How to make your yard more useful
Consider these outdoor upgrades for adding colour, enhancing ambiance and carving out more usable space in your yard.
As we plan to stay closer to home due to social distancing restrictions, many of us are looking for ways to make the most of our homes and gardens. Whether you have a large backyard or a small deck there are plenty of ways to make a beautiful and useful outdoor space.
The following projects range from more extensive improvements, like installing a deck, to quick and easy updates that offer immediate results. Take a look and tell us, do any spark your imagination?
1. Reclaim your side yard
Often overlooked side strip can, with a bit of imagination, become thoughtfully planted walkways or dynamic spots for outdoor living.
2. Try an outdoor rug
If you’re looking for an instant pick-me-up for a tired-looking deck or balcony, roll out an outdoor rug. Outdoor rugs made of polypropylene are the most durable and can be used anywhere, as they are often resistant to both water and fading. Natural fibre outdoor rugs should only be used in covered outdoor areas.
3. Add colour to pot plants
It’s not too late to planting flowers in pots. Try mixing flowering plants with ornamental grasses for a meadow-like look, or with evergreen shrubs such as boxwood or privet for a design with long-lasting structure.
4. Expand your back landing
If you have a few steps down from the back door to the ground, often with or without a small landing. Expand the landing and this transitional space can become one of the most-used spots in the backyard, given its proximity to the house.
If you don’t have room for a larger deck right outside the back door, a medium-sized landing can be enough space to add potted plants to frame the door or a seat for one.
5. Reassess your patio setup
Take a moment to critically assess whether your current outdoor furniture arrangement best suits your needs. Could you open up deck space by investing in an L-shaped sofa, for example, rather than a scattering of chairs? Could you benefit from more shade in the afternoon or a heat source in the evening?
If you have a larger deck, could it make sense to define areas based on use, such as a lounge separated from an outdoor dining area?
6. Hang lights
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: It’s hard to beat cafe-style lights for their ability to instantly transform an outdoor area. If you have a shadowy porch, deck or balcony that could do with a bit of an ambiance boost, string up some cafe lights overhead and watch them do their magic.
Look for commercial-grade outdoor cafe lights — they’ll last for years and hold up to exposure and moisture much better than more inexpensive globe lights.
9. Create an Indoor Garden
No outdoor space? No problem. Bring nature in and create the feeling of a lush garden with a collection of potted plants. Most popular houseplants thrive in areas with bright, indirect light, such as close to a window that receives full morning sun.
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This article via Houzz does not constitute advice; readers should seek independent and personalised counsel from a trusted adviser that specialises in property, a tax accountant and property design specialist.