Build a DIY pergola
Adding a pergola to your back yard can not only create some defined seating space, it can actually make your yard look larger. Unlike traditional canopies and gazebos, pergolas offer the intimate feel of an enclosed space, but their open top and sides mean you won’t have to sacrifice the view.
Of course, there’s an easy solution when you want the space to feel more intimate: “Add bamboo roller shades to hooks or inexpensive, gauzy drapes (fun and cheap to make from paint drop cloths!) hung on clip hooks and steel cable to create a dreamy, private space,” says New York-based interior designer Denise Gianna.
