact property closer to the city, without having to move further afield.

Designer: Parsonson Architects