How To Make A Small Backyard Feel Bigger

If your home has a small backyard, it can feel less than inviting, to say the least. Often cramped for space, a small backyard may even turn you away from fun projects like creating a cozy outdoor living space or even entertaining guests. However, there are many illusions and gardening techniques that can improve your perception of small backyard spaces, as well as front yards and side yards.

So, what are you waiting for? Make the most of your outdoor living spaces. From adding the right plants and trees for visual height to mingling the same decor as your home interior, here is how to make a small backyard feel bigger.

1. Incorporate The Right Plant Textures

Be mindful of each plant’s texture. Place fine-textured and small leaf plants closer to the outdoor edges. These types of plants tend to reflect light, which makes them seem farther away than they really are. Incorporate some perennials, tropical plants or plants with big leaves, also known as “coarse leaves” by gardening professionals, as a focal point throughout the space. These types of plants provide the illusion of depth, much like a jungle. As you spruce up a small backyard, there are many ways you can use plants and flowers to make the space appear larger.

2. Create Illusions With Pavers And Decking

 

A diagonal pathway can create an optical illusion in any space. For backyard paths, install pavers and decking in a diagonal direction to achieve a more spacious look and elongate the space. If you have a walkway or path, make it appear larger than it is. Replace shorter, straight paths with winding ones to add some stretch and playfulness. Our paver walkway cost is reasonable, and you can always request a free quote to find out what the project might cost.

3. Dress Up The Entryway With Bright Colors

Another way to make a small backyard feel bigger is to use bright colors at the entrance. Whether that’s by a charming painted garden gate or merely adding some brightly potted bushes, a pop of color is sure to grab guests’ attention and make a space look more enlarged. Choose warm colors like reds, oranges and yellows that offer contrast against your yard’s mostly green backdrop and to generate excitement. For cooler shades, like purples and blues, keep these along fences and borders that run along the yard’s edge.

4. Create A Multi-Level Experience

Add levels to a yard to add more depth and dimension. This can be anything from a sunken concrete patio to an elevated container garden. You can even add multiple levels on a deck, each for various entertainment areas and grilling areas. Creating a multi-level experience can even be as simple as planting large trees and adding planters that give a similar illusion, guiding your line of sight upward.

5. Incorporate Surroundings

If your home is situated with a gorgeous scenic backyard view, don’t let it go to waste. Blend your surrounding landscape with your small backyard to give it a more breathtaking, open look. Giving it this simple flow will make your small backyard feel bigger, even if you do not technically own the horizon.

6. Make A Picturesque Trellis, Pergola Or Arbor

 

Large structures, such as a trellis, pergola or arbor, can make a small backyard feel more substantial. More often than not, they can also provide a bit of shade, which is quite practical for a sunny outdoor space. These types of structures offer a picturesque landscape and direct the flow of foot traffic. As a general rule of thumb, make sure to build arbors roughly the same size as your doorways and entrances. Otherwise, it may feel more constricting to duck under while passing through.

7. Divide The Space

Create an element of surprise by dividing a space. While this might seem to contradict, it can open a backyard up visually. For instance, separate the dining area from the occasional seating set or break up a space with a small planter wall or a trellis wall. You can even visually separate and define a space in more subtle ways using various flooring patterns and finishes such as pavers, gravel and artificial turf.

8. Keep The Design Consistent

Like blending your backyard space with the surrounding horizon, it’s also important to incorporate it with the home itself. Essentially, this helps to create a more cohesive design instead of seeing the backyard as a separate space. The best way to blend the two is to follow through with similar finishes and decor styles on your patio or outdoor seating and lighting. If you have a rustic modern farmhouse interior, let it bleed into the outdoor areas, too, with some lanterns and minimal style pots.

9. Expand Area With Mirrors

Mirrors can make an interior space appear expanded, so why not incorporate them outdoors, too? This works exceptionally well if you have a small backyard or outdoor space tucked between you and your neighbor that doesn’t see lots of sunlight. Hang a large mirror with a weather-resistant frame, such as stainless steel, stone or treated wood to prevent rusting. Alternatively, you could use an already time-worn antique mirror.

10. Go Vertical

Much like the pergola, trellises and tall trees, you want to create vertical elements and structures to guide your eyes upward. Add some privacy screens on the deck’s outer edge and hang string lighting above a dinner table. Better yet, grow a vertical garden or cover an outdated fence between you and your neighbor with climbing vines or tall bamboo.

As you can see, there are numerous ways you can make a small backyard feel bigger. Whether you want to re-landscape your entire yard or just need it to look more inviting, explore these tips and tricks to open up your fantastic outdoor space.