8 Landscape Design Ideas for Large Backyards in Barrington, RI
Space-optimizing design isn’t just for small backyards. Large backyards can pose just as many, if not more, challenges as diminutive backyards. To help you come up with a cohesive plan, here are eight landscape design ideas for large backyards in Barrington, RI.Function FirstLarge spaces offer lots of options, but it can be overwhelming. First, identify what you want to do in the space and who will use it. Will you be entertaining frequently, and how large will these gatherings be? Do you have kids or pets that need lots of room to play? Do you love backyard sports and games like volleyball, swimming, or horseshoes? Do you like cooking outdoors? Do you enjoy hanging out by a fireplace or fire pit? Do you want your own vineyard or large vegetable garden?Once you’ve identified how you want to use your land, the next step is to consider specific features that will deliver on your needs and wants within your budget.Related: Integrating an Outdoor Kitchen into Your Existing Patio in Bristol, RI
Outdoor Rooms
One approach to large-scale outdoor living is to break up the spaces into more intimate outdoor rooms, each with a specific function and its own unique appeal. These spaces can be completely separate, connected by walkways and surrounded by grass. Or, if they’re within a main patio area, they can be separated with strategically placed seating walls, plantings, or accent pavers.
Terraced Living
On sloped lots, terraced patios offer a multi-level living experience. When considering where to place your outdoor rooms, consider your view, any privacy concerns you have, and how convenient you need the space to be to your house.
Paver Patios
For both large or small patios, opt for pavers. Pavers offer many design options as well as durability and a timeless appeal that cannot be matched by decks.Related: 4 Landscape Design Ideas for Creating a Quiet Place in Your Bristol, RI, Backyard
Color to Unify and to Separate
To create a unified and visually uncluttered space, keep your color palette to no more than three: a main “field” color plus one or two accent colors. Accent colors can be used to provide definition to spaces, guide traffic, as well as for purely decorative purposes.
Shapes to Guide the Eye
Where do you want people to go? Where do you want them to look? Bold linear shapes, curves, or geometric patterns create visual interest, but you can also use them to emphasize the size of the yard with a straight wall or walkway that draws the eye through the landscape. Curved shapes make spaces feel more intimate, such as curved seating walls that nestle a fire pit.
Vertical Elements
A good design isn’t just about what’s on the ground; it’s about what’s all around you, as well. Use vertical elements such as varying height vegetation, a seating wall, fireplace, pergola, or water feature to give dimension to a flat landscape.
Generously Sized Elements
Balance the scale of the home with the scale of outdoor spaces. That doesn’t mean you must have a huge patio if you have a large home, but more generously sized flagstones or pavers as well as larger features (such as the outdoor kitchen, fireplace, or pergola) will look like they are proportionate to their surroundings.
Shade
One drawback to a large yard is that huge expanses of lawn can feel uninviting on a hot summer day if it hasn’t been properly designed. Trees and permanent shade structures such as pergolas will offer relief from the blazing sun, as well as adding beauty to the landscape.