Matt Mosher, President of Mosher Design Co. and Dzinly.com, uses his creativity and expert knowledge to design truly amazing spaces and home facades for his clients all over the Metro Detroit area. He knows how to create a truly enviable backyard that's sure to catch your guests and neighbors' eye. Backyards are an often underutilized space that when given a little attention can become a focal point of your home.
Fall is an excellent season for entertaining guests; the red, yellow and orange scenery is unmatched and you can often catch the last bits of warmer weather. Whether you're hosting a football Sunday watch party, weekend bonfire, autumn themed dinner party or a Halloween extravaganza, you can use your outdoor space (no matter big or small) to enhance the experience. Matt has given us his top tips to transform your backyard from untouched or unrefined to enviable and balanced.
1. Scale and Proportion
The proper scale and proportion of a space will make or break it. As humans, when a space is not proportioned correctly it unknowingly causes anxiety in our mind. That's why some spaces that have all the bells and whistles still don't feel good, while others that have even the most minor of features do. It's not about the features. It's about scale and proportion.
2. Heights
Creating balanced height around a space is a big factor in making it feel good. Having proper height around a space whether it is done with pots, plantings, furniture pieces or a pergola will make a space feel much more intimate.
3. Less Is More
We see a lot of houses that "have the farm" in terms of features. This is okay, but organization of spaces that edit down the amount of elements within it are generally more comfortable and pleasing to the eye. You can have all of the cool features, but they need to be organized correctly so things don't feel cluttered.
4. Careful Use Of Color
Color is a powerful thing and has a large influence on how people feel in a space. In outdoor spaces, we generally design them to have very edited color palettes in the foreground landscape such as greens and whites. We use color within the actual living space through both potted plantings and furniture to make it feel warm and inviting.
5. Materials and Accent Elements
Materials and certain features such as fire have a huge impact on how a space feels. We generally design our flooring material to be neutral earth tones so it doesn't become distracting. The furniture and accessory elements are used to bring the space the life above the floor. Elements such as fire or water are naturally mesmerizing to us as humans. Adding these elements can make a big difference in how a space feels.
