Are you looking for ideas to transform your backyard into an incredible place where every sunset feels like sitting front row at paradise? Imagine strolling through a cypress and olive-lit terrain, with a gentle breeze combining rosemary and lavender fragrances, while listening to those far-off water features calling your name.
You can absolutely have that and more by thinking outside the box and taking cues from luxury resorts. Check out these five outdoor living upgrades that can deliver a high-end country club ambiance right to your doorstep.
Embrace Mediterranean-Desert Landscaping
Mediterranean-desert landscaping is something that can instantly beautify your backyard, since this design is typically utilized by trendy resorts and country clubs. Take the example of Toscana Country Club where cypress and olive trees are bathed pink against the desert horizon at dusk, escorting members from an evening piazza social to wine-soaked nights at trattorias. This effortless choreography of landscape and luxury lifestyle is at the heart of the expertise at Palm Springs country clubs, and you can try the same design principles when upgrading your backyard.
If you want to make this happen in your own backyard, begin by planting some drought-resistant trees such as silvery olive and tall Italian cypress on the main walkways, like a pool perimeter, similar to those fancy gated driveways at the luxury places in Indian Wells. Then, add some textured succulents, Mediterranean herbs, and vibrant bougainvillea to get a nice la dolce vita feeling going.
To take it to another level, don’t forget to add some uplighting to emphasize the trunks and fronds once it gets dark, and it will feel just like the club’s illuminated piazza. Blending native desert flora with signature Tuscan forms will also make your garden feel local yet transportive at the same time; it perfectly creates the experience members have when strolling through Toscana’s South and North courses during sunset.
Opt for an Al Fresco Kitchen
High-end resorts are distinguished by offering seamless indoor-outdoor dining options. Outdoor kitchens with in-drawer refrigeration, prep sinks, and grills allow diners to surround cooking activity without losing visibility or conversation, and you can try the same.
You can always aim for commercial-grade stainless-steel appliances under a coveted pergola shaded by stone Tuscan villa-style columns. Add heavy granite or quartz countertops with bar stools to enable cooks to socialize. Similarly, you can add a built-in pizza oven or Teppanyaki station for a club-level experience of luxury, evoking chef-designed dining rooms in high-end residential communities.
To take it to the next level, add low-profile weather-resistant cabinetry to hide utensils and serving pieces Thoughtful lighting such as pendant lighting or LED under-counter lights makes evening entertainments match resort buffets. Such an al fresco kitchen takes mundane barbecues to epicurean parties, giving guests the high-end dining experiences they get in luxury desert resorts.
Introduce a Water Feature for a Tranquil Environment
Flowing water has always been a sign of relaxation and refreshment in resort settings. From tiered foundation in the official courtyard to gently bubbling ponds in secluded settings among olive groves, water features will always produce multisensory appeal.
To have the same in your backyard, you can begin with a long reflecting pool with a narrow sheet-jet cascade or a free-form pond with natural stone lining. These arrangements will help create a sound of water that overwhelms ambient sound and invites birds and wildlife, contributing to the oasis effect you truly want. Just be sure to pick a location where it can be heard from patios, lounges, and dining areas.
Similarly, lighting plays a big role here, and you can create an ambiance with various LED uplights within the basin to turn water into a lantern-like evening focal point. You can invest in a spa-style plunge pool alongside a fire feature to offer double thermal experiences, like resort amenities that alternate between warm and cool immersion to stimulate wellness benefits. This constant sensory stimulation enriches daily life to feel like an ongoing getaway.
Create Cozy Lounge Areas with Plush Furnishings
When you want to turn your outdoor spaces into something luxurious, you may already know that resort-like spaces aren’t just about looks. In fact, they’re a lot more about lounging in style. In most cases, the focal point is the fire feature, which could be a sunken fire pit with benches incorporated or a trendy gas fireplace on a fieldstone wall.
You can try the same but be sure to bring in some low, weather-resistant sofas and chairs around the fire, covered in outdoor materials that won’t fade. Throw in some side tables to the equation along with some overhead heaters or a retractable pergola roof, making it possible to hang out there all year. You can enhance the feel by using some oversized outdoor rugs and plush throw pillows in natural fabrics to make those hard surfaces feel more comfortable. This arrangement will have the look of those intimate courtyards from Tuscany-themed clubs where neighbors gather for evening cocktails under the stars.
Incorporate Spa-Level Amenities to Elevate Leisure and Wellness
Something you’ll notice at top resorts is that their spa facilities often spill over from treatment rooms to pool decks and gardens. You can also turn your backyard into something more luxurious by replicating some of that design idea.
To make it happen, you need to focus on building an outdoor spa area. It doesn’t have to be difficult though, as you can begin with a hot soaking tub in the decking with screening for privacy in the form of bamboo or trellis-clothed vines. Right next to it, you can have an outdoor shower with stone-faced walls and wood slat decking, enabling al fresco rinsing and sensory rebirth.
You may also consider adding lounge chaises and side herb gardens, like rosemary, lavender, and mint. The best thing about these herbs is that they waft soothing scents when touched. Don’t forget to include soft landscape lighting and calming music spaces for guided yoga or meditation. Just as club members at Tuscany-inspired country clubs enjoy the Art of Spa amidst olive groves, these upgrades bring holistic wellness into your own backyard.
Endnote
By adding in some desert and Mediterranean landscaping ideas, stylish outdoor kitchen, running water features, and spa-like areas, you make it easy to reproduce the same luxury you witness at any high-end resort right in your own backyard. Every little bit of upgrade you make helps you create the country club ambiance you’ve seen in Palm Springs. Just remember to do it well with quality materials and a focus on the finer details and your outdoor space will become a comfortable oasis that can rival the best places around the world.
