For some homeowners, a small yard feels like a prison. For others, it feels like an oasis. The difference in these two attitudes often arises from how each homeowner uses his or her space. If you fall into the former and not into the latter case, then take heart. Employing one or more of these four tips will help your yard feel bigger and help you feel like you’ve escaped your small backyard prison.
Start With a Focal Point
Like the fireplace inside the house, the focal point in your yard draws your eye to one important spot. Although you can still see the yard is quite small, your yard’s focal point helps your eye to “ignore” the peripheral aspects of the yard, including its size. If the focal point you choose in the yard is powerful and lovely enough, it’ll draw your eyes away from the yard’s perceived flaws and help them to focus on something more becoming. In the process, your yard will appear bigger.
Cut Back on the Grass
You’d think that the remedy for a small yard would be to create large swaths of the yard as far as the eye can see. As it turns out, this isn’t the case. Instead of going overboard to plant more grass, make it a point to plant less grass, and in its place, install landscaping features, like flowers, yard art, and other items. If you do this, it’s likely that you’ll discover more about how certain fool-the-tricks can work visual wonders in your backyard.
Build Up Not Out
In places like New York City, when builders ran out of space horizontally, they began building vertically. As a result, the city looks larger than it is, partly because the tall buildings draw your eye upwards. You can employ the same trick in your yard to good effect. Install features, like raised garden beds, trellises with climbing plants, and other “upward” features to capitalize on this concept.
Buy the Right Kind of Lawn Furniture
Lawn furniture that’s big and bulky takes up a lot of visual space in the yard. In turn, your yard looks smaller. Instead of going for the bulky stuff, consider buying smaller pieces or opt for folding lawn furniture instead.
You don’t have to have acres and acres of land to feel like you have a big yard. Sometimes, the only thing you need is a bit of creativity and a few fool-the-eye tricks to get your lawn to visually expand. If you have a small yard, employ one or more of these tricks and watch your yard “grow” before your eyes.
