Hardscape 101: Style Guides
If you're designing a new outdoor area (or overhauling the hardscape you already have), we'll help guide you, from beginning to end.
Start by dreaming big-- you can check your wildest ideas later on, if need be. Make a list (even if it's a mile long) of whatever you want in your landscape: deck, patio, swimming pool, outside kitchen, edible garden, outdoor shower. Then utilize our Style Guides to help you separate the musts from the maybes.
Read our Hardscape 101 design guides to see thousands of images of garden areas to find what you enjoy, with an eye to style, colors, materials, and furnishings. You'll see certain styles emerge-- and then you'll be prepared to set a budget.
Where to spend lavishly and where to conserve? Some things worth spending on: a master strategy, masonry to provide your garden excellent bones, quality products to withstand the elements, personal privacy, and craftsmanship. Ways to conserve: usage gravel rather of pavers on courses, recycle existing materials (bricks, stone, pickets), purchaser smaller sized plants, and utilize mix-and-match furniture.
Small details can have huge impact in a landscape. Ensure hardscape products-- stone, pavers, concrete, gravel, wood, paint, hardware-- all collaborate, and also match your home's architectural style.
In our Hardscape 101 style guides, it's our mission to debunk garden design. And keep in mind: it does not matter if you're a first timer or a master garden enthusiast: you can do this.
Hardscaping 101: Decks & Patios
Think about a deck or patio as an instant extra space. Nothing will expand your living space faster.
The difference between a deck and a patio? An outdoor patio is constructed at ground level, on a flat surface area, and usually is constructed of a "long-term" product such as stone pavers, brick, or poured concrete. A deck drifts in the air, supported by footings, at a height of anywhere from a couple of inches to many feet and can be developed on an existing slope.
Deck frames typically are constructed of wood or steel supports. Deck flooring options include natural wood, composite products, bamboo, and pressure-treated lumber. For an introduction on choices (and their costs) see Everything You Need to Know About Decking Products.
For more benefits and drawbacks, read our Hardscaping 101 guides on bluestone, brick, wood montclairroofingcontracting.com/best-hardscaping-company/ deck tiles, stone deck tiles, decomposed granite, and concrete (pre-cast and poured-in-place) to figure out which decking material or pavers to utilize for your deck or patio.
Hardscaping 101: Driveways
Driveways typically get taken for given. They should have better. When it comes to creating curb appeal, the entry roadway that links a home to the public road is often a house's most popular hardscape feature.
" An appealing driveway will increase resale value if a property owner ever wishes to offer-- and in the meantime will invite you house every day," composes our contributor Kier Holmes.
Are you developing a brand-new driveway? Step one: Design and function must wed. To lay out a driveway, start by studying the shape and shape of the land. How big is your property? Are there dips and slopes to browse in between the general public road and the house? Take into consideration the variety of parked cars you will want a driveway to accommodate and whether you will need to allocate square footage for a garage.
Your driveway's style will depend upon its size, shape, and the material you use to pave it. If you reside on a hectic street, consider a horseshoe driveway to make it much easier to pull out into traffic. If your house is set back from the roadway, think about a curving driveway to develop a country-lane effect. On a smaller lot, a basic, straight driveway sited on the edge of the home may be the very best option.
The product you pick to emerge a driveway should match the architectural style of the house. Pavers, gravel, grass block pavers, asphalt, and poured-in-place concrete are all common options. Which is the very best choice for your environment and terrain? Read on: