When the appeal of a timeless patio design for your lovely Oakland Township, MI outdoor space is high on your priority list, flagstone and brick pavers are a classic look. Choosing versatile and enduring stone or brick gives you a stylish, durable surface for entertaining, relaxing, and spending time outdoors in great weather.
Often overlooked, the side yard holds untapped potential for extending your living space or adding a bit of fun to your yard. Transforming this narrow strip can revitalize how you enjoy your outdoor space, whether you're aiming for relaxation, play, or a bit of both.
Here are some creative ideas to turn your side yard into a charming and functional patio or outdoor oasis.
If you find your current patio too cramped, consider expanding it into the side yard. This not only gives you more space to relax and host but also enhances the overall appeal and usability of your backyard.
A well-designed patio extension can include various seating options, from cozy lounge chairs to a full outdoor dining set, offering additional space to unwind and enjoy the outdoors.
And expanding the patio into the side yard is actually easier than it might sound!
A hardscape professional can easily extend your existing patio surface by laying down matching pavers, ensuring a seamless transition between the old and new sections. It’s a relatively simple process that can drastically increase the total size of your patio, provide ample room for additional furnishings, and bring some your backyard living around the corner, enhancing your home’s sense of welcome.
To improve the ambiance further, outdoor lighting can be installed to bring a warm glow well into evening hours. Or, to add an extra dose of nature and privacy, place planters filled with evergreens, flowering plants, or lush seasonal greenery around the perimeter.
Speaking of privacy, imagine a mini-retreat right in your side yard. With your expanded outdoor space, one part of your yard could be transformed into a tranquil escape—perhaps complete with an outdoor chaise, a soothing fountain, and a privacy fence to create a secluded haven. It’s the perfect spot for morning coffee or your evening night cap.
Here are some items to consider in an outdoor space intentionally designed as a personal retreat:
Comfortable Seating: Place very plush lounge chairs under the shade of a tree or pergola.
Soothing Water Feature: Install a small fountain in the center of the area, or off to one side. The sound of flowing water provides a calming atmosphere and masks external noises.
Lush Plantings: Think landscape design! Surround your upgraded side yard space with tall grasses, flowering shrubs, and a mix of perennials to create a spa-like environment.
Privacy Fence: Construct a high privacy fence using natural wood or decorative panels. This creates a welcome sense of seclusion in the side yard.
Personal Touches: Add accessories like soft outdoor cushions, a small side table for books and drinks, and subtle outdoor lighting for evening relaxation.
Remember, the secret to elegant side yard living is to bring the indoors out! So think like you would inside the house, and include homey touches in your personal retreat.
If your side yard is relatively flat, it might be perfect for a play zone.
Consider installing a jungle gym or a sandbox for the little ones. For older family members or friends, games like horseshoes, bags, or lawn bowling can provide hours of entertainment—even if space is limited. Keeping such lawn games on hand, or setting space up specifically for these activities, ads both functionality and fun to your outdoor space, making your side yard a lively hub for gatherings.
A popular example of this is a bocce ball court. This game court is relatively easy to install, requires minimal maintenance, and can fit into relatively narrow spaces, making it ideal for a side yard. The court's surface can be created using crushed stone or fine gravel, bordered with wooden beams to keep everything in place.
Turning a side yard into a functional space allows you to keep the main areas of your backyard open for larger gatherings—or simply enjoying the view.
Here are some ideas to make the most of these often underutilized areas:
Vertical Gardening: Utilize vertical space by installing trellises or garden panels where you can grow climbing plants or hang potted herbs and flowers. This not only saves ground space but also adds more green, organic beauty to the space.
Multi-functional Furniture: If your side yard space is limited, invest in furniture that can serve multiple purposes. For instance, benches with built-in storage can provide seating while hiding garden tools or outdoor games. Foldable or stackable furniture can also be a great option, offering flexibility when the space is needed for other activities.
Defined Areas: Divide the side yard into distinct areas for different activities, such as a small seating area for relaxation, a narrow path lined with fragrant plants for a walkway, and a corner for a mini vegetable or flower garden. Organization makes the space feel larger and more structured.
Slimline Storage Solutions: Consider slim sheds or storage solutions that fit snugly against a fence or wall, minimizing the footprint they occupy. These can be used to store bicycles, gardening tools, and other outdoor essentials, keeping them out of sight and orderly.
Mirrors and Lighting: Strategically placed mirrors can make a small space appear larger, and they add an interesting visual element—especially outdoors, where they’re less expected. Combine this with good lighting to make the space usable at all times of the day and create a cozy ambiance during the evening.
Pathways and Paving: Design pathways that encourage flow from your main outdoor living space into the side yard. This can make the side yard feel more integral to the overall outdoor design, rather than an afterthought. For visual continuity, use pathway materials that complement the rest of your yard.
Your side yard doesn’t have to be a forgotten space. With a little creativity and planning, it can be transformed into an exciting extension of your home.
Need more inspiration and someone to take the lead? Contact us today to learn more about our products and schedule a consultation to let us help you achieve your backyard goals.
For more inspiration, check out our gallery of our work, read more on the blog, or catch up with us on Instagram.
An updated brick paver walkway can add timeless charm and elegance to your front entry, or make a walk to a special landscape feature more enjoyable. If you’re stuck for landscape design ideas, here are some ways to spruce up your walkways with brick pavers for added character in West Bloomfield Township, MI.
The most successful outdoor living spaces tend to have something in common: an excellent patio. This provides a stage for all of your family’s favorite activities and adds a sense of permanent beauty to your landscape. To establish your preferred style and ensure a long-lasting patio, here is what could go into your selection of brick pavers in Canton and Sterling Heights, MI.
Design trends come and go, and it can be a daunting experience to choose patio materials that will stand the test of time. To help you choose a paver you’ll love as much a decade from now as the day it’s installed, here’s what to look for, along with signs that you’re making the right choice for patio pavers in Canton and Macomb, MI.
For many homeowners, the classic charm and old-world appearance of a cobblestone patio, driveway, or walkway trumps modern design trends. Unilock offers two incredible concrete alternatives to historic cobblestones that can be used to achieve a timeworn and character-packed aesthetic in your Troy, MI, landscape. While Courtstone paving stones achieve near-perfect resemblance to century-old cobblestones, Tribeca Cobble adds a refined and modern touch to their traditional appearance. Read on for more information about prized cobblestone paving stone alternatives from Unilock.
The materials used to craft a stunning walkway, driveway, or patio is what will set it apart from other hardscape features in your Sterling Heights, MI, neighborhood. Once you’ve decided to upgrade your outdoor living space—with brand-new patio pavers or stepping stones to lead to your entranceway—you’ll be asked the critical question of what kind of pavers you want to use. You’ll need to know the differences between concrete and clay pavers.
In Bloomfield Hills, MI, your outdoor space is a canvas waiting to be transformed. A paver patio, the foundation of your backyard oasis, can be more than just a place to set your furniture; it can be a reflection of your style and a testament to sophisticated outdoor living. With help from the right landscaping companies, design and material choices, your paver patio can become the ultimate destination for relaxation and entertainment.
Enhancing your outdoor space with a water feature can transform your landscape into a tranquil retreat, a lively entertainment area, or an awe-inspiring focal point. In Commerce Twp, MI, incorporating a water feature into your landscape design brings a sense of peace and beauty, reflecting the area's natural lakes and waterways. Here's how you can make a splash with the right water feature in your landscape.
When you envision your perfect outdoor space, what do you see? Maybe you imagine entertaining friends and family in a stunning outdoor kitchen, or perhaps you dream of tranquil evenings beside a softly bubbling water feature. Whatever your vision, a landscape architect in Birmingham, MI, can bring it to life, transforming your outdoor area into a personalized haven that reflects your unique style and meets your functional needs.
Transforming your outdoor space in Commerce Twp, MI involves not just creativity but also an understanding of the landscape's potential. One element that can significantly enhance both the functionality and aesthetics of your outdoor area is a retaining wall. Here's how incorporating a retaining wall can maximize your property's outdoor space.
Embarking on a landscaping project in Bloomfield Hills, MI, brings the exciting opportunity to transform your outdoor space into a personalized oasis. Some of the key decisions you'll face include selecting the right brick pavers and the best of the best landscaping companies. These choices can significantly impact the look, feel, and functionality of your landscape.
A new Sterling Heights, MI landscape project is both exciting and a little daunting, especially when you are searching unfamiliar landscapers near me. Finding a landscaping companies who are reputable, experienced, and able to achieve your vision can be a tough task but these suggestions can ease the way and help you locate the one who is right for your new outdoor space. Remember that finding a reputable landscaper takes time and effort, but doing your due diligence will help ensure your landscaping project is successful and meets your expectations.
Bluestone is a popular choice for outdoor spaces because it is often associated with luxury and sophistication, a timeless material that can add value to your home and create a beautiful and inviting outdoor living space. Patios, walkways, pool decks, and many other outdoor living surfaces are ideal for using bluestone with its non-slip and versatile properties. See how bluestone can complement any landscape aesthetic and outdoor setting.
Outdoor living spaces have expanded the way people enjoy their Bloomfield Hills and Birmingham, MI backyards, offering more opportunities for peaceful evenings, entertainment-filled weekends, and chilled-out Sundays before returning to work. Overall, great outdoor living spaces make your home more comfortable and enjoyable, and improve your health and well-being.
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