Interior designers share 11 low-cost ways to make a small outdoor space feel bigger

Michelle Harrison-McAllister, interior designer and owner of Michelle Harrison Design, told Business Insider that adding a focal point can make your outdoor space immediately feel larger.

She suggested repurposing a console table to add to your outside wall as a makeshift fire feature. 

"Simply add flameless candles to the bottom shelf inside the console to give it a faux-fireplace focal point," Harrison-McAllister said. 

You can also layer thrifted art or a mirror against the wall to give the illusion of an additional room or extension of your home. 

Greenery can lend style to just about any room, but Harrison-McAllister said you can get a bit more creative with landscaping in an outdoor space.

"Colorful plants not only liven up the outdoors but also allow the eye to dance around with visual joy," Harrison-McAllister told BI. 

She added that with some strategic plant placement, you can trick the eye into following different seating and dining areas to make the space feel larger. 

Jessica Harris, interior designer at Living Spaces, told BI you can use multipurpose seating and furniture to save space. 

"A table with a hidden compartment makes it easy to stash tabletop accessories and hide them away when you need to clear the tabletop in a jiffy," Harris said. 

She added that a bright-colored stool can serve as an accent piece, additional seating, or a surface to set down a cocktail. 

Although a small outdoor space may not provide you with a lot of decorating freedom, you can often look upward for extra room.

"Tall outdoor pieces that branch out, such as outdoor umbrellas, will add height and keep the point of focus upward," Harris said. They added that decor like hanging greenery in trendy macrame planters can also open up surface space and lift the eye line.

Harrison-McAllister added that layering plants of various heights can also give your space an artistic feel and redirect focus from the ground. 

Harris recommended positioning your patio dining set against your greenery so that it complements the natural scenery. 

"By placing your table next to your planted flowers or trees, you save the space you would have used for planters," Harris told BI. 

You can continue the look by adding some greenery or flowers to the table as decor.

Harris recommended buying several smaller pieces to serve the same function as a single, bulky one so you can easily arrange the furniture in a way that makes the most sense for your space.

"Play to the cozy effect of a small backyard by grouping the furniture in small circles," she told BI. "The tighter the circle, the cozier the feel, making it easier for guests to relax and engage in conversation."

Plus, you can easily reconfigure the pieces when you need more room for other events or activities.

Barrett Oswald, principal designer at Barrett Oswald Designs, told BI that mirrors can make just about any small space seem larger, including outdoor ones. 

Oswald added that you can opt for a standing mirror to lean against a wall or piece of furniture, so there's no hanging necessary.

Oswald recommends avoiding dark wood and dark furniture when shopping and choosing the color palette for your space.

The designer recommended focusing on lighter woods and materials for your outdoor furniture and opting for white or neutral cushions and accents to keep the space light and bright.

Harrison-McAllister said that dividing your outdoor space can make it feel much larger, so consider designating one section as a dining area and another as a lounge. 

Harris added that you can easily do this with outdoor rugs. 

"You can layer an outdoor rug under your furniture to help create a visual point of focus and designate one area of your backyard from another," she told BI. 

Greenery and light fixtures are also accessible ways to divide your space.

Awkward corners or hard-to-access pathways often go overlooked, so make use of those spaces by adding statement pieces or decor. 

"Train the eye to look beyond the usual limits of your backyard by placing an attention-grabbing accent piece in those spaces," Harris said. "For example, an outdoor egg chair is a great statement piece for a corner."

You can also opt for a colorful art piece or a beautiful plant.

Oswald said adding more light fixtures or string lights can visually enlarge an area and create a cozy vibe. 

Harrison-McAllister added that more lighting also draws the eye upward to make the space feel roomier. 

This story was originally published on June 24, 2021, and most recently updated on July 3, 2024.