If you have a small yard, you might hesitate to entertain large groups of guests. Don’t let a small yard deter you, though! Here are some great ways to make the most of your small yard that will have you hosting parties every weekend.
Make a Focal Point
One of the things you’ll want to do in a small yard is to create a focal point. Focal points draw your eye by using different aesthetics to create visual interest. Typically, focal points mix materials and colors. In your yard, use a water feature, sculpture, personalized garden stones or another piece of art to create an outdoor focal point.
Move Up, Not Out
Instead of planting greenery across your small yard, build upwards! Create a vertical garden with different plants. This gives the illusion that your yard is bigger because your guests won’t run out of space to congregate. You have more space to place outdoor living furniture, such as chairs and tables. Make sure the plants you include in your garden need similar amounts of water so that, when you water your vertical garden, some plants aren’t getting over or underwatered. Another option is to create a vertical garden where you screw on individual pots so that you water each plant individually rather than all at once.
Avoid Closing it In
Even though you might live in a very humid climate without much natural shade, your small yard will look and feel much smaller if you add structures that remove the sunshine. Host your events either early in the morning or late in the evening so that your guests don’t feel the brunt of the heat – and, if you do want some shade, use plants that have large leaves and grow higher.
Strategize Your Furniture
Small yards can still have outdoor living furniture; you just have to be creative about it! Incorporate sleek metal tables and chairs, benches and even foldable furniture to increase space. You’ll also want to consider furniture that maximizes storage space, such as storage benches or tables. You can use it to store garden tools, hoses or seasonal outdoor decor, especially if your yard doesn’t have a shed. This way, all your outdoor needs remain outdoors but tucked away so as not to detract from the overall visuals of your yard.
Use the Front Yard, Too
One of the things you can do to maximize the space in your smaller backyard is to move some of the furniture to the front yard. This is especially great for items like personalized yard flags or even a small table and chair set. Front yards are also great for adding seasonal decorations, so focus on placing those decor items there to save space in your backyard for entertainment-based decor.
Contain the Plants
If you have a lot of stone in your backyard and very little open grass or soil, you should use planters! They come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and you can even decorate your own planters to suit your decor style needs. Try to incorporate different sized planters to create some different heights between your potted plants.
Create Dimension
Don’t leave your yard all one height. Use different levels to create dimension and layers throughout the space. Give grass its own area, put the table and chairs on another level and don’t forget a water feature! This is a great way to use recycled materials, such as salvaged wood or metal. Thinking about using wooden pallets? Exercise caution: some pallets have toxic materials in them that are released over time. Rather than finding old pallets at the grocery store, go to a salvaged woodshop and create your own pallets. Even though it might take more wood, time and skill to do it yourself, it’s important not to risk your health or your guests’.
String Lights
String lights are great for outdoor spaces. Their gentle ambiance creates a warm atmosphere great for entertaining. Available in a variety of shapes and sizes, string lights are great for small spaces because you hang and drape them rather than sticking them into the ground. You can even create your own unique planter posts by doing the following:
- Gather Your Materials: Planters, concrete mix, 4×4 posts, hooks, zip ties
- Drill Holes at Top of Post: Doing this before putting the posts into the concrete so that you minimize the risk of falling while drilling.
- Mix Concrete in Planter: Using concrete is important because it will hold the wooden post in place.
- Insert the Posts: Make sure you put the posts into the planters while the concrete is still wet.
- Insert the Hooks: After letting the post set in the concrete, place the hooks into the pre-drilled holes. Zip tie them to the hooks so they don’t slip off, causing the bulbs to shatter.
- Place Planters in Corners of Space: Do this before hanging the lights so you aren’t dragging the lights around or potentially dropping the containers.
- Hang the Lights: Hang the lights on the hooks. You can either drape the lights in a square, following the perimeter of the posts, or you can criss-cross the lights to create a unique pattern.
You can personalize the string light posts, too. Paint the wooden posts or the planters with monograms or outdoor-themed words and phrases. Use stencils to paint on some images or make sure the letters are straight rather than free-handing.
Avoid Fencing In
While putting in a fence might seem tempting, consider using some shrubs or trees for a natural fence line. This will make your small yard look more natural and cohesive, plus it doesn’t require replacement like fencing eventually will. Plus, your neighbors will benefit, too. If they don’t already have a fence, then your natural privacy line gives them one also!
Having a small yard doesn’t mean that you can’t decorate it in a big way. There are tons of ways you can make a small yard feel large – your guests won’t want to spend their time anywhere else in your home!