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
