Backyard Essentials Transform Your Home for Summer

Creating an outdoor living room adds warmth and personality to backyard spaces, and makes it easier for you and your guests to feel at home in the outdoors. To start, invest in some basics that are built to last year-round. The All-Weather 6-Piece Patio Set with Textured Cushions and All-Weather Round Side Table create the perfect foundation for your new summer living set. Need a little more seating? Consider the All-Weather Porch Rocker or All-Weather Adirondack Chair, portable choices that will work around a bonfire or beside a pool. Make sure to include some creature comforts, like an adorable, printed Indoor/Outdoor Hooked Pillow with a ship wheel motif or Edison Bulb Solar String Lights for a little ambiance.

Can’t get away to the beach or campground? With the right backyard setup, a mini vacation awaits right outside your door. Set the mood with a Quilted Sunbrella Hammock, which is fade- and mildew-resistant and quilted for cushioned comfort. Add a Traditional Hammock Pillow for a carefree nap during the day and a Waterproof Outdoor Blanket for cuddling up on a cool summer evening. Plan a picnic or happy hour with help from our Insulated Tote, and make sure the mosquitoes don’t join with protection from the L.L.Bean Acadia Family Screen House.

Many gardeners delight in the summer months, when the long days and warm temperatures allow for optimum planting and growing. If you’ve got a garden in bloom, this Cedar Gardening Elevated Raised Bed is a beautiful showcase for your cherished plants, perfect for a backyard deck or even a small patio or balcony. Set the planter between a pair of Solar Stakes for nighttime viewing, as well. If you’re in the planting stages, make sure you’ve got the gardening basics: Gardening Pruner, Gardening Trowel, Gardening Scoop and a Garden Kneeler so you can dig into the earth to your heart’s content. Make sure to keep a pair of L.L.Bean Discovery Sports Binoculars on hand to watch the beautiful birds who visit your garden.

Whether you have a wicked competitive streak or just like to indulge in some lighthearted play, we have a game for you. For a little physical fun, consider a customizable L.L.Bean Bocce set or Katahdin Bean Toss, featuring our exclusive Mount Katahdin logo. If you’d prefer to stretch your brain instead, try the Jumbo Four-in-a-Row, Jumbo Checkers and Chess, Whale Cribbage or a sturdy, wooden L.L.Bean Deluxe Scrabble. For those who like to mix practice and play, perfect your aim and strategy with a Family Archery Set, with easy-to-string bows and solid fiberglass arrows.

Dreaming of sitting outside on sunny days? L.L.Bean’s SunSmart™ UPF 50+ Clothing is made with lightweight, breathable fabric that has your back, blocking the sun and helping to protect from UV rays. The collection now features more styles in more sizes. For everyday wear, consider versatile items like the Adults' Buff Coolnet UV Plus Multifunctional Headwear, which comes in more than a dozen colors and patterns to match its many uses, or a simple Everyday SunSmart™ Graphic Tee, designed for maximum comfort. Items like the Women’s Vista Camp Pants and Men’s L.L.Bean Multisport Pants provide ideal protection throughout the summer (and year-round.)

When it comes to a perfect outdoor space, it’s all about the details. Our Indoor/Outdoor Vacationland Rug, featuring a serene tree line graphic, pairs nicely with a Waterhog Doormat, offered in a variety of patterns. Don’t keep all the nice things underfoot. Adorn your outdoor wall with a Metal Compass Rose to show everyone your True North. Set-up a Boaters Solar Lantern and dot your outdoor space with Near and Native Candles to set the scene. And most importantly, remember to take a moment to relax and enjoy the restorative power of your time outside.