Don’t get disheartened if you only have a small space to work with, there’s plenty that you can do, even with an area that is just a few feet wide. In fact, it can be far more exciting to work in small spaces, and that final designs can be incredible.
Making the most of the small spaces is all about making space seem more significant than it is, ensuring that every spot is used purposefully and moving upwards rather than horizontally. There’s probably more space than you think and there’s certainly plenty of possibilities.
Use Bright Colors
The first tip for working in small spaces is to use bright colors that can help to make space seem far more significant than it is. In contrast, dark colors like blacks and charcoals will shrink the area and make it feel considerably smaller.
Stick to using lighter colors on the walls if possible and integrate splashes of color in different parts of the landscape to attract the eye to each spot, making space feel bigger than before. This coloring is particularly compelling if done with plants, but can also work with lighting or even ornaments.
Don’t Be Afraid of Creating Zones
One common mistake that people make when trying to design small landscapes is that they are scared of dividing what little space they have into even smaller segments. This seems logical, but by doing this, you only emphasize how small the single area is.
In fact, by creating individual zones within your small space, you can make space feel much larger because you bring more purpose to the landscape. This method can work exceptionally efficiently with landscapes that try to make their areas livable.
But even if you are trying to create a natural garden landscape rather than space for your family you shouldn’t be scared of dividing the space up. Use strong borders like wood or a brick to split up the area into segments, each of which could have a distinct theme or purpose.
Use the Vertical Space
While you don’t have a huge amount of horizontal space, it’s likely that you have near unlimited amounts of vertical space. If this is the case, make sure that you expand vertically and make the most of all of the space that you have.
This could perhaps mean creating a staircase up to a second layer in a tiny garden but could apply to using tall but thin plants rather than wide-reaching shrubs.
Doing this allows you to bring a lot of big elements into your landscape without them hogging excessive amounts of your limited real estate. Evergreen trees are particularly bad because they are wide-reaching at a low level, whereas another type of tree with a thinner trunk would take less space, using the vertical space instead.
Make the Space Livable
Most small spaces will never have the appeal of a large landscape if you try and go the same route of using grass lawns, shrubs, and flower beds. However, small spaces can be incredibly livable.
Most of these tiny areas make perfect seating areas, where you could incorporate a fire, grills and outdoor furniture for you and your friends to enjoy. Trying to force a larger concept yard into a small space often doesn’t work, neither does making a humungous livable area.
Firepits can become the centerpiece of your space and having a single element can make the area feel more expansive.
If You Can’t Beat Them, Join Them
Finally, if you can’t beat them, then it’s best to join them. Recognize that your space is small and embrace it as much as possible. In a very European fashion, you can add plenty of plants, ornaments, and overreaching vines into a tiny space to make it feel even cozier.
Combining this with a minimalist set of furniture can create a comfortable environment that you can enjoy coffee in with one or two other people.