In a good climate, the backyard may function as one of the most-used rooms in the house.
Design it that way.
Do you eat outside, watch television, cook, read, swim, entertain, or simply drink coffee in the morning?
Those activities should determine the outdoor layout.
Shade is critical. An uncovered patio in a hot climate may be useless during the exact hours you want it. A covered terrace with fans, lighting, furniture, and weather protection can become real everyday living space without being air-conditioned.
Connect outdoor dining logically to the kitchen.
Think about rain, wind, mosquitoes, screens, drainage, lighting, and prevailing breezes.
Renderings never contain bugs or blowing rain. Real patios do.
A well-designed outdoor room can make a modest interior house feel dramatically larger.
But only if the outdoor space is comfortable enough to use.