How to decorate a small courtyard?

Resting place with gazebo

This is the most popular option for those who design a small area. Alcove provides comfort, shelters from the sun and rain. For a small courtyard, a lightweight construction without walls is suitable: it looks more "airy" and does not eat up the space.

The simplest and most budgetary solution is to create an awning with your own hands. Lining silk or even cheap burlap will do, and will serve as a support fence or the wall of a house. Such an awning will give privacy, protecting it from prying eyes and add an oriental flavor to the area.

A dining group or a comfortable sofa is usually placed under the gazebo. Garden furniture must be weatherproof. The most affordable option - plastic and artificial rattan, but in order for tables and chairs to last longer, you should choose furniture from trusted manufacturers.

Wooden products look more harmonious on a small courtyard, but they must be cleaned in the autumn-winter period and renewed with oil or varnish. The most stable and expensive garden furniture is wrought iron. Due to its sophistication, it fits perfectly into a small rest corner.

Outdoor patio

To have a pleasant time at lunch in the open air, you can make a special area for the dining room by laying boards impregnated with protective compounds.

Thanks to the variety of textures, the patio will look more interesting, and the wooden floor will add neatness and nobility to the landscape.

Usually, a table and chairs are placed on the flooring, complementing with a garden umbrella or a mobile canopy: they will save you from the scorching sun. If necessary, such structures are simply removed into the house.

Lightweight looks even more stylish pergola, which gives the site completeness. It is supplied with lighting, and on sunny days, covered with cloth, creating a canopy.

Mini vegetable garden

Connoisseurs of agriculture can use the modest territory of a small courtyard for growing garden crops. A full-fledged greenhouse cannot be placed here, but how beautiful and neat the beds in the form of boxes will look!

They solve not only the aesthetic side, but also the practical: ease of use, minimum costs for watering, care, getting an earlier harvest, compactness and mobility.

In a small courtyard for the beds, you can select only a part of the area: allocate one zone for them, or concentrate around the perimeter, "pressing" against the fence. The second method looks very ergonomic, as it does not clutter up the space. In such boxes, you can grow not only greens and vegetables, but also flowers and shrubs.

The vegetable garden can be planted vertically and the usual harvest can be taken in a miniature area. And use the saved space for any other needs.

Pool or pond

A small area is not a hindrance when creating a reservoir in the courtyard.And even if only a couple of people fit in the pool, it will add sophistication to the local area and create an atmosphere of carefree relaxation.

This can be a stationary water body built in the backyard, or a mobile one designed only for the summer months. The first option is more solid and aesthetic, but it also costs much more.

The pool is best located where the sun is in the morning.

Any body of water on the site helps to slightly expand and complicate the space, acting as a mirror and distracting from the small size of the area. Both the pool and the pond can be equipped with a fountain or lighting, increasing its attractiveness.

Hearth

The site where the hearth is located becomes a favorite place for the whole family. It can be a stone stove, outdoor fireplace or barbecue.

Food made over an open fire tastes better, and the cooking process itself can be a reason for a party, meeting with friends, or family gatherings.

The hearth can be additionally summer kitchen, including mobile. For convenience, a table with comfortable benches should be installed, and the corner should be supplemented with sun loungers or hammock.

An excellent focal point will be a round-shaped hearth: furniture can be placed around it, paths and plant the plants. If the courtyard is closed and narrow, it is recommended to design a corner bench: it will harmoniously blend into the design, and the round hearth will smooth out strict lines.

Playground

If there are small children in the house, a playground mini-town will be the best solution. Children are on the move all the time, so the playground will be a useful gift for them. Games will keep kids busy for a long time, allowing adults to comfortably settle in the recreation area.

A bulky tree house won't fit here, but a small wigwam, sandpit and table will fit perfectly into the landscape. Also, the playground can be equipped with a swing: not only children, but also parents will be happy to spend time on them.

If the family loves sports, you can take out to the local area what does not fit in the house: a horizontal bar, a basketball hoop or a punching bag.

Useful tips for decoration

Some owners of modest-sized plots mistakenly believe that the less land is occupied, the larger the courtyard appears. But in empty space, the gaze has nothing to catch on - and small area becomes the first thing that catches your eye. To increase the usable space and complicate it qualitatively, select several levels:

• use steps, embankments or decks;
• plant plants of different heights;
• put flowerpots;
• use the fence and walls of the house.

Do not be afraid of rounded shapes - they not only add grace to the landscape, but also visually increase the area. The technique is that the gaze slides along smooth lines a little longer than straight lines.

Even a tiny space can become a true decoration of the entire site, if you carefully think over its layout and heed the advice of professionals.