Your home should feel like a place of sanctuary, where you can work if necessary but also relax when it's time to unwind. Living in a calm space can help us all de-stress and lighten our mood, creating a healthy environment. Apart from enjoying a calm space inside your home, you’ll also benefit by extending the vibe outside into your backyard.

You can make the most of your outside space with a few clever ideas, whether you’ve got a tiny patch or a large expanse. Here are five ways to transform your backyard into a serene outdoor area you can enjoy throughout the year. 1.

Choose a calming color palette Color plays a big part in creating a certain mood, so if you want to design your backyard with calmness in mind, you might need to rethink your planting, especially if you’ve inherited a backyard full of vibrant-colored plants. Generally, greens, blues and pastel shades are viewed as calming colors, while reds, yellows and oranges will stimulate your senses. It’s similar to creating a calming color scheme within your interior to induce relaxation.

For instance, there are 5 paint colors you should never use in your bedroom as they are over-stimulating and can disrupt sleep. However, there’s no reason to banish bright planting in your backyard completely — you might just want to dedicate one area to softer hues. My favorite mix includes soft creamy white Hydrangea Annabelle and fragrant bluish-gray lavender .

Other tranquil combinations can consist of pink, lilac and p.