This Bachelor Couple Broke Up...But Their Backyard Was Just Plain #Goals

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By Courtney Thompson Jun 16, 2017, 12:02 PM ET

It was the most dramatic rose ceremony, well, ever. Yes, The Bachelor says that catch phrase over and over every time a new handsome gent is trotted in front of 20+ eager brides-in-waiting, but when it came to season 20, that of tall, dark and handsome Ben Higgins, the phrase was actually very true. Prior to doling out the final rose, Higgins had verbally declared his love to not one, but two women—a Bachelor first! Ultimately he chose the blond (Lauren Bushnell) over the brunette (Jojo Fletcher), and the rest, as they say, is history.

While Higgins and Bushnell recently announced they were dunzo, the previously-engaged duo had been happily cohabitating in Denver for the past year, and recently joined forces with online furniture and décor retailer Birch Lane (which falls under the same umbrella as Wayfair, Joss & Main, All Modern and Dwell Studio) to rehab their drab backyard space into the urban outdoor oasis of Bushnell’s dreams. “We have a very small indoor living space, yet we had this sprawling, empty backyard!” said Bushnell. “We wanted to bring the living outside and make it as cozy and functional as possible.”

The former flight attendant worked with Birch Lane on the makeover, and hand-picked more than 100 pieces from the site to decorate her backyard. What was her design inspo? “I really wanted a cozy, boho-inspired backyard that we can entertain in,” she said. “When it came to inspiration, I wanted to make sure that the color scheme blended with the outdoors, which is why we went with the blues and grey tones.”

Given the former couple’s love of entertaining, they created three spaces in the backyard—a dining area, a living area and then a campfire space. “Because our indoor area is so small, it’s hard to entertain in,” said Bushnell—a sentiment that likely resonates with apartment-dwellers everywhere—and that was echoed in this week's Cyrus vs. Cyrus Design to Conquer! “Ben loves to cook and we both love having friends over, so we wanted a space that allowed us to do so and not feel crammed. The outdoor space allows us to cook, relax and entertain all in one place.”

Shop our favorite Bushnell picks below—from earthy vases and pots to rustic trays and tables—and set your own backyard for prime entertaining under the starry sky.