How Walmart's Outdoor Screen Is Putting A Modern Spin On Privacy

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Having plenty of privacy in your backyard can make the space so much more enjoyable, but bringing screens and other covers into the equation creates all-new outdoor design problems to solve. While you could use things like traditional wooden fences and bushes and shrubs for hedges to separate your property from the outside world, sometimes you want something with a more specific look. If you love modern design and want a patio characterized by the movement's preference for functional pieces with clean lines, the FOOWIN Outdoor Metal Privacy Screen for $109.99 from Walmart could fit the bill. This screen is a simple, no-frills choice, ideal for a style where less is usually considered more. So, instead of being overly decorative, this screen's dark color and simple horizontal slats act as a more subtle background piece.

This free-standing black screen is made from galvanized steel, which means it's likely to hold up well to changing weather conditions, like heat, humidity, direct sunlight, and rain. This also means it should keep its deep black color, maintaining a sleek, modern look. Here are the specs: It is just a hair over 6 feet tall and a little under 4 feet wide. It weighs about 46 pounds, so it would be both easy to move as needed but also hard to knock over, barring extreme conditions. Some reviewers added support to keep it steady on windy days, just in case, and you can also attach it to walls and fences for extra privacy or just as decoration. 

A common theme in the reviews for this privacy screen is that setup is quick and simple. You don't really need a DIY background or special tools to do it, though some users suggest swapping the provided ground stakes out for more substantial and sturdier spikes. Aside from that, it allows for versatile placements. Purchasers indicate that they use it for more privacy on their patios in apartment complexes or across their side yards in single-family homes to block sight lines. However, while the tight placement of the screen's slats will block much of the visual access to your space, they are still wide enough to let light through. So, you can use this as a creative privacy screen idea to beautify your outdoor space, as it won't make things feel dark and closed off when you're next to it.

One of the main tenets of modern design is using functional pieces that do their job efficiently, which this screen certainly does. However, it's always possible to add a touch of personalization to the piece so it better fits your home. Use it as a trellis for climbing plants, or add hooks in the slats for potted plants to hang on various levels and string lights across the tops of the barriers for more ambience. There's even a black grid version of the privacy if you want something a little more unique than the simple slats, swapping the minimalism for a more modern art look that can enhance a contemporary landscape design even further.