Hardscape Planning

Outdoor living has become a way to take the indoors , outside. As homeowners we are continently trying to make our home better. Whether it's a weekend paint project or fixing the leak on the faucet. However , planing your outdoor living space is like taking a perfect painting and tracing over it with paper , hoping it all makes sense when it's done? I know , who does that? You would be surprised. As a landscape designer , Clients present me with there own visions of there outdoor space on napkins , cardboard boxes, scrap book collages even business cards with ketchup smeared on the back. So ,outdoor projects can happen while your at your favorite eatery and the napkin scrams ideas. Planning is key and these topics should help with the planing for you and your landscape designer to accomplish your perfect outdoor space. Purpose of your Space -What are you planing to do with your space? Will this be a family gathering for party's or will this be your own private getaway from life's everyday hustle and bustle , Or is the space both ? Do , I plan on having an outdoor kitchen? Do , I need a bar or are we buying furniture? Privacy from my noisy neighbor? Location and Size - How many people in our family will be using this space? If , I am building a fire pit and have a seat wall and chairs, will it all fit? Making sure the patio or space is proportionate with your home is key. Too small or too big of a space can either over power the house or make it look like a small island in an open ocean. Materials - I tell clients , A great designed space can look awful if the wrong materials were used. Example : Log cabin home with a modern looking paver stone....It does not work , It's like ice cream and soup. Log cabin with natural stone or even flagstone would bring this space to life. So , materials have a lot to do with the look of your current home. Bells & Whistles -Ambiance , the key to a perfect setting. When asked how do you get the , "Wow Factor?" I say , it's all in the bells and whistles. Fire pit or fireplace? Built in -kitchen or cart grill , Water feature for sound? Custom designed metal structure in the wall with water? Lights under the seat wall , Pergola over the living space. These are all examples that make up the foot print of the perfect outdoor space. So , if your now planing your space on a napkin or a cardboard box and meeting with your landscape designer , Ask yourself these questions and plan properly and you will have a great space to live and extend your home from the inside to the outside. Happy planning!