Tennessee homeowners are changing the way they vacation.
Rising fuel prices, airfare and tourist crowds have caused a cultural shift: both natives and those who have recently called the Volunteer State their home are spending less on travel and investing more in their properties.
“Staycations” are becoming the new luxury, and at the heart of the experience is a premium outdoor summer escape.
No one understands the art of creating a staycation quite like Middle Tennessee native Taylor Milliken, CEO of Milosi. For more than 24 years, the family-owned company has been rooted in Middle Tennessee, designing outdoor spaces that reflect the region's unique climate, lifestyle and love of gathering with family and friends. Milliken lives in Gallatin with his wife, Samantha, and their three children. His upbringing and family background are deeply woven into the company’s DNA — multiple family members work for Milosi and operate businesses throughout Gallatin and Sumner County.
Milliken's secret to creating the ultimate backyard retreat? Start with a design and a team that understands your vision and fully manages the project, and put a plan in place to maintain the space.
“We seek to understand the wants, needs, and vision of our clients for the spaces they ask us to design and build during our design consultations,” says Milliken. “Always make sure you begin with the end in mind and design the entire space.
Begin with the focal point: the pool
“In almost every case, we are going to start with a pool when a client asks for the ultimate staycation,” Milliken says. “The second thing we are going to talk about is the outdoor kitchen and dining. When I think of vacations and memories made with friends and family, it always comes back to cooking and breaking bread together.”
One other pro tip Milliken recommends? Try to build out a pool bathroom if possible, so guests can avoid drying off and taking multiple trips into the house for a bathroom break.
Design outdoor spaces like interior rooms
Milliken and his team map everything out with a core design philosophy of the backyard as an extension of the home.
Milliken says, “It’s all about creating separate intentional spaces similar to how your rooms are designed on the interior of a home.”
Functionality is also at the foundation of Milosi’s design process. Milliken encourages homeowners to think beyond aesthetics and focus on how they'll use the space, like hosting holiday gatherings, relaxing around a fire pit, enjoying pool days with the kids or sharing meals with friends. The best staycation retreats are designed around the way people live, not just the way they look.
“If you’re playing host, I always recommend getting a little larger cooking space,” shares Milliken. He also suggests considering an outdoor sink, a warming drawer (if you have the space), an icemaker and an outdoor fridge. These components cut down on (or eliminate entirely) multiple trips in and out of the house, keeping you outside with your guests.
Milosi almost always designs outdoor retreats with covered dining areas.
“It gets very hot in Tennessee during our summer months,” Milliken notes. “Shade helps families enjoy the outdoors more when they can get a break from the sun.”
Small backyard, big staycation potential
A smaller backyard footprint is not a dealbreaker for creating the ultimate outdoor retreat; it just requires more creativity. Milosi designers create solutions to maximize limited square footage, like scaled-down pools, dual-functional spaces and strategic privacy landscaping to ensure every choice serves a purpose while still delivering an elevated experience.
“It’s all about scale,” says Milliken. “We have built some of my favorite projects in tiny backyards. The beautiful thing about designing in a small space is that it forces you to get really creative, and allows you to make every square inch special and intentional.”
The ultimate staycation: Fun, relaxation and connection
The addition of greenery and florals are designed to enhance an outdoor space by embracing natural elements.
Milliken says, “Pots and containers are growing in popularity. I liken this to getting a new outfit or a new haircut. You can change the flowers out two to five times a year to provide that new look to your patio, porch, and pool deck.”
The Milosi team focuses on creating environments that bring together the three things homeowners value in a staycation: fun, relaxation and connection. While pools serve as the centerpiece for summer fun, integrated features like fire pits, outdoor dining areas and gathering spaces extend the experience beyond a day spent in the water.
These outdoor living spaces become the backdrop for holiday meals, casual weeknight dinners, intimate conversations around the fire and multi-generational celebrations with family and friends. The result is more than a beautiful backyard, it’s a destination for making memories, fostering connection and enjoying the ultimate staycation right outside your back door.
Building a cohesive plan
Milosi designers have noted an increasing demand for full outdoor living design upfront, and seen a rise of integrated outdoor kitchens, resort-style pools and covered outdoor living rooms with screened-in patios. A recent Milosi project featured two covered patios, a pool, spa, sauna, fire pit, outdoor shower, ping pong table, glass roll-up garage doors leading in and out of the gym, a putting green and a lower patio with a fire pit and family-size couch.
Because of the complexity of resort-style builds, it has become more critical than ever to work with a design partner who understands how outdoor spaces are actually used day-to-day. In regions like Middle Tennessee, that also means accounting for challenges such as humidity, pests, stormwater and rapidly changing seasons. These factors directly impact both design decisions and long-term usability of the space.
Maintain your staycation retreat
You can build the most beautiful staycation spot in the world, but if you don’t have a plan to maintain the space, it will quickly add stress to your preparation time, reduce your usability, and in worst-case scenarios, damage your investment.
For someone that uses their outdoor living space constantly, it’s important to engage a partner who provides regular maintenance. This includes mowing, landscaping, seasonal color installations, irrigation services, pool maintenance and hardscape repairs.
“Hosts want to do what they do best — host,” says Milliken. “When the days leading up to a gathering are spent on yard work and upkeep, it takes away from the enjoyment of the experience. We consistently see that homeowners who invest in maintenance tend to use and enjoy their outdoor spaces more often.”
Become the staycation gathering place
The growing interest in backyard retreats reflects a larger shift in how homeowners want to experience their summers, with many choosing to make their property the central hub for family and friends. The ultimate staycation space is designed to become the backdrop for everyday moments and important milestones alike.
“We see a lot of grandparents, as well as young families, looking to build a really special outdoor space,” says Milliken. “Our house was the house that everyone came to growing up. That is, to me, the biggest benefit. You will not only get to enjoy it yourself but also get to share it with those you love the most.”
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