Tag Archives: outdoor design Overland Park

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

Playing With Proportion in Your Hardscaping

After completing a new construction, remodeling or addition home project, you can often be left with an unsightly yard in need of some much deserved attention. Deciding how to coordinate your hardscape with your landscape and tie them together with your new home can seem overwhelming. This is a perfect time to let the professionals assist you with their hardscaping services in Kansas City. Continue reading

landscape design

Choosing Outdoor Stair Materials That You Can Live With

When you’re designing your landscape, don’t neglect the stairs. A good stairway provides safe, reliable access and can add to your structure’s visual appeal. The first step to designing your outdoor stairs is choosing the material with which to build them, and the material you choose will depend upon both aesthetic preference and the amount of upkeep you feel your family can handle. Continue reading

Ideas for Incorporating Hardscaping Into a Landscape Design

outdoor design

Source: FlickrQ

Hardscaping is sometimes difficult to envision as part of a landscape, but with the right design it can look seamless.

Functional

Using hardscaping in locations which have steep inclines is a great way to make movement easier and beautify the otherwise difficult area. One idea is to add stone stairs which are extensively bordered by plants and brush.

Patios

A patio poses the perfect solution to an expanse of land where it is desirable to have seating, even an outdoor kitchen or entertainment center. The hardscaping can be made to incorporate the needs of the family while complementing the home’s colors and plants throughout.

Walkways

Adding a walkway to a yard is a wonderful way to add charm to a yard. Pathways can be lined with flower plants of many types to bring a personalized touch. Having a path which winds through a yard, perhaps circling a fountain, or leading to a seating area further away from the main building adds a ambiance that would otherwise be lacking.

Contact us at Outdoor Environments to learn how we can incorporate beautiful and functional hardscaping into your landscape.

outdoor design ideas

Create a Focal Point in Your Yard With a Beautiful Fire Pit

outdoor design ideas

Source: DecorPad

Adding a fire pit to your Kansas City area backyard is one of the most popular outdoor remodeling trends. The fire pit extends the use of your outdoor living space from spring until late fall. Some people even enjoy the fire pit during the winter holiday season if there’s no rain or snow.

A fire pit can be any size or shape. It can sit in the ground or above on any size patio as long as the area is open and ventilated. A fire pit can stand alone or it can be part of a stone wall built around the patio. The fire can be gas, charcoal or wood.

A sunken fire pit can suggest a rustic campfire or it can be paved with stone or brick. Seating can be built-in with stone and decorated with colorful cushions that are removed during wet weather.

A raised tiled or stone fire pit can also be a welcome addition to the patio designed so that it doubles as a barbecue with a grill placed over the fire. Marshmallows and hot dogs can be roasted on a stick over any fire pit.

Contact Outdoor Environments for a fire pit for your patio.

 

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 design

Bad View? Smart Landscaping Can Help!

outdoor design

Source: Pinterest

Your Kansas City house is perfect. Ideal amenities, layout and furnishings. Unfortunately, the view out your windows is anything but perfect. Exterior remodeling ideas featuring great landscaping and hardscaping create a view everyone can enjoy. Breathe some new life into your property with some imaginative view fixes.

To deal with small, unsightly things ruining your view, such as propane tanks, electrical boxes and central air units, you can use some clever landscaping tricks to hide them. A strategically placed trellis or a decorative retaining wall covered with climbing plants is enough to hide a propane tank or electrical box. Central air units need space around them so landscaping needs to draw attention away from them rather than covering them.

Dealing with an unsightly view of the neighborhood requires more inventive exterior remodeling ideas. Rather than putting up a tall fence, add in large hardscaping details. Constructing a large wall featuring a cutout creates a frame for the tall trees and sky-reaching plants behind it. A corner waterfall with full, flowering trees bring the eye down from utility poles and power lines. These combinations of hard and soft elements camouflage undesirable views.

Need more ideas to alter an undesirable exterior view? Contact our experienced landscaping experts for planning ideas and inspiration.

 

outdoor living spaces

Need Ideas for a Renewed Outdoor Living Space in Kansas City?

outdoor living spaces

Image via Outdoor Environments

If you want to bring a bit of a resort feel to your home, you need to look no further than your own yard. Consider these design ideas to turn your backyard into a a relaxing spot that can be a vacation spot in your own home.

Create a Comfortable Outdoor Sitting Room

Have Kansas City contractors create a roof over your deck or patio. Add comfortable outdoor furniture and the space becomes a welcoming outdoor sitting area. You can also add other amenities, such as water features or interesting lighting.

Bring the Kitchen Outdoors

Take advantage of warm seasons by cooking and eating outdoors. Outdoor kitchens are increasing in popularity as more homeowners understand how practical and enjoyable these can be. With cabinets, a mini refrigerator, a worktable and more, an outdoor kitchen is many steps above having a simple grill.

Stone or Stone Veneer Adds a Luxurious Touch

Natural stone or stone veneer brings rustic luxury. These materials may be used for outdoor kitchen backsplashes, patio walls or anywhere you want the ambiance natural stone can bring.

Add Style and Sustainability

You won’t give up style by using sustainable materials in your design. New eco-friendly pavers and other hardscape products look beautiful while offering a greener alternative to traditional concrete.

Contact us at Outdoor Environments by calling 913-897-2706.

rustic beams

Rustic Beams for the Room of Your Dreams

Image via Outdoor Environments Facebook

Image via Outdoor Environments Facebook

There is a special appeal found in old, rustic, rough-hewn beams, which were once only found in farmyard barns. They have personality that is missing from uniform sanded wood beams, and they add warmth and interest to any room.

Modern decor, whether indoors or out, an be easily enhanced with a few well-placed rustic beams, which offer a pleasant contrast to design style. Vaulted ceilings are excellent locations for reclaimed beams in a living room or an outdoor pavilion.

Don’t just consider ceilings for your rustic beams. Framing a doorway with antique wood will beautify any entryway and is simple to add to an already existing framework, which is a great way to liven up any doorway, wall, or gazebo with the pleasant ambiance of rustic beams.

At Outdoor Environments, we can help you add charm and architectural design to your interior or exterior renovation projects. Call us at 913-897-2706 to learn more.