Duplexes are solid investment opportunities, and there’s a lot to love about multi-dwelling living. One of the primary concerns potential buyers have is backyard privacy. Your backyard should be a retreat, an extension of your living space, and two homes being so closely situated together can make that difficult to achieve.

Luckily, you can transform your backyard into a secluded environment where you can enjoy the weather without prying eyes.

If you’re thinking about building a new home, a duplex home builder can ensure you nail the execution. You get one great house to live in, and the other can be an investment, providing a great rental opportunity. A modern duplex is as stylish as a traditional home, but it’s more affordable and even cheaper to insure.

As experts in house design and home building, we have experience building every style of home, whether you’re looking for a duplex home design, a single storey or double storey house, or even a granny flat.

If you’re interested in duplex designs, we’re interested in helping. Don’t let a lack of privacy deter you from exploring duplex houses, especially when there are easy ways to boost privacy.

With that in mind, let’s explore 12 duplex backyard privacy ideas.

1. Plant a hedge

Nothing provides more privacy than a dense hedge, and it’s great for the environment, too. It’s more costly to purchase sturdy hedges, but it will provide you with privacy more immediately than planting smaller items and waiting several years for them to grow full size.

Source: Secret Gardens

This lush natural barrier can shut out noise, improve air quality, and attract the birds and the bees.

Ideally, you want a native grower because it requires less maintenance. Consider options such as:

●      Mock Orange.

●      Viburnum.

●      Lilly Pilly.

●      Leightons Green.

●      Gardenia Florida.

●      Photinia Robusta.

2. Install a privacy fence

Fences are one of the most effective ways to create privacy. They clearly define your private space and block unwanted views and viewers.

Fencing is a great way to ensure privacy because it prevents prying eyes from seeing in, but it also dampens noise to some extent. It can also align with your aesthetic vision, finishing the look.

Source: Shaw Landscape Group

You can choose fencing materials such as composite, vinyl, wood, and metal, but it all comes down to which material best fits your aesthetic and what type of style you’re trying to create. While it might be tempting to go for something stylish, such as a picket fence, remember to choose a fence that will maximise your privacy.

Do you want a chic, modern or cozy atmosphere? Composite will deliver the former, while a wood fence best fits the latter. Metal fences come in several different styles, so they can be an easy fit to your desired aesthetic.

3. Build a private patio

A cleverly situated patio can provide you with a slice of privacy in a backyard that isn’t as private as you wish.

Source: Fence Trac

Combined with privacy screens, awnings, or a pergola, you can gain immediate privacy and create an oasis to escape the chaos. By creating a smaller area, you have a more cost-effective way to privatise your outdoor space.

Whether it’s stone-look porcelain for a brick beach cottage or teak wall cladding, timber shelves, and marble splashbacks for a restored heritage home, there are no limits to patio styles.

4. Plant climbing vines

If you’re looking for vertical privacy, some well-placed trellises and climbing vines can provide you with just that.

Climbing plants deliver privacy, but they also provide a bit of charm and colour, and they serve the environment. They require little maintenance, so once they take off, you can sit back and enjoy.

Some excellent choices for climbing vines include:

●      Bower Vine.

●      Clematis.

●      Wonga Wonga Vine.

●      Running Postman.

●      Dusky Coral Pea.

5. Use hanging baskets

A well-placed hanging basket, or series of hanging baskets, can soften the edges of harsh fencing or walls and provide an extra layer of privacy.

Source: Hillier

Hanging baskets are easy to maintain, whether you buy a pre-made and ready-growing hanging basket or plant your own combination of flowers. Not only do these beautiful pieces attract friendly wildlife, but they look incredible. Additionally, using vertical space to create privacy allows you to maximise floor space for furniture and activities.

There are no limits to what you can plant in a hanging basket, but certain flowers fare better. Trailing fuchsias and geraniums are beautiful; begonias, herbs, succulents, and bromeliads are also popular options. These are all trailing plants that bring the drama.

You can mimic the natural conditions in which epiphytic orchids live in a hanging basket or use ferns to create shade. If your basket is in full sun, potting plants like succulents or nasturtiums are also a good choice.

6. Install a bamboo screen

If you want natural screening and you’re looking for a cost-efficient solution, bamboo screens are an excellent, stylish, affordable, and eco-friendly privacy option. If you’re looking to create a laidback, beachy or tropical vibe, bamboo screens are the perfect option.

Source: Chippy’s Outdoor

Bamboo screens come in various heights and colours, so you can get the privacy you need and the style you want. But most importantly, they’re easy to install.

7. Build a raised garden bed or retaining wall

Raised garden beds and retaining walls are a popular solution for gardening lovers who want to nurture stunning plants and enhance privacy. It’s easier to get height out of your plants when you’re working with a raised garden bed. Consider incorporating a container garden and layered plants to stagger heights.

Not everyone loves large plants and climbers, and utilising a raised garden bed allows you to plant more of the plants you love while maximising your privacy. 

The key is to look for tall and hard-wearing plants, such as:

●      Golden Creeping Jenny.

●      Scaevola, Bacopa.

●      Silver Falls.

●      Maidenhair Fern.

8. Install a water feature

Water features add interest to any space, whether you have sprawling acreage you’re trying to fill up or trying to maximise privacy in a narrower block.

Source: My Slice of Life

Water features do a great job of dampening sound and covering your noise and your neighbour’s. Just be mindful about turning it off during the evening hours when people are trying to sleep; not everyone enjoys the peaceful sounds of running water while they dream.

Water features come in all sizes, shapes, and designs, so you can invest in a chic modern look or embrace a classic.

9. Use furniture wisely

Garden furniture is a must to enjoy your outdoor space, but you can also use it to create more privacy.

Source: Houzz

You need furniture in your garden anyway, but through strategic placements, you can effectively create a living room in your backyard and focus your privacy solutions around that specific area.

A table and chairs for dining are a must, and lounge chairs for sunbathing are also important. However, don’t forget about well-placed statues and plant plots and how you can use them to enhance privacy and aesthetics.

10. Add a freestanding privacy screen

For smaller spaces, a freestanding privacy screen is a great solution, whether you need one or three. Freestanding screens can be easily moved if you need privacy elsewhere, and they can also offer shade while sunbathing or privacy while changing before trips in and out of the pool.

They come in a variety of materials, whether you prefer metal, wood, or fabric. Outdoor curtains can do a similar job if you’re looking for something more affordable.

11. Create a living wall

With a chainlink fence and a will to garden, you can create a living wall of your own. Just ensure your fence posts are secure enough to hold the weight of whatever climbing plants you choose. Or, use an existing wall or fence for vertical plant boxes you can use to create your living wall.

Source: Green Services Direct

Living walls purify air, boost well-being, reduce ambient temperature, act as a sound barrier, and make your backyard more pleasant, giving you an excuse to spend more time outside.

Herbs are an excellent option for a living wall, but so are plants like Wax Flower, Geranium, Verbena, Petunias, English Ivy, Lipstick Plant, and, if you prefer, succulents.

12. Work with a landscape designer

Whether you have some idea about what you’d like or not, working with a landscape designer will ensure you get the privacy you want with the look you love, ensuring the aesthetic of your outdoor space is maintained.

Not only can a landscape architect offer advice on which plants will thrive in your space, but they can also offer recommendations about the right combination of privacy elements to create your perfect oasis.

Additional considerations

You have a dozen solid privacy options to choose from, but there are additional considerations you need to factor in as you plan your garden and privacy.

●      Local regulations: Always consult zoning laws. Some local councils restrict fencing heights, so check your local regulations before you opt for fencing. It might not be tall enough to suit your needs.

●      Neighbourly relations: You have to consider how your privacy actions will affect your neighbour and consider their view when adding height and the noise level after hours with solutions like water features.

●      Maintenance: Some privacy solutions require more ongoing maintenance than others; consider your tolerance for the type of maintenance required. If you aren’t a gardening lover, don’t give yourself too much to do.

●      Style and aesthetics: It’s always best to stick with the home’s design when it comes down to the style and aesthetics of outdoor improvements.

●      Environmental impact: Some plants are more attractive to bug life than others; choosing native growers is a great way to keep the local wildlife happy and healthy.

●      Safety: There’s a balance to strike between privacy and security, so ensure that your privacy solutions don’t reduce your security.

●      Future plans: Consider how the changes will impact future renovations or upgrades and plan accordingly.

●      Personal preferences: Whatever you decide, it’s your home, so it should be visually appealing to you.

Summing up

By implementing a combination of these suggestions, you can create a private oasis in your duplex backyard. Just because you have a neighbour close by doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy tranquil living.

Evergreen trees and Deciduous trees are high on the privacy function scale and deliver a natural, seasonal beauty. Climbers are medium to high on the privacy function scale but deliver greenery year-round.

Learn more about Provincial Homes. We don’t just deal with duplex backyard privacy ideas; we build modern duplex designs in Sydney, NSW. Get in touch with us today to discuss our architectural styles and your backyard ideas, or visit one of our display centres. Homeworld Box Hill has five display homes and another two at Homeworld Leppington.