5 Clever Ways to Bring Privacy Back Into Your Outdoor Spaces

Privacy is a given for those who live somewhere rural, but homeowners located in more densely populated areas often find it to be a luxury that is difficult to attain.

The last thing you want when you’re enjoying the outdoors or entertaining guests is to feel as though there are eyes on you, but you may not also want to build a wall or a fence that will only obstruct your view and make your backyard feel less open. Below, we’ve collected a few solutions that you can consider to make your outdoor spaces feel more private without sacrificing your ability to enjoy the natural world around you:

Add patio privacy panels

Having a large outdoor area such as a patio is a privilege. It adds a significant amount of usable space to your home that you can use for a variety of purposes without having to build an extension. If you love to entertain on your patio but don’t want neighbors snooping on your activities, patio privacy panels can be an excellent option.

Patio privacy panels are exactly that–they create a standalone folding wall of sorts that shield your patio from prying eyes. Here at Legacy Decor, we offer folding outdoor patio privacy panels in 3- and 4-panel sizes. They’re 71 inches high with a leg height of 3 inches, allowing maximum coverage for everything happening in your outdoor space. They are made with weather-resistant wicker, feature a decorative woven design, and come in 3 attractive colors (black, brown, and gray) to suit your patio’s theme. In addition to acting as a privacy solution, they can also be used to clearly define and divide your outdoor spaces. When the party’s over, you can easily fold them flat and store them away.

Hang outdoor drapery

Another way to shield a pergola, patio, or deck, if it’s covered, is to use drapery. Outdoor curtains can make the space feel more intimate and private, but don’t feel like a fence or a wall. You can easily hang drapery panels on cables and use floor-to-ceiling curtains to create a screen. The curtains can be as thin or as thick as you like, depending on how private you’d like the space to be.

When choosing outdoor curtains, take note of the fabrics they’re made out of. Olefin or polypropylene curtains are UV resistant, colorfast, and dry quickly, making them ideal for these applications. You can also use cotton or canvas for a more natural look, but keep in mind that curtains made out of these materials tend to absorb a lot of water and take a while to dry, which may cause them to develop mold and mildew.

Use tall planter boxes

Looking for a privacy solution that will blend in better with the outdoors? Tall planter boxes or pots are a great way to enclose a space, too. You can find them in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, and they can accommodate anything from tall plants to short hedges, depending on your needs. When you’re seated, these planter boxes should be tall enough to offer a visual barrier without making you feel like you’re cut off from the outdoors that you’re trying to enjoy.

For even more privacy, you can DIY a screen to sit behind the planter box using wooden planks. Plant climbing vines that will eventually cover the screen with greenery, and you’ll have yourself a beautiful living wall that’s as lovely to look at as it is supremely functional.

Try a trellis

Speaking of climbing vines, they’re a great way to shield your outdoor space from view, too. Trellises are an attractive backyard feature that can help you grow them in a structured way so that they block what you want them to block.

For color and character, choose flowering vines that are great climbers–they’ll make your trellis come alive with blooms during the spring and summer months. Some great options include Apple Blossom Clematis, with its fragrant pink and white flowers and dense foliage, Blue Moon Kentucky Wisteria, which will leave clusters of light purple blooms that will hang from every inch of the trellis, and Bougainvillea, which is a fast grower and produces bright-fuschia flowers.

Build an enclosure with a pergola

By far, building a pergola around your outdoor space offers the ultimate in outdoor privacy. This is a great option for smaller patios, decks, and outdoor kitchens, allowing the panels to create a defined area that you can then use for various functions.

Pergolas allow you to see outside of them, but make it difficult for anywhere else to see what’s going on inside. Doing so again allows you to still enjoy nature in peace without sacrificing privacy.

For more privacy solutions for your outdoor and indoor spaces, check out our catalog now.