Make Your Yard Look Twice As Big with 3 Easy Path Design Tricks that Pro Landscapers Love

Lately, I seem to spend half my life daydreaming about my large future yard. I mentally plan out an orchard filled with fruit trees, coops to keep my chickens safe and beautiful whimsical details such as thoughtful paving slabs. One of my biggest daydreams, I have to say, is having more space. Sometimes I wish it were possible to make your yard seem twice as big just by waving a magic wand. In fact, there are ways to do this with one of the most functional aspects of a backyard design.

I've picked up a thing or two when it comes to backyard landscaping over the years, but I'm by no means an expert when it comes to designing a garden path. And while we tend to view paths as purely functional – a way to get from Point A to Point B without getting our shoes muddy – the truth can be a lot more eye-opening. In the world of professional landscaping, a path is a paintbrush. It dictates what we see first, where we look most, and most importantly, how we perceive the boundaries of our growing spaces.

So to help us both out and fuel those romanticized yard visions, I spoke to landscaping experts to hear about those path design secrets – the path-specific landscaping tips and tricks that not only add the "wow" factor but also make your yard look huge. If you wish your garden looked a bit bigger, the right garden path is one of the most efficient and dynamic ways to impact space. Come on, it's time to harness the power of path design with some very clever visual shorthand!

Path Cheats to Make a Yard "Bigger"

Before we dive into these clever garden path ideas for making our yards seem double the size, it is important to understand the "why" behind these tricks. Making a garden look bigger isn't necessarily about physical renovation; it’s really about optical illusions. In a small space, the eye tends to hit the fence too quickly. When your vision stops abruptly at a boundary, your brain registers the space as small. By using specific path shapes and elements, though, you can manipulate perspective – a technique that artists call trompe l'oeil (“trick of the eye”).

With these pathway tricks, we are essentially slowing the eye down or tricking the brain into believing the path continues further than it actually does and covers more ground. The best part? These tricks require zero professional masonry skills. Whether you are laying mulch, gravel or pavers, these low-maintenance landscaping ideas work regardless of your budget or DIY experience. Read on to discover how to make a small garden look bigger with just a few simple pathway ideas.

1. Curved Pathways (Hidden Corners)

When most people think of pathways or paving slabs, they think of traditional squares lined up neatly. But according to Gene Cabellero, co-founder of GreenPal and long-time landscaper, curved paving designs are far superior for anyone hoping to make their yard look bigger.

"I've been in the landscaping industry for over 25 years and have worked with hundreds of homeowners," says Gene. "Curved paths are popular for anyone looking to add in some paving without making their yard seem visually smaller. They trick the eye into thinking a garden is bigger than it is in reality by creating a focal point, slowing a person's line of sight down, and adding visual depth through curves."

A straight path allows the eye to zip straight to the end of the garden, highlighting how short the distance is. A curve creates "hidden" corners. If you plant tall grasses or shrubs like lavender or hydrangeas in the elbows of these curves, you create a further sense of mystery – and depth. The brain wonders, what is around that bend? Naturally, we then assume there is more garden to explore.

You don't need expensive custom-cut stone. Curved paths can be achieved by placing square slabs at a slight angle, making them gradually snake instead of following a straight line. Alternatively, you can opt for less uniform shapes such as natural flagstones, clusters of compressed stones, Adobe Ridge Sandstone Pavers from Wayfair, or river pebbles, winding them down your garden. A measuring wheel like the Zozen Measuring Wheel from Amazon can help you to check the dimensions of your yard ahead of choosing where to place a pathway.

Planting Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa) along your curved path creates a cascading effect that enhances the curve. Pair this with hostas to make your curved path feel like a natural trail through a large woodland. You can buy a range of Hostas from Nature Hills.

2. Tapering Paths (Forced Perspectives)

You know those scenes in movies where a character walks through a narrow entryway before entering a spacious room? The room seems all the larger after they come out of the narrow space. This is forced perspective (a classic Disney theme park trick). This idea can be replicated through creating a tapered pathway design, starting off with a narrow passage near your patio (say) and having it lead into a wider point or destination toward the back of the garden.

"Similarly to curved designs, narrow pathways that widen gradually (or vice versa) can also trick the eye into making a garden seem a lot bigger than it really is," says Gene. This is because your body can feel the space around it open up with every step, easing feelings of claustrophobia and encouraging you to feel more aligned with existing in your outdoor space.

Gene notes this hack is even more effective if a homeowner opts for light-colored materials like gravel or stone that reflect light and open up tight spaces. Think white marble chips or light gray pea gravel. You can buy Ebern Designs Landscaping Gravel from Wayfair (pale green and pale mixed-tone are good options, but it is also available in other colors).

If you're placing gravel or loose stones in a path, it's best to invest in a lawn leveling rake like the BlumeTrec Landscaping Leveler from Amazon to ensure the stones are even to walk on. To emphasize the effect of a tapered path, alternate between sky pencil hollies at the front and shorter, soft-textured lavender at the back, making the end of the path seem further away. You can buy Sky Pencil Hollies from Nature Hills.

3. Stepping Stones (Fragmentation)

Stepping stones are another great way to create the illusion of a larger yard, as well as a functional form of paving. They work, again, through optical illusion, by using fragmentation, breaking up the open space of your lawn to trick the eye into perceiving more overall distance along the path.

"Stepping stones are another amazing trick, especially when a little grass or visual space is left between each stone," says Gene. When stepping stones are placed close together, a path design will look more continuous and heavy. But if they're placed some distance apart or in curving directions, the fragmentation draws attention away from straight, parallel lines (which can make a space feel tighter). Try these variations:

• The Minimalist Look: Use oversized slate rounds or ‘fake slate’ Arlmont & Co Decorative Stepping Stones from Wayfair for a modern, airy feel that pushes attention to the furthest destination point.
• The Rustic Look: Use irregular stepping stones with moss, creeping thyme, blue star creeper, or creeping Jenny planted between individual stones to add to the expansive feel of the yard. You can buy Golden Creeping Jenny from Nature Hills.
• The Floating Look: If you have a deck, interlocking wooden deck tiles like Yaheetech Interlocking Deck Tiles from Amazon create a "boardwalk" style stepping-stone path that feels high-end.

If you want to know how to make a garden look bigger, this is one of the most effective scaling tricks. By forcing the person walking to take slower, intentional steps, you are effectively lengthening the time it takes to traverse the yard. In the world of garden design, more time spent walking equals a garden that feels significantly larger.

Other Ways to Broaden Horizons

Now you’ve mastered your pathways, perhaps you want to push the boundaries of your space even further? Broaden your horizons with these big garden strategies:

• Go Vertical with Trellises: When floor space is limited, look up. Using narrow obelisks or wall-mounted trellises encourages the eye to move vertically, making the garden feel taller and less cramped. You can buy Shop La La Wall Planters Wall Mounts from Amazon.
• Borrowed Landscape Trick: If your neighbor has a beautiful tree, don't hide it behind a tall, solid fence. Use a window in your hedge or a trellis fence to borrow their greenery, making your garden feel like it continues into theirs.
• Cool-Toned Planting: Stick to a palette of blues, purples, and whites at the far end of your garden. Warm colors (like reds and oranges) advance toward the eye, while cool colors recede, making the back fence feel miles away.
• Mirror Magic: It sounds strange, but an outdoor-rated mirror tucked behind some ivy can look like a doorway into another room of the garden. It doubles the light and the greenery instantly. Create a “secret garden” effect with an arched mirror like the Ebern Designs Arched Wall Mirror from Wayfair.
• Layer Your Heights: Don't plant everything at the same level. Use raised beds of varying heights. Creating different tiers breaks up the flat plane of a small yard, adding complexity and depth.

Frequently Asked Questions

Shop Paving Essentials

Creating a path for your yard can be such an easy way to create a dynamic visual shortcut that deceives the eye into believing your precious space is bigger – but don’t forget these path-perfect essentials for walkways that will be the envy of all your friends and neighbors:

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