fence pebbles

Garden Design Tricks

What colour fence paint makes garden look bigger and other tricks!

According to the latest ONS data, a whopping 78% of British households have an access to a private outdoor space. Because most of the population lives in towns and cities, their garden space is very limited by urban planning. The desirability of a garden space during COVID pushed many city dwellers to look for properties with larger outdoor space but a small garden can have a more spacious feeling with a few tips and tricks.

Compass

First, you need to decide whether the garden is oriented to the north or the south. In the north-facing garden, we recommend using, similarly to interior colours warmer shades of paint as cool shades in the shadow could look grey and unappealing. If you’re lucky to have a south/ west facing garden full of sunshine the colour you use to paint your fence will not have a dramatic effect.

 

All about the mirage

To make the garden appear bigger than it is we need to fool the eye. There are many ways known and used in architecture for centuries. We will translate them for you onto the garden.

Garden mirrors

A cleverly hung mirror on the garden fence will amplify the optical illusion of a bigger garden and will give the impression that the wall does not exist. It will also beautifully reflect the light and give a focal point. If you have a little pond or any other water feature hand the mirror above it, your pond will double in size in a wink of an eye. Best to hide the frame with some trailing plants or flowers. That way the mirror will blend in with the surroundings. One tip – Do not position the mirror directly opposite the door as you will be constantly seeing your reflection and it will ruin the effect. It’s also a bonus to see wildlife looking at its reflection too!

Perspective

Perspective was successfully applied from ancient times and the middle ages but only mastered in the renaissance. Its principles can be easily used in everyday life. That means it will also be useful when designing your garden!

Perspective illusions are based on the idea that the object appears smaller the further they are from the viewer. Sounds complicated but it really isn’t!

You are the garden designer now, and depending on where you’re going to plant your plants you can make a small garden that little bit bigger.

Plants

Plant any big plants and flowers close to the door, you see them up close. The further the eye wanders toward the garden wall plant smaller and smaller plants with delicate flowers and dainty leaves. Light coloured blossoms will give the illusion of an airy garden that’s more spacious. Generally lighter colours catch and reflect more natural light which is what we want in a small space. Keep dark and brightly coloured flowers close to the door. As beautiful as they are they’re not perfect in a small garden, especially if you want to make it look bigger.

Symmetry

gardenSymmetry is the best friend of perspective. Not without reason, XVII century landscape artists loved symmetry. The wonderfully elaborated french gardens felt almost never-ending, the symmetrical design can make the garden look bigger. In your own garden, you can easily use that principle by creating a path dividing the garden into two parts. Growing plants of different sizes can create a three-dimensional effect, giving the illusion that there is something ‘behind’.



 

Vertical garden

When the horizontal space is limited let’s think vertical! Even though green walls seem a very modern feature in the form currently presented, the idea stemmed from the Babylonian hanging garden and its irrigation system, so over 2500 ago! If you’re smart with planting you can incorporate some fruit, vegetable and herb into your green wall so it’s beautiful and will give you produce at the same time. Try to use one of the side walls to do it if you can as dark green leaves at the back of your garden will shorten the distance. The vertical rack is a marvellous addition to a small garden and gives a very decadent impression of an abundance thanks to vertical space.

What colour fence paint makes garden look bigger

Last but not least time to answer the most burning question about the fence colour. Choosing a fence paint colour can be daunting but if you follow the principles we’ve covered above it shouldn’t be very difficult. Soft, light colours reflect light so give object appears bigger. Remember that the dominant colour in any garden is green, in many shades. Depending on the style of the garden and the effect you want to achieve you can choose from cool grey colour, cream shade or light neutral tones to achieve a traditional and elegant look or something more playful like a baby blue or light pink for a cottage garden. Do you live by the beach? A more vibrant but cool-toned blue would work perfectly! If your goal is to make it look like you have more space stay away from, although very trendy, dark colours. Dark fence in grey, brown, and black will optically shrink the garden and will make the small garden feel busier than it is.

 

 

 

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About the author

Klara is a property expert. She knows everything there is to know about the property market, and she's always happy to share her tips, tricks, and advice with others who are looking to sell. Klara has been in the business for many years, and her experience makes her one of the most trusted sources of information in this field. When it comes to the housing market, Klara knows what she's talking about!