See How My Dumping Ground Backyard Became a Scandi-Modern Stunner
The moment we walked into our current home, my husband and I knew it was “the one.” Even though it was a complete wreck and needed A LOT of work, we could see the immense potential. And it had one standout feature that sealed it for us: this home was made for indoor-outdoor living, which had long been a dream of ours.
As much as we yearned to bring this feature to life, we knew the inside renovation had to take priority. What we hadn’t realized, though, was that our builders would use the outside space as a disposal ground, meaning the backyard ended up resembling a wasteland by the time we were able to start any sort of outdoor makeover.
I wanted to define zones in the backyard.
Left with a square patch of earth flanked by a few trees, I realized the first thing I had to do was decide the layout of the yard. (Yes, layouts are just as important outside as they are inside!) My goal was to create zones for different uses, like relaxing, planting, and dining around a central lawn.
My yard matches my minimalist style.
Another design lesson that applies to outdoors spaces just as much as indoor spaces is to stay true to your personal style. My design style leans Scandi-minimal, so I wanted the backyard to reflect this style for a truly cohesive look from my kitchen to the outdoors.
To keep the look modern, I chose a concrete patio, which also adds contrast against the warmth of the wooden kitchen floor. I didn’t want an overly colorful garden, so I opted for lots of greenery with a few flowering plants that add a pop of color when in bloom. For the rest of the decor, I went with white, black, and gray accents so that everything blended in with the landscape.
The indoor and outdoor spaces are seamless.
Creating a seamless transition between the indoor and outdoor spaces came with a few challenges. The biggest one was getting the kitchen and the patio absolutely level. That meant raising the kitchen floor (which was far cheaper than lowering the outside), but the compromise was losing some ceiling height in the kitchen. That said, it was worth it because when the kitchen doors are open, it completely feels like one room.
Being right outside the kitchen, I wanted to make the patio usable but clutter-free as it also doubles up as a walkway to the dining area. I decorated it very simply with some large plants in planters, a few lanterns, and a small table with two chairs. It’s now become my favorite spot to drink my morning coffee in the warmer months.
I added raised plant beds.
I opted for raised flower and plant beds for the yard because they give the garden more definition and a cleaner look. They’re also practical as they’re easier on your back when you’re gardening. We also have a small dog, so raised beds mean he can’t get in there and damage the plants!
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