Homes with smaller outdoor spaces are more common these days, but this doesn’t have to limit your design options. There are many ways to turn your backyard into a place you’ll love to spend time in, and even add some lush greenery to it.
Whether you want to entertain friends or give your kids a place to run around, small backyards have their charm. They’re also easier to maintain and you can always rearrange things to switch it up.
Here are 7 amazing backyard ideas for small yards to make your outdoor area beautiful and cozy.
1. Create a Framed Patio Area
A framed patio is one of the best small backyard ideas for first-time homeowners. It’ll divide your backyard into a seating area where you can put furniture and a greenery area with plants and grass. This is a great way to add a streamlined design to the yard without overcrowding the space.
2. Choose the Right Plants and Trees
When choosing plants and trees for small backyards, it’s best to go with ones that won’t spread too much. For example, succulents don’t branch out, don’t need a lot of maintenance, and look beautiful.
Hang small flowers onto the garden walls and they’ll look lovely without taking up yard space. Instead of trees, you can plant shrubs and bushes that’ll give you both greenery and privacy.
3. Use Minimalistic Furniture
Small yards work best with minimalistic furniture. Huge patio sets can close up the view and take up a lot of space. Opt for simple chairs, benches without backs, and use coffee tables instead of large tables.
If possible, build seating around main backyard elements, use vertical planters for your flowers, and use folding furniture pieces.
4. Create a Focal Point
Small yards are easily cluttered, especially with large furniture, kids toys, plants, and trees. Creating a focal point will give the eye somewhere to focus on and you can build the seating area around it.
This can be a fountain, a vertical garden, a pond, or a bonfire. You can also create a small cooking area in the backyard by following the best outdoor kitchen trends for small yards.
5. Use the Entire Backyard
Many small backyard designs don’t include the side yard or the areas you can’t see. However, these can add so much beauty to the space and make your yard look and feel bigger. Adding bushes, flowerbeds, and green turf to every unused inch of your yard will make it look grand and luxurious.
6. Kids Play Area
If you have kids, a small backyard is the perfect way to let them play and run around while you keep an eye on them. You can buy outdoor toys like swings, slides, pools, and playhouses that you’ll use as needed and then store away.
7. Go Vertical
When you can’t expand in width, the sky is your limit! Go vertical to maximize the space and still have a beautifully decorated backyard. For example, vertical gardens are trendy and simple to maintain, and you can either build individual planters or dedicate an entire wall to them.
Create a Beautiful Outdoor Area With These Backyard Ideas for Small Yards!
A small backyard doesn’t have to stay bare and unfinished! There are many things you can do with it to turn it into an oasis of relaxation, and these backyard ideas for small yards will help you get inspired.
Need more outdoor design tips? Read some of the other articles on our site where we share the latest industry trends and news.