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For those who live villas with small backyards or have terrace gardens in penthouses, creating an outdoor space where you can relax and entertain can be a challenge.

 

Designers in Dubai have been helping homeowners get high return on their investment when it comes to their compact homes. This often means transforming tight, narrow or awkwardly shaped backyards into functional, comfortable extensions of the home.

 

No matter the size of your outdoor space, these methods can work for anyone trying to turn their terraces or garden into an outdoor retreat to enjoy. Here are some tips to help you make the most of your small outdoor space.

 

 

 

 

Built-In Bench

 

If you own your villa and have a bit more room in your budget, you should consider adding some custom built-in options. A built-in bench made from either concrete or wood is an ideal solution for a tight spot, as you build it to fit in your space perfectly.

 

Combining a built-in bench with a table can create the perfect outdoor dining spot and doubles as a fun gathering space to entertain family and friends. Outdoor ready made furniture has standard sizes and cannot fit in compact spaces and width is too big too.

 

 

 

 

Hidden Storage

 

Another savvy design to maximize your tiny outdoor space is with hidden storage. This option is perfect for those who want to store their outdoor pillows, throws or entertaining necessities while keeping them readily available for their next gathering.

 

Even if you live in a hotter climate, it’s a good idea to keep your outdoor decorative items away when you’re not using them. Whether you opt for a storage bench, storage ottoman or side table, you can’t go wrong with storage that doubles as seating.

 

 

 

 

Double Duty Furniture

 

Whether you are decorating an indoor or outdoor area with limited space, double-duty furniture provides an ideal solution to maximize your space. While a storage bench works, you can think outside the box when it comes to decorating your space.

 

Consider using a small coffee table for extra seating, adding a stool that doubles as a side table, or incorporating larger weatherproof throw pillows that also works as floor cushions. Double up for double fun!

 

 

 

 

Artificial Grass

 

There are some pretty extreme opinions on both sides for artificial plants and grass options. And while the real deal is always better, when added to your space properly, artificial grass works superbly.

 

Artificial grass is a great option for an urban patio or balcony to inject the feeling of an actual, organic lawn. The trick is to make it look real. Start by making sure you’re putting the grass down across an entire defined area.

 

Be sure to eliminate any harsh edges that would immediately indicate that your grass is not real.

 

 

 

Tiny Gardens & Vertical Gardens

 

Even when you’re working with a small amount of space, you can still create a gorgeous, vibrant outdoor garden. For a balcony, it’s easiest to stick to a container garden.

 

With this type of garden, you will grow all of your plants and flowers in unique containers, pots or creative jars. Container gardens grant you flexibility, allowing you to move things around to change your space.

 

Plants, flowers, and vegetables can all be grown in small-space gardens. Lacking room for a traditional garden? Think! Vertical gardens inject an eye-catching greenery element to city spaces without hogging all of your precious square footage.

 

For those of us with a small patio, balcony, or tiny backyard, our outdoor design options always feel a bit more limited. However, with a bit of creativity, you can produce an amazing outdoor oasis regardless how small your space is.

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Just because your home isn’t large and expansive, doesn’t mean you can’t host family and friends in style.

 

Whether you’re creating a cozy apartment or designing a separate sitting area within a larger room, you can make the most of your space with the right seating arrangements.

 

Follow these genius tips for extra seating that enhances your decor without engulfing your space.

 

 

 

 

Add a Bench

 

Turn than cozy little corner into the perfect seating area with a dual purpose bench booth. Not only will it provide extra seating, it also provides ample hidden storage to declutter your space.

 

Hiding your clutter goes a long way in maximizing your current space.

 

Don’t let that space under a window-filled wall go to waste! You can add a built-in bench filled with billowy pillows to create a fun and functional seating option.

 

If you don’t want to go to the trouble of a creating a built in, simply push a stand alone bench up against the wall space under the window. Just be sure it fits snuggly.

 

Hide Stools

 

Nesting stools and benches are a cozy way to add bonus seating to your already-full living room and family room. You can pull them out when you are entertaining guests and push them away when they leave.

 

Nesting stools are an affordable seating option that can be tucked away when you don’t need it. As a bonus, these stools can double as end tables in a pinch!

 

 

 

 

Use All of Your Corners

 

When you have limited space in your home or office, make the most of every square foot, even those awkward corners. Consider adding a hanging seat to a boring corner.

 

It effortlessly turns an unused area into a reading nook with a unique seat. Looking for something a little more practical for everyday use? Add a small armchair or side chair to that empty corner. It’s a decorative accent that also provides additional seating.

 

Make the Most of Your Options

 

Get the most out of your stools! The same stool you use to reach the top shelf in the pantry can be used as an extra seat at your next dinner party. Since they are short, you can tuck them away under the table and out of sight after the party is over.

 

Be sure to keep extra seating nearby. Keep in mind that the extra seating for your party doesn’t have to come from the same room you’re entertaining in.

 

Simply pull that extra bench or stool out from your bedroom or home office when guests arrive and put it back when they leave.

 

Double Duty

 

Choose furniture that can perform double duty, such as an ottoman. A tray quickly takes an oversize ottoman from a casual place to prop your feet to one fit for formal entertaining. In a tight living room, a round ottoman can also ease the pain of inevitable knee bumps.

 

You can even ditch the couch and add a few arm chairs around the ottomon for a chic and lounging area to kick back and relax.

 

 

 

 

Choose Small Scale Furniture

 

There is more to living room furniture than full-size sofas and bulky armchairs. Antique shops are a great place to look for small-scale furniture because prior to the last half of the century, the average room size was typically very small.

 

Look for small settees, love seats and chairs that can work for your space.

 

Ditch the Sofa

 

Consider downsizing the large sofa. In some spaces a full-size sofa simply won’t work. Try adding a slimmed-down love seat or a petite sofa instead. Choose one with clean lines and exposed legs for the unique and artsy look.

 

What about a backless sofa? A backless sofa is a very chic alternative to a traditional sofa and can be used from both sides (an attractive bonus feature when seating options are limited).

 

If you decide to use it in a larger room down the road, it can act as a divider between two separate seating areas.

 

You can make the most of your small space by using the right furniture and seating options in the right places. In fact, adding the right piece of functional furniture can even make your room feel larger!

 

Are you struggling with how to decorate a small space? We can help! Contact the Milestone Design team to learn more about how we can transform your small space into your dream space!

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The trees, plants, and architecture surrounding your home or business creates a beautiful scene during the day. However, once night falls, your lovely landscape design disappears into the darkness unless you use outdoor lighting.

 

With proper lighting, you can light up just about anything, to include paths, trees, buildings, sculptures, pergolas pools, ponds, and driveways. There are so many options. So where do you begin?

 

There are many terms for landscape lighting, and some of them overlap and can become confusing. Not to worry, we’ve compiled a helpful guide to break down the essential terms of landscape lighting.

 

 

 

 

Uplighting

 

Uplighting is the term for when you place a light a few feet away from the base of an object to highlight the object from below. You can adjust the distance between the object and the light to create different looks.

 

Silhouetting and shadowing are two types of uplighting. With each technique, landscape designers place a light behind a large plant or an object and point the light toward a nearby wall to create a visually appealing shadow or silhouette.

 

Uplighting is a great way to highlight elements in your landscape, such as a work of art, flag, water fixture or large flowering plants.

 

Downlighting

 

Down lighting is the term for landscape lighting that directs light down, lighting only the intended area. Down lighting accents landscape planting beds, water features walls, statues and seating areas from above.

 

Down lights can be fixed to walls, placed under steps, or placed under eaves in a manner that keeps them out of sight during the day. When night falls, their light defines an area with a surrounding glow that draws in guests.

 

Moon lighting is a form of down lighting where you can attach multiple lights above, such as in a tree, to create the effect of moonlight.

 

Concealed Led light in steps is a downlight.

 

 

 

 

Path lighting

 

At its most basic, path and step lighting exists to keep the walker safe. When creating your landscape lighting scheme, you want to make sure all obstacles and turns are well illuminated.

 

Your walkways and paths can be highlighted not only to light the way for safety reasons, but also to create a feeling of elegance. Think of your path as a royal walkway or an entrance to an exotic palace.

 

You can create any ambiance you want with your path lighting. A carefully lit path can provide a sense of romance or adventure. It should make the viewer want to go and see where the path leads.

 

You could use ground lights or bollard lights in a pathway. Large areas use tall pole lights.

 

Fascade Lighting

 

Fascade lighting highlights the fascade of a building. It can be warm white or RGB light. The output and beams depends on the height of the wall you want to highlight. It can be uplight, downlight or up and down wall light.

 

The surfaces, colors, and shapes in the natural environment of the human eye function differently depending on the type of lighting.

 

In addition to creating an aesthetic effect, lighting your garden, pathway, stairs, pool, or access road will lead to greater safety movement. Landscape lighting scheme should be used to emphasize beautiful details in the yard, and to hide the flaws.

 

You’ve pulled out all the stops to turn your villa and backyard into a visually inspiring retreat. So why let that hard work disappear at nightfall? Now you can roll back the darkness and put it all on display with the flick of a switch.

 

When planned and executed correctly, landscape lighting makes the best of what you’ve created by highlighting your villa’s architectural features and drawing attention to your gorgeous plants, trees, water features, sculptures and other landscape treasures.

 

There are many exciting options and ideas for elevating your landscape design with outdoor lighting.

 

If you find it all a bit overpowering, a professional landscape lighting team from Milestone will create ways to enhance your space through particular lighting effects that are tailored to your personal landscape and tastes.

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Whether you’re remodeling your entire villa or looking to redecorate a single room, selecting an interior designer in Dubai can be a difficult task. As a client and the beneficiary of the final product, you want everything to be perfect and to meet your vision.

 

After all, this is your home, and you want to enjoy this space for a very long time. Mistakes are not only time-consuming, but costly too.

 

That being said, hiring the right interior designer is an exciting time, as it is the first step towards making your team a reality! Here are a few tips to keep in mind when hiring a professional interior design team for your upcoming home project.

 

 

 

Know your style and vision

 

Before you even begin interviewing interior designers, you need to know what direction you want to take with your home. Are you looking to remodel your entire villa or just a single room, such as the kitchen or a bathroom?

 

Are you looking to remodel or do you want to redecorate and revitalize a current room or home office? If you are a little fuzzy on the details, we suggest taking some time to view websites like Milestone’s for ideas- landscapingdubai.com

 

It’s important to have a vision for your project and to know your personal style so you can hire the right person for the job. Many designers have their signature style.

 

However, the best interior designers can adapt to your personal preferences. The right designer wants to bring your vision to life.

 

 

 

Determine your expectations of an interior designer

 

There’s no right way to partner with an interior designer. In fact, the expectations of your collaboration with an interior designer set the parameters of your home design project.

 

Before you start interviewing potential candidates for your next home project consider the following questions:

 

• Do you want to be included with every little design decision, or do prefer simply being involved in the big picture?

 

• Do you want your interior designer to show you every option available or do you prefer they offer you a narrowed-down selection tailored to your budget?

 

• Are you looking for complete guidance, or do you have an eye for interior design and just require help with planning and resources?

 

• In answering the above questions about your expectations, you will create a solid foundation and clear expectations for a successful working relationship with your interior designer.

 

 

Image from www.emaze.com

 

 

Review the interior designer’s portfolio

 

The proof is in the results! An interior design portfolio is a showcase of what they have achieved on past projects and is a testament to their ability to turn your vision into a reality.

 

Although a designer should be able to accommodate your tastes and interior design ideas, many designers do a signature style or different approaches that may not align well with your own.

 

When reviewing an interior designer’s portfolio, look for an overriding style to see if their recent projects echo what you want to achieve with your villa design project.

 

If you enjoy patterns and innovative color mash-ups, an interior designer who’s known for neutral palettes may not be a perfect match.

 

 

Always ask for references from an interior designer

 

Another way to ensure your villa design goes off without a hitch is to conduct brief interviews with their past clients. This is also a perfect opportunity to learn about their process from a budgetary standpoint.

 

• When speaking to an interior designer’s references, consider asking the following questions:

• Did your project stay within budget?

• Would you hire the designer again in the future?

• Most importantly: did they have an enjoyable experience working with their interior designer? Remodeling or redecorating your home is a fun and exciting time. You want to make sure you hire someone you will enjoy working with.

 

 

Image from www.emaze.com

 

Meet with the designer and ask questions

 

Once you’ve narrowed down your choices to just a few designers, it’s important to meet face to face. Most designers will not charge you for this initial meeting. For these sessions but it would be good to ask about that over the phone just in case.

 

Use this initial consultation to get to know your potential designer, ask for referrals, inquire about their experience, qualifications and the services the designer will provide.

 

This is also the time to establish your project budget, the scope of the project, and the duration of the project. Try to think about the specifics of your project and write everything down on paper, so you can review all of the information later if you need to.

 

When you hire the right interior designer, turning your home design dreams into a reality is an exciting, and enjoyable process.

 

If you follow these simple tips, you’re sure to hire an interior designer who’s interested in your vision, your budget, your timeline, and your happiness with the final product.

 

A home is a home when it brings out your personality, nurtures you, is organized for your needs, is convenient and cozy. It’s not a hotel but all the convenience of a hotel is present.