Maximizing Outdoor Space

If you have a small outdoor space there are ways you can maximize your space. Besides a great fence, you should think about at least one of the sixteen suggestions in this article from Houzz. Utah has great weather that you should enjoy as much as possible, and if your outdoor space is optimized and inviting you can do so! Check out the first part of this article below and follow the link for the other thirteen tips.

16 Ways to Get More From Your Small Backyard

Make a tight or awkward yard a real destination with these design tricks from the pros

Mitchell Parker | March 20, 2016

Big cities have a lot going for them, but spacious backyards aren’t
one of them. Designers in high-density places like San Francisco and New
York have long dealt with getting homeowners the most bang for their
buck when it comes to their compact homes, and that means turning tight,
narrow or awkwardly shaped backyards into comfortable, functional
extensions of the home. No matter the locale, their methods can work for
anyone trying to maximize an outdoor space and turn it into a
destination to enjoy. Here are 16 ideas to try.

1. Break it into multiple rooms or zones. Create
multiple functions by strategically using built-ins and arranging
furniture to establish different “rooms” for lounging, dining, mingling
and cooking. This backyard space in Brooklyn, New York, has all four
zones.

2. Implement a smart lighting design. This space
also has a multifaceted lighting scheme. Sconces serve multiple purposes
of task lighting by the grill, landscaping lighting by the plantings
and overall ambient lighting. Meanwhile, an arm pendant hangs over the
dining area.

3. Extend an indoor space. Architect Carson Arthur
likes to ask his clients which indoor room they feel is too small, then
establish more of that space in the backyard. “Is your kitchen too
small? Do you need a bigger family room? Why not do that outside?” he
says. “With the development of outdoor technology, anything inside can
now be done outside.”

Here an outdoor rug helps establish an extra living space on a small deck in Detroit.