Backyard Landscape Design

Backyard landscaping ideas are best approached as part of the overall home designing process - one that considers the relationship between indoor and outdoor spaces. When porches, decks, and patios are planned as integral parts of a new or renovated home, they can be designed to create transitions that are so subtle they blur the line between the house and the landscape.

When planning outdoor spaces, take backyard design hints from your home's indoor rooms. By designing exterior areas with the same attention given to an indoor room, you can create a place to gather with your family, or escape after a long day at work.

These outdoor rooms can have floors, walls, ceilings, comfortable furnishings, and decorative accents, just like your living room. Keep in mind the outdoor elements which will dictate fabric choices, life cycle of your furnishings, and how your backyard design will work with local wildlife.

Throughout your backyard, spaces should vary in shape, size, and character. Relaxing spaces, for instance, should include comfortable seating, while dining areas need sturdy tables and outdoor cooking amenities. Both should be positioned for afternoon shade.

While some areas are for sitting, others should be for standing or strolling, and at least one area should be for activities - especially if you have children. How you divide the overall plot into these spaces will be determined by its general size and shape, how you usually spend your outdoor time, and the composition of your family.

A combination of several cozy areas has a way of feeling larger than a single medium-sized space. If there's no room to divide, lay out paths, patios, or lawns diagonally or along an S-curve. This makes a yard appear bigger by allowing it to unfold gradually rather than in a single glance.