Your backyard is a great area in your property to create a charming and cozy place where you and your family can relax. Aside from this, there are many things you can do here, from entertaining and grilling to reading and gardening.
Yard size does not matter as long as it’s inviting and comfortable to your liking. There are plenty of available landscaping options that allow you to make the most out of it. With that in mind, here are some simple ways on how to make your backyard look spacious.
Create A Functional Space
Strategically placing pieces of furniture and utilizing built-ins can create various rooms with different functions. You can create an area where you and your guests can mingle, It can be used for lounging, cooking and dining. Additionally you can even combine all the previous ideas for the ultimate backyard for entertainment.
Use A Pathway To Create A Focal Point
Typically, people will look at your backyard as a whole. It’s very easy to recognize how narrow or how little your space is at first glance. Fortunately, you can easily change the perception of your guests by leading their curious eyes to a distinct focal point to focus upon.
One of the things you can consider is installing a pathway in your backyard by using STONEarch natural stone pavers. Doing so can help establish a certain feeling of movement throughout your space. If you’re planning to divide your space, it’s a good idea to install a pathway into every zone.
Incorporate Outdoor Lighting
Installing soft, glowing lightings can offers dimension at night in narrow backyards or gardens. The key here is to incorporate it with diverse outdoor lighting. These include washes for your walls, accent lights to highlight your beautiful plants, and for safety, make sure to add path lights on your natural stone walkway. Another idea you can consider is to use track lighting under your benches. This will make it seem like they are floating.
Go Bold With Colours
Small or narrow backyards don’t usually provide you with a lot of possibilities in terms of adding visual interests that pop in comparison to more spacious ones. Nevertheless, one of the best and easiest solutions for this is to use bold colours. Similar to what you’d do with your home’s interior, you can apply vibrant hues through throw pillows and cushions to enhance your seating.
You may also want to put a subtle touch of nature in the mix. For instance, you can add a lovely pop of colour to your space with flowers in season. Try to stick to at least 2 to 3 tones if you want to pull off something that looks together. Then, design your whole backyard using the same colour palette for a cohesive look.
Embrace The Sunlight
One of the things you want for your narrow backyard is to keep it airy and open. So avoid putting awnings, pergolas, and other massive overhead architecture pieces in it. When you let the sun in, it will give your garden a feeling that it is brighter and bigger. Plus, it’s a great way to get an essential dose of Vitamin D every day.
Create An Illusion Of Height With Vertical Landscaping
Adding your narrow backyard with more width is highly likely. To resolve this, what you can do is to cheat height with vertical landscaping. Going upwards will create an illusion that you have more space than what you have. The reason for this is because when you view your space, your vertical landscaping will stimulate the eyes to consider height, which in turn, making it seem roomier.
When creating your vertical landscape, use different types of plants with various heights. This can help maximize the visual interest you can bring to your yard. Consider adding stoic perennials, shady trees, and other tall plants. Likewise, you may also stack up shorter plants in there using flower beds.
Include Grade Changes
To give your narrow backyard some definition while creating multiple destinations, modify the level of its various areas. If there’s a sloped area in there, installing a terrace is the most obvious solution. Nonetheless, grade changes are also beneficial to a flat garden. You may consider adding a sunken patio stone by removing the soil or create a raised deck below your outdoor seating area.
Simplicity Is Beauty
It’s exciting to decorate any space. And once that excitement kicks in, we tend to throw in ideas after ideas. The next thing you know, your narrow garden has too much stuff in it that it can actually ruin your great space.
Please keep in mind that less is more, and your backyard will feel tighter with the more elements you incorporate it with. So avoid large furniture and try to incorporate clean lines and built-in seatings instead. Additionally, make sure your plants are unified with the space to allow a good flow and to give the allusion of more space and that will allow your narrow backyard to be transformed into a cozy outdoor sanctuary.