It’s
always great to have an outdoor area you can escape to. Whether it’s large or
small, taking some time for some fresh air, a sacred space where you can go to
turn your back on the dishes, the television and everything that needs to be
done inside can do wonders for your health.
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Zen outdoor areas via DIY N Crafts
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Your
private, sacred space is a spot where you can just be with yourself, where you
can relax with a book, a cup of tea or coffee or even absolutely nothing at
all, and simply stop and breathe. This is especially true when living in the
city. Personal outdoor space can be at a minimum when you’re surrounded by
other buildings.
Many
people can be deterred by a small outdoor area. How can you create your zen
place if you don’t have a lot of space to work with? Rest assured though, there
are ways to find your inner peace, even with the hustle and bustle of the city
surrounding you.
The
most important element to consider when creating your zen space is making sure
it’s comfortable, peaceful and above all else, personalized.
Incorporating softscape and
hardscape
Landscape
design, incorporates all the different elements of an outdoor space, the two
biggest of which are softscape and hardscape. Many outdoor areas will include a
mixture of the two, as they complement each other. Of course, creating your
personalized space though will be entirely up to what you prefer.
Softscape
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Softscape
Japanese garden via Artisan Stone
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Often
defined as the ‘living elements’ of a space, softspace refers to the trees, plants, grass, vines, and
shrubs. Of course, some of these elements, such as trees and evergreen plants,
may be permanent and there tends to be no wiggle room there. However, when
creating your own personalized space, there are lots you can do with other
plants.
There
are some key things to think about when deciding what softscape elements to
include like the type of soil used, the natural lay of the land, how much
sunlight the area gets, and overall, what style are you looking to achieve?
Hardscape
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Hardscape
outdoor space via Mansion Global
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Constructed
using man-made, natural and non-living materials, hardscape is essentially the ‘hard’ elements of your
outdoor space. This includes things such as decks, stone or concrete walkways,
planter boxes, and walls.
Many
people will choose to just use hardscape materials to landscape their outdoor
area, particularly as there is so much variety even within the harder materials
— mixing stone with timber, for example, provides a textured area without any
plants.
If
you’re planning to mix the hardscape with the softscape though, keep in mind
how the softscape will be incorporated into the harder materials, as usually,
it’s the hardscape that is done first.
Enhancing your small space
Sure,
some spaces will be smaller than others. But at the end of the day, it’s what
you do and make of the space, that matters most.
There
are a multitude of ways you can make your space feel bigger than it is if
that’s the look you’re going for, such as:
● Hang
a mirror:
That’s because mirrors provide the illusion of a bigger space and reflect the
sunlight, making an area feel more open.
● Use
tall planters:
Tall plants emphasize the “height of an area” rather than the footprint.
● Use
small furniture:
Smaller pieces of furniture will make your area feel larger and increase the
space around it that can be used.
● Vertical
gardens:
Are a visually-appealing way to display some softscape elements or even grow
some herbs.
At the
end of the day, the most important way to utilize your smaller area to its best is to keep it
simple. Less is more. Use a simple color palette that speaks to you and your
personality, keep things uncluttered and keep the floor space as clear as
possible.
Lastly,
the most important thing is that your space is your personal area, keeping you
calm and relaxed while you take in the delicious fresh air.
Author
bio: Luke Fitzpatrick has been published in Forbes,
Yahoo! News, Influencive and Tech In Asia. He is a guest lecturer at the
University of Sydney, lecturing in Cross-Cultural Management and the Pre-MBA
Program.
Author
image:
