While you may not yet have the house and rolling garden of your dreams, there are a variety of ways to make a little garden appear and feel bigger with a few simple design ideas and possibly a little DIY.
Smoke and Mirrors
Think theatrical, think illusions, and forced perspective of the painters of days gone by. Consider creating a pathway that disappears into the horizon or to a hidden spot under a trellis. Anything that attracts your eye through a place helps to give the impression that it is bigger.
Mirrors will quickly make your outside space feel bigger, just like they do inside your home. You can create the illusion of doubling your garden in size by adding a row of mirrors to the fence or wall. They can also be used to throw light into the dark corners of your garden. You can create the illusion of a gorgeous window or entrance into another location with the correct frame and surrounding vegetation.
Create Outdoor Rooms
Creating zones with screens and specific planting techniques can ensure you can’t see everything at once. The mystique of not knowing where the garden stops will make it appear larger. Divide your outdoor space into “rooms” or “zones”. The clever organisation of the space helps the garden to appear larger.
When picking furnishings, consider bistro furniture or cafe chairs instead of bulkier furniture that takes up more space. Think multipurpose with pieces like outdoor benches that can easily be moved around into different zones. Some options have storage space built into the design. When choosing your outdoor furniture set, consider poly rattan or pallet sets that give the impression of movement and space. These can also be easily “refurbished” by adding different cushions or throws.
Think Vertical
Make the most of the vertical space in your garden. Because small gardens generally lack floor area, it’s a great idea to look up. Plant taller trees and add greenery to your fences and walls. Climbers on a trellis or even a living wall can give you extra ground-level space to do anything you want.
Mood, Colour, and Lighting
You can be as creative as you like in setting a mood in your garden. Lighter colours reflect more, allowing natural light to enter your outdoor space and giving it a more expansive sense. Dark tones (of wood) and paints can make your garden feel more enclosed so why not paint your fence a light grey, cream, even dusty pink, or sky blue.
Outdoor lighting is often overlooked as a means of creating depth and space. You may choose to “up-light” certain plants so that the furthest elements are highlighted or use lighting to enhance architectural details. You may also utilise strip lighting to create a sense of depth around your perimeter. Outdoor lighting has the added advantage of providing extra safety. Candles and fairy lights are popular choices to use in garden zones.
When faced with a small garden, there are several easy ways to create the illusion of space.
