How To Design Your Luxury Home Exterior For Privacy
How To Design Your Luxury Home Exterior For Privacy
By Erin Langford
Be it casual gawkers, the nosey woman from down the street, or the postal worker, no one wants others peeking around the fence. If you want to enjoy a glass of wine and a new book or work on your tan lines, your yard should be a secluded oasis.
Whether it’s a country estate or a city highrise, there are many ways to create privacy without sacrificing luxury and style. Here we’ve gathered a few of the most popular trends to spark your creativity.
Living Privacy
Instead of traditional wooden fence panels around the perimeter, establish an outdoor border with plants. The weather here in LA gives you lots of options, but opting for native plants supports the environment while minimizing upkeep.
Bamboo
Once established, bamboo is one of the fastest-growing plants in Mother Nature. Tall and tropical, bamboo makes for a beautiful border that allows both sunshine and the breeze through. But be warned: bamboo is an invasive species, so you’ll want to contain it in a planter to keep it from spreading into your neighbor’s yard.
Espalier
If you already have a wooden or concrete fence, increase its appeal by planting ornamental shrubs or trees along the edge. You can use a simple lattice or pergola to establish the same atmosphere. Once the espalier takes off, you won’t even notice the unsightly fencing.
Cascading Landscapes
With trees, shrubs, and flowers planted at different heights, layered landscapes establish privacy and usable space while capturing the beauty of SoCal. Contrary to a popular myth, you’ll still have to water these plants, but you’ll use less water to maintain them and your lawn and garden.
Lifted beds
Elevated and vertical garden beds allow you to establish borders without sacrificing lawn space. Fill these beds with small shrubs such as lemonade berries, which are also fire resistant. You could also opt for something more decorative, such as desert roses.
Artful planters
From ornamental ferns to persimmon trees, planters of varying shapes, colors, and sizes create an eclectic vibe. One of the biggest benefits of using planters is the flexibility it affords. You can buy designer containers and change up the plants. You can also move the planters around to create a privacy wall.
Customized Solutions
Considering a complete outdoor revamp? This might be the right time to enlist the help of some local talent. Instead of utilizing greenery and natural borders, focus on your own style by incorporating custom-made barriers.
Purposeful Artwork
If you don’t have the time or patience to establish privacy with greenery, forgo blase fencing and opt for something more artful. From custom metal work to intricate wood designs, ornamental paneling is a durable and low-maintenance option for creating solitude.
Make a Splash
Whether you already have a pool or spa, or are thinking about breaking ground for the first time, water features are ideal for creating luxe privacy. Waterfalls, grottos, and natural rock can all be artfully installed to create privacy from within the pool and from the pool deck. These features are also excellent for blocking out traffic noise.
While a fence might be the obvious answer to a privacy problem, it isn’t likely to live up to the beauty and luxury of the rest of your yard. Especially here in LA, outdoor space is truly an extension of the living area. Don’t stop at the backdoor; keep your design flowing through the yard as well.
Erin Langford is a home stager and landscape design writer. She loves entertaining and playing in her backyard, but she hates yard work. She recently expanded her patio and added an outdoor kitchen so she has less grass to mow.
