Use Elements of Design to Create Great Outdoor Spaces

Hiring an interior designer to help you with the changes you want to make when redoing the inside of your home just makes since. It also makes since to have the same type of design input when you are making changes to the outside of your home as well, just thinking about being outside and not in.

A good example is the use of color. You have so many plants to choose from but you also must consider where they will be planted because of sun placement during the day. This is hardly an issue when you are dealing with the indoors!

After you have considered all the types of plants and color you would like to use, you will be able to bring design elements into the planning and creation of the perfect yard for you and your family. Also know you may need some additional help. That could mean hiring a contractor or asking friend with good building skills for some help. But let’s look at the fun stuff now.

One that comes to mind first is always balance. At first it would seem that balance would be whatever is on the left should also be on the right but that’s not really true. Balance is achieving a flow throughout your outdoor space where no one thing that overwhelms the whole. In other words, putting up a large greenhouse in the middle of your backyard does not create balance. Having paths that go to the greenhouse along with other gardens and areas can create a wonderful balance throughout the entire space.

Another aspect of balance is seen in the elements that are around you. To incorporate earth, air, fire and water is a fantastic way to achieve balance in an outdoor space. If you are able to add to the elements a since of movement then flow comes into play. Most people just think water fountains. However, you can plant grasses that move with the wind or fire and water combinations that can be stunning.

I love when the rhythm of the natural elements fall in line with the rhythm of what man has made. In other words the design in colors, cushions, walkways or dcor all come together to enhance the yard or garden and you can fell and see the rhythm that moves through it all. It’s almost a spiritual thing at times and sends goose bumps up a spine.

You want you yard to sing in perfect harmony with you and you do that by using the rhythms and balance that we have discussed. The thing I love about harmony is it’s not all packaged and pretty for to have harmony there must be contrast. There is always a little “bad” to make sure the “good” is noticed. It is almost always subtle and wonderful.

That brings me to the last element I will discuss, which is focal points. You might have one main focal point or main one and several smaller ones. Either setup can work as long as you remember the other design elements. You might have a storage shed towards the back of the yard that you do not want to highlight though it’s large so you use an elegant cedar arbor to bring your eye away from the shed to a lovely garden area.

There are so many scenarios and ways to create and experience a great design in your yard that you could go crazy just thinking about them all. That’s why having a good landscape designer on your team as well as choices for garden dcor is important for you to use as you create the perfect yard for you and your family. Embrace the challenge and do some designing today!