Wouldn’t it be nice to have an outdoor space you can easily go to when everything at work or at home feels overwhelming? Or perhaps you’d like to have an area in your yard where you can sit and enjoy a cup of tea on your days off.
Not only is a relaxing outdoor space within your property a surefire way to boost your home’s curb appeal, but it will also motivate you and your family to spend more time outdoors and enjoy the fresh air and sunshine. However, there’s a fine difference between having a stylish lawn and an outdoor zen space. The latter is meant to be lived in rather than just looked at.
When creating an outdoor zen space, you don’t necessarily have to invest in elaborate furniture or decorations. It’s about utilizing nature’s beauty and serenity while fusing minimalistic designs to ensure a sense of peace.
That being said, creating an outdoor zen space isn’t as complicated as one might assume, whether you have a spacious front yard or a small lawn space. Here are a few steps to help you create a zen space that you’ll surely love to spend time in.
Get Comfortable Outdoor Furniture
It’s hard to feel cozy in a zen space if you don’t have anywhere to sit or lie down when you want to relax. So, get some comfortable outdoor furniture that you and your family can lounge on. You can find a wide selection of outdoor patio furniture online, and you could even check antique stores or secondhand stores in your area if you’d like to get vintage pieces.
You could invest in a full outdoor seating set if you’ve got the space for it. If not, you can still create a comfortable space with some relaxing hammocks.
Enhance The Exclusiveness
You can better feel the peace and calm of your outdoor space if you’re away from noise and distraction. That said, you may want to enhance the exclusiveness of the space by adding a privacy fence, if you don’t have one yet.
If that’s not an option, you could also screen your porch or shield your property by planting tall shrubs, trees, and potted flowers that will obscure the space from outside view. The trees and shrubs may be a better option compared to a fence, as they allow you to keep the space surrounded by nature.
Add Plants And Flowers
Your choice of greenery can help promote tranquility in your outdoor space. Thus, make sure to add plants that inspire feelings of peace. Some such plants are bamboos, conifers, and flowers like camellias, jasmines, peace lilies, and rhododendrons. Conifers and bamboos can help create a soothing atmosphere, and their rustling can produce calming sounds during breezy days.
If you’d like to add potted plants to the space as well, you could opt for snake plants, bonsai, and aloe vera. And since it may be difficult to relax if bugs and mosquitoes are everywhere, you can also add insect-repellent plants, such as lavender and lemongrass.
Use Soft Lines And Designs
When creating a zen space, simplicity is fundamental. Filling your garden with striking and bold elements may only work against the peaceful atmosphere you’re trying to achieve. Though zen is ultimately a state of mind, your outdoor space should be simple and soft to help you achieve zen within.
If you want your outdoor space to be simple and relaxing without looking bare, you could come up with a clean design that incorporates smooth lines and earthly add-ons such as moss, a bed of grass, and stepping stones.
Add A Water Feature
Many people find places with waterfalls, rivers, and ponds to be relaxing because of the presence and sound of flowing water. The sight of the water can also be soothing and can help promote a calmness within one’s being.
That said, if your budget and space allow, you may want to consider adding a water feature to your outdoor zen space. There are various waterfall designs and water fountains available that can easily fit into your space and match your ideal aesthetic.
You can make the water feature the focal point of your garden, as some people like to do. You can also have a seating area nearby so you can have a place to sit and enjoy the gentle sounds of the water.
Build A Small Bridge
If you’re familiar with Japanese-style zen gardens, you may have noticed that they usually have a small bridge in the middle of the garden. Bridges have their aesthetic value; however, they also symbolize transition or an ongoing journey, so they can help inspire self-reflection and meditation, which is good for improving wellness.
If your garden has a small pond or stream, you may want to consider building a small wooden bridge above it. If you don’t have a pond or stream, you can still have a bridge; just use a pool of stones or pebbles as an alternative to flowing water. You can think of the stones as a ‘dry river.’
Hang Bamboo Wind Chimes
You can add to the soothing sounds of your zen space by installing bamboo wind chimes. Though all chimes may seem to produce the same sounds, there’s something different about bamboo wind chimes; they sound rawer and more natural. Furthermore, they will easily complement the other zen elements of your space.
Use Soft Lighting
To continue promoting a zen atmosphere in the darkness of night, you can incorporate soft lighting in the area. Harsh overhead lighting may only serve to distract from and ruin the quiet atmosphere, so it would be better to opt for gentler sources of light.
Candles, fairy lights, and lanterns are good options, as they emit softer and less artificial-looking light. This will allow you to maintain the peacefulness of the space while keeping it lit.
Takeaway
Many homeowners nowadays like to have an outdoor zen space in their home, as it helps promote calmness and tranquility within their property. As you can see, creating your own zen space doesn’t have to be complicated.
After all, zen gardens are supposed to be simple and devoid of any distractions. So, keep the above tips in mind when creating your outdoor zen space so you can have an area at home where you and your family can relax and breathe easier.