Tag Archives: outdoor design

Brighten Up Your Home This Winter With Outdoor Lighting

Include in your exterior remodeling ideas outdoor lighting, especially to brighten up the long winter months.

There are a variety of outdoor lighting styles from which to choose. Select ones that are energy efficient. Today’s technology provides low-voltage, high-tech LED bulbs, which use 80 percent less energy than standard bulbs. This makes the night lights functional and sustainable. Continue reading →

Design Your Landscape With Storm Water in Mind

As you consider exterior remodeling ideas, do not forget to plan for storm water. Whether it is rain or melting snow, you can beautify your landscape in a myriad of ways that will not only protect your building, but use the water to its fullest. Continue reading →

landscaping

Don’t Forget Your Driveway When Landscaping

Your driveway can present special challenges when you are planning your landscaping. The larger or longer the driveway is can lead to even more possibilities and complications. Use professional hardscaping services in Kansas City can help you in developing the look you want. Continue reading →

Make a Compelling Pathway Through Your Landscape

Backyards can significantly benefit from the addition of a pathway. In addition to keeping your feet warm and dry in inclement weather, they can also be used to heighten the aesthetic aspects of your property. Here are a few ideas on how to use pathways most effectively:

  • Have a Destination – Almost by definition, pathways should be functional. Still, if you do not really have anywhere you need to go, create a focal point at the end of the pathway with a sculpture or a particularly interesting plant.
  • Maintain the Décor – Don’t just throw down a concrete or gravel pathway. Instead, consider the décor and use slate, granite or even wood to complement the rest of the scenery along the route.
  • Consider the Walker – Not only should a path be wide enough with plenty of clearance from the surrounding shrubbery, it should also be comfortable to walk on. Keep yours relatively level – with steps as opposed to ramps – and lighted if necessary.

For more information on your particular paver options and for other landscape ideas, please visit us at Outdoor Environments. Find us online at OutdoorEnvironments.com or reach us directly at 913-897-2706.

outdoor remodeling trends

Creating Attractive and Sculptural Garden Beds in Your Yard

outdoor remodeling trends

Source: Better Homes & Gardens

One of the most popular outdoor remodeling trends is using hardscaping to create beautiful garden beds. They are a well-designed addition to any outdoor space.
The concept of raised beds has historically been used simply to create a raised bed on top of rocky, poorly drained soil and then filling it with rich garden soil. Today, stylish materials are available, such as stone, wood, concrete and masonry.

  • Stone makes an attractive raised bed, using any size or variety of rocks. It requires no mortar and is simple to build. Maintenance is required, as it is not a permanent structure.
  • Wood is common and well suited for raised beds. It is reasonably inexpensive, readily available, and easy to install. Line the beds with plastic to keep the weeds down and guard food crops from any treated wood residue. Although long-lasting, wood will eventually rot and need to be replaced.
  • Concrete has gained popularity and can take on a variety of creative designs. It is permanent if installed properly. The cost is reasonable and the look is chic.
  • Masonry can compliment the exterior of your home. Depending on the stone used, it can be costly.

For more outdoor remodeling trends, contact Outdoor Environments.

outdoor garden design

Mix Up Your Materials for a Beautiful Landscape Design

outdoor garden design

Source: Flickr

Outdoor spaces are quickly becoming a versatile extension of the home. Exterior remodeling ideas now include landscape design that incorporates outdoor kitchens, living and dining areas. This blending of the comforts of indoors with the great outdoors opens up a world of creative possibilities. Delve deeper into that creativity by mixing up the materials used in your landscaping design.

Gravel
Don’t underestimate the versatility of gravel in your landscape design. For a more natural look in a wooded property, line paths with larger stones and fill in with gravel. In a patio area, pea gravel makes an ideal base for furniture and a sturdy, pleasant surface to walk on.

Cut slabs
Whether new or salvaged, cut stone slabs are a bold way to add topography to your landscape. Define grassy-topped steps down a hill with these easy to install choice for exterior remodeling ideas.

Irregular stone
Using irregular stone in your landscaping provides a sturdy surface with a less defined feel than traditional patterned flagstone. Allowing grass to grow up between the stones makes it seem as if they’ve always been part of the property.

Discover more ways to mix materials in your exterior remodeling ideas by contacting Outdoor Environments.

Enjoy the Weather and Stay Comfortable Outside This Fall

When cold weather arrives in Fall, many people pack up their outdoor furniture and don’t venture out again until Spring arrives. However, there are ways to enjoy the outdoors even during the colder seasons.

Add an Outdoor Fireplace

When it starts to get cold, sitting outside bundled in a sweater and jacket likely doesn’t sound too appealing. However, if you add an outdoor fireplace to your outside living area, you can make the space much more comfortable, even for prolonged outings. You’ll be surprised how much people love gathering by your outdoor fireplace, especially if it’s near a comfortable sofa and a cozy throw blanket or two.

Try Sheepskins

Sheepskins make great outdoor coverings for chairs and seating areas in the fall. Best of all, you can easily throw them over chairs and benches to keep your warm and comfortable, then pack them quickly take them inside for the night so they don’t get dirty. As an alternative to sheepskins, try using faux-fur blankets. They’re soft to the touch, warm and luxurious.

Contact Outdoor Environments for more information on outdoor living rooms and kitchens for your home.

Mix Hardscaping into Your Garden Design for More Visual Interest

If your garden needs to be refreshed,consider adding elements of hardscaping to create texture and visual interest. Garden transition, where each separate area of your yard has its own identity but there is a continuity that brings balance and flow to the entire space, is frequently used in outdoor design these days.

 

Design Style

Gone are the days when landscape was all straight lines and symmetrical flower beds. Now you see gently curved walkways, tiered terraces, serene ponds surrounded by comfortable seating, and creative use of yard art.

Mixing Materials 

Additional popular outdoor remodeling trends include using mixed materials. Create an interesting walk in a gentle zig-zag pattern. Fill the entire walkway with small earthy pea gravel. Let the gravel settle, then install flat river rock as stepping stones. Frame the entire walkway with short perennial plants or shrubs increasing size and height throughout  the remaining surrounding landscape.

Year Round Color 

Plan out your color in advance. There are many flowering perennials which bloom at different times throughout the year, so with a little planning it’s easy to have pockets of color no matter what the season. Then place planters full of flowering annuals throughout your entire yard during the warmer months for even more vibrant color.

Please contact Outdoor Environments for all your hardscape needs.

 

outdoor living spaces

Keep Enjoying the Outdoors: Tips for Adding a Fire Pit

outdoor living spaces

Source: DecorPad

Although there are a lot of excellent exterior remodeling ideas out there, one of the most popular outdoor additions among homeowners is the fire pit. A fire pit can be used for social gatherings or more intimate moments and allows you and your family to enjoy your outdoor area even as the temperature drops. The following are a few tips that you should keeping mind when adding a fire pit.

  • The Wind – If you happen to live in an area that is subject to a lot of wind, then you may want to consider building a half wall around your fire pit. This will help prevent the flames from going everywhere and endangering surrounding guests.
  • Fire Safety – Make sure that you clear the area around the fire pit. You don’t want any nearby bushes or plant life that could accidentally catch fire.
  • Space – Choose an area for the fire pit that provides plenty of space to add seating.
  • Ventilation – Proper ventilation is important, since you don’t want to inhale any of the fumes. Whatever you do, don’t build the fire pit in an enclosed area.

For additional exterior remodeling ideas, be sure to contact us at Outdoor Environments.