A Backyard Oasis By Candlelight

There is nothing better than a backyard oasis, wouldn't you agree? It allows you to leave the stresses of life behind and gives you a moment to breathe and just be...without having to go away on a vacation. If you have young kids it allows you to tuck them away safely in bed and steal a few adult moments to yourself without the cost of a babysitter and the stress of having to watch the clock. 

Anyone living in a place as rainy and grey as Vancouver can definitely relate to how compelling a backyard oasis can be. For just a few short months we are lucky to be able to shed the layers and get outside and enjoy the mild late-spring and summer weather. Life in Vancouver is expensive and it can be hard to get enough money together to create a space that you can relax and feel pampered in, but I do have a few cost saving suggestions for you.

First off lets talk mood lighting. For me there is nothing more relaxing or romantic...wink wink...than candle light. So why not incorporate it into your backyard lighting scheme? Now I'm a klutz so its WAY too risky for me to have my yard filled with real candles so I use LED tea lights that are on timers. I set them once at the beginning of the season and never have to fuss with them again. You may be wondering how I keep them from getting ruined with all the sporadic rain we get in Vancouver? Well, it's simple with a few unorthodox purchases from the dollar store.

I started out buying these citronella candles complete with holder from the dollar store and I removed the candle portion. Reserve the citronella candles to use in small doses dotted on your tablescapes but I WOULD NOT recommend ever hanging these from trees lol!

After removing the candle, I replaced it with a clear spice jar...also from the dollar store. I popped the tea light inside the jar. The lid keeps the rain off of the candles so they will last from spring right through summer. If you're lucky like I was last year, they could last until January before they die out!!!!!

Now you can hang these twinkling fairy lights wherever you'd like, because you'll only have to do it once. The timer will turn itself on and off throughout the summer. Brilliant don't you think?!!!!!

Another must for me in my backyard is a fire. It keeps me toasty warm on those chilly nights and has the added benefit of roasting marshmallows on it...talk about a win win!

The modern linear fire pit above was on clearance at Rona last summer and I absolutely LOVE it. It looks just like the ridiculously expensive concrete ones they sell at Restoration Hardware and it was a fraction of the price. I swapped out the ugly lava rock that came with it for firesafe glass pebbles which I bought at home depot. It gives a much higher end look at a fraction of the price.

Lastly, I have to mention the gorgeous new pre-lit umbrella that I purchased at Home Depot. They are still a little pricey but in rainy Vancouver are well worth the investment. These umbrellas not only keep your furniture dry but will also provide some much needed shade if the sun ever decides to shine here lol.  Mostly, they are just so darn pretty...wouldn't you agree? 

I hope these tips help you to create your own backyard oasis.