When you step into your backyard, it should be a sanctuary for relaxation, entertainment, and play. If reality does not match up with expectations, then perhaps it’s time to create anew. When considering any redesign of backyard space, it is wise to think holistically and leave nothing out of the creative process. Adopting some, or all of the following redesign tips will likely enhance the enjoyment you get out of your own backyard.

Statuary, Yard Art, and Garden Decor
Throw open your back door, step outside, and survey your redesign challenge. Backyards should be a place where imagination dominates design. However limited the area, your backyard should reflect more than the surrounding architecture and landscape. It should take its aesthetic cues from your own personality. Art pieces let you add flair to your space without ever having to get your hands dirty.

Think Vertically
Installing multiple tiered planters and vertical gardens will help you maximize your ground space while providing an opportunity to cover your walls and fences with interesting colors and textures. All you need are planters you can stack or hang from vertical surfaces. Vertical gardens have the added benefit of producing fragrant flowers and sometimes edible goodies such as herbs, berries, and vegetables.

Outdoor Seating
Your outdoor seating should approach your indoor furniture in terms of comfort if you want visitors to stay for more than a brief chat. Modern patio furniture from places like Design Furnishings is comfortable and can survive the most violent rainstorms between uses. Laying down decent quality outdoor carpets or mats on your patio will provide a surface that lets you walk barefoot even on the hottest days. Using screens made from natural fabrics and materials such as bamboo will help you sell the natural experience.

Water Features
If your backyard feels chaotic or perhaps too dull, you may be able to change things by putting in a water feature that gurgles, or just encourages you to sit and think on things for a while. You may want to try a classic Koi pond or something far simpler like a store-bought garden fountain or a shallow, brick-lined reflecting pool that you create yourself. Even a small bird bath can be a good option if you don’t have a lot to spend on maintenance.

The atmosphere reflected by a home’s backyard design and landscape choices should be soothing to the senses and welcoming to visitors. While touring local neighborhoods, you can see examples of the very best in home architecture paired with careless use of backyard space. Sometimes a simple arrangement of shrubs and flowers, a well-planned garden, a creative patio or deck design can make all the difference. When carefully thought out, tiny backyard design changes can create a space with a higher aesthetic and functional appeal.