How to Make Your Backyard a Vacation Oasis

If your yard is large enough, design it with several seating areas instead of just one. Scott has a large main outdoor living area, but he enhanced the vacation aura by creating other resting spots (such as the weathered lawn chair at left), reached through a series of paths that reveal only a little at a time.

Elements such as blooming plants or a special view tempt visitors to wander. "Tables and chairs at each destination with flowers on the table make you want to go grab a glass of wine and sit down," he says.