5 ideas for designing your garden in 2021

By optimising the layout of your garden, you can envisage a green space used for different purposes. A well thought out exterior design allows you to create an open-air relaxation area, a welcoming and shaded outdoor lounge, a dining area and even a space where you can work from home. All of this in a warm and functional landscaped garden, designed in line with environmental best practices.

1. Garden relaxation area

2. Garden home office

3. Outdoor kitchen

4. Outdoor lounge

5. Borders and plants

How to lay out your garden

To design an exterior plan or optimise your small or large garden, define the living spaces to meet the needs for the various ways in which it is used. Then link together the different areas by creating pathways in the garden. Here are a few ideas for garden layout, which make for practical and pleasant living!

At any time, you can use the Architect 3D© Landscape Design software whose intuitive interface will help you easily configure your garden landscape, arrange multiple spaces and visualise everything in 2D and 3D.

1– Garden relaxation area

A lawned area in the centre of your countryside or city garden provides you with an unobstructed view and inspires you to relax. This green square (1) invites you to lie down on the lawn, walk barefoot on the grass, practice mediation or stretch out in the sun. You can even place a chaise longue here if you want to read a book or sip your lemonade in the sun.

From a functional perspective, there’s nothing stopping you from turning your lawn every now and then into a place for team games with friends or family. This green oasis can be used for exercise or playing with a ball, for instance, even in small gardens.

Outdoor space designed with my Architect 3d

2- Garden home office area

Working from home is here to stay, so why not create an outdoor office at home? You may be wondering how to create a dedicated green space where you can work. To optimise the space in a small garden, simply place some outdoor furniture beneath a parasol to create a distinct area (2). For a low-budget design solution, you can also use colours and lights to decorate this outdoor workspace.

Do you want to go a step further and create a more permanent workspace in your garden? Install or build a more robust structure. Think about designing your home office in a part of your garden that isn’t used a lot, so you can work undisturbed. Surround yourself with plants to create a pleasant living space and increase your productivity! For in-person meetings, make the most of your green spaces and welcome your customers or service providers in your outdoor lounge.

Garden home office area designed with my Architect 3d

3- Outdoor lounge

To design a shaded lounge area in your garden, you can install a pergola. It can be oval, round or square shaped. When choosing materials, opt for timeless wood, PVC or even on-trend aluminium. A living space positioned below trees is another possible solution for enjoying sunny days.

Round off your outdoor lounge with garden furniture made of wood or other materials, harmonising with the various elements of your natural, bohemian or ethnic outdoor living space. Angled seating with a dining table, for example, is a great choice for cocktails, aperitifs or dinners. If you have a small garden, you just need to arrange a few seats to enjoy a comfortable and relaxing outdoor lounge area! Don’t forget to decorate it with plants.

The position needs to be well thought out in relation to the layout of your garden. Along a wall of your home or by the garden fence (3), the structure of the outdoor lounge makes you feel as though you’re both indoors and outdoors at the same time. Its strong point is that it defines the space while creating an opening towards other areas. Head along your garden path to your outdoor kitchen.

Outdoor lounge designed with my Architect 3d

4- Outdoor kitchen

For your outdoor kitchen area, you need to think first of all about positioning it near a water point in your garden, to avoid having to install any pipework. The electricity supply also needs to be considered for a well-designed kitchen in your garden.

The materials you choose need to be designed for an outdoor kitchen (4), and must be rust-proof and suitable for an open-air environment. Also give thought to the worktop, storage, a sink, a fridge or even a permeable floor covering. Small pots of herbs add the finishing touch to your outdoor kitchen. Mint, for example, can be grown regardless of how it is exposed to the sun.

If arranging your garden to create a summer kitchen seems like a laborious task, opt for a barbecue area! Ready to use in your garden and adapted to suit all budgets, a barbecue is a practical and fun solution for gatherings with family and friends.

Outdoor Kitchen designed with my Architect 3d

5- Borders and pathways to define the outdoor spaces:

For paths covered in gravel, stones or even slabs, think about wooden, stone or floral borders. Choose the plant and flower varieties that you want to display along your border: ferns, lavenders or hortensia… Why not personalise the colours and the size of your borders to make them eye catching? Besides your wishes and inspirations, you also need to consider the soil type, the climate and the sun exposure in order for the plants to thrive.

When creating a landscaped garden, ask yourself the following questions: Where do the plants and flowers need to be positioned in order to grow? Are the sides exposed to the sun or in the shade? Is the climate dry or humid? Is the position isolated or used often? Make sure you choose plants that are suitable for these conditions. For example, for shaded areas of the garden choose climbing plants that like shade, such as ivy, honeysuckle or winter jasmine.

Pathways and borders designed with my Architect 3d

Help with designing your garden

The easy-to-use Architect 3D© Landscape Design software allows you to arrange your garden into several spaces. This means you can create different areas in your garden based on a plan or create the exterior plan directly in the software. The intuitive interface of Architect 3D©, its tools and its extensive built-in libraries will help you to structure the elements of your green space and choose the materials, garden furniture, plants, shrubs and trees. What’s more, you can simulate the growth of your plants, shrubs and trees and visualise how your garden will develop over time.

Discover what the Architect 3D software can do for your garden.