The ideas you implement to decorate your outdoor living space should be built upon your primary purpose for the space. The features of the space should depend on its function. Consider whether you will be entertaining large groups of people, or whether young children will play in the area. These types of questions are important for many reasons, including safety and practicality. For instance, a water garden may be soothing for adults, but dangerous for small children. With some thought, you can satisfy your design goal for a beautiful outdoor living space. Does this Spark an idea?
Continuity of Hard and Softscape
Your hardscape includes things like your pavement and other permanent fixtures. Your softscape includes things like flowers and shrubs. Implement an outdoor living space landscape that flows with your home's existing structure, color, decor, and overall feel. For instance, if your house is brick and your indoor decor is modern, then make your patio from brick pavers and use modern but durable outdoor furniture.
Privacy
One of the drawbacks of an outdoor living space is the fact that it may be visible by the neighbors or passersby. It's obvious that you can create privacy using a tall fence. However, if you have a limited budget or are more inclined to use natural features to gain privacy, plant a series of tall hedges to attain a more private feel. Consider the use of a trellis with vines that are trained to grow over it. Develop your privacy plan based on your personal tastes and budget.
Limited Space
It's possible to make a small outdoor living space appear larger in several ways. Use winding paths through your space as opposed to straight walkways. Also, place tall plants far away from the space's entrance, and smaller plants close by. Finally, use hedges and other tall plants to block the view of a path's end point. These techniques work together to create the visual illusion of a larger, more intricate outdoor living space.
Defining a Space
Modern outdoor living spaces can be furnished and used very much like an indoor space. This means that subsections of your outdoor space should be defined just like they are indoors. If you have a large patio, you can several distinct spaces. The conversational area can be defined with an outdoor loveseat, and chairs arranged around a fire pit or atop a rug to pull the colors and fabrics together. The eating area can be defined with a dining set or bar arranged around the grill area. Be sure not to put a fire pit on top of a rug, however, for safety reasons.
Sounds and Scents
If you can hear traffic noises in your outdoor space, use hedges and a trickling fountain to drown out the noise so you, your guests or your family can relax. Part of our enjoyment of an outdoor living space is the smell of the plants. Choose herbs or flowers that are highly fragrant. If you will primarily use the space in the evenings, choose plants like the moonflower or night-blooming jasmine.
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