Creating Privacy and Intimacy for your Patio
In today’s busy world, privacy is a sought after commodity. The following ideas can be used to ensure a private outdoor leisure space in your Fishkill, NY backyard and create a sense of intimacy for a romantic evening or a small gathering outdoors.
Trees
Trees are ideal for blocking the line of sight from a particular vantage point. To be effective for this purpose, a tree should have a widespread and dense foliage, and be kept at a level where the bulk of the leaves intercept the line of sight. Multiple trees, both evergreen and deciduous, of varying types and sizes can be used in conjunction with one another to ensure a reliable screen all year round. Trees are also excellent for filtering out noise and providing shade.
Related: Using Plantings for Privacy
Hedges
A hedge is an excellent privacy screen that contributes to a green outdoor aesthetic while providing wind protection and noise reduction. Although hedges require maintenance in order to maintain the neatness of their appearance, they are less expensive than walls and fences.
Roof Covering
A low hanging roof cover is a valuable tool for privacy where the outdoor area is lower than the origin of the line of sight you wish to block out. This can be used in conjunction with other solutions such as screens and outdoor curtains in order to enclose a space, but can be just as effective used alone. Roof covering has the added benefits of keeping out the elements, trapping in warmth and providing a space that can be used all year round.
Outdoor Fireplaces
The back wall of an outdoor fireplace can be used to shield prying eyes, but even a simple hearth and chimney can help obscure a view of your property, or close off an open patio if placed correctly. This is something to bear in mind when installing an outdoor fireplace in order to take advantage of positioning. In addition to providing a screen, a fireplace contributes to a warm and cozy patio and intimate ambiance.
Shade Sails
Shade sails offer protection from the sun and intimacy while creating privacy in the same way that a roof does. The advantage of shade sails over permanent roofing is that they can be taken down when not needed and erected again when the weather or occasion requires it.
Retaining Walls
For secluded outdoor spaces, retaining walls offer greater versatility of design and layout. Retaining walls can be used to block a line of sight, but more importantly an outdoor area can be embedded into a slope or sunken into the ground to allow greater privacy and more effective use of privacy shields.
Outdoor Curtains
Used with or without a permanent roof covering, outdoor curtains require only some form of structure from which to hang. The wide selection of fabrics, colors and styles available make outdoor curtains an attractive option for customizing a space to match one’s personality.
Privacy Screens
More substantial than outdoor curtains, privacy screens can take the form of hanging wooden screens, frosted glass, semi-translucent plastic or a simple bamboo fence. These allow for a wide range of customization and layout versatility tailored to the layout of your outdoor spaces.