DEAR TIM: We are building a home in a subdivision and plan to have both a deck and a patio. But the area is devoid of trees and when I walk on my lot in what will be my future backyard, I feel like a fish in a bowl. How can I get some privacy while relaxing in my outdoor rooms? I am looking for some instant and hopefully affordable solutions. Cary R. Verona, KY

DEAR CARY: The options that are available to you are as abundant as smoking grills on the fourth of July. I can immediately think of no less than 20 or 30 different privacy screens built out of any number of building materials that will work. I understand your need for instant gratification, but I must tell you the most effective and eye-pleasing result, in my opinion, is a mixture of plantings and some long-lasting building material.

You would think this attached garage wall would be a liability next to the patio. Actually, it provides an enormous amount of privacy from one of my nearby neighbors.

Architects solved privacy problems years ago with the actual buildings. Buildings that are U-shaped or even square with all four walls opening onto an interior courtyard produce excellent environments for the utmost in person privacy. A friend of mine owned a home in Florida where a simple wall on the front of his property created a privacy barrier for a small intimate patio where he read his morning newspaper. Hopefully you can modify the design of your home to incorporate a courtyard.

The first thing you need to do is check with your local zoning officials. There are very likely zoning regulations that describe fences, walls and other building structures that you can use to create a privacy screen. Be aware that often there are loopholes in zoning codes. For example, a zoning regulation may say that free-standing walls can't be any higher than 6 feet. But walls that are an extension of the house may have a height limit that matches the total height of the house. It sounds crazy, but you might be able to get enormous privacy if you just leverage the zoning regulations to the maximum allowable limit.

Quite by accident, my wife Kathy and I created a fantastic privacy barrier with our attached garage. The shape of our lot made it such that we had to stagger the position of our garage with respect to the front of the house. The zoning laws in my village do not allow garage doors to face the street. I wanted an extra-wide garage. When you add all of these factors together, we ended up with this 30 foot long 12 feet high wall next to our patio. It created instant privacy from our neighbor to the west.

We softened the look of this harsh wall with a large arbor that has two gorgeous honeysuckle vines that produce yellow and red flowers all spring, summer and early fall.

Don't forget to take sound into consideration when planning your privacy screening. Structures that are solid masonry work very well. They work even better when there is lots of vegetation nearby to help absorb the sound waves. Not only will these barriers keep your sound from traveling to the neighbors, they will help block offensive noise from polluting your private little outdoor space.

Be very aware of wind pressure as you think through what you will do. Strong winds can topple masonry walls and other wood structures that have not been designed to withstand the enormous pressure of wind pushing against a flat surface. Any number of design elements can be included in the wall so that you and your family will be safe. Be sure to have a registered architect or structural engineer approve your design before you head off to the building department to get a permit.

Finally, even though you want an instant privacy solution, I urge you to consult with a landscape architect who can lure you to look into the crystal ball to see what lies ahead. This person may be able to show you photos or actual places where landscaping has been used alone or with a structure to create an outdoor paradise that is beyond your wildest dreams. Be careful, looking at these photos may be the ultimate enticement.

Wood privacy solutions are among the easiest to construct, but they often become maintenance nightmares. But some wood structures built with redwood or cedar in drier climates can be easy to care for and look good for long periods of time. Simply be aware that wood might require a significant amount of upkeep to ensure it looks good.

Masonry walls have unlimited potential. You can stucco a wall, cover it with decorative tile or slate or even face it with real or artificial stone. Brick walls with weeping mortar joints can create a unique look and feel.

The best privacy solutions are ones that are well-planned and leverage local zoning laws to the hilt. Don't expect the zoning officials to help you find the loopholes. You will have to read the code and, the definitions of the terms in the code. Then start to do some creative thinking!