Savvy homeowners know that there are many sources of inspiration: magazines, websites and especially that enterprising neighbor (with a seemingly sky-is-the-limit budget).
The well of ideas can run deep, and Experts in Your Home has written about a favorite “well” before - Pinterest. But sometimes, the Experts turn to the experts, especially at this time of year, when people ask for ideas to invigorate their backyard. We know: making even one crucial change can transform a dull, lifeless backyard into a dynamic one that becomes a favorite congregating place – and not just on special occasions but every day of the week.
5 Ideas to Create Your Dream Backyard
To help our clients make the most of this valuable living space, Experts In Your Home has turned to the National Association of Landscape Professionals – the “voice of the landscape industry.” It has identified top landscape trends for 2017 that include “thoughtful design and stylish plantings.” This is one voice we hear loud and clear and which may inspire you, too. Consider these ideas:
#1) Extend Your Living Space by Building a Patio that Integrates Several Hardscape Materials.
This is one trend the Experts saw coming – sort of. We wrote about those different materials in “Extend your living space with one of six popular patio surfaces.” We like the association's idea of merging a pebble walkway, wooden deck with stone planters and iron gates and railings. This mixture of texture portends an informal, inviting space.
#2) Install a Cooking Station.
Note that we didn't say “install an outdoor kitchen,” although this is an option, too. One of our favorite ideas is converting an underused gas grill into a cooktop – ideal for people who want to cook outdoors to keep their homes cool but don't exactly revel in sweating over a fiery grill and dodging shooting flames. Saute, steam and poach to your heart's content, and with LED lighting overhead, you can keep everything on a low flame after the sun goes down, too.
#3) Develop a Natural Garden that Emphasizes Pollinators.
People tend to either love or loathe natural plantings , and if you're in the former group, then you know how they can be blissfully low maintenance and a particular blessing during dry spells. Gardens that attract pollinators ramp up the natural look with year-round nectar sources that attract hummingbirds, butterflies and honeybees.
#4) Infuse Your Backyard with the Danish Living Concept of “Hygge”.
Similar to feng shui, the Danes embrace coziness and the “simple pleasures of life” with hygge. In the backyard, this could mean building intimate seating areas, hanging soft lights and installing custom planters and a water feature. A fire pit to warm up those cooler nights could be part of the picture, too. (Why do we feel a mad rush to Pinterest coming on?)
#5) Designate a Portion of Your Yard for a Vegetable Garden.
The Experts are convinced that more Chico area homeowners would plant gardens – and reap a robust and healthy harvest – if they weren't worried about reducing their yard to a scraggly collection of out-of-control greenery. The ideal solution? A raised garden bed that harnesses plantings and becomes a gorgeous design feature. No matter how much space you have, the Experts can show you several designs that will make your neighbors think you have a sky-is-the-limit budget.
Take the bigger point here and let these ideas plant a seed of inspiration. Then call Experts In Your Home for a consultation and we'll put our heads – and ideas – together to develop a plan for your outdoor construction project. We love the process of collaboration, especially because our customers are some of the most inspiring sources of ideas that we know.
