6 Clever Ways to Disguise Trash Bins

You probably don’t give much thought to your garbage cans, other than remembering to put them out on the right day. But we all have to store our trash and recycling bins somewhere, and doing so can be a challenge on a smaller property, especially if you don’t want them to be an eyesore. If you’re struggling to find a stylish way to store your bins, check out these smart and inspiring ideas. Now, is it black or green bin day this week?

Garbage Bins 1: Outhouse Design, original photo on Houzz

Choose a screen. The curved screen in the corner of this courtyard is an attractive feature in its own right, thanks to the decorative cutwork pattern, and offers an elegant way to hide ugly plastic bins from view.

By using a screen like this, you can section off as much of the garden as you need — to store bikes or garden equipment as well as bins. To blend in the structure even further, you could grow climbers up and over the screen or along the wall behind.

Related: Outdoor Chairs to Entertain in the Garden

Garbage Bins 2: London Front Gardens, original photo on Houzz

Create a brick shelter. Built in red brick to match the house, and tiled with slate, this practical storage area blends with the property’s exterior and actually enhances the space with its character and interest. The look is mirrored in the raised bed at the front of the drive for a coordinated finish.

A custom compartment on the left neatly houses the bin, while two smaller storage compartments on the right make room for stacking recycling boxes.

Garbage Bins 3: Fenton Roberts Garden Design, original photo on Houzz

Make it part of the garden. The aim of this front garden design was to create a wildlife haven, and rather than see the bins as an unsightly obstacle to be hidden away, the owners decided to make them integral to the design.

They created a sturdy wooden structure with a living roof that works as an extension of the garden and is planted with wildlife-friendly flowers and foliage.

Related: Create a Wildlife Haven With a New Bird Bath

Garbage Bins 4: Beertje Vonk Artist, original photo on Houzz

Design it into an outbuilding. In a larger space, an open-sided outbuilding like this one is ideal for storing and hiding bins. It’s painted a heritage shade and is partly screened in front with evergreen topiary to create a visually appealing feature — a great way to smarten up a drab drive.

This idea would complement a traditional or cottage exterior, but if your style is more contemporary than country, you could choose a sleeker style, or paint it a darker shade to tie in with the exterior of your home.

Garbage Bins 5: Kate Eyre Garden Design, original photo on Houzz

Tuck it into a border. Can you spot the trash bins on this drive? They’re neatly tucked away in the wooden box to the left of this image, and the impact of the structure has been much reduced by positioning it in a decorative floral border and planting low standard trees right alongside it.

The structure also has a green roof planted with succulents to further disguise the box and make it as visually appealing as possible.

Garbage Bins 6: The Honest Scot, original photo on Houzz

Build a clever storage wall. If space is limited, why not make your recycling containers work extra hard by turning their storage area into a boundary wall, as these smart homeowners have. This neat wooden shelter screens the bins from the road while creating a clean, contemporary-style wall.

Related: More Designer Tips to Boost Curb Appeal

By Victoria Harrison, Houzz