Need privacy planting inspiration? Michelle and Barack Obama's Chicago home is the only blueprint you could ever need – and it's so easy to replicate

We're always looking for ways to make our homes feel more secluded while still celebrating their unique design and architecture. What better place to look than the home of one of the world's most famous public figures?

Michelle and Barack Obama's home in the Kenwood neighborhood of Chicago is a masterclass in using front yard hedges for privacy. The former presidential power couple has positioned mid-height evergreens at the edge of their lawn, with smaller shrubs lining the walkway and closer to the house. Large grees line the edges of the property, blocking the upper windows from sight. Although it's appropriately planted out, the unique design of their white and brick home still shines.

Drew Swainston, master gardener and Content Editor at Homes & Gardens, admires the Obamas' choice of plants for privacy. He explains: 'Adding evergreen shrubs to a fence line is an efficient way to help give year-round privacy.'

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Furthermore, Drew says that the look of their verdant hedging plants is easier to recreate at home than you might think.

He advises: 'As with the Obamas' fence line, planting selected individual evergreens can provide an efficient screen without the need for a more barrier-like hedge or solid fence, which could make the plot feel more constricted. Tall evergreens provide greenery, allow light to penetrate through, while giving enough cover to protect from prying eyes from the street.'

No matter your garden idea, it's easy to customize the Obamas' technique to your preferred landscaping style. Drew says: 'The evergreen can be kept for a more natural look, or trimmed in topiary shapes, such as cones, pyramids, or columnar forms.'

If you prefer a more minimalist garden hedging, a similar level of privacy can be achieved with smaller plants.

Drew states: 'The same benefits come from taller shrubs or small trees in front of the house, which allow natural light to come in and provide beauty to admire from inside the house, while shielding the windows from onlookers.'

The right planting can turn your home into a tucked-away, private oasis that celebrates the best parts of your home. Just look to the Obamas' house for inspiration.