What’s better, a patio or a porch? Is there really any difference between the two?
When it comes to architectural definitions, patios and porches share a lot of similarities. But they also have different features. Keep reading to learn the nuances between the two types of outdoor living space and answer the question of patio vs porch.
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Basic Differences Between Patios and Porches
The main difference between a porch and patio is its attachment to the house. A patio is usually detached from the home itself. It’s built at ground level behind the home and often is uncovered. A patio is almost always located behind the house.
A porch is attached to the home. It’s level with the home’s exterior doors and may be built up off the ground. It usually has a roof and railings that also connect to the home’s main structure. A porch is usually along the front of the house, but it can also be located behind it. Some farmhouses have a wraparound porch that goes around the entire home.
Different Types of Patios
Although many patios are uncovered, plenty of people build a covered patio so that at least part of the patio deck has a roof over it. This is a helpful source of shade in the summertime and it also shields your patio furniture from the elements. Others obtain shade with a temporary patio cover, such as a pop up tent, umbrella, or shade sail.
A patio can be made of concrete, bricks, pavers, tile, or even gravel. Because patios must be built at ground level, there may be steps between the patio door and deck surface. A wood deck—even if built at ground level—is not technically a patio, though it might be used as one.
A patio may be built several yards away from the main building, with a path connecting the home and concrete deck. This is often the case with patios that surround a swimming pool.
Different Types of Porches
Like a patio, a porch can be covered or open to the sky above. A covered porch is the most common type, and usually reflects a continuation of the home’s architectural style. The porch roof usually matches the home’s roof, and the porch deck may even have the same style of wood flooring used inside the home. Porches are often thought of as an outdoor living room and used as such.
A screened porch has screen panels over any open sides. These panels extend from the porch roof to the deck and help keep insects and other pests from invading your home. Instead of a screen porch enclosure, some people install windows, turning their backyard porch into a sunroom that can be used year-round.
A patio can be turned into a backyard porch with the addition of a roof and railings. An upstairs balcony may be called a porch if it is covered and blends into the home design.
Patio vs Porch: Factors to Consider
If you’re building a new home, or simply looking for an outdoor home improvement project, building a patio or porch is a good idea. Not only will you gain outdoor living space, this type of home addition will increase your property value. If you like both options, here are a few factors to take into consideration before deciding which outdoor structure to build.
First, consider how much living space you have for a porch or patio. If you have a spacious lot, building a large porch or patio should not be a problem. If you have a small backyard, you’ll need to keep your patio on the smaller side. If you have a small front yard, a front porch may make you feel too close to the street to enjoy relaxing there.
Second, take a realistic look at your budget. A simple concrete patio or one made from pavers costs less per square foot than a porch or veranda. This is largely due to the labor costs involved in building a wood porch, roof, deck, and railings. You will also need to pay someone to paint Many a homeowner has learned how to DIY concrete pavers to build their own simple patio.
Third, consider the type of climate you’re working with. An open patio or veranda will probably get year-round use in a warm climate. However, if you live where winters are long, your patio might not get much use beyond the summer months. In that case, an enclosed porch will be more useful, especially if it is a sun room with windows to close when it’s chilly.
Finally, think about how you plan to use your outdoor space. A front porch offers little privacy, but it’s great if you’re friends with your neighbors and enjoy socializing in your front yard. Since a patio is usually located in the backyard, it provides more privacy for intimate outdoor dinners or big parties. If your plan includes an outdoor kitchen, a concrete slab patio or veranda is an ideal foundation.
Other Names for Outdoor Living Spaces
With so many names for an outdoor living space, how do you know which one to use? Unless you’re writing a real estate listing, feel free to call your outdoor space whatever you like. But if you’re curious about the nuances between different names, here’s a guide.
Balcony: A platform that is built out from the side of a building, on a second floor or higher. A balcony is enclosed by a railing or half-wall.
Deck: A deck is a raised horizontal platform supported by beams or columns. It’s usually made of wood or a composite decking material. A deck doesn’t have a roof or walls, but must have a railing if it’s more than two feet above the ground.
Lanai: The word “lanai” is commonly used in Hawaii, South Florida, and other tropical areas to describe an enclosed porch. A lanai usually has a concrete or tile floor and sits at ground level beside or behind the home. It may feature screens or windows instead of open sides.
Portico: This type of covered outdoor area predates the modern porch or veranda. Popular in ancient Greece, a portico is usually positioned directly in front of the home’s entryway. Porticos are often supported by columns.
Sunroom: A sunroom or sun porch features large glass windows. It’s as visually open as a traditional porch, but it’s an enclosed space that can be used year-round.
Terrace: A terrace is similar to a patio in that it’s a paved or tiled outdoor area. It may be located on a rooftop instead of ground level.
Veranda: Also spelled “verandah” this term for an outdoor seating area is most commonly used in the southern United States. Unlike an elevated balcony or deck, a veranda is located at ground level. Sometimes southerners will use the word veranda to describe any type of porch or patio, even if it’s not at ground level. A veranda will usually be bigger than an average porch or patio. Historically in the south, the veranda was used as a gallery room or for entertaining guests.
A small backyard is still a backyard, and you don’t need a giant garden to make a huge impression. So many landscaping ideas work equally well in small or large backyards.
Even a tiny backyard can be transformed into a charming outdoor living space. Scroll through our best small backyard design ideas and see how simple it is to maximize the space you have.
1. Transform Your Backyard with a Charming Tiki Bar
A backyard bar makes outdoor entertaining fun. Even a simple bar idea provides extra seating and an inviting place for you and your guests to sip and sit a while.
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Try building a small bar on an existing patio or porch, or attach one to a backyard shed or other outbuilding. Make it feel like a vacation year-round by going for a tiki bar design complete with a thatched grass roof and island decor.
2. Elevate Your Small Backyard with a Cozy Fire Pit or Chiminea
Nothing adds nighttime ambience to an outdoor space quite like a fire pit. If there’s room to add one to your list of small backyard ideas, try to make it happen. Firepits don’t have to be big or expensive. In fact, anyone can build a simple fire pit out of concrete blocks, as shown in this video:
If you’d rather not build a fire pit from scratch, a chiminea is a good alternative. It occupies a smaller footprint than a traditional fire pit and adds rustic, western charm to your yard or patio.
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Another affordable backyard fire idea is to purchase a small metal firepit. You can find basic models for under $50, and some double as a charcoal grill. Others include a cooler insert that’s great for holding beverages when it’s too hot for a fire.
3. Furnish Smart for Your Small Outdoor Space – Measure, Choose Wisely
Anytime you’re trying to furnish a small space, it’s vital to keep scale in mind. Oversized outdoor furniture will make a small backyard space feel cramped and crowded. To avoid this, be sure to measure before ordering any type of patio furniture, including sofas, tables, and chairs.
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When you’re measuring for furniture, leave enough open space to walk around comfortably. A bar and barstools are ideal for a small patio because they occupy less space than an ordinary dining set.
Take your local weather into consideration when buying furniture for an outdoor living space. If it’s particularly windy in your neighborhood, choose weightier pieces. If sun beats down on your patio all day, choose lighter-colored furniture that’s not prone to fading.
4. Create a Beautiful Garden in a Limited Space
It’s easy to get carried away when you see all the lovely plant and greenery options at your garden center. And it’s really easy to overestimate your planting space when planning small yard landscaping ideas.
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Do a little homework before you hit the garden center. Find out how much planting space you have in the yard, then research the kind of plants that you like—and that will grow well in your area. Design your garden accordingly, remembering to include concrete pavers, garden bed edging, and other landscaping touches.
5. Maximize Your Small Yard with a Lush Green Lawn
A green lawn is a beautiful addition to any yard. However, space for growing grass might be limited in a particularly small backyard. Even if that’s the case, planting grass—even just a small section—is one of the best traditional landscaping ideas. If you have a dog or small children, a little patch of green lawn is practically a must.
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Grass adds valuable open space to your garden design, something that’s vital to keep your backyard ideas from visually crowding a small yard. Fine fescue grass is a good low-maintenance choice for a small backyard.
You may prefer to install rolled turf instead of waiting for grass seed to grow and fill in naturally. If you want a truly no-maintenance grass in your small backyard, shop for artificial turf.
6. Transform Your Small Yard with Strategic Landscaping and Hardscaping
Small backyard landscaping might initially feel challenging, especially if you don’t have a lot of experience with yard work. However, limited space is actually a blessing in disguise because it drives you to focus on what you feel is most important to include in your backyard design.
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A layered landscape design mimics nature, with low groundcovers, flowers, shrubs, and trees lining up from short to tall. This is a great design starting point regardless of your yard’s size. Choose greenery, flowers, and other plant options based on how tall they will be when full grown.
Don’t forget to budget for hardscaping when you’re finalizing your small backyard ideas. Path pavers, fences, walls, and borders provide the boundaries for your garden and are an important design element.
7. Elevate Your Small Backyard with Thoughtful Outdoor Lighting
Most people use their patio as an outdoor room, enjoying comfortable seating and dining space day and night. Just as with interior home decor, your outdoor space needs adequate lighting. This means including task lighting and accent lighting sources.
Hard-wired patio light fixtures can provide your main source of task lighting. Place weatherproof lamps on patio end tables, and stake lanterns on posts for other big light sources.
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String lights come in so many creative shapes and styles now and add a magical glow to night gatherings. Hang them over your seating area, along a fence, or string them between trees for a lighted canopy.
Path and step lights are crucial for safe navigation through the yard at night. Install a few spotlights to illuminate your garden focal point, such as a sculpture or arbor.
8. Revamp Your Small Backyard with a Stylish Concrete Paver Patio
If your small backyard lacks a patio, it’s fairly easy and inexpensive to hire a contractor to lay a simple concrete paver patio. Make it a design feature by choosing beautiful pavers and borders, perhaps adding a paver path leading to a water feature or bench.
Look around the patio for creative small garden ideas. Attach window boxes to your railings or windows, and hang potted plants from the rafters. Both are great small backyard ideas for adding pops of color without taking up any square footage on the ground.
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Consider hanging a vertical garden on one or more of your patio walls. It’s a beautiful backyard idea that adds greenery to an otherwise blank vertical space. You can make a vertical garden by hanging up a wooden pallet and arranging small potted plants in the gaps. Succulents are also particularly beautiful in a vertical small garden.
9. Enhance Your Small Yard with a Charming Wooden Pergola
A pergola may seem too large to be included as a small yard idea, but remember: in a small outdoor space, scale is everything. A wood pergola or arbor may be just the focal point your small garden needs.
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A simple square pergola with open rafter roofing is gorgeous over an outdoor dining area. It also provides a frame for hanging light strings. Grow climbing plant varieties around the pergola posts if you want the structure to provide shade in the future.
10. Elevate Your Small Backyard with the Tranquil Beauty of Water Features
Water features are fantastic backyard landscaping ideas. A well-designed small pond can add sound, motion, and life to your little outdoor retreat. It also provides a place for different plant varieties to grow, such as cattails and water lilies.
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A small waterfall is relaxing to observe, with its flowing water and gentle splashing sounds. Koi fish are a great addition to a small backyard water feature, but do require a bit more maintenance. Even without fish, a backyard pond will draw water-seeking wildlife to your yard including frogs, dragonflies, and birds.
A cabana or pool house adds a lot to your backyard pool area. Not only is a cabana a welcome source of shade on hot summer days, it can include a changing room and space to store pool equipment.
Before settling on a pool cabana design, it’s important to consider what functions you expect it to fulfill. If you want a full miniature house with a bathroom and kitchen, you’ll need to look at pool house design plans instead of a basic cabana.
Whatever your intent for this poolside structure, check out our favorite cool pool cabana ideas. They will guide you in designing the perfect backyard cabana.
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1. Deck-Friendly Pool Cabana
A pool cabana can be built directly on top of your existing pool deck. Or, you can plan to build it atop its own separate deck located near the swimming pool.
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Whether you have a wooden, stone, tile, or concrete deck, choose a pool cabana style that complements the existing decking material. Unlike a pool house, a cabana’s three-sided construction will leave the deck material visible so make sure it’s something you love. It’s a bonus if it feels good under bare feet.
2. Enclosed Pool Cabana Design
By definition, a cabana has a roof, three walls, and one open side. However, some cabanas could be called a pool house cabana, with a fourth wall instead of a totally open side.
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These enclosed style cabanas usually have large French doors or retractable doors along the front. This makes a particularly stylish pool cabana that’s open when you need it to be, but looks more like a pool house when the doors are closed.
Even classic three-walled cabanas often have a small enclosed area for privacy while changing clothes. Some also include an enclosed storage room for pool supplies.
3. Hut-Style Cabana for Your Poolside Oasis
A hut-style cabana brings a decidedly tropical flair to your backyard. Instead of three walls and one opening, a cabana hut is often styled more like a pergola, with a thatched roof held up by four posts. If there are walls, they’re often made of bamboo or woven mats.
This kind of tiki hut outdoor space is also a great shelter over an outdoor kitchen or poolside bar. A hut cabana with an outdoor bar can make you and your guests feel like you’re visiting a favorite beach retreat.
4. Spacious Backyard Pool Cabana
Because there are no limits on how big a backyard cabana can be, some end up being quite large. If you have a large inground pool and hot tub—and are a frequent pool party host—a large cabana might be exactly what you need. After all, if you have a lot of guests, you’ll need a lot of patio furniture to accommodate everyone, and plenty of covered porch space to provide shade.
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It’s common to build in extra storage into a larger cabana or pool house. You can include open attic space and use it to store all types of backyard toys and garden equipment.
With a large cabana space, consider screening part of it—especially if you live in an area with lots of mosquitos or stinging insects. A screened outdoor living space will allow you to relax in the shade without being bothered by pests.
5. Budget-Friendly: From DIY Pavilions to Pop-Up Tents
It’s possible to have a great poolside cabana even on a tight budget. A simple roofed pavilion or pergola can suffice, whether built by scratch or from a kit.
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One of the cheapest ways to achieve the shade and ambience of a cabana is to purchase a 10’ x 10’ pop up tent. Available for around $100, these temporary structures are easy to put up and take down. Some even come with fabric curtains or sides that give the tent a true pool house cabana vibe.
6. Luxurious Pool Cabana Retreat
Luxury pool cabana ideas are usually big open spaces with multiple outdoor room features. These custom pool house hybrids might include a firepit with vent, a changing room, bathroom, kitchen, and bar.
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A luxury pool cabana is made from high-end materials, such as teak, mahogany, or other imported exotic hardwoods, and surrounded by lavish landscaping. Often, such impressive structures are adjacent to an infinity pool positioned above a breathtaking view.
7. Contemporary Cabana Design for Modern Pools
Like other forms of modern architecture, a contemporary cabana will be designed with clean lines and minimalist materials. It looks best beside a modern pool design that features a similar type of simplicity.
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Open beams are a stylish pool cabana accent for modern architecture. Make part of the roof solid material and part open beams to add character to your minimalist design.
8. Outdoor Furniture Essentials for Your Cabana
Outdoor furniture is a must in any outdoor living space. A backyard cabana should include several patio chairs and perhaps a dining set. If it’s a particularly spacious cabana, a hammock is a welcome place to relax poolside.
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If you have a small pool cabana, you may wish to use pop up camping chairs instead of full size outdoor furniture. That way you have extra seating when guests visit, but can enjoy a more open space when it’s just you and your household in the backyard.
Consider buying lounge chairs that have wheels on the back. This will make it easier to move them beside the swimming pool when you want to bask in the sun, and roll them back into the shade again.
9. Set up an Outdoor Kitchen Bar
Cooking outdoors is a fun change of pace from cooking inside. Although grills and smokers have long been popular ways of preparing food outside, modern outdoor kitchens are stocked as well as their interior versions.
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It’s important to choose weather resistant appliances specifically designed for outdoor kitchen use. You can find outdoor ranges, ovens, refrigerators, and even dishwashers to create a full kitchen on your backyard pool cabana.
If you don’t have electricity in your outdoor pool area, a bar would be a more reasonable choice than a kitchen. Chill beverages in a large cooler or galvanized tub filled with ice. Store liquor and barware in cabinets or shelves surrounding the bar. Add a gas or charcoal grill for outdoor cooking.
10. Pool Pavilions: Versatile and Open-Air Cabana Alternatives
A pool pavilion is essentially just another type of cabana idea, although by definition, a pavilion has four open sides. Like park pavilions, a swimming pool pavilion is used for shelter or entertainment.
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A pavilion can have a hard roof or a more tent-like covering. While a cabana usually has three walls and one open side, a pavilion may have one wall and three open sides. The solid wall is usually along the back of the pavilion and is a great place to mount a big screen TV for watching movies from the swimming pool.
11. Prefab Pool House
Prefab pool house and cabana kits can be more cost effective than building the structure yourself. They can also be customized to match your home’s exterior, available in everything from modern minimalist to barnlike design.
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You could probably use any prefab storage shed as a small pool house, but it would lack certain features most people want in a pool cabana. Look for a prefab building that has an enclosed storage or clothes-changing area and a porch for lounging in the shade. Some prefab cabanas include a bar, bathroom, or outdoor shower.
You can order prefab buildings online or from a local company. The 10’ x 20’ Sanara pool cabana by Summerwood Products is a great example of a modern, stylish prefab pool house.
12. Creating a Rustic Cabana with Natural Flair
A rustic cabana will be made from natural materials, such as a wood frame with a stone base, topped with a vintage tin roof. If rustic cabana has curtains, canvas, linen, or thin burlap are good fabrics to use.
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Decorate the walls with vintage signs and add wrought iron accents wherever you can. For a fun, whimsical touch, hang simple rope swings from the cabana’s open rafters. Rustic lighting options include metal lanterns and strings of Edison light bulbs.
13. Maximizing Your Space with Small Pool Cabana
Even a small pool house is better than no pool house at all. Where else can you lounge in the shade beside the pool, or store all your pool equipment? Additionally, a pool house or cabana adds value to your home because it turns a basic backyard pool into a multi-purpose outdoor living zone.
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If you have a tight budget, it’s a good idea to keep your cabana small—but build one that includes the features you need. Of course, you might need a small cabana due to space restraints. If so, choose a narrow design that provides the most shade possible.
Some plants simply cannot support themselves. They love to prolifically grow but need a structure to support them. While many of these plants are vines, they aren’t always. So, whether you’re looking to grow ivy or tomatoes, you need a trellis. These decorative structures provide a supportive structure for your plant to grow to its full potential. These DIY garden trellis ideas will give you nicer solutions than the basic metal frame options.
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1. Arbor Trellis for Walkway Elegance
If you have a walkway in outdoor space, you could build an arbor trellis. This is a freestanding trellis that arches over the walkway so that you can walk underneath it. They are large structures but perfect for giving you plenty of growing space for a flowering vine.
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Your arbor trellis could be made of wood or metal. It could be simplistic with a simple mesh arch or elaborate with a pergola style top and ornate trellis design. You’ll need two of your chosen plants, such as climbing roses, at the base of your arch. They will then grow up on either side and meet in the middle at the top of the arch.
2. Elevate Your Outdoor Spaces with Arch Trellis Ideas
An arched trellis can be used in more places than just over a walkway. Add an arch just outside of an exterior door on your home and have a more elegant entrance space. An arch trellis could be large and act as a covering for your entire deck or patio.
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Instead of having a flower garden off to the side, you could spend your time surrounded by blooms. The leafy vines will provide plenty of shade as they filter the sun’s rays.
3. Improve Your Garden Aesthetics with Stylish Trellis Choices
The trellis you use for your plants will be visible until your plant grows enough to cover it completely. Because of this, you’ll want to choose an attractive trellis. The trellis adds just as much decor and style to your outdoor space as the flowering vine. This could be a metal trellis that looks similar to a privacy screen with an intricate design.
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There could be colored glass accents in the trellis design. You could build your trellis out of wood to create geometric shapes. Incorporate the trellis as a part of your outdoor space to turn it and your growing plant into a living wall.
You don’t have to spend a lot of money buying your new trellis. Instead, you could build your own custom trellis that fits perfectly into your available space and the architectural design of your home.
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Check out DIY trellis ideas to get inspired and use them as a guide for your project. The easiest building material to work with is wood. It’s readily available and easy to work with. Your next step is to decide on a design. There are flat trellis designs that need support to stand up. There are also freestanding designs, such as an arch or teepee trellis design.
An espalier is not the same as a trellis. This ancient horticultural practice could be the perfect solution if you have limited garden space. The practice takes traditional plants and trains the branches to turn them into a vertical garden. You’ll use a wireframe to train tree branches to grow similarly to a vining plant.
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You’ll direct the branches to grow in horizontal lines on a flat plane against the wire as the tree grows. Trim any branches that try to grow outward and away from the wall. This practice is perfect for growing fruit trees in limited space while maximizing your fruit production.
6. Creating a Dual-Purpose Fence and Trellis
Instead of building a traditional fence around your property, you could build a fence that also acts as a trellis. There are two methods for accomplishing this. The first is to build a trellis fence that your vines will grow directly on.
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The other option is to build a fence and then mount your trellis to the inside of the fence. Both options require you to add additional support to the fence to ensure it can withstand the additional weight of the vines growing on the fence.
7. Lattice Trellis for Stylish Privacy Fences
Lattice is a popular accent on the top of privacy fences. You can use this material to build a matching trellis. It comes in large sheets at your local home improvement store. Buy a sheet in natural wood and then paint it to match the color of your home. Or you can buy lattice made from PVC for a bright white accent that’s low maintenance.
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To keep your lattice from looking cheap, add a decorative frame to the lattice to give the edges a finished look. You can mount your lattice frame to the exterior wall of your home, mount it on a freestanding frame, or sink the bottom into the ground.
8. Matching Trellis Size to Plant Growth
Scale the size of your trellis to the size of the plant that you grow on it. For example, a large plant with thick vines will need a larger trellis with bigger openings. A smaller plant with more delicate vines will need a scaled-down trellis.
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Look at both the overall size of the trellis and the size of the gaps in the supports. For example, there is fine chicken wire with small holes or wire with large square or rectangle holes. Mesh wire is a more delicate support system, perfect for smaller plants or those with many offshoots that need close together support. Choose a design that has mesh supported by a strong fame.
9. Go with the Metal Garden Trellis for Durability
If you prefer to have a trellis made of something other than wood, then a natural choice would be to consider metal. However, not all metal is a good option. The metal you choose needs to be strong enough to withstand harsh weather and be corrosion-resistant.
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You don’t want the trellis to rust from underneath the plant or get blown away in the wind. You could build a steel or copper trellis. Aluminum is also a good option, but you’ll want to securely anchor it so that it doesn’t blow away.
10. Optimize Vegetable Garden with Trellis Support
If you have a vegetable garden, you may need to add a small trellis to support the plants growing in your garden bed. You would add a single trellis for peas, pole beans, and cucumber plants.
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You could use a tomato trellis for all of them. These small supports are flat and rectangular in shape or round and shaped like a cone. Don’t buy a trellis for the size of the plant you currently have. Instead, size up to give the plant plenty of room to grow on the trellis.
11. Maximize Plant Growth with Trellises
Some climbing plants will naturally cling to a trellis without your help. For example, you have a cucumber trellis on which you train your plant to grow. The plant won’t naturally hold onto the trellis, so you’ll need to tie the plant to the trellis. This becomes even more crucial once the plant starts producing cucumbers because the produce is heavy and will pull on the vine.
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Garden twine is a popular option for securing climbing vines, but it isn’t always the best option. The twine can cut into the plant, inuring it. Instead, you can use specialty plant ties to secure your vines to the garden trellises.
12. Transform Your Outdoor Space with Trellis Walls
Living walls are a popular trend in turning an outdoor living space into a green and comfortable space. However, this can be challenging because you may not have the property to plant around your patio or deck. If you only have space for potted plants, you’ll want to build a trellis wall.
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You can follow DIY trellis ideas to build a lattice wall that perfectly fits your available space. You’ll then encourage your potted plants to grow throughout the trellis to fill in gaps and become a living wall. Unlike succulent walls, this design is lighter weight and easier to maintain.
13. Durable Wood Choices for Long-Lasting Trellises
While you could build a simple trellis out of treated 2×4 beams, this isn’t your only wood option. Teak and acacia wood are durable options that hold up well in high moisture environments. This makes the wood durable enough to be left in moist soil without rotting.
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An environmentally sustainable option is to use bamboo poles. You could use the bamboo for just the stakes or make an entire bamboo trellis. Bamboo is a sustainable plant, but it is also durable and strong, helping your trellis to last a long time.
Two words for outdoor living spaces are frequently interchanged: deck and patio. Both are homeowner favorites and add value to the home. Decks and patios provide excellent space for outdoor relaxation and entertaining.
What exactly is involved in making a deck vs patio decision? First, you need to understand the differences between the two, as your property may be better suited for one over the other. Second, you should consider the full pros and cons of each option before settling on an answer to the deck or patio debate.
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Deck Basics
A deck is a raised platform that’s supported by structural materials, such as beams, posts, and joists. They’re usually made of wood or a composite material that looks like wood.
A deck may be one level or multi-leveled, with stairs between each platform. Decking is usually open to the sky above. Decks are a great choice if your backyard has sloped or uneven terrain.
Patio Basics
A patio is an outdoor living space that rests directly on the ground. It may be attached to the back of your house or built further out in the yard. Patios are usually made of concrete, pavers, or natural stone. Patios can have a roof or other patio cover, or may be uncovered.
Because it is a paved area on the ground, a patio is best for a homeowner with a level lot. However, it’s possible to build a retaining wall and add fill dirt to create an even outdoor space for your patio.
Deck Pros and Cons
Pros
A new deck is a great choice if your yard has uneven surfaces. Because decking is supported by columns or posts, it’s the best way to create a level outdoor living space over jagged terrain. However, you can also build a wooden deck on flat, even terrain. A ground level deck is just as beautiful and functional as an elevated wood deck.
Because wood or composite deck surfaces are usually elevated, their height can help you enjoy a beautiful view. Just make sure that your contractor has a valid building permit and adheres to all building codes.
An elevated deck has storage space beneath it, usually hidden by an attractive deck skirting material. It can also be a good place to store weatherproof items such as kayaks, plastic snow toys, garden hoses and sprinklers. You can also store lumber or firewood under raised decks, stacked on an elevated rack and covered with a tarp.
A composite deck can last as long as a concrete patio, but provides the similar beauty of an authentic hardwood deck. Although you will pay more per square foot at installation, it will add strong resale value to your home.
Cons
Even though wood decks are built from pressure-treated lumber, it’s still an organic material prone to weathering and moisture damage. If you have a natural wood deck, it will fade over time and need to be sanded, stained, and sealed every few years.
Wood is also prone to staining from spilled liquids or accumulated leaves. It can crack, splinter, or warp from extreme weather exposure. Additionally, moisture damage can result in mold, mildew, and rot.
Because most wood decks include stairs, they can be challenging for a mobility-impaired homeowner or guest to navigate. They can also pose a fall risk for small children.
Composite decking is far more durable than natural wood, but can still be prone to damage from temperature-related expansion and contraction. Composite decks can also become unbearably hot from sun exposure, especially if they are dark-colored.
Patio Pros and Cons
Pros
A well-made paver patio or concrete patio can last for several decades with proper maintenance. It can support heavy outdoor furniture. If you want a fire pit or outdoor kitchen, concrete slab patios and paver patios are durable and fireproof foundations.
Patios offer more privacy than decks because they’re at ground level. Add trees or shrubs to enhance a patio’s cozy privacy.
A patio may not require a building permit because it doesn’t affect the home’s structure—but check with your city before you start to build one. Because it’s not elevated, you don’t have to worry as much about weight limits or inspections as you would with a deck.
Patios are usually much more cost effective than decks. You might even be able to DIY a simple patio and save on labor costs.
Cons
A smooth concrete or stamped concrete patio can be prone to cracking if the foundation is uneven. This is especially true if it’s a raised patio and you live in a climate that experiences extreme weather conditions.
Concrete pavers and other porous materials can stain easily—although sealing the surface can help prevent stains. They are also prone to hold in moisture, resulting in mold and mildew growth.
It can be challenging to keep a backyard patio made from brick pavers or stone weed-free. You’ll need to spray the spaces between pavers with weed control during the spring and summer.
Deck vs. Patio Maintenance
Generally speaking, decking material is more high maintenance than patio material. Whether you have a wood deck, composite deck, concrete or stone patio, they should be swept frequently and sprayed clean with a mild soap and a garden hose.
Deck and patio maintenance includes keeping the decking free from leaves, as they will eventually stain the surface if allowed to pile up. Always clean up spills immediately, especially if they are oily or highly pigmented.
Other Outdoor Living Space Terms
There are other names for outdoor living spaces, including “porch” and “veranda.” Depending on where you live, you might find your neighbors using these terms instead of deck or patio.
A porch is defined as a covered shelter projecting from a building. It’s more often used to describe an open structure along the front of the building, although back porches are also common. A wrap-around porch is one that goes around the entire perimeter of a house.
“Veranda” is a word used mostly in the south. Also spelled “verandah,” it describes a roofed platform on a home’s exterior that’s at ground level. It often has a railing around the perimeter and may extend around more than one side of a home.
You’re browsing through home listings, looking at the overly saturated and highly styled professional photos, and reading the engaging descriptions real estate agents craft to entice you. One common phrase you’ll see in these descriptions is “ranch-style”. It seems like this phrase makes its way into most property descriptions these days. However, does anyone know what this phrase even means? There is no way all of these suburban homes are actually located on ranches.
So, what is a ranch-style house, and how do you know when you are looking at one?
The Origin of the Ranch House
These popular homes date back to the early 20th century. Head out to California, and you will see some of the first ranch-style homes from the 1930s. These homes embraced a more informal and relaxed lifestyle that blends indoor and outdoor spaces for a feeling of openness and space. Architects in California developed this new style of home when inspired by the Spanish colonials that were prevalent in this region.
By the 1950s, the ranch-style home had taken over America. During this time in American history, suburbs took over, and the ranch house was the chosen style for these new communities. Soldiers coming home from World War II wanted to move out of the overpopulated and busy cities to a more quiet life with their families.
The popularity of the ranch-style home dropped in the 70s and 80s. While they aren’t today’s most popular home style, they have never really gone away. You will still see new neighborhoods getting built that use classic ranch-style designs.
Characteristics of a Ranch House
Typically, a ranch house is a single-story home. They have a concrete slab foundation and an open floor plan inside. When you walk up to the front of the home, there are no steps that lead up to the entryway.
Entry
An elevated entry is a characteristic of a craftsman or bungalow style of home. Ranch houses have a ground-level entry. As you’re walking up to the home, you will notice that the roof has a low pitch and overhanging eaves. There are large windows prominently placed on all of the exterior walls to bring in plenty of natural light. You will also typically see a two-car garage located on the front of the house.
Rear Exterior
Head out to the back of the house, and you will find a porch, patio, or deck to help create the open transition from indoor to outdoor. Typically, there are sliding glass doors that you can fully open to create a single large space that flows from in to out.
Floor Plan
Walking through the home, you’ll notice that the spaces openly flow from one area to the next. Gone are the confining walls of a craftsman-style home. The living room, kitchen, and dining rooms are the main areas of the home and are situated to be centrally located and easily connected to the outside. There is an asymmetry to the floor plan; an “L” or “U” shape is common.
Advantages and Drawbacks of a Ranch Style Home
Thanks to the open floor plan, you’ll find it relatively easy to make additions to your home. This makes them a great option for homeowners who want their homes to expand and grow with them as their needs change throughout the generations.
These homes are owner-friendly with easy maintenance requirements. Their solid building materials and minimal ornamentation mean that maintenance is low. However, homeowners do need to be careful of water damage due to the low-pitched roof. A poor design can lead to water collection. However, that low-pitched roof also makes it easier to clean, clear out the gutters, and hang holiday lights.
This style of home was designed for the California climate. This makes it ideal for those living in a warmer and balmy climate. So while this home style excels in California, Texas, and Florida, it does not perform well in colder climates like the northeast, Michigan, or Wisconsin.
The sprawling floor plan is also counterproductive for eco-efforts. The sprawling floor plan means a single home takes up a large amount of ground space for a single-family.
Types of Ranch Style Homes
While ranch-style is an over-arching description of these homes, there are actually several categories within this style. So before you decide that ranch homes are boring or not for you, take a look at these different types of ranch-style homes. You may find that there’s a particular style that you love while another style does not appeal to you at all.
California Ranch
This is the OG of ranch-style homes. You’ll primarily find them in California, and they embrace a blending of indoor and outdoor spaces more than the other styles. While these homes feature the classic ranch home features, they have the greatest amount of personality and variation.
Split-Level Ranch
These homes look like a typical single-level ranch homes from the outside. However, inside they have more to offer. There will be a half staircase inside that leads up to an additional level. Sometimes, this staircase creates a single second story. Sometimes, it creates a three-story home.
The Raised Ranch
Many people tend to get split-level and raised ranch homes confused or think that they are the same thing. A raised ranch has a recognized separate second floor that is completely separate front the first floor. Instead of different levels, there are two stories. This type of ranch home is probably the furthest departure from the original design. However, they stay true to the open-flowing floor plan concept that keeps the home feeling spacious.
Suburban Ranch
This is the most prevalent style of ranch house in America and the type of home you will find in the majority of suburban neighborhoods. You will recognize them for their overly boxy exterior architectural style and generic open floor plan. These homes tend to have a cookie-cutter look with minimal variation from one home to the next.
Storybrook Ranch
Typically, ranch-style homes have a single design with few details and trim. That is not the case with storybook ranch homes. These homes are full of decorative details and charm. When you look at them, they have a personality with plenty of architectural features. You’ll commonly see exposed rafters, decorative trim, and uniquely shaped windows.
Modern Ranch
This is the modern take on a traditional California ranch house. Architects utilize more natural building materials like stone and exposed wood. There is a sleek feel to the exterior design and elimination of any remnants of Spanish colonial that originally inspired these homes. You’ll find more modern features in these homes that weren’t used in the original ranch builds. For example, the kitchen could have an island; the master bedroom could have an en suite bathroom, the toilet in a separate room from the bathroom, a walk-in shower, and a formal dining space.
Estate Ranch
An estate ranch is like a supersized ranch house. Because the original ranch homes were built decades ago, they were the size of the typical house during that time. As we move through the decades, we see that homes sizes have drastically increased. With this growth in home size, ranch homes have also increased. This is where you’ll find estate ranches. They’re typically built on a larger piece of property with a sprawling lawn, circular driveway, and oversized patios out back.
Famous Ranch Style Homes
A couple of ranch homes stand out in the architectural community. The houses of Joseph Eichler are some of the most well-known ranch homes in America. His designs tend to have more of a modernist influence. Ronald Reagan also famously owned a ranch home in Santa Barbara, California. It became known as the “Western White House” as it became his residence post public life.
Basking in the sun is one of the small pleasures of summer, but there’s also a lot to be said for lounging in the shade. Whether your backyard has a patio or deck, having a source of shade is imperative for getting the most out of your outdoor living space.
You may wish to hire a contractor to build a shade structure. But keep in mind that there are many backyard shade options that are easy to DIY, including shade sails, umbrellas, and awnings. Enjoy our collection of backyard shade ideas and see how easy it is to add a stylish shade solution to your backyard.
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1. Backyard Deck Canopy
A shade canopy can be hung by itself—as a shade sail—or attached to a frame or gazebo. Make a simple canopy frame out of wood, PVC pipe or copper pipes and fittings. If you include panels on the sides, you will have more privacy while enjoying your outdoor area.
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An awning is a type of canopy that is often left in place year-round. Colorful striped awnings are a stylish addition to cottages and bungalows, both over the patio or deck and nearby windows.
2. Deck with a Pergola
A pergola is a permanent shade structure made from columns supporting a roof. It has open sides, and the roof may be solid or an open beam or latticework design.
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A pergola with an open-style roof provides some degree of shade without totally blocking the sun. If you want more sun shade under your pergola, add a shade cloth or allow verdant vines to grow over the open grid.
A retractable awning is a great patio shade choice if you like to alternate between shade and full sunlight. A motorized retractable awning is convenient, but they can cost thousands of dollars. A manually-operated retractable shade is more affordable and usually easy to manipulate yourself.
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A retractable canopy may be made of various types of shade cloth. Some are solid and provide full shade while others are semi-sheer. These provide partial shade that allows a little sunlight to filter through.
4. Deck Roof Ideas
A solid roof provides the best protection against direct sunlight. Not only will it protect you from harmful UV rays, it will also keep your decking from fading prematurely.
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Add some tropical flair to your patio or deck by covering it with a thatched tiki roof. It’s a great way to add a party vibe to your outdoor space and is particularly fun beside a swimming pool. Up the party factor by building a poolside bar under your tiki patio cover.
A shade sail is a triangular or rectangular fabric canopy with eyelets on each corner. Strong rope or twine goes through the eyelet and the other end is attached to the side of the house, nearby trees, or porch columns. A shade sail may also be strung between poles designed for supporting this type of outdoor shade.
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A deck or patio shade sail is an affordable patio shade idea and can be found in colors that enhance your outdoor room decor. They are also easy to reposition if you decide to rearrange your outdoor furniture.
6. Patio Umbrella Ideas
An oversized patio umbrella can provide a large patch of backyard shade and is easy to move as the sun changes position in the sky. There are three basic styles of umbrellas that provide backyard shade:
Cantilever umbrella: Also called an offset umbrella, its top is set to the side of the pole instead of centered above it. A cantilever umbrella is a great shade idea when you need to shield a dining table or seating area but need the umbrella base out of the way.
Market umbrella: A market umbrella is the classic upright umbrella style. They may have a tilt feature and a vented top to allow wind to flow through. Market umbrellas may be mounted on a stand or placed in the center hole of a patio table.
Half umbrella: A half umbrella can be positioned against the wall of your house and used to shade a small bistro set or other smaller seating area.
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A deck shade umbrella may be made of polyester, acrylic, olefin, or the name-brand “Sunbrella” fabric. Sunbrella is a durable acrylic and polyester blend that resists mildew, stains, and fading. Backyard umbrella frames are usually made of aluminum, hardwood, or fiberglass.
Ever since the first greenhouse was built in ancient Italy, the “gardini botanici” has been a favorite way to extend the growing season. Explorers used these structures to house exotic plants brought back from tropical journeys, and they remain a great place to start seedlings and shelter tender plants.
America’s first greenhouse was built in 1737. Today, there are countless greenhouse ideas that make growing plants an easier task year-round. Here are 31 of the best.
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1. Year-Round Indoor Gardening with an Attached Greenhouse
An attached greenhouse is connected to your home on one wall. This type of greenhouse is easier to access in inclement weather and makes it convenient to enjoy garden therapy in all four seasons.
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An attached mini greenhouse is a great indoor gardening option when space is limited. Built outside an existing window or door frame, this convenient structure will allow you to grow herbs, flowers, or produce year-round.
2. Cottage Style Greenhouses in English Gardens
Visions of an English garden almost always include a cottage style greenhouse. Even a small version adds a charming focal point to the garden. With the UK’s wet and chilly weather, greenhouses are necessary to ensure a long growing season.
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Be sure to decorate this type of greenhouse in shabby chic style. Hang a crystal chandelier instead of an ordinary light fixture, and use beautifully weathered furniture inside. If you prefer ordering a greenhouse kit, the Hartley Botanic Greenhouse Company is a good place to look for award-winning British greenhouse supplies.
3. Dome-Shaped Greenhouses: Modern DIY Marvels
A dome shaped greenhouse is a modern, futuristic style for DIY greenhouse plans. A dome framework is typically made from connecting PVC pipes or flexible rods. The tent is made from clear plastic sheeting.
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Some geodome greenhouse kits come with a tarp cover to protect potted plants from excessive heat and sunlight. Larger dome indoor greenhouse kits have sturdy plastic half walls and full size doors for easy access to your greenhouse plants. Northern Homestead is a good blog to follow for information about geodome greenhouses and urban homesteading in cold climates.
4. Combining Greenhouse and Sunroom
Create a garden room by building a combination greenhouse and sunroom. This will become a favored backyard retreat when it’s too cold to relax outdoors.
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With its clear panels and often decorative frames, this type of space is ideal for growing plants. It’s also an amazing idea for creating a humid, tropical-climate place to read, dine, or entertain.
5. Glass Greenhouses: The Classic Choice for Indoor Growing
A glass greenhouse is the style that comes to mind when most of us think of a backyard indoor growing space. It consists of a greenhouse frame with clear glass or plastic panels.
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Sometimes the material between the frames is a plastic sheet instead of a heavier material. Newer, more modern glass structures lack a visible framework, its glass panels held together by unobtrusive metal brackets. This gives this greenhouse an almost invisible aura from afar.
You can protect your delicate plants from receiving too much sun in a glass garden greenhouse. Simply install sheer or canvas curtains that can be closed for light control.
6. Optimizing Greenhouse Functionality for Year-Round Success
The primary purpose of a greenhouse structure is to provide the consistent level of warmth and humidity that growing plants need. As greenhouse ideas have evolved, new, innovative options have expanded everyone’s definition of gardening.
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If at all possible, make sure that your greenhouse plan includes a power and water supply. These will make greenhouse gardening easier year round. Increase your greenhouse height if you want room to grow taller, bigger plant types.
7. Upcycling for an Eco-Friendly DIY Garden
Do you have an old plastic bottle lying around? If so, you have the makings of a practically free mini greenhouse. Repurposed and recycled materials are excellent things to include in an eco-friendly, affordable greenhouse idea.
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Mother Earth News and other sustainable gardening publications are great places to learn more about affordable, green gardening practices.
8. Durable Metal Greenhouse Solutions
Metal is perhaps the best idea for creating a sturdy greenhouse space. Whether you use lightweight aluminum or powder-coated steel, a metal greenhouse will prove to be a durable garden idea.
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An attractive way to use metal in a greenhouse space is to make a frame over an existing brick or stone half wall. Embellish the gables with metal finials or other decorative accents.
9. Sleek and Versatile Garden Structures
Just like homes can have modern or traditional designs, greenhouses can follow the same path. A modern greenhouse will have clean angles and few embellishments. A modern greenhouse space may not have a traditional house-like structure. It could be circular, rectangular, or even triangular in shape.
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These simple structures are beautiful places to show off flowering plants in modern containers. They’re also a great way to add green space to a modern condo patio or backyard.
10. Combined Greenhouse Shed
A potting shed is a small space or building where plants are grown in pots until they’re big enough to be planted outside. This small structure is also used to store gardening tools, and often has a potting bench or other indoor gardening work surface.
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A potting shed may have windows on one side or be covered in full glass panels like a greenhouse. It can be a great small space for protecting growing plants from harsh cold, rain, and other inclement weather.
11. Creating a Rustic Greenhouse with Natural Materials
Wood beams, exposed brick, touches of stone and metal—all of these are materials to include in a rustic greenhouse space. This no-frills aesthetic showcases the beauty of natural materials and subdued earth tones.
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If you want to embellish a rustic greenhouse, remember to keep it simple and natural. A door garden around the entrance is a good idea. Make one by planting climbing vines around the doorframe.
12. Efficient Greenhouse Shelving for Abundant Plant Growth
Stacked rows of greenhouse shelving expand your ability to sow seeds indoors. Usually made of metal or plastic, these shelving units are designed to maximize the number of plants you can fit inside your greenhouse.
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You can also build your own wooden greenhouse shelving. Use wooden slats for your shelves instead of solid boards, so that water can drain through instead of puddling on the surface.
13. Portable Mini Greenhouses: Convenience and Affordability
A small mini greenhouse can be moved around the yard or patio as needed. Usually sold as a kit, they’re easy to put together and often include hidden storage in the base.
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Build a box out an old window collection to make a mini indoor greenhouse for you or your kids. This kind of DIY project is especially good for homeschooling kids to learn more about botany and sustainability.
A cool option for a small greenhouse is a pop-up tent greenhouse. There is no easier DIY greenhouse project and it’s one of the most affordable versions, too.
14. Hoop House Greenhouses for Practical Indoor Growing
A basic hoop house greenhouse is a simple way of building a functional indoor space for growing greenhouse plants. Its frame is a long row of hoops set into the ground and the entire structure is covered in clear plastic sheeting.
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A hoop house may be tall enough to walk through, or you may wish to build a shorter structure over raised boxes. Simply pull back the plastic sheet when it’s time to water or weed, and reclose the space when you’re finished.
15. Natural Elegance in Wooden Greenhouses
A wood frame with clear or polycarbonate panels makes a gorgeous greenhouse in a garden setting. The wood exterior blends into the landscape better than a metal structure.
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Another type of greenhouse starts with a wood frame—rather, a wooden box. A cold frame greenhouse uses insulation and solar power to create a cozy microclimate for plants. The wood box base is topped with a protective glass or plastic lid. Because it’s relatively small, use it to start seeds or house delicate greenhouse plants.
A Zen garden is meant to be a serene place where visitors experience a state of harmony and tranquility. Originally created as an area for Buddhist monk meditation, today’s Japanese Zen garden designs still provide a place for people to ponder the deeper things of life. In fact, the word “Zen” is derived from a Sanskrit root that means “meditation.”
Unlike a plant-centric garden, a Zen garden’s minimalist foundation is stone: boulders, pebbles, gravel, and sand. It may or may not include water features. Explore our top 43 Zen garden ideas to learn more about creating your own version of these serene retreats.
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1. Create A Rock Garden
A rock garden, also considered a zen garden, is an artful form of landscaping. It features minimal greens and plenty of rock, pebbles, and creative accents to evoke feelings of calm, security, and oneness with nature.
Creating a rock garden that is a masterpiece requires patience, vision, and skill. It’s essentially the sculpturing and arrangement of rocks in order to create an outdoor landscape that has a maximum impact but requires minimal maintenance.
A rock garden is sure to give your outdoor living space perfect balance and warmth – the perfect backdrop to enjoy time outdoors surrounded by nature.
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2. DIY A Koi Pond
A koi pond surrounded by a lush garden of green scaping is an excellent way to bring the calming effects of nature right into your own backyard. The adornment of the koi pond can be enhanced with white pebbles placed in strategic locations throughout the area.
Adding vibrant and exotic plants to the koi pond will also help to enhance any zen garden, providing a tranquil paradise in which visitors can breathe deeply and relax.
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3. Add A Spiritual Garden Statue
The ideal zen space can be completed with a spiritual garden statue in your outdoor area. Not only do they add relaxing vibes and a unique topic of conversation, but your creative side can truly shine with different shapes, sizes, and motifs – think spiritual figures like Buddha or animals.
Let your imagination run wild and combine textures, stones, wood, and greenery to create the perfect spiritual atmosphere for relaxation. With a spiritual garden statue in your special outdoor space, you’ll have an idyllic retreat for peace and reflection.
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4. Build A Minimalist Wall Fountain
A minimalist wall fountain coupled with a corner landscaping adorned with pebbles, tame succulents, and mini bonsai is the focal point of a zen garden. As warmth and tranquility fill the air, it appears as if each element of this minimalist oasis plays its part perfectly in delivering a feeling of serenity that seems to ease away any stress or worry lingering in the mind.
Exquisite and peaceful, this minimalist corner with its beautiful harmony of plants and water feels like an invitation to slow down, reset and relax.
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5. Cloud Trim Your Bushes
A zen garden with cloud-trimmed bushes creates a clean look that brings to mind the peacefulness of a deep green scape. As well-maintained bushes are trimmed and trimmed again, the effect soothes the soul in its pristine beauty, providing a calming respite from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. By simply visiting this tranquil haven, your inner peace can be restored.
If you’re looking for serenity or a break from your hectic day, visiting a zen garden with cloud-trimmed bushes might just do the trick!
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6. Add A Pop Of Color With Flowers
Zen gardens are a perfect way to express inner peace and tranquility in the natural world. One of the best ways to bring a unique twist to your zen garden is by adding some flowers! Growing flowers for a pop of color is like bringing artwork into your garden – it stands out vibrantly in a green landscape.
Whether you grow wildflowers, roses, or any other kind of flower, find creative ways to arrange and shape them in order to give your garden even more character.
With the right kind of flowers, you can create an intricately-designed oasis that reflects beauty and serenity.
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7. Create An ‘Altar For Microgreens
One great way to repurpose an old table is by turning it into a microgreen and propagation station, complete with its own little Buddha figurine overseeing the work.
With this setup, you can grow fresh vegetables, flowers, or herbs right in your living room while enjoying the meditative atmosphere created by the calming presence of your mini Buddha statues.
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8. Grow Evergreens
A lush outdoor zen garden full of evergreen shrubs, sage, and pine trees with a tranquil pond winding through the center is sure to transport you to a peaceful place.
With the addition of a soft Japanese stone lamp providing subtle illumination and pockets of moss providing lush texture beneath your feet, there’s something captivating about this zen garden that will keep you enthralled for hours as you meander through each corner. It’s the perfect escape for a Sunday afternoon stroll whether it be for relaxation or serious contemplation.
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9. Create A Corner For Crystals
A zen garden with a crystal altar is an idyllic space for gaining peace and clarity. The energy of the crystals surrounding the altar produces an uplifting vibration that amplifies your creative thoughts and emotions.
The crystal altar acts as a focal point to infuse your vision with heightened guidance and wisdom, illuminating insight into any situation and restoring balance in life. Spend time in this sanctified environment to be enveloped in gentle, loving energy that nurtures the soul.
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10. Cultivate Moss
The beauty of a zen garden with moss is breathtaking. With its lush green hue, cultivated moss can transform a small patch of earth into an enchanted paradise. Whether you have enough room to have a full-fledged outdoor garden or prefer something smaller, like a potted moss terrarium, the result will be just as stunning.
The deep emerald tones of freshly grown moss are sure to light up your home and calmingly captivate anyone who passes by. Let the natural beauty of cultivated moss take your zen garden to the next level!
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11. Craft A Micro Zen Garden
Create your own zen in your very own zen garden terrarium! This mini micro garden will provide an experience of mindfulness and serenity and bring the tranquil essence of a zen garden into any space! It is easy to construct and care for, requiring only moss and a few pebbles to decorate your zen paradise.
With very little time it can turn any room or space of relaxation into one that promotes zen harmony. Let your zen garden help clear your mind of anxieties as you take a moment to think clearly and restore peace within yourself.
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12. Build A Private Pavilion
Instantly transform your outdoor space into a peaceful oasis with a covered multi-purpose patio and pavilion. This zen garden is the perfect place for relaxation and meditation, allowing you to clear your mind and restore balance.
With the covered pavilion shielding you from any distractions, it becomes easier to achieve deeper levels of relaxation and focus on what is most important in life. Create your own personal paradise with a tranquil zen garden!
Man caves have gotten all of the attention over the years. It’s time for a change. Instead of letting the men have all the fun, why not claim the old shed in the backyard and turn it into a woman cave? Instead of a cave, turn it into a bright and inviting space, better known as a she shed. These she shed ideas will help you get started building a private space where you can do your favorite hobbies.
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1. Build A Cocktail Bar
Create a cocktail bar in your shed for the perfect girls’ night in! Ideal for cocktail enthusiasts or simply those who want to mix things up, a wet bar set up in the garden provides a unique twist for entertaining guests. Set the scene by incorporating some eye-catching accessories, like colored glassware and bar tools of varying shapes and sizes.
Then fill your mini-fridge with an array of cocktail ingredients as well as garnishes like olives, citrus wedges, pineapples, etc. With the right setup and supplies, your evening will be filled with surprise cocktails and loads of laughs.
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2. Set Up A Contemporary Room In The Backyard
Now your garden isn’t just a space for weekend barbecues and having a catch, but also a contemporary-style lounge room where you can relax and escape the stresses of everyday life. If you’ve been looking for inspiration for your own yard getaway, why not consider transforming a corner of your outdoor area into a ‘she shed’?
Stick to neutral tones for maximum style points and find scatter cushions and modern furniture pieces that are going to elevate the ambiance. A few wall-mounted bookshelves will give you plenty of options for decorating, whether that’s with family photos on half shelves or literary favorites on the bottom shelves!
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3. Build A Garden Tea House
If you have been considering adding a she shed to your garden, there are many exciting ideas to explore! Imagine transforming a garden shed into an English-style tea room with open windows and bright décor.
Or picture setting up an area with soft chairs that are perfect for savoring the garden’s beauty on those sunny afternoons. Or why not go all out and build a traditional garden teahouse?
Whatever style suits you, adding a she shed to your garden will be the ideal area for relaxation, creativity, or simply enjoying time spent outside in nature.
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4. Create A Garden Room
If you’re looking for an escape from reality, or a creative garden room to enjoy lounging outside your home, then consider making a she shed! She sheds are becoming increasingly popular as a safe space for women to relax and blow off some steam.
They offer the perfect environment to escape from the hum-drum of daily life and take time out for yourself in a peaceful garden villa.
With this rapidly growing trend, it’s now easier than ever to find stylish she shed ideas on interior design blogs, Pinterest boards, and home decorating magazines so you can create your antidote to daily stress in no time.
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5. Set Up A Craft Room
Looking for a special place to craft, relax, and just hang out? Why not consider creating a she shed in your backyard? She sheds are perfect for all-purpose rooms that you can customize just the way you want so it serves your needs and style.
You don’t even need much space to make a cozy craft room—all you need is a little bit of landscaping, some accessories, and lots of creativity. For example, kids love having their own craft space too; add some colorful decor with craft supplies that kids can use to create homemade gifts or decorations.
Depending on the size of your she shed, you could even outfit it as an art studio, workshop, potting area or music room. So make sure to take the time and plan out the perfect she shed for you and your kids—it’s sure to be a secure hideaway where lots of fun memories will be made.
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6. Set Up A Floral Shabby Chic Garden
Creating a floral Shabby Chic garden shed is a great way to express your love of gardening with your own unique style. You can design the interior and exterior with floral patterns for an idyllic air, as well as use natural elements like white wicker furniture and baskets of fresh-cut flowers to craft the perfect outdoor retreat.
An outdoor kitchen and living area can be transformed into a quaint nook that’s perfect for summer evening get-togethers, while a breathing space filled with comfy swings and chairs can serve as an ideal reading nook during the warmer months. It’ll truly become a wonderful joining of your passion for gardening and your love of cozy comfort!
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7. Set Up A Movie Room
Transform your outdoor space into an outdoor movie room she shed. Set up a flat-screen TV and movie projector to get the movie night experience any day of the week. Use plenty of comfy throw pillows and blankets, as well as a few boards for cards or other games to complete your movie room.
You can also turn this movie room she shed into a music nook complete with guitars and drums as a way to relax outside the home in an acoustic practice spot.
Let your movie room she shed be an inviting place for entertaining friends and family with some popcorn, classic movie titles, and plenty of appropriate tunes for hours of fun!
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8. Create A GNO Bedroom
The perfect designated room for a girls’ night out is a she shed! She sheds offer a designated space to relax and catch up with your friends while having all the amenities of home. With endless décor possibilities, you can create a personalized oasis and make it as beautiful, comfortable, and cozy as you like.
Add some greenery, decorate with plants or a fairy light curtain, pamper yourself with comfy pillows and relaxing soft music – whatever you need to feel relaxed is only as limited as your imagination. So why not build yourself that specially designated place for a girls’ night out and let fun and laughter be the mainstay?
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9. Assemble An Office Shed
Creating a she shed office space is perfect for those who are looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of their homes. Whether used as a workspace or simply a place of relaxation and self-care, the office shed provides maximum convenience and minimal distraction.
When not in use, it’s the perfect hideaway in your back garden! So if you’re looking for peaceful productivity—or just somewhere to escape the world—a she shed office might be the answer.
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10. Outdoor Coastal Lounge Room
If you’re looking for a space out of your house to relax and have some much-deserved “me-time,” why not add a touch of coastal style to your she shed? This adorable little lounge room is the perfect escape, creating beachy vibes without leaving home.
Feel the coastal breeze coming in from the open windows and set up cozy seating so you can unplug everything and take time for yourself. Whether you use it as a reading nook, crafting corner, or just to enjoy some peace and quiet — it’s always going to be your happy place!
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11. Build A Library
She shed dreams that have come true for women everywhere and can be used as a creative escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Transform your shed into a library, filled with bookshelves to showcase your most beloved books.
Create a work desk to manage any administrative tasks without being in the same space where you relax. She shed bliss will be achieved when you open the door and find yourself instantly transported to a peaceful, quiet place dedicated solely to you.
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11. Designate A Shed For Potting Plants
Transform an old shed in your garden into a potting room and let your imagination take over! Change the insides to give it a cozy, garden-y vibe with potted plants for decoration. Make sure you include plenty of natural light by adding windows and skylights, as well as bringing in adequate lighting fixtures.
Utilize wall space by attaching hanging holders for potting supplies and other items like gardening books or decorations. You can also add a potting bench for potting up seeds and repotting plants – decorate it with little pots and succulents for an extra personal touch. Enjoy this special potting haven of yours and watch as your garden blooms from its efforts!
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12. Style With Rustic Elements
If you’re looking for an intimate space that oozes rustic charm, consider incorporating rustic elements such as exposed ceiling beams and wooden elements. From subtle updates like rustic textiles to more dramatic touches like a fireplace, these rustic details will add character and make your she shed a special retreat.
For the outdoors, rustic wooden furniture or even a rock garden will bring natural beauty to the space. With some imagination, you can transform any outdoor area into an inviting rustic she shed!
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13. Create A Reading Nook
A she shed is an amazing space for you to unwind in – and your reading nook should be the coziest spot. Think of a comfy couch backed by pillows, lots of blankets to cozy up with (it’s no problem if these are all mismatched!), and shelves full of your favorite books.
A reading nook tailor-made for you is the perfect sanctuary for winding down after a long day. So gather some cozy reading materials, lay back with a cup of tea, and just relax!
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14. Express Yourself With A Studio Hobby Shed
Having your own hobby room is a great way to carve out time for yourself and find a new hobby. Whether it’s a pottery studio, workshop shed, or anything else you dream up – the possibilities are endless! A hobby room can be whatever you want it to be – let your creativity shine through and create something that fits you and your hobby perfectly.
Investing in a she shed hobby room gives you the opportunity to really make something original and beautiful – with long-lasting utility as well. So start planning, dreaming about, and most importantly, enjoying the process of making something special just for yourself.
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15. Summer House For The Guests
If you’re looking for a special retreat to escape to this summer, a summer house could be the perfect addition to your home. Not only will it add a stunning feature to your garden, but it will also provide extra space that can be tailored to suit whatever activity you please.
Whether that’s a she shed as an area of well-being and relaxation, or a spacious room for guests visiting during the warmer months; the possibilities are endless. When designing the interior, make sure there are lots of natural light with wide windows – after all, sunshine is key for the full enjoyment of this fabulous place!
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16. Make A Room For Your Vintage Collection
If you’re a collector of vintage items, why not create your own room dedicated to those collections? A she shed is the perfect way to get some much-needed room for organizing and showcasing all those one-of-a-kind finds. She sheds provide a cozy atmosphere – think of it as a peaceful haven away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
To fully bring out the vintage aesthetic, go for a wabi-sabi style room, which brings together rustic elements, natural accessories, and creative decor. With such a room, you will have the ultimate personalized space where you can slow down, relax and admire your unique collections in peace.
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17. Make A Yoga or Gym Shed
Transform your she shed into the perfect yoga and fitness room! To get started, set up a yoga mat, some weights, and a yoga or Pilates block or two. You might also want to add mirrors so you can watch your yoga practice and check out your form while lifting weights.
If yoga isn’t really your thing, no worries—create a gym shed fit for an at-home workout! Invest in some strength equipment like an Olympic barbell and bench press. Then, add yoga balls and free weights to round out your arsenal of workout gear. No need to leave the comfort of your backyard to get fit!
