picks for Minnesota inspired backyard

You don’t often hear the words, “Minnesota is my ideal vacation spot.” In fact, Minnesota is not a place you will want to visit instantly, it is more of an acquired taste. Most people think of cold, long winters but there is much more than just that. The neverending land of lakes, amazing colors in the fall, four-season hiking and biking trails, and the list goes on and on. 

Our climate might be cold, but we are very warm-hearted people, and we love spending time with our close circle of family and friends. Also, have we mentioned that we have amazing Minnesotan musicians? Yes, there is a little thing called Minneapolis sound.

Knowing that Australia and Minnesota are polar opposites, we decided to spice things up a little bit and share some very Minnesotan secrets when it comes to backyard design. Let the Minneapolis sound echoes through your backyards. Add a dash of Minnesota winter to your hot climate and enjoy the cool vibes even when the day is hot.

People down under, it is time to go up north with your backyard design. And for this mission, you don’t have to leave your backyard. Just experience the cool climate in the hottest way possible.

Not to mention it will provide you with amazing aesthetics and it will increase your property value tremendously! An Australian backyard with a Minnesota twist!

Outdoor kitchen, outdoor pizza oven, or a bar?

When it comes to Minnesota culture, we simply don’t know what we like better – cooking or eating. Add watching Viking games to the mix and say ‘’Skol!’’

Since there are few hot days during the year, we love to prepare our dishes outside. So the outdoor kitchen is our favorite. A great outdoor kitchen represents both luxury and coziness. So, let’s see how you can combine the elements until you find your personal favorite.

Outdoor pizza oven – a wood-fire pizza oven is always a great addition to your backyard. It is a new trend that adds character to your backyard as well as giving a warm, inviting feel to it. The smells are also phenomenal when you cooking some pizza on it with family and friends. 

Every pizza is great but this one would be extra satisfying as you could be in the comfort of your own home, or should we say in your backyard. You’ve chosen your custom ingredients for pizza, you’ve awakened your inner lumber and chopped that wood. And started that fire!

You deserve that rich, tasty pizza oozing with hotness and flavors. Bonus tip – add some fresh basil from your garden on it. You can thank us later. The best thing is you can fit a pizza oven into any sized backyard. Set up a dining table nearby and simply enjoy.

A Minnesota tip: what you probably don’t know is that we love hotdishes. So, to have a full Minnesotan experience, we recommend preparing a tater tot hotdish. Tater tots are popular here in Minnesota, and they can also be found in Australia but they are called potato gems or potato royals instead.

So give them the royal treatment, northerner style, and enjoy a nice dinner in your backyard.

Add an outdoor grill and a bar. People often think of the term man cave as an indoor place. Time to get more creative though because when you come outdoors, the options are limited only by your imagination.

Imagine having your own outdoor bar with a wine cooler, a fridge full of beer, and a grill. Also, you can install a tv so you and your friends can enjoy a nice barbecue, your favorite drinks and watch your favorite sports. Your friends will beg you to join your club!

Bonus tip: If you want a Minnesotan vibe – try making our signature cocktail – The Bootleg cocktail. We already mentioned that it is great to have a mini garden with exotic herbs. Fresh mint is the main ingredient for this refreshing cocktail!

Add a pergola – adding a pergola means building a room without walls. But hey, all your outdoor decor dreams can fit there.

Use natural materials to create a perfect sanctuary. Add white shades and accent lighting to the roof. Canopy and string lights can be amazing for this style. You can place your outdoor kitchen there or a dining table.

Also, add furniture with lots of soft cushions around. We recommend using vibrant and colder colors such as turquoise, violet, and dark blue.

If you have a pool nearby (we will get to the water elements later also) you can install an outdoor kitchen to your pool house. Then you will have the freedom to add so many elements such as ice makers, ovens, wine coolers and put the worries about the weather aside.

When it comes to building your outdoor kitchen we strongly recommend using natural stones or clay. It is not expensive and it will look decorative. Add interesting pathways made of natural stone or decomposed granite to match with the style and you will have your own fortress of awesomeness, oozing with flavors and inviting people to join the party!

Arctic charm straight from Minnesotan backyard

We already mentioned our cool climate. That is the entire deal with our creativity. We need to stay flexible and adapt to the harsh weather conditions.

With everything we mentioned in this article, all options are inexpensive, easy to maintain, and extremely durable. We love to make things that will last.

We also simply love adding fire elements to our environments. Yeah, we know it is pretty hot out there but let’s add our other personal favorite.

Something that is simply a must-have in a Minnesotan household. Epic drum roll please – an outdoor fire pit.

Yes, it does sound epic and it also looks amazing. Just imagine sitting beside the crackling fire, stargazing, grilling hot dogs, or enjoying sweet and warm s’mores. Why go on a camping trip if you have your own campfire?

Wilderness in Minnesota is a way different than one in Australia. One has giant bats and one has skinwalkers as well as BigFoot (just kidding). Camping in your backyard is always the safest option. And you can play with different firepit styles – you can make a fancy fire pit made of copper, or you can stick to the classic stone firepit… It is up to you to find the perfect shape.

Arrange the furniture to follow the shape of your firepit.

We know we’ve mentioned adding an arctic twist to the mix. Can you imagine turquoise flames dancing seductively in your firepit?

Icy goodness encrusted with fire? This effect could be achieved with fire glass. When they are exposed to a low flame they will provide an amazing effect.

Arctic and hot – you can see some examples here.

Bonus tip – add blue led light fixtures to your garden to enhance this icy effect.

Water elements

In Minnesota, we are proud of our Norwegian roots. We are all channeling our inner Vikings somewhere. It is probably where we get the love for the water elements.

Well, the Viking days are gone but what we can do now is to embrace our Scandinavian genetics.

Hot tubs are a great addition to your backyard. You can build your own wooden outdoor hot tub and enjoy a nice dip in the warm water. Doesn’t your very own day spa sound relaxing? You can also build a sauna nearby where you can relax even more and then sweat out the toxins.

A fiberglass swimming pool will add a dash of luxury to your backyard

If you want to keep it simple – do some plumbing and install a vintage bathtub in your backyard. You can again add a pergola or water wall to keep your little sanctuary hidden from curious eyes and enjoy a warm bathtub beneath the stars.

Color palette and furniture

We prefer sticking to neutral colors when it comes to furniture. The more natural the better. So the furnishing should be from wood and we prefer monochromatic or pastel colors. White, black, gray, or light pink or brown is a perfect choice.

Play with different furniture styles, you can find nice and not so expensive furniture options. It will be luxurious on a budget and also cozy for you and your family. Rattan is always a popular option for outdoor furnishings but we recommend sticking to the wooden furniture – it will last longer.

It will fit perfectly into your backyard and let the other elements take the spotlight. Arctic firepit, blue fiberglass pool, your outdoor bar – these are the real stars here.

Add hammocks also so you can enjoy a quick nap after lunch!

Greenery should play a major role. Add a few plant beds with small pines inside. It will give you an instant feeling that you are transferred someplace else.

Time for a Minnesota goodbye

It is very well known that Minnesotans love long goodbyes but we will keep it short and sweet this time. We hope that you will incorporate some of our ideas into your backyard.

We provided a small peek at our unique lifestyle and we hope that you will awake your inner Minnesotan.

By Anurag Rathod

Anurag Rathod is an Editor of Appclonescript.com, who is passionate for app-based startup solutions and on-demand business ideas. He believes in spreading tech trends. He is an avid reader and loves thinking out of the box to promote new technologies.