Keep Your Backyard Cool This Summer

As temperatures climb into the triple digits, we usually head indoors - especially here in South Central Texas. It seems a shame to avoid the outdoors on some of our most beautiful days - so here are a few tips on keeping cool when you're spending time in the backyard.

Quench Your Thirst

This Patio Cooler from Wayfair.com features a faux wicker appearance, extra storage, prep space, and even a drain tube for melting ice.

If you're creative, you might want to check out this DIY project - a picnic table with a hidden cooler!

Or, if you're looking for something a little more dramatic, Dutch designer Floris Schoonderbeek created the "Groundfridge", a walk-in refrigerator, meant to be buried in your backyard. It's perfect for chilling cheese, wines, and other drinks.

Keep It Misty

Whether you try a DIY system or install a Misting Fan, keeping your backyard cool through misting is a great idea. Mist cooling works by getting the mist to evaporate into the surrounding air as fast as possible. As the mist evaporates into the surrounding air, it begins to cool the air.

Invest In Some Shade

Whether you're shading with something as simple as trees or an umbrella or something as grand as a gazebo, you can cool down the area by 10 or 20 degrees by adding shade!

This modular shade is a great option - allowing you to keep the shade where you need it!

What solutions have you found for your own backyard?