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Beautify Your Backyard

By Ramon Gomez, Jr.
May 22, 2019

Snow may have found its way to Park City over the weekend, but summer is around the corner. This week we have 8 Ways to Beautify Your Backyard, how to make a good impression with your home and visiting the dinosaurs of Utah.

Whether you're considering selling your house or you want to improve the appearance of your current property, there are many ways to beautify your backyard. A well-maintained backyard can make you enjoy coming home to relax and make you proud when you have friends and family over.

Here are nine tips to help you improve and beautify your backyard:

Add a Custom Shed - If you have random lawn equipment out on your yard, it can be unflattering. When you build a shed, you have a place to store your gardening and lawn equipment.

Create a Walkway - Most people put stone walkways in the front yard but neglect to add them to their backyard landscaping. Use stone or pavers to create a walkway that'll be inviting and give a clear path to your patio or pool. This will limit the amount of traffic going through your lawn, which could damage your grass. It will also make your yard more eye-appealing.

Pergolas, Decks and Patios - Creating a definitive entertainment location can be a beautiful addition to your backyard. By adding a pergola, deck, or patio, you're making a place that immediately attracts your guests. You can add flowers and potted plants. A grill and outdoor lighting around your pergola or patio will make for the perfect finishing touches.

Outdoor Kitchen - An outdoor kitchen is great for locations that don't get a lot of rain and for people who like to entertain often—include a built-in grill, mini fridge, sink, etc. Anything that you would need to access inside your house, include it in your outdoor kitchen. This will eliminate much of the foot traffic through your house and give you a beautiful backyard.

Paint Your Fence - If you have a fence in your yard that you don't necessarily like the looks of, you can paint it to make your backyard look better. Depending what look you want, you can either go with one standard color, or paint a mural on the fence to make it a talking point, rather than an eye sore.

Add Outdoor Seating - If you want your guests to feel comfortable and at home, add cozy outdoor seating to your backyard. Use wooden pallets, long benches and Adirondack chairs to give people an option of where they want to sit. Also, add a wrap around tree bench or a daybed and get creative with fabrics and color schemes.

Give the Kids a Place to Play - A tree house or playset can really add a cool note to your backyard. Get creative with walkways and ladders, add lighting and tree swings. The options are unlimited.

Add Eye-Popping Landscaping - Beautiful landscaping can be a wonderful addition to your backyard. Add hydrangeas, butterfly gardens and flower borders. You can change the entire look of your yard just by adding some pretty plants.

There are so many ways that you can beautify your backyard. With these tips you can have a stunning place for guests to visit and a relaxing spot to unwind at night.

Homes That Make a Good First Impression Have 5 Things in Common - My Domaine - It takes just 26 seconds for a guest to form an opinion of your home when they walk through the front door. What does your space say about you? While we try to resist the urge to judge, there's no doubt that first impressions count. Whether you're expecting guests or you're hoping to transform your spare room into a rental, experts agree there are five key areas that friends notice first about your house. Make these simple changes for a home that makes a lasting impression.

"A clean and welcoming entryway is crucial in leaving a good first impression—it's the first thing a guest sees!" says Cresswell. When transforming a home into a OneFineStay property, she says it's crucial that the entrance introduces a design theme. "A good first impression—that moment when a guest's breath is taken away—comes from stepping into a home with striking, deliberate design," she says. "Think bright, organized, and neutral. There's a place for the eclectic or quirky, but the entryway is not that place."

Instant fix: If you don't have time to restyle your entryway, Cresswell says updating wall décor is a simple way to unify the space. "Rather than cobbling a bunch of different frames or odds and ends together, choose a few specific things that pair perfectly. A precisely placed mirror can make a space look much bigger and brighter."

If you only pay attention to the look of your home, you're missing one of the most important factors that influence guests: fragrance. A Trulia study suggests it could also increase the value of your home; 30% of real estate agents said scent was the single most important sense during an open house and named vanilla and fresh scents as the most popular among house hunters.

Instant fix: Light a vanilla or citrus candle in the living room or near the entrance to infuse your home with an uplifting scent. If you're turning your home into a rental, be sure to use a tall lantern to shield the open flame. "Flowers always add an elegant but subtle fragrance, and baking cookies is another great way to get a welcoming air on arrival," says Cresswell.

It's time to address that discarded pile of magazines or strewn shoes—when it comes to first impressions, clutter counts. 73% of real estate agents said cleanliness is the most important sight-based feature during a viewing, possibly because unnecessary furniture and décor can make a space feel small.

"A foyer should have absolutely no clutter," says Cresswell. "Everything, from decorative knickknacks to practical things like shoes, should have a designated place. Keys should be hung neatly on a key rack, and shoes should have a rack or boot tray. As for cleanliness, dusting and vacuuming go a long way."

Instant fix: Use decorative baskets to mask mess. Position them by the doorway, under a coffee table, or beside a sofa to fake a cleaner-looking home without removing any items.

The color you choose to paint your home can have a big impact on its value. A report by Zillow Digs found that slate gray was among the most disliked colors among guests and cut the value of a home by over $1000. If you're painting a guest room, real estate agents told Trulia that white, ivory, and eggshell are the most appealing shades to create an inviting space.

Instant fix: If repainting your home isn't an option, pay attention to lighting. A carefully chosen floor lamp with the right colored bulb can subtly change the intensity of paint and is a perfect way to make a slate-gray room feel bright and fresh.

To turn a good first impression into a lasting one, Kaye says personal touches matter most. "A well-made bed is the most important thing you can offer your guests. It is the key to making your visitors feel completely comfortable, cozy, and relaxed!" When creating the brand's first-ever hotel, Kaye channeled five-star vibes with a few expert touches. "You should always provide at least two pillows of varying firmness per guest and dedicate a few sets of towels and sheets for guest use only. This will allow them to last longer than if you added them to your daily rotation of linens."

Instant fix: Caught off-guard by unexpected guests? Try this hotel-approved towel folding method for a thoughtful guestroom touch. "First, lay the towel flat on a surface, and smooth out any wrinkles. Then, starting with the long side of the towel, fold the length in thirds," says Kaye. "Grasp the short side, and fold the towel in half. Repeat this step," and you should be left with a neat square.

Looking for something to do this weekend, visit the Dinosaurs in Utah by Only in Your State - If you want to learn more about some of Utah’s first residents, there are several places to check out. There’s the Museum of Ancient Life at Thanksgiving Point, the Natural History Museum in Salt Lake City, the Dinosaur Museum in Blanding and of course we have an entire Dinosaur National Monument in Vernal. There’s another dinosaur park in Utah that many people don’t even know about: the George S. Eccles Dinosaur Park in Ogden. Check it out!

Did dinosaurs live in Utah? They certainly did! Dinosaurs once roamed all over the Beehive State during the Mesozoic Era, 225 to 65 million years ago. Most of the dinosaur bones found it Utah are from dinosaurs who lived here during the Late Jurassic Era through the Late Cretaceous Era. Just imagine what it must have been like when these giant beasts walked around here.

Are there dinosaur fossils in Utah? Absolutely. Because of Utah’s dry climate and high altitude during the time of the dinosaurs, their bones were perfectly preserved. Utah is a world-renowned site for paleontologists who come here to study dinosaur fossils. Bones of many species have been found here, including Allosaurus, Seitaad, and several species of Sauropods, Ornithopods, and Ankylosaurs. Utah even has two dinosaurs named after it: the Utahceratops and the Utahraptor.

What museum has the best dinosaur exhibit in Utah? It’s hard to pick just one favorite dinosaur museum in Utah. Visit the Museum of Ancient Life at Thanksgiving Point, the Dinosaur Museum in Blanding, and the Dinosaur Quarry Exhibit Hall at Dinosaur National Monument in Vernal.

What are the best dinosaur attractions in Utah? Dinosaur lovers living in Utah are lucky indeed, because we have tons of great dinosaur attractions here. In addition to the Eccles Dinosaur Park and the museums we’ve mentioned above, you’ll want to visit the Natural History Museum of Utah in Salt Lake City, the BYU Museum of Paleontology in Provo, the Utah Field House of Natural History in Vernal, the Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry near Price, and the St. George Dinosaur Discovery Site in St. George. You’ll also want to take a hike on the Mill Canyon Dinosaur Trail near Moab.

The George S. Eccles Dinosaur Park is open during the spring Monday – Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (the museum closes at 5:00 p.m.). During summer months, hours are extended until 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Admission is $7 for adults; $6 for seniors and students; $5 for children ages 2-12; free for children under two years old.

Dinosaurs in Utah by Only in Your State - If you want to learn more about some of Utah’s first residents, there are several places to check out. There’s the Museum of Ancient Life at Thanksgiving Point, the Natural History Museum in Salt Lake City, the Dinosaur Museum in Blanding and of course we have an entire Dinosaur National Monument in Vernal. There’s another dinosaur park in Utah that many people don’t even know about: the George S. Eccles Dinosaur Park in Ogden. Check it out!

Did dinosaurs live in Utah? They certainly did! Dinosaurs once roamed all over the Beehive State during the Mesozoic Era, 225 to 65 million years ago. Most of the dinosaur bones found it Utah are from dinosaurs who lived here during the Late Jurassic Era through the Late Cretaceous Era. Just imagine what it must have been like when these giant beasts walked around here.

Are there dinosaur fossils in Utah? Absolutely. Because of Utah’s dry climate and high altitude during the time of the dinosaurs, their bones were perfectly preserved. Utah is a world-renowned site for paleontologists who come here to study dinosaur fossils. Bones of many species have been found here, including Allosaurus, Seitaad, and several species of Sauropods, Ornithopods, and Ankylosaurs. Utah even has two dinosaurs named after it: the Utahceratops and the Utahraptor.

What museum has the best dinosaur exhibit in Utah? It’s hard to pick just one favorite dinosaur museum in Utah. Visit the Museum of Ancient Life at Thanksgiving Point, the Dinosaur Museum in Blanding, and the Dinosaur Quarry Exhibit Hall at Dinosaur National Monument in Vernal.

What are the best dinosaur attractions in Utah? Dinosaur lovers living in Utah are lucky indeed, because we have tons of great dinosaur attractions here. In addition to the Eccles Dinosaur Park and the museums we’ve mentioned above, you’ll want to visit the Natural History Museum of Utah in Salt Lake City, the BYU Museum of Paleontology in Provo, the Utah Field House of Natural History in Vernal, the Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry near Price, and the St. George Dinosaur Discovery Site in St. George. You’ll also want to take a hike on the Mill Canyon Dinosaur Trail near Moab.

The George S. Eccles Dinosaur Park is open during the spring Monday – Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (the museum closes at 5:00 p.m.). During summer months, hours are extended until 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Admission is $7 for adults; $6 for seniors and students; $5 for children ages 2-12; free for children under two years old.

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