Tiny patios often aren’t utilized to their fullest extent because people brush them off as “too small” to work with. Instead, many are just used as storage space or collect cob webs from non-usage. But that need not be the case; with a little creativity, small spaces can be transformed into a quiet escape.

Take patio furniture for instance, a small bistro table in a corner can work just fine. Or, if you have a little more space to work with, Creative PE Rattan Garden furniture might just be for you. When not in use, it fits together like a puzzle piece in an aesthetic shape. But when you’re ready to use it, it offers seating for 2 – 4 depending on the model.

Creative PE Rattan Furniture

Add a wall garden to your small outdoor space using urban wall gardens. They take up only a foot or two and can add some life to a patio, balcony, or small deck. Potted plants can work just as well, but if you’re working with a small footprint, keep them elevated to take up less floor space using window boxes, planters, or wall anchors.

urbio wall garden

Remove any debris from your enclave; sweep up cobwebs, throw away old boxes, get rid of stuff you haven’t used in years. Add a little mood lighting in the form of twinkle lights (purchase them cheaply after the holidays), candles, or hanging lanterns. The goal is to have as little as possible taking up walking area, so keep lighting off the ground as well.

If you’re patio faces the west, be sure to have enough shade for the afternoon. If you have trees that naturally shade that area, you’re in luck. But if not,  add a rolling blind, curtain, or some kind of screen to help shade your retreat. It will allow you to spend more time outside instead of in.

Have you turned a small outdoor space into a usable retreat?

A big thanks to those that featured me in the following carnivals:

  • Young and Thrifty –  Carnival of MoneyPros
  • Making Sense of Cents – Carnival of Retirement
  • The College Investor – Yakezie Carnival

4 Comments

  1. Joe @ Retire By 40 Reply

    Our small balcony is very under utilized right now. We have a BBQ, some seating, and a lot of potted plants. We don’t use it much because we don’t want our kid running around out there. When he’s a bit older, we’ll probably use it more again.

    • @Joe – Didn’t think of little children on the balcony. That would make me nervous unless there was some safety feature on the overhang – like a durable screen that snapped into place or locking screen door. Definitely agree that when baby Rb40 gets older, more time could be spent on the balcony.

  2. Jeff @ Sustainable Life Blog Reply

    I have a small outdoor space that right now only has the grill on it, but in time I’d like to get it set up so that I can have a larger patio and more chairs/furniture out there. The space is OK now, but it really needs to be re-done. Unfortunately, this is at the very bottom of a long list of priorities.

    • @Jeff – Outdoor space probably always gets put at the bottom of the list when there’s more stuff that needs to be done to the interior. But just visualize how it will all come together, including the outdoors, when the house is finished!

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