Pacific Northwest homeowners know one of the best perks of living here is the beautiful landscape. Even though the weather can leave us wondering most days, there are ways to enjoy your outdoor space year-round. If you have a small outdoor space, check out these tips to maximize the area and get the most use out of it.
How to Maximize Your Outdoor Space
Stay Organized
The key to small spaces feeling cozy rather than cluttered is staying organized. Maximize the space by looking for dual-purpose outdoor furniture, like benches with storage inside or a fire pit with a place to store supplies for s’mores.
Don’t forget to utilize vertical space in your design, too. Even if the square footage of the outdoor space is limited, you may be able to find a tall storage solution like a cabinet or shelving unit.
Blur Property Lines
Fence lines or other obvious property boundaries emphasize the smallness of a yard. Blurring the lines by softening them with plants can give the illusion of a larger space. Consider placing trellises along the property line and growing attractive creeping plants like flowering vines. Not only will this add visual interest and privacy, but it will make the space feel bigger.
Designate Outdoor Rooms
As you plan your outdoor design, think of the space as being made up of “rooms.” Even if each room is not particularly spacious, you can maximize the functionality and visual appeal of the whole design by dividing it up.
Some of the outdoor rooms might be a raised garden bed area, a seating area, lawn game space, a dining table with a bar cart, or a swing or hammock. Depending on your household and how you plan to the use the space, the opportunities are endless.
Designate each room’s space and define it with a visual border, like a line of potted plants, an outdoor rug, a grassy area, or a paved section.
Reclaim Side Yards
Side yards are often ignored and treated as nothing more than a pass-through of place to store lawn equipment. Look at your side yards and consider how you might reclaim them to be more functional and beautiful. You may be surprised to see you have space for a small seating area or planting table, for example.
Even if your side yard needs to remain as a pathway, you can make it a beautiful space by selecting pavers you love and lining the path with plants, garden art, and water features.
Incorporate Running Water
Running water adds a peaceful ambience that feels upscale and luxurious, no matter the size of the space. Look around your outdoor design for a few places that would be well suited to a water feature. Whether it is a table top water fountain or a large sculptural garden element, adding a few water features to the yard will make all the difference in the way your outdoor space feels.
Check Out Our Total Out Design
Contact Firstfruits Landscaping for more information on garden designs upcoming in 2023 or any outdoor home improvement Remember, we do everything from initial design and layout to hardscape, construction, fencing, plantings, and all types of landscape design. From plumbing and electrical to construction and landscape, trust your next outdoor project to Firstfruits Landscaping.
Get a QuoteFor more information on Landscaping and Gardening Check Out These Posts:
- 10 Genius Landscaping Tricks
- Full Yard Renovation
- Should I Reseed or Use Sod?
- What is Landscape Restoration?
- Dangers of Snow and Ice to Your Property
- How To Protect Your Trees and Shrubs for Winter
- How to Deter Deer from Damaging Your Lawn and Flowers
- End of Summer Lawn Maintenance: What to do in September in the Pacific Northwest
- How to Protect Your Garden in Windy Weather
- Tree Services in Snohomish County