As a homeowner, you notice more than anyone the areas of your property that you want to improve. Maybe the kitchen is in serious need of new appliances, or the siding is rotting away and needs to be replaced, or the floor plan could use an open concept. You will likely be the worst critic of your home, but that doesn’t mean that others will not notice flaws as well. 

One aspect of your home that many will notice first is the outdoor space. As they walk or drive by your house, how others perceive the aesthetics of the outside is known as curb appeal. Curb appeal can give you a sense of pride in your home, but it also plays a major role in making your home feel welcoming and boosting its resale value.

When you take a long look at your yard, do you ever think that it feels empty? Like there is work that you could do with your outdoor space to make it more of a retreat from certain aspects of life the way the rest of your home is? If you get the sense that your outdoor space feels empty, here are a few cosmetic changes you could make to fill out the area and expand the warmth of the home out into the yard.

Build a Deck

A deck is like an additional room attached to the outside of your home and slightly elevated above ground level. It creates the perfect location for outdoor meals and gatherings, either with your family or with guests. Some nice chairs, an outdoor table, and even a hot tub could complete the project and form a private oasis for every resident in the house. With a deck, you increase the square footage of furnished areas in your home, and it can cut down on that empty feeling that you get when you look at your yard. Professional deck building services can do an easy installation to ensure that the project is done well and is safe for everyone to use. 

Design a Patio

A patio is a little different from a deck. Patios could be anywhere in the yard and are usually not raised above ground level. They can be made with wood, stone, concrete, and other materials. Many people like to add patios to their yard to create an outdoor living space, complete with comfortable furniture, a stylish pergola/gazebo, and a fire pit. These features complement each other well, creating a functional room in your yard for everyone to enjoy. Your outdoor space certainly won’t look empty when you, your family, or your guests are hanging out on the patio that you have designed for social gatherings, and who doesn’t love a fire on a summer night with s’mores and great conversations?

Add a Walking Path

Pathways are a perfect method for removing that empty feeling from a yard, and there are so many options for material and design. You could use brick, stone, pavers, concrete, or even wooden stumps for the steps themselves. Then, consider how you can line the pathway with mulch, gravel, small fences, solar lights, and other decorative elements to enhance the aesthetics. The beauty of a pathway through the yard is that it can go anywhere. It could lead from your driveway to the front door, or from the front door around to the back. If you have a patio, the steps could take you from the back door to the outdoor living space. Maybe you have a beautiful garden in front of the entryway porch, and a designed path through it would serve as a journey through a living paradise. There is no limit to how you can use a pathway to divide up all the empty space in the yard.

Use Unique Landscaping Features to Break Up the Space

Whether the other options have not achieved the desired effect or they are not an option, how then can you fill the space to make it look less empty? It is time to turn to unique landscaping features. An ornately designed water fountain could be the centerpiece of your lawn and make everyone forget about the rest of the area. Want a more natural look? You could add an artificial stream surrounded by natural features like rocks, mulch, and plants. You can build a raised box garden for relatively cheap that provides the household with some vegetables to encourage self-sufficiency and healthier eating, all while adding to the aesthetic appeal of the yard. Or you can use ambient lighting to enhance the look and feel of your outdoor space. Here are a few tips for incorporating landscape lighting techniques to highlight your home’s exterior. All these unique features could be the highlight of your yard and reduce that empty look.  

Get Creative

Though these ideas are great places to start, there really is no limit to what you can do to fill the space in your yard. If you want to accomplish a look that makes you proud or increases the curb appeal for others, there are thousands of ideas that you can find online to improve your outdoor space for both your family and for potential guests. Don’t be afraid to create something new that no one has tried before. Maybe others will love your creativity and want to do the same.