Tips for making the most of a small outdoor living space

Our contemporary coastal project

As lovely as it would be to have a sprawling home with an expansive, meandering garden, separate spaces for an alfresco lounge and dining, fire pit, glorious pool and pool house, the reality for many Australian’s living in the major cities is that this is a fading pipe dream. In fact, the average square metres on a family home becomes smaller by the year.

It might seem crazy to some, but we gave up just under an acre in the Adelaide Hills for a block almost 1/10th of the size in order to be by the beaches and close to family. Nevertheless now more than ever, we are realising the importance of connecting with nature for our wellbeing, so today I’m sharing a few ideas on how to make the most of a small outdoor space & still create a sanctuary on a size challenged block.

01- Built in furniture

Built in bench seating to the perimeter is a great way to maximise the floor space without compromising on functionality. If planned well, it can take up less space than dining chairs & accommodate more people; either tucked into a corner in an ‘L’ shape or along a narrow wall. Adorn it with beautiful cushions and a throw for comfort & style.

Beautiful bench seat & alfresco design by @vivandleone

02-Cover the boundaries

Consider planting creepers or vines to the boundaries to add dimension & lushness without encroaching on walkways and valuable floor space. This also creates the illusion of a bigger garden by obscuring fences and walls which are a solid cut off point for the eye. Where fences are visible, painting them a dark colour helps them recede into the background.

Luscious green walls by @lisaellisgardens

03- Draw the eye up

As with interiors, to maximise the sense of space in any room, you want to draw the eye up. While indoors this is achieved through ceiling details or tall windows & expertly hung window furnishings, outdoors this can be done through tall, skinny plants, a beautiful vine covered pergola or outdoor pendants over a dining table. I have had a vine covered pergola on my must have list for my own home for many years now- I’m thinking this year’s the one to make the vision in my mind finally come to life!

Dreamy pergola inspo thanks to @gardenstudiodesign

04- Create an illusion

Now this one might be an obvious one indoors but is not seen as regularly when it comes to designing outside. A strategically placed mirror creates an illusion by bouncing light around & reflecting its surroundings to make a space appear bigger than it really is. Shop here for some beautiful oversized iron mirrors that are suitable for outdoor use https://www.rivasdesign.com.au/iron/outdoor-mirrors/arch-top-mirror-xlarge/

This beautiful design is giving old worldly vibes featuring the clever use of mirrors by @joannegreenld

Until next time,

Lottie xx