Design 101 - Guest Blogger Mary Beth Haggerty on How to Make a Large Outdoor Space More Intimate - Home Infatuation Blog

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Mar012011

Design 101 - Guest Blogger Mary Beth Haggerty on How to Make a Large Outdoor Space More Intimate

March 1, 2011 |

Andrea Cochran Landscape Architecture - Stone Edge Farm

Large outdoor spaces are a dream come true for many homeowners, but for others they present a common problem. How can we create outdoor space that feels more intimate? Fear not! There are many tricks of the trade to transform expansive outdoor spaces into charming intimate retreats. The 5 steps below will get you started.

1. Create rooms within the overall space. Just like the interior of your home, your outdoor space can be divided into areas defined by their purpose such as dining, cooking and socializing.

Steve Martino Landscape Architect - Las Palmas
Backen, Gillam & Kroeger2. Mixing in some soft seating. While in general hard surfaces offer easier maintenance, soft seating has become easier to preserve because of all the new outdoor fabric lines available. Nothing is more inviting than a soft comfortable chair where you can read or relax with guests.

Andrea Cochran

3. Layer on the lighting- Lighting plays a big part in creating intimate space. While your overall illumination is part of the landscape plan, bringing in your own personal touches with lanterns, candles or torches can change the whole setting from festive to romantic.

4. Add in a water feature- Water features create a sense of tranquility, a place of restfulness, and an opportunity to drown out background sounds of the city or neighbors.

Art Luna5. Accessorize! Reflect your own personality with pillows, garden ornaments, outdoor area rugs, beautiful dinnerware, colorful umbrellas, etc. It gives your guests a sense of who you are and your entertaining style.