Your perimeter has a particularly important role to play in lifting and framing your garden, particularly if your space is on the smaller side.

Being in a terraced house or busy urban area should be no barrier to creating a fabulous small garden.

We love working with home improvers, designers and architects wanting to maximise a modest amount of outdoor space. Here are a few key considerations and ideas when it comes to fencing!

1. Slatted fencing

One of the optimal ways to fence a smaller space is to use a non-solid style, like slatted fencing. Also commonly known as Venetian fencing, it’s a smart, architectural choice for any garden, but it works particularly well in smaller spaces.

The clearest and most obvious benefit is that it allows some natural sunlight into your space, but slatted fencing can also visually elongate your space. It’s basically a subtle optical illusion — the flowing horizontal lines to make it seem more spacious.

Sunlight falling on your fencing can also produce shadows, adding another visual element to your garden. Throw in trendy some up-and-down lighting to the fence posts and you’ve immediately got a smart, atmospheric space.

Interior room with black-framed sliding glass doors opening to a wooden deck; a compact green garden with a vertical plant wall, hedges, and a brick wall.

Tiered wooden privacy screens surround a modern courtyard with stone paving and a vertical green wall; brick houses line the background.

Long horizontal wooden fence running along a gray paved patio with a gravel edge; in the background a small lawn, black wall lights, trees, and a blue sky.

Backyard with a square patch of artificial grass, enclosed by light wooden fencing, with gray paving and white gravel borders; street and houses beyond.

Wooden garden shed with large glass double doors and black frames, built on a wide wooden deck, fenced on both sides with a green lawn behind.

If you have a wall, don’t despair. Slatted fencing can also be used in front of the wall, giving you all the elongation benefits. A short section could also be used to top a wall.

The slats typically have a 10mm gap, so they provide a surprising degree of privacy, especially if you choose a wider slat.

For efficient use of space, you could also adapt the fence into a bench area, with the slats becoming the back of the seating.

2. Blend nature into your fence

No grass is no excuse for not having a nature-filled garden, so consider adorning your space with plants and fauna. One great bonus to a smaller garden is that it takes less to transform the space — a little effort can go a very long way.

Not only does greenery make us feel good — a principle known as biophilic design — but it adds different textures and colours to your garden, giving the impression of greater size. In an urban area, this could be your very own eco-friendly oasis.

A space-saving way to do this is by incorporating these natural elements into a feature wall at the end of your garden, similar to a project we worked on! This can also blend it into any natural surroundings, making for a clearer visual passage for the eyes — again, giving the illusory impression of more space.

Modern courtyard featuring a vertical garden on a black panel wall, wooden slat fencing, a stone-tile patio, and a long rectangular planter with trimmed hedges.

Modern courtyard garden with a small Japanese maple framed by tiered box hedges, a lush vertical green wall, and a metal grate walkway.

Trailing plants can also help your fence to blend in, making for a seamless visual journey.

Garden scene: pale blue-gray gate in a horizontal wooden fence, dense hedge on the left, and a potted rounded tree with rocks on the right.

3. Choose a lighter colour

It’s a longstanding design rule for good reason: darker colours can shrink a space. So, when it comes to the best modern fencing colours for a small garden, we’d recommend a light golden brown, straw yellow or, for on-trend minimalism, possibly light grey.

Airier colours reflect light and can blend in with natural surroundings for a more expansive look. By avoiding potentially jarring darker colours, you’ll create a more seamless look that’s easier to traverse visually, creating a sense of greater size.

This can be achieved with a lighter-coloured timber species. Some popular options include the light straw colours of Siberian Larch. Similar is Douglas Fir, whose wild grain pattern can add some extra character.

Modern backyard with white L-shaped raised planters filled with colorful flowers, a horizontal wooden slat privacy fence, a green lawn, and a tall black planter on the left.

Gray horizontal slat fence beside a stacked-stone planter with small green plants, a narrow lawn at the base, sunlit with soft shadows.

Another species you may be familiar with includes Western Red Cedar, whose versatile, warm reddish-brown and salmon pinks are sure to prevent your space shrinking. Don’t discount the exotic golden browns of Iroko, either.

Factory finishes can also help you secure a certain look. Our ColourFlex range includes a number of airy tints, including white, light natural and grey — any colour is possible.

Backyard patio featuring slate paving, a wooden dining table with four chairs, tall brown fence, and potted plants along the border.

4. Use fencing panels (or a trellis) to zone your garden

To make the most of your modest outdoor area, consider theming certain areas — perhaps you’ll zone off and create a mini wild garden with a dedicated seating area for reading and relaxation?

To avoid making the space look smaller, this should ideally be done with a subtle partition that allows light to flow, like a slatted fence panel or a trellis. Trailing plants and flowers could be added to create a natural, colourful screen.

Cozy backyard patio with a round black table and wicker chairs, surrounded by potted flowers, lavender, and lush greenery, stone steps and a wooden gate.

5. Consider a pergola

It may seem counter intuitive, but a small, one-bay gazebo or pergola can actually work fantastically in a tighter space. It adds year-round usability and functionality, helping to theme your garden whilst taking up surprisingly little physical real estate.

A pergola, in particular, might be a particularly smart choice. Whilst the lack of roof gives less cover, it permits light to pass through and can be decorated with various trailing plants and hanging baskets to add more character and interest to your space.

Creating a special smaller space?

We offer designer slatted fencing in a range of colours and quality timber species — perfect for adding natural beauty and inviting light into any space that’s on the smaller side. We also supply a range of stylish one-bay solid oak pergolas and gazebos!

If you have any more queries or questions about your next project, simply get in touch using the button below.