When designing your home, both inside and out, ideally, you'll want to find the sweet spot between function and style. 

There's little point in having a stylish home if it's far too uncompromising to navigate through and makes your life difficult. Your home needs to be enjoyed and should work with you, not against you. 

That said, if you focus on a purely functional design, you'll miss out on the joy of a décor style that makes you feel alive, relaxed, or like you're home. 

This is why you can have the best of both worlds by marrying them together, and this piece is going to show you how. 

 Make Outdoors the New Indoors  

Long gone are the days when uncomfortable plastic seating was the only option if you were having a BBQ on the patio. Nowadays, there are so many options to turn your outside space into something that would rival your front room it could be hard to keep you inside. If the weather is on your side, that is. 

Create a functional seating area with comfortable, plush outdoor furniture such as sofas, chairs, bean bags, and a table to sit around. You'll then want to add decorative bits and pieces to make it homely in a style you love, such as scatter cushions or throw pillows, stylish outdoor rugs, or blankets to add some personality. 

What the outside of your home looks like matters just as much as the inside, so also consider upgrading fixtures such as windows and doors to make a seamless transition from inside to outside. Check out Procter Cast Stone for more information. 

Outdoor Kitchen and Dining 

There's nothing quite like some alfresco dining, especially in the summer. If you're someone who likes to eat and cook outside, and if you have the space, why not think about adding an outdoor kitchen with weatherproof appliances and a dining area? Not only will this make a great functional space, but you can decorate it in a unique way since it's outside. Think plants, outdoor wall art, statues, or other outdoor elements that would be inappropriate or difficult to bring into the home. 

Top tip: If you like smoked food, get yourself an outdoor smoker to add that authentic flavor! 

Make it Private 

Your backyard is for you to enjoy, and whatever you like to get up to should be able to be done with a degree of privacy away from onlookers. Privacy anywhere in your home is essential, but it can be much more difficult for it to extend to the outside. 

That said, there are a couple of things you can do to help. Consider installing some shade structures such as awnings or sunshades, which can help to protect you from the elements as well as give you another layer from prying eyes. You could also add other visually appealing barriers such as outdoor curtains, climbing plants, tall potted trees, or something like a lattice screen for added privacy. This will not only achieve your desired effect, but it will also look great.