If you’re wondering how to add luxury to your backyard, the answer is to include smart design elements that look aesthetically pleasing but which also allow you to enjoy it to relax, exercise, entertain and eat in year round.
‘People are thinking outside the box in terms of what they want their backyards to deliver when it comes to outdoor living, and they are often not sure how to achieve this within a traditional design model,’ explains garden designer Kate Gould.
‘But people don’t need to choose between having functional spaces and a beautiful garden. It doesn’t need to be an either/or choice.’
Bring indoor elements outside
‘Consider all the essential elements of a luxurious home and put outdoor equivalents,’ to add luxury to your backyard, explains Kate.
There are many elements you could add, but Kate mentions outdoor fireplace ideas for warmth, and planning an outdoor kitchen with a cooking island and a sink.
Be sure to include comfortable, all weather furniture – there are many options for gardens of all styles from the best outdoor furniture stores, and if you have the space, a bioclimatic pergola idea to shelter under.
Go bold with statement items
Don’t be afraid of being bold if you are wondering how to add luxury to your backyard. Statement planting will max the feeling of luxury in the space.
‘Large things in small spaces work far better than lots of little things and make the maintenance of the garden much easier.
Statement planter box ideas or containers with bold evergreen plants add drama and can be lit at night to create beautiful living sculptures. If you can place them near a wall, you will also cast shadows to add a sense of magic and mystery to your scheme,’ says Kate.
Set the luxury tone with landscaping materials
The decisions you make when selecting materials for your backyard will set the tone for its overall luxurious effect.
‘There are many ways to look at luxury in a backyard: flagstone terraces surrounded by roses, lavender and scented plants have charm and elegance for a quintessential English garden idea,’ says Kate.
Whereas for a modern aesthetic with backyard landscaping ideas, ‘crisp cut sandstone or limestone slabs laid with an emphasis on clean lines and minimalism, surrounded by topiary and feature evergreens might need nothing more than a pair of sculptural loungers as accents. Design is all about how you want to live. That will drive the theme of the space you are creating,’ Kate adds.
Combine clever design and functionality
Combine beautiful design and clever functionality. ‘If you want a swim spa for exercise and pampering, a space for yoga or meditation, or an outside shower, you don’t need to choose between having that and a beautiful garden. Have a swim spa, but make it chic,’ says Kate.
This show garden design (above) by Kate demonstrates clever garden zoning and features a swim spa as a pool idea for exercising, cleverly recessed within the gardens’ natural wood decking, climbing bars, spaces for seating and relaxation, a yoga/meditation space and shower, all elegantly situated among dramatic and exotic, tropical garden ideas.
The overall look and feel is architectural, contemporary in its minimalism and high-end.
To make your backyard design shine, add decorative elements that raise it onto another level.
‘Bold, sleek water feature ideas can look incredibly elegant and add movement in a space that is perhaps more hard landscaping than soft,’ says Kate.
‘Stepping stones floating over the surface create an illusion of walking on water – and although they appear deceptively simple are not something to be undertaken without expert help.
Surround your water with bold marginal plants or simple clipped hedging for an element that reflects the sky and creates a beautiful effect all year round.’
Consider all the essential elements of a luxurious home and put outdoor equivalents. Picture:Kate Gould Design / Helen Fickling
The decisions you make when selecting materials for your backyard will set the tone for its overall luxurious effect. Picture: Courtesy of the Novogratz
Combine beautiful design and clever functionality.
Picture: RHS / Sarah Cuttle
To make your backyard design shine, add decorative elements that raise it onto another level. Picture:Kate Gould Design / Nicola Stocken
