8 Smart Ways to Improve Your Outdoor Space

Garden Makeover Without Gardening

Almost everyone has some outdoor space. It may be a tiny balcony, a large al-fresco terrace, your front yard and backyard, a patio or a garden around your house.

Nowadays, as we spend more time indoors at work, we tend to increasingly appreciate our outdoor space. It provides relaxation, fresh air and contact with nature.

We would like to share our tried and tested solutions how to quickly improve the look of your outdoors.

1. Declutter. This Is Non-Negotiable.

BEFORE: messy garden, cluttered space.

Your outdoor shouldn’t be your storage space. Especially men tend to hoard their treasures in the outdoors around their home. You may need to do some strategic planning and persuasion before their “treasures”, which amount to trash in the garden, will be migrated to another space, well out of sight.

Let’s be realistic, most men cannot live without small mountains of second-hand objects which they think may be useful in some undefined future. Some women are modern-day hunters-gatherers, too.

To declutter you outdoor space, you need to offer and organise alternative space for the objects to be stored. Think a shed, a bigger shed, a cabin, demountable storage or a container. And be persistent.

AFTER: Fence painted, floor tiled, modern outdoor furniture and a plant in an over-sized garden pot.

2. Paint Your Fence

The biggest difference you can make in short time, with minimal cost, is to paint your fence. Dark colours, especially shades of grey, navy, graphite or charcoal are safe choices that will create a strong effect of contemporary outdoor.

3. Paint the Outdoor Floor

Is the floor of your outdoor space covered with concrete? You can consider painting it with one of the many types of concrete paints. When choosing the paint, get professional advice on what type of paint will work best for you, the paint’s non-slippery properties, durability in your circumstances and suitability to the area you are planning to paint. Driveways may need a different type of paint, and balconies different ones. Also, the choice of paint will be dependent on the type of climate you live in, and the exposure of the paint to sunshine and extreme weather conditions.

4. Or Tile It

If you would like to lift the outdoor game a notch, consider covering the area, or its part with outdoor tiles. In recent years we have a great choice of timber-like outdoor tiles – my favourite for outdoor areas. These tiles create the look of a timber deck, you get excellent professional results and the tiled area is easy to maintain.

5. Paint any railings, frames, eaves and gutters

Does your balustrade look dated? Is the paint peeling off it? Do your eaves look dirty? Time to get painting again. You can use the same colour as your fence, or you can get a darker shade or lighter tone of the same colour. To be on the safe side, I would recommend staying in the same range of colour unless you apply a professionally designed scheme of two or three colours.

Please remember that in the outdoors, colours will look very different in the morning light, in strong daylight, in warm colours of the sunset and on a cloudy or rainy day. If you select more than one colour, the variations may create surprising effects in different light. If you stick to tones of one colour, they will shift together in different light, retaining visual consistency.

If you live in an apartment or in a townhouse, you may need to check if the rules of the management of your complex allow for individual painting of external surfaces. Many don’t.

6. Add a Huge Feature Pot with Plants

Oversized pots and vases have become a must in contemporary gardens. For a good reason, as they look awesome. It is easy to create an instant feature of your outdoor by placing one or two oversized pots. You can plant one large plant in each pot, or you can create an arrangement of tall, low and hanging down plants in each pot. The bigger and more outstanding the pot, the more impressive the look.

Some of these pots cost a small fortune these days. Maybe you should get second-hand ones online. Or you can consider creating them from scratch. Look for a few video tutorials. You can also paint these pots, or at least most of them. Clay and cement ones render themselves to fading, washed effects – and you may need to repaint them after some time. Shabby chic effects can be very interesting, so don’t shy away from them.

7. Mailbox and House Number

Many beautiful households look like they have forgotten their mailbox is visible to everyone. An old, dated metal box, as boring as one can imagine – kiss it goodbye. Get an impressive large, even oversized, mailbox to proudly greet everyone looking at your house.

In the days of pervasive online shopping, consider installing a mailbox with a safe parcel delivery container. They are most useful, and they usually look great due to their large size.

8. Garden Furniture

Nothing says “Relax and Enjoy” more than a comfy garden chair. Add a set of outdoor furniture and your garden becomes an impressive outdoor room in an instant.

When choosing garden furniture, check for quality,, comfort and durability in outdoor conditions specific to your climate. White cushions look elegant, but to keep them pristine clean may require a lot of effort, especially if you live in a leafy area, surrounded by trees. If you love the furniture, you can order custom-made cushion covers in a darker colour or in colourful pattern, which will make them easier to maintain.

All you have to do now is to make coffee and enjoy your outdoor oasis.

Happy decorating,
Xena