I read this fantastic article last night I just had to share that demonstrates how we can add privacy to our outdoor spaces. I think it’s fantastic how easy and inexpensive it is to achieve this design effect, and, with just about any skill level, you can easily follow the steps or modify them to your specific taste and liking. Enjoy!

Originally Posted 05/15/2010 by The Design File

An outdoor room: Adding privacy

This summer I’ll be doing a series to help you create an outdoor “room,” a destination spot in your back or front yard, a place where you can relax, eat dinner or just read a magazine (or a blog).

Today, we’ll talk about adding privacy, a key element to the feeling of a room.

I never realized the importance of a cozy outdoor space until I started dating my husband. My home always had quite a bit of privacy – thanks to a fence, a trellis, trees, grapevines and a detached garage – despite sitting on a small city lot with neighbors just a few feet away.

Jeff’s house, though, had a wide open backyard. He had a small deck, a large tree and a detached garage. But none did anything to shield the yard from neighbors or folks driving through the alley. I felt so exposed! Jeff really liked his neighbors but you couldn’t be outside without getting into an extended conversation.

It was then that I realized the importance of creating an intimate, cozy room – even when you’re outside. Look at the beautiful space above, created with a simple frame and sheers (photo by Ken Gutmaker from Sunset and MyHomeIdeas.com).

Obviously, the easiest way to create that separation is with a privacy fence. But they’re fairly expensive and labor intensive. So here are four other ways to do it:

Hardscape

For a lot less than it costs to build a six foot privacy fence, you can add a well-placed trellis and an iron archway – both planted with vines – to make your space more intimate.

Some 4×4-inch posts with hooks on the sides and hanging plants make a sort of fence. And even a line of planters creates some separation.

Try a trellis on the end of a porch, like the one in the BHG photo at right, to give yourself some space.

Vegetation

There’s nothing like some trees, bushes and vines to separate you from your neighbors.

You can use two or three ornamental trees in a row along your property line or near a deck or seating area in the yard. A line of boxwoods, several fast-growing bamboo trees or even rose bushes creates a border.

And vines are perfect for adding softness and coziness to a space. Add them to the arch and the trellis mentioned above or on a pergola or smaller fence to give you lots of privacy.

I love the way the clematis looks on this arch, which frames the entry into this sweet garden. Photo Roger Foley for Cottage Living and MyHomeIdeas.com.

Curtains & fabric

Outdoor drapes hung around a porch, a deck or pergola can give you a fantastic place for a romantic meal or some private sunning.

You can make your own with some outdoor fabric. Just run a hem around the edges and use this tutorial to add some grommets.

I love the way the addition of curtains on this otherwise wide-open, simple trellis lends an air of sophistication and intimacy to this deck.

Photo from Southern Living and MyHomeIdeas.com.

Indoor furnishings

Strategically placed furnishings can really define an outdoor “room” and give you some privacy.

Try picking up an old baker’s rack at a thrift store, spraying it with a bright outdoor paint and placing it between you and a neighbor – convenient to the grill or a dining table, of course.

Or use a folding screen, like the one in the room at right. Photo by John OHagan for Southern Living and MyHomeIdeas.com.

But make sure you weatherize it with outdoor paint first.

You could even hang an old window or door from a pair of 4×4-inch posts to create some garden art and a kind of fence. Or try hanging some bamboo blinds at the ends of a porch or from a pergola.