If you don’t have much room in the backyard but you really want a shade structure you may have some limitations on the size you can have. While a 10×12 gazebo is a smaller size for example that does not mean it is any less enjoyable. We are going to talk about how to turn this outdoor living space into a larger one!

Why would I need a small gazebo?

First let’s discuss why you may have to go with a small gazebo. For most it’s because the size of their yard. While some have fairly large yards to enjoy all the luxurious of outdoor living, others have smaller yards where space is not as easy to come by resulting in the need for a smaller gazebo.

Sometimes customers are limited by their budget and have to go with a smaller size but that does not mean they are getting any less of a gazebo. You can choose to go with a smaller gazebo and give it more use plus enjoyment than that of customers who purchase larger ones. The size does not matter it is how you use the space that matters!

Brighten your backyard

First way to get the most out of your small gazebo is my making it not look so small. Turn a 10×12 gazebo into a 12×16 at night just my adding lights to your shade structure. Yes, adding lights and viewing it at night will make the gazebo look larger than it truly is!

Try adding soffit lights or an LED strip behind the facia trim board. This will make the gazebo look profound in the backyard and draw you and your guests eyes as soon as they see it. This will make the gazebo look more profound in the backyard and larger.

Don’t want to add lights in or on the gazebo? Add garden lights around the gazebo and decorate around it with beautiful flowers and mulch. Doing so adds contrast to your gazebo and makes the structure look and feel larger.

Decorate your gazebo

Surrounding your gazebo with planters and shrubs tricks the eye to make the gazebo appear larger. Create flower beds and incorporate mulch that compliments the gazebo. In your flower beds use flowers that do not bloom and get tall to overpower the gazebo. Instead use flowers that bloom low and stay low to make the gazebo appear larger and taller than it is.

Use the same method for your shrubs, incorporate bushes that spread out and get wider as they mature. Be sure to trim your flowers and bushes so they do not get tall and take away from your shade structure.

The same goes for the placement of your gazebo but try and fit the structure in the spot in your yard that is not wide open. Placing the structure in an area in your yard that isn’t as wide will not swallow up the gazebo and overpower the size. If you have a corner section in your yard, trying angling the gazebo so it appears wider and longer than it actually is.

Don’t Enclose Your Gazebo

When trying to make your gazebo feel larger than it truly is, do not enclose it. Instead add a screen package to your gazebo. this will make the interior space feel wider and a lot more open. A screen gazebo protects you from the bugs and even some of the elements Mother Nature throws at us.

Don’t fill the interior up

When adding couches and relaxing furniture don’t fill up the space to accommodate large amounts of people. Instead add elements that leave some wide open space. Doing so makes the structure feel larger as you enter. For example a 10×12 gazebo is perfect for a love seat, two chairs and a table on the interior. Leaving plenty of breathing room and walking room for you and your guests.

Looking for a gazebo for your backyard? Large or small we can help! Shop our gazebo’s here or contact us below to build yours from scratch! Looking for more info on gazebos? Check out our other blog posts such as “What are the features of a great wood gazebo?” Still have questions? Enter your information below to contact us!