Megacities are full of life and movement, but therethere is absolutely no room for large houses and especially for spacious private areas. However, designers in cities such as San Francisco and New York often encounter clients who own a small yard and want to turn a small space into a comfortable place to relax. Today we will analyze 16 useful design tips on how to make your small summer cottage cozy and functional.
1. Divide the garden into different functional recreation areas
Don't be afraid to make your dreams come true. This Brooklyn backyard uses modular furniture to create a very comfortable place to relax, feast, and barbecue.
2. Use backlighting
В этом варианте оформления дачного участка применили многогранную подсветку, которая добавляет тепло и уют, а также освещает летнюю кухню. 
3. Extend your living space outdoors
Architect Carson Arthur asks owners what they think,according to which he creates the interior of the front porch. “Perhaps you are not satisfied with a small kitchen or compact living room? Why not arrange a part of them on your porch?” Arthur suggests to clients of his services. In this case, the designer expands the recreation area, as here, on a miniature terrace in Detroit.
4. Get inspired by your interior
Use the same colors and shades thatpresent in your living room. This is the trick that will help expand your living space. “Do more than just a couple of wooden chairs and a table. They won’t be as attractive to you, you’ll have to put in the effort to make your porch feel like home,” advises New York-based landscape architect Amber Freda.
5. Play with angles
Do you have a small square garden plot?Then this is the task for creative landscape architect Rich Radford from San Francisco. His main idea for the transformation is the following - using paving slabs to turn the area at a 45-degree angle in relation to your house. This not only visually expands the space, but also practically wins you a couple of precious meters.
6. Pay attention to the scale
If you own a compact internalfront garden, you definitely don’t want to squeeze a huge dining table for 10 people into it. A more cost-effective solution would be built-in sliding garden furniture. Also, don’t plant large trees there, which over time will simply cover it with their lush crown. Rich Radford advises limiting yourself to small shrubs or simple flower beds. With them, you will retain room to move and decorate your miniature land holding.
7. Do not shun the law of unity.
If you want to divide your yard intoseveral zones, use the same material for the entire area. “Small gardens simply need a visual connection with the rest of the exterior,” says Arthur, the author of this project. In it, he clearly delineated the “children's” and “adult” spaces using paving with a single paving slab. Radford goes even further. He suggests continuing the garden area, using the same flooring for finishing the entrance group. A great idea that expands the tight boundaries of a closed small area.
8. Avoid clutter
The more items you have in your yard, thea stronger feeling of clutter and tightness. Take a closer look at compact, built-in or folding furniture, use clear lines, but most importantly - fight the mess. "There is another tricky circumstance that can prevent you from creating space in your front garden. And this is, of course, unkempt and overgrown plants," Arthur shares his experience. "Instead of filling it with small numerous flower pots, it is better to replace them with several large ones or a couple of flower beds. Choose a couple of varieties of vegetation, this will avoid a feeling of excessive motley and chaos," advises Freda. To create more space and comfort here, on a small plot in Toronto, the architect Erik Calhoun installed original podiums over the massive roots of century-old trees and planted an ordinary lawn in one single flower bed. In his opinion, this is what gives freedom of movement and the calm joy of comfortable rest to the owners.
9. Fence yourself off
As paradoxical as it may sound, reduceyour front garden to make it more cozy. “This will make your seating area even more intimate, giving you the feeling of being in a secluded, quiet nest filled with peaceful tranquility,” says Arthur. Gazebos are what create a unique, warm and welcoming atmosphere. But since it is impossible to install one in this courtyard designed by architect Gary Beyerl, which is only 1 by 2 meters in size, he planted everything with lush flowers, creating the effect of grape vines. “I have a wonderful fragrant hedge, despite the miniature area,” Gary says with some pleasure.
10. Expand your horizons
If your garden plot is fenced offa heavy concrete fence, then, naturally, it will look gloomy and unsightly. In this case, Beyerl recommends replacing it with gratings, and what they will be made of is up to you. Whether it is plastic panels or elegant and unique in its grace hand forging, in any case they will fill your yard with light, expanding the idea of a modest yard.
11. Don't forget about contrast
Brightness and polarity do not have to beexpressed in colors and textures, as we are accustomed to introducing them into our interior. In the garden, you can give free rein to your imagination, for example, as Freda advises, place flower beds with sharp-leaved ferns and lushly blooming primroses. You can also emphasize the contrast with shapes, for example, place a round table or an oval comfortable sofa on a square area.
12. Keep it clean
Nothing expresses the charm of small things so muchfront gardens, as they are very easy to keep clean. But to make this task even easier, Arthur suggests replacing open flower beds with neat flower gardens. "Where there is an area with soil, even if it is planted with lush vegetation, the yard will always be dusty and dirty," Arthur shares his experience. Succulents and artificial lawns are not so demanding in terms of care and watering. "They will not only freshen up your yard, but also delimit the entire area into the functional zones you need," recommends Martha Angus, a designer from San Francisco. In her project, shown in the photo, she used artificial boxwood. In this way, Martha simplified the task of caring for the green "carpet" as much as possible, since it does not need to be watered, weeded or mowed.
13. Turn a sloping area into a luxurious terrace
Angus did a great job on this site.She effectively organized the courtyard, which had a steep slope. With the help of a concrete podium, the back of the garden was raised, increasing the entire area. However, as the designer says, such a foundation is very expensive to install. But the result that we see is worth the money and effort.
14. Emphasize your individuality
“For small front gardens it is very importantuniqueness that will overshadow its miniature size. It is not necessary to buy stylish and expensive furniture and play with colors, just use your imagination and give your yard an exquisite twist,” Arthur shares his secrets.
15. Create a focus
Like the previous tip, this little trickwill attract attention and visually expand the boundaries of a small space. Arthur quite often uses this trick in his works. In this courtyard, he laid out a huge flowerbed in the very center. "And this deceives us, giving out a tiny home garden for something more spacious," the designer says. Fountains and sculptures are also great for this role. "A small landscape architectural form with well-organized lighting can become fundamental," Angus and his colleague agree.
16. Seek help from a landscape designer
Trust the expert opinion thatAll creators of home comfort and coziness agree that it is much easier to organize a large space than a small one. A professional will plan according to your preferences and characteristics so that you will be satisfied with any result. “Are you worried about rain, wind or excess sun in the backyard? Invite a landscape designer, and he will do everything in the best way, as you could not even imagine,” advises Calhoun. “An architect created your home unique, and we will decorate it with a frame of wonderful plants that will highlight and refresh your nest,” says Beyerl.
