Whether your yard is big and sprawling or very small, a strategic design will make your outdoor space more beautiful, functional, and fun! Simply tossing a patio set into the middle of your yard isn’t going to cut it. If you want your yard to feel like an outdoor extension of your living space with plenty of room to entertain, try these design ideas to maximize your space outside! 

How Do You Maximize Outdoor Space?

A basic approach to making good use of your yard is creating “rooms” and dividing areas for different uses! Establish different areas for lounging, an area for cooking, and an area for dining and entertaining. Now, the point of spending time outside is to get out of your enclosed home space and enjoy some fresh air, so the rooms in your yard won’t have walls like they are indoors. Instead, you’ll have to get creative with your layout, decor, and wall alternatives!

How Do You Build an Outdoor Room?

There are many ways to establish rooms in a yard—it’s all about strategic placement of decor, landscape features, and dividers. These divisions can help create a sense of privacy and ambiance so that your yard feels homier. Here are some ways you can make that happen:

Alternative Walls

There are plenty of alternative landscape features that can function like walls to create divisions without obscuring the view. They help bring a sense of privacy and coziness—perfect for late nights around the dinner table! Try some of these options for creating rooms without walls:

• Gazebos and pergolas
• Lattice dividers covered in beautiful climbing vines
• Hedges and shrubs
• Rows of small, ornamental trees or potted conifers 

Ornamental grasses are excellent options to give you a sense of separation without obstructing your view. They add a soft, natural texture to your space—it’s like creating a divider that still blends in with the landscape. You can add planters with tall grass or plant directly around seating areas and fire pits or block off the part of the yard you’ve designated for doggy business.

Fire Features

Gathering around a fire is part of human nature, and there are so many fantastic ways to do it in the yard! For a simple option that doesn’t require a construction project, consider picking up a chiminea—you get the warmth of the fire, a natural place to set up some chairs and side tables, and you can roast some tasty snacks. Check out our selection of chimineas at Pine Hills Nursery today! 

Yard Art

Nothing puts the personality in your yard like artwork! Whether you like colorful decorations or prefer the simplicity of a feature statue, adding focal points to your garden helps elevate it into a beautiful space that you can enjoy. Try adding a birdbath or an antique garden chair and table set for more subtle options—that classic beauty will tie your garden together beautifully without competing with the flowers!

Potted Plant Displays 

Who says outdoor containers have to be basic? If you have a growing collection of gorgeous pottery, bring those into your garden to decorate and create a perfect, cozy outdoor room! You can use potted plants on your side tables, add them to outdoor shelving, or line them up on a retaining wall for some extra decoration. Lining your pottery in rows can also work well as an outdoor room divider. Think about how you would place your houseplants inside and use that same strategy around your patio furniture—you’ll have an enjoyable outdoor room in no time! 

You can find everything you need to decorate your outdoor rooms in Mississippi at Pine Hills Nursery! Visit us soon to see all the gorgeous furnishings, art, and landscape plants to suit every style, size, and budget.