14 Feb Creating a Private Outdoor Living Space

Posted at 20:24h in NOAH Blog by Leanne Fleischer 0 Comments

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Downsizing is excellent in theory, but moving from a traditional home to such a tiny space can be a challenge. One great way to ease the transition is to maximize your outdoor space. There are some great ways out there to create your dream outdoor oasis. You can go on Pinterest, YouTube, Tiny Home Blogs and all sorts of sites to find ideas for expanding your Tiny Home to the outdoors. Here I will combine quite a few great ways to do this and create yourself a beautiful outdoor living space you’ll enjoy! Again, Living Tiny doesn’t need to be limited!

1. Add a Patio – If you have the room and you haven’t already, add a patio! They aren’t just for huge houses that have massive lawns. You can put in a tiny patio to match your tiny home to give you the perfect minimalist space to lounge outdoors. All you need is a good few square feet of space to put in a concrete or stone patio, and a nice lounge chair or loveseat and you’re all set. A patio that feels balanced and natural to your home can give your outdoor space something special on your tiny home lot.

2. Add a Second Living Room – If you enjoy hosting family dinners or BBQ’s, but your Tiny Home is too tiny, then create an outdoor living room. You can go all out or you can create something on a budget that’s still very nice. I picked up some very nice, reasonably priced, outdoor furniture at Costco last summer.

3. Expand your Kitchen – Outdoor kitchens are trending and just because you live Tiny does not mean you can’t have an outdoor kitchen. Because if you cook a lot, one of the hardest things to give up when you move into a tiny home is a big kitchen. If you have a back yard or existing patio, you could easily expand your kitchen. Even starting with a small grill and if you have the space, an area for counter space.

4. Dining Outside under the Stars – Another luxury that many tiny homes simply don’t have space for is a family dining table. While you might have room for yourself, your spouse, and maybe your kids to sit down together for a meal, if you’ve been clever with your space, there likely isn’t room for visitors to join you.

5. And, over that dining table, add Outdoor Lights – Having a party under the moonlight is perfect but that might not be enough lighting when it’s not a full moon. Add some outdoor lights to your outdoor space. There are so many choices in this department! You will want to look for waterproof, rechargeable, traditional battery-powered or even solar-powered outdoor string lights (which usually come with a remote solar panel), preferably those with long-lasting LED bulbs.

6. Create a Vertical Garden – Your tiny home’s patio might be short on space, but that doesn’t mean that you have to give up having a garden. The vertical garden towers are the “thing” right now! They make it easy to grow flowers, herbs or vegetables!

7. Plant a Tree or Two – While you may not have room on your tiny home lot for a great big oak tree, there are plenty of smaller trees that would go perfectly well in your tiny home lot. Planting a few trees in your yard can give your tiny home a sense of warmth and life. Fruit trees, like lemon, lime, apple, and pear trees, are great additions to a tiny house lot that won’t dwarf your home or make your outdoor space look disproportionate. Try planting one or two and see how it brings your tiny house lot to life.

8. An Outdoor Fireplace or Fire Pit can create a cozy spot – Even if your tiny house has a tiny gas fireplace or even woodstove to go with it, nothing beats an outdoor fire pit or fireplace as the perfect gathering spot on a cool fall evening. No matter the size of your yard or patio, adding a fire pit or an outdoor gas fireplace is a simple way to create a unique, fun space you’ll love to use.

A fire pit is the perfect feature if you love having friends or family over. A tiny house may not be the ideal place to host guests, but taking the party outside can be the way to go!

9. Chill Out in a Hammock – Trying to relax in your backyard with limited space can feel like a challenge, but it doesn’t have to be. A hammock is a classic addition to any outdoor space—all that is required is two posts, trees, or even walls to hang the hammock from. Create the perfect relaxation corner by adding a hammock.

10. Shady, Shady – There are plenty of possible shade options you can add to your backyard to keep the sun from beaming down on you too harshly. With a smaller space, you can even opt for a more prominent shade choice knowing it will cover more ground than a standard umbrella. This triangle sail shade creates plenty of coverage for a picnic or a lazy evening spent outdoors.

Private outdoor spaces add so much to your tiny home. Of course, what you can do depends on how much outdoor space you have to work with. When done right, you can relax in comfort, and feel as though you’re able to get away from the world — even if you’re only a few feet from your work desk. I hope these ideas have helped you get moving on a beautiful and relaxing outdoor space! Enjoy your new oasis!