Outdoor living in urban settings doesn’t necessarily need to be sacrificed. Instead, it needs to be slightly more innovative than the suburbs. When space is at a premium – and a financial one at that – even the smallest of outdoor access points need to work harder and smarter than their suburban counterparts. What’s more, even the tiniest and seemingly most functional outdoor space must possess the feeling of being generous, open, and inviting.
It’s far too easy for people to walk outside into their suburban backyards with little thought. Small urban dwellings need to fill the gaps that general plans and seasonal utilization oftentimes miss. If a small outdoor area can serve a multitude of purposes throughout the day and week, season after season, it transcends merely being “another” outdoor area. The best small urban spaces act as an extension of interior living rather than a room in its own right that only gets attention during the warmer months.
Think Vertical
Small outdoor spaces often mean not relying on what is at ground-level but instead embracing what exists above our heads. Roof decks, terraces, balconies, and fire escapes are less utilized options that may become exclusive outdoor living spaces in tight quarters – but only if there’s access without front staircases or cumbersome means to get into a limited space on top of something else.
Invariably, rooftop access requires stairs and potentially cumbersome structure. However, the latest innovations find a way to grow access through existing space requirements, marrying access with building needs. For example, a terrace skylight can serve dual purposes – providing natural light flow into buildings while also connecting directly to the roof, offering seamless access without exterior additions and creating a stunning connection for indoor/outdoor living.
However, access is psychological. When it seems complicated or like it’s not worth it to head outside, people won’t bother. The best spaces are those that feel like extended rooms inside or adjacent to interiors, not something one needs to trample down stairs or requires an elaborate process to reach.
Multi-Functionality
Small outdoor living spaces – and rooms – require multi-functionality; otherwise, they exist for no reason at all. A roof deck can be a place to drink coffee in the morning before work, sit for lunch during breaks, host dinner parties in the evenings, enjoy cocktails before bed, and garden and read on the weekends – all within one small area and footprint.
Furniture needs to be movable yet not cumbersome. When combined with lighting flexibility or lack of storage due to disorganization, small spaces fail to live up to their potential. Modular systems allow for collaborative efforts – both furniture-wise as well as with lighting and orientation. Storage bins double as benches. Planters intermingle with tables. A successful outdoor small space will not provide overwhelming access points or messiness that makes it feel cramped.
Additionally, since many small outdoor spaces operate without indoor alternative spaces where inhabitants can avoid outside when it’s not suitable, weather protection becomes necessary and critical. A simple awning for sunlight in parts of the day (and not blown away), screen protection from wind or even some plant-based movements that extend control allows a small space to feel like it’s generally usable when the seasons may say otherwise.
Container Plants and Gardens
Gardens require space that most urban settings do not possess. Container planting and vertical growing gardens allow for more substantial foliage with minimal planting space requirements.
The trick is choosing the right plants that are both visually impressive yet practically useful for minimal areas. Herbs and vegetables can be taken regularly instead of focusing on blooms, while leaves that grow tall for privacy lend themselves to intimacy without dedicating entire small areas for such planting beds.
Vertical growing systems – from frames that stand tall to do-it-yourself vertical walls – create living walls to soften areas without taking up floor space. These systems become focal points instead of afterthoughts that would otherwise consume small spaces – even making the space feel more designed than substantive.
Temperature Control
Small outdoor spaces need to be accessible as long as possible throughout the year for every little bit of cost and operational potential; otherwise, they’re wasted investment opportunities.
This means adding heating and cooling efforts larger spaces might not need. Radiant heating materials built into flooring or furniture spaces make them accessible in winter without unwieldy aesthetics of added heaters. Misting systems or fans even provide avoidance for excessive heat. Outdoor rated blankets or cushions even make finding comfortable temperature ranges a reality that otherwise would make a non-welcoming experience.
The goal is creating microclimates that feel comfortable when conditions do not allow outdoor living. It’s important in urban settings when buildings make weather patterns awkward – directing insane winds or blocking sunlight – resulting in what would essentially be an uncomfortable space effectively becoming welcoming.
Interior/Exterior Synergy
Lastly, small outdoor spaces can be effective when they feel like genuine rooms as opposed to terraces or balconies. They require visual accessibility from indoor regions and function to meld the two together so no one truly feels like they’re in one space versus another.
Consistent flooring patterns from inside to outside help eliminate transitions; lighting from one room to another creates a synergy that makes both feel larger than their sizes allow; even coloring patterns and styles help from one realm to another enhance both and create potential pathways.
Technology enhances outdoor areas more than before as people transform them into true interior replacement rooms – speakers, electrical outlets for power charging efforts, WiFi coverage supports such needs; it’s not just aesthetics but practicality that helps.
Interior/Exterior Storage
Clutter kills. Without any transformational appeal for what should appear within limited outdoor spaces – built-in storage options with hidden compartments allow for multi-functional opportunities of furniture that double up on responsibilities – to keep them organized minimizes visual chaos.
Weather-resistant storage solutions need to be added for cushion storage, gardening items, outdoor dinnerware – everything works with seasons. The built-in storage will act instead as a designed area; it’s got to look good!
Ultimately Making Small Feel Generous
The best small outdoor spaces transform interiors into effectively larger realms than anticipated by planned design work. Mirrors can add appeal; strategically placed lights draw the eye; a quick assessment down an aisle that leads right back outside builds confidence where others may fear disillusioned relationships.
Small outdoor spaces have some of the biggest equity value in urban environments; effectively designed small spaces provide outdoor access when more living options are required to make tiny populations work sustainably within their designated areas.