Sleeping Under the Stars

Escape to your backyard this summer with at-home glamping

Camping can be incredibly rewarding when tents and sleeping-bags are set up in a stunning location beneath a sea of stars. However, there are a few downsides to a difficult trek up a mountain to the perfect clearing or a long drive on winding roads to the right campsite. Many of us — if not the majority — forget something either essential or greatly wanted when venturing far from home on camping trips. Whether that forgotten thing is a lantern for night hikes or a favorite food for breakfast the next day, something inevitably gets left behind. Furthermore, bugs abound, nights grow cold and all food must be elevated after dinner to protect it from bears and other wildlife. Though many of us enjoy “roughing it” for a few days in the wilderness, campsites and park passes can be expensive, carrying heavy packs can be exhausting and missing items cannot easily be replaced or replenished. Thankfully, a charming outdoor alternative exists — often at a lower financial, physical and stress-related cost than true camping. “Glamping” — an adorable portmanteau of “glamorous” and “camping” — combines all the joy of sleeping under the stars with all the comforts of home — or even of luxury accommodations. Save money otherwise spent on an expensive hotel and time and energy otherwise spent on trekking to your campsite by glamping in your own backyard this summer. Gather around a fire pit with friends or family for s’mores and cocktails in the evening and wake up fresh for a champagne brunch in the morning. Follow below for five design and entertaining tips on how to glamp in your own backyard this summer.

A Brief History of Camping in the United States

Though camping has seemingly existed in the public consciousness as a challenging but enjoyable American pastime for many decades, it really only gained popularity in the late 19th century when the first campsites were established in the US. Jeff Adams offers a brief history of camping in his recent article for Reserve America. Adams writes that “every summer more than 42 million Americans turn to the wilderness seeking escape, however temporary, from the drudgery and stress of everyday life.”

Despite this long-term love affair with lounging under the stars, the first camp established in the US did not pop up until 1861 when Frederick Gunn founded Gunnery Camp in Washington, Connecticut. While the tent was created in the 1850s — fashioned after the tepees of Indigenous North Americans — the first Boy Scout Handbook instructing how to set up tents was not published until 1911. In the late 1950s, the first “fast-to-set-up freestanding tent” was introduced to market and the modern concept of camping was born.

What is Glamping?

“Glamping” — the elegant sister of rustic outdoor camping — was not introduced until the late aughts of the 21st century. The GlampingHub post “From camping to glamping: History and evolution” explains that searches for “glamping” did not appear in notable numbers until 2007, when interest spiked across the UK and Ireland. Between 2010 and 2013, backyard “glamping began to take off…[seeing] a major rise in popularity in the UK...and starting to make a name for itself in the US.” In 2016, the word “glamping” was “officially added to the dictionary.”

For those unfamiliar with this cheeky take on overnight stays in nature, we turn to Shelby Van Slooten in her article “#SquadGoals: The Finest Glamping Gear for Your Girls' Getaway” for Better Homes & Gardens. Van Slooten writes that “‘glamping’ is camping with the added bonus of glamour, because why should you have to sacrifice luxury to experience the great outdoors?” To recreate the sounds, smells and general atmosphere of the “great outdoors” in your home glamping adventures, Van Slooten suggests investing in a noise machine, a series of single-person tents and a mouth-watering menu of camp-inspired cocktails.

Five Tips for Glamping in Your Own Backyard this Summer

#1 Create a Cozy Nook in Which to Stargaze While Backyard Glamping

First in our list of DIY glamping ideas is creating a cozy space to read, sleep or lounge in your backyard camp site. In her post “Glamping 101: How to Go from Camping to Glamping” for the REI Co-Op blog, Ashley Brown defines the “true key to glamping [as] having a luxurious, comfy bed to retire to at the end of the day.” To create an outdoor bed that calls you in from the fire pit, Brown suggests starting “with a comfy base like an elevated cot or a massively plush mattress.” On top of the base, add bedding like “an insulating layer, some soft sheets, a comforter and lots of pillows” to ensure a sound night’s sleep. Brown recommends completing your outdoor bedroom with “side tables, a rug, slippers and your favorite reading material.”

However — warns Brown — glampers should keep in mind that after creating such a luxe, cozy space, “you might have a hard time getting out of your tent in the morning.” For daytime nappers, Brown advises adding a “campsite hammock” to your backyard furniture program. As for the rest of your yard, the article recommends glamorous campers “go big and plush with your seating” outside the tent or yurt to create a faux living room in which guests can gather. We love the Loloi Rugs Isle IE-02 Rectangular Teal / Grey Area Rug for cozy glamping decor.

See more: https://www.patioliving.com/style-studio/how-to-glamp-in-your-own-backyard