Making a VERY small back yard into a usable pleasant place

[HarryBoyHere]

Recently I bought an upstairs flat. It has a very small yard out back (see photo) which was previously used only to store the wheelie bins.

I would like to try to do something to make use of the outside space. The plan is to clean up the concrete with a pressure washer, add hanging baskets, some plant pots and a small metal table and 2 metal chairs.

I was thinking of painting the walls white, trying to go for a Spanish style theme. Having inspected the brickwork it seems some pointing is needed and there is already some old reddish render on part of the brickwork to the right of the photo. I am now thinking it may be best to remove all the old render, repoint the brickwork and render all the walls in white or cream to give a consistent finish.

The yard will always be constrained by space but it would be nice to maximise the limited outdoor space that we now have.

Any suggestions or tips would be appreciated.

 

[geraldthehamster]

Sounds like a plan. Personally I'd only remove the render if it's unsound - I can see some cracks around the top, so you'd at least need to replace that bit, and if water has been getting down the back in the winter it might be blown.

Does the yard get any sun? White is going to be good for reflecting this around. You could always just paint the brick. Clever use of a large mirror or mirrors could also increase the feeling of space and help bounce the light around.

Maybe think about some nice quarry tiles or similar on the ground.

Cheers
Richard

 

[HarryBoyHere]

Richard, thanks for your comments and suggestions.

The yard does get some sun though it is a little limited by the height of the back wall.

The existing render does seem to be coming away at the top so might be best to remove it entirely. A builder advised me earlier today to avoid rendering the walls as it's likely to come off once the frost hits. He suggested it would be better just to paint the brickwork directly to get the effect I am looking for.

I will look into tiles for the ground. The only trouble is the existing concrete floor is on two levels but I suppose I can work around that.

 

[geraldthehamster]

Sounds like good advice from the builder. Do you have more photos? What are the overall dimensions?

I spent 15 years living in houses with small back yards, though possibly not as small as this one

 

[Nige F]

Hello, leave the rendered section but paint it white . Paint the door white. get some fake grass and carpet the floor . make sure you allow access for that manhole cover. Don't repoint the old brickwork . Don't paint the brickwork. Hang sheets of garden mesh against the walls for different climbers to grow up . I like the mirror idea That's what I'd do.

 

[Santim]

I would remove railings to make backyard spacious

 

[HarryBoyHere]

Attached are some more photos.

 

[jso]

I wonder what the render is hiding? Might be best to leave it, as others have suggested. Paint it - masonry paint - maybe not white, as that's a bit obvious, but a warm cream/sandstone colour. How about a small water feature (some kind of water trough) at the base of the rendered section, with a lions head fountain to feed into it, (you could cut a channel for the supply pipe, and cement over it before painting the render) and surround the trough with pots such as you already have there, filled with ferns etc - plants which would do well not in full sun. Be great to come down the stairs towards that.

 

[geraldthehamster]

One question - if yours is the upstairs flat, presumably the wall with the window in it belongs to a downstairs flat. You shouldn't paint someone else's wall, or attach anything to it, without their permission.

Cheers
Richard

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I'm sure that if they look out on that, permission would not be unreasonably withheld.

 

[HarryBoyHere]

A good point about permission. The wall with the window on it is the bathroom of the downstairs flat. Mine is the upstairs flat. As you can see, the window is frosted so I highly doubt the tenants downstairs would ever notice a difference. But you're right, I do need to make sure whatever I do is ok with them and also in line with the lease agreement between the two flats. I am trying to get a copy of the agreement from my conveyancing solicitor to check this point.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Serves me right for not refreshing the page and seeing the photos...

Walls painted white would probably brighten up their bathroom, so they ought to be happy.

Next door should probably be consulted too, as you'd be applying a surface treatment to the exterior of their property.

As for the rest - various ideas, with different budget implications:

• Maybe the higher bit of concrete could be removed?
• Hardwood decking? A raised removable section at the foot of the steps would equalise the heights and give access to the drain cover if needed.
• Matching hardwood, or stainless steel handrail?
• Remove some of the back wall and replace with glass bricks?
• Remove the steps and replace with wood, thus opening up the space underneath to use for storage?

What's on the other side of the left hand wall in your first photo?

 

[Deleted2797112]

A good point about permission. The wall with the window on it is the bathroom of the downstairs flat. Mine is the upstairs flat. As you can see, the window is frosted so I highly doubt the tenants downstairs would ever notice a difference. But you're right, I do need to make sure whatever I do is ok with them and also in line with the lease agreement between the two flats. I am trying to get a copy of the agreement from my conveyancing solicitor to check this point.

Frosted glass notwithstanding, I'm not sure I'd want people sitting at a table and chairs right outside my bathroom window. Maybe that's just me.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Frosted glass notwithstanding, I'm not sure I'd want to be sitting at a table and chairs right outside someone's bathroom window. Maybe that's just me.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Maybe a temporary screen of canvas on a couple of poles with bases, which could be unrolled and placed a foot or so in front of the window when people are using the outside might be welcome to both parties?