One of the benefits of having a small yard is that it doesn’t take as much money to landscape, hardscape and design the space. One of the drawbacks is that it takes a lot more creativity to incorporate all of the elements that you want into such a small space. However, even a very small 12×12 foot backyard area can become a relaxing outdoor living space. So if you have more space than that – be encouraged! Check out some of the small backyard ideas and tips included in this article to determine whether or not they would be well-suited for your particular needs.
Using Decorative Stone Materials
One way for Brockton homeowners to make more out of their small backyard space is to forgo the typical grass lawn and instead use the natural color and texture of decorative stone materials. Choose from local, native rock or smooth river tumbled pebbles. You can place these materials around garden beds, use them as filler between your patio and walkway, create a pathway with them or use them to create a unique and beautiful design.
Stone garden accessories, such as rock sculptures, water features, bird baths and other objects make a great focal point for a small backyard. Surround these accessories and features with more decorative stone materials or native rock to enhance or accentuate the colors of the materials that are used. You can also plant small flowers, shrubs and trees within your flower beds and surrounded them with decorative stone materials.
Small Backyard Ideas: Outdoor Rooms
Rather than try to create an area that functions as a much larger outdoor living space, consider creating a function-specific room. You might not be able to get a large dining area, seating area or cooking area into your small backyard space, but you can pick the type of area and function of the room that you like best and use it to expand your living area to the outdoors.
Here are some of the outdoor room options to choose from:
- OUTDOOR DINING AREA – Cook your food indoors, but bring it out on the patio to enjoy under the stars on a cool summer evening or to get out in the sun on a warm spring day. Include a table, chairs, lighting and a couple of potted plants around the perimeter of the patio area to set the mood and create an inviting space.
- EDIBLE GARDEN SPACE – Many homeowners are now choosing to create an edible garden instead of planting flowers and bushes in their backyard. Consider building raised garden beds out of native rock or natural stone pavers and plant vegetables and herbs that can be harvested and eaten. Build your garden beds to the outside of your backyard and leave the center open for relaxing outdoors or tending to your tiny backyard farm.
- SUNNING AREA – If you want a private place where you can lie in the sun and work on your tan, try building a basic paver patio using a patio-on-a-pallet kit and create instant privacy with bamboo screens or feathery reed grasses around the perimeter of your backyard. Add in some reclining chairs and tables for setting drinks, reading materials and other tanning necessities and you will be all set.
- ENTERTAINING SPACE – Even the smallest backyard can become a place to entertain family and friends. Of all the small backyard ideas, this one is the most popular. Create a thin border of decorative stone materials around the perimeter of your backyard and add in stone garden accessories or native rock to create mini focal points around the yard. Use stackable or folding chairs to provide seating for all of your guests and folding tables as well to put out food, serve drinks or play games.
- READING ROOM – Your idea of great small backyard ideas might include building a simple reading room where you can enjoy reading a novel in the fresh air without interruption. A comfortable place to sit or lie down while reading, coupled with some outdoor lighting for night time use and a border of bushes, grassy ferns and other plants can be used to increase privacy, where needed.
10 Things to Remember for Small Backyard Ideas
Apart from the designing, planning and decorative ideas that we have shared, here are ten more small backyard ideas and tips that you can use to enhance your tiny backyard space. Using small decorative stone materials that include native rock and colorful options, as well as stone garden accessories within reason can help too.
- Create a Natural Flow – Connect the outdoor rooms together and to the house.
- Make an Open Space – Create low retaining walls that allow you to see the entire backyard space without feeling confined.
- Reduce Clutter – Stow away furniture and things you aren’t using to reduce clutter.
- Strategic Placement – Make sure you have the best view of your yard from your outdoor living space from the longest or widest dimension.
- Visual Continuity – Don’t change out the decorative stone materials, native rock or pavers that you use in your garden to create definition, instead maintain visual continuity to make the space feel larger.
- Keep It Simple – Use smaller plants in smaller containers to allow for easy movement, which can be used to create privacy or to allow for easier maintenance.
- Upgrade Your Space – Consider adding an elevated area for your dining or living space that is apart from the rest of the yard to create a visual separation.
- Smaller Furniture – Don’t go for a large piece when a smaller piece will work just as well. Furniture that has thin frames and small bodies will make the space feel larger. Bistro sets are great dining tables and will fit well in a corner.
- Soothing Sounds – Consider adding a small tabletop water feature or installing a wireless speaker system for your iPod or mP3 player so you can relax and listen to something besides your neighbors talking or kids playing.
- Create an Architectural Focal Point – You can use small stone garden accessories and native rock throughout your small backyard ideas and plans, but a singular larger item can be a great focal point to draw the eye to the farthest point of your property to make it seem larger. Think arbor, trellis, statue or colorful piece of artwork.
Where to Get Materials for Small Backyard Ideas
Homeowners in Brockton or anywhere in the South Coast area can use these small backyard ideas to expand their outdoor living experience. Visit one of our Southeastern Massachusetts locations to see all of our landscaping, hardscaping and masonry materials or give us a call for more information. J&J Materials provides a wide variety of decorative stone materials, native rock and stone garden accessories that would work great with any small backyard landscape in New England.
