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February 16, 2010

Outdoor Living Rooms

Filed under: Covered Decks, Landscaping/Outdoor, Outdoor Fireplaces, Patio Covers, Patio Installation, Pavestone, Services, Water Features — Tags: , , , , , , — Mike @ 2:49 pm

outdoor_living_room

Designating a space as an outdoor living room is a new concept in home design. Our Great-Grandmothers would offer a glass of lemonade “out on the porch”. Our Grandmothers would invite us to sit on the patio and we now entertain on our decks.

Residents of tropical islands have long accepted that space in their homes naturally flows from the inside to the outdoor space. It’s possible the current interest in outdoor living rooms was a logical response to increased popularity of outdoor kitchens.

As gas grills became commonplace, homeowners who loved to entertain replaced the standard outdoor picnic table with stylish patio sets and added a small refrigerator, counter space and perhaps a fire pit or outdoor fireplace to their patio area.

What could be better than adding a sitting area that feels like a real part of the home?
Furniture of bamboo, wicker, resin, redwood or teak began to replace the standard plastic chairs and lawn chairs previously found in outdoor seating areas.

Stylish lockers provided rain-proof storage for outdoor cushions and small tables are conveniently placed for drinks or snacks. Carpeting or rugs designed for outdoor use are available with designs that go far beyond the bright green and lurid blue of previous options. Advances in concrete allow floors of outdoor living room to look and feel like ceramic tile or stone.

Outdoor living areas are more than just a place to sit outside the house on a nice day. Properly designed, they provide a secluded and protected area to enjoy the sounds of a rainy day or stargaze on a chilly night. With comfortable furniture placements that encourage conversation, adjustable lighting and a blazing fire, this is truly a room for living outdoors.

The ultimate outdoor living rooms are perhaps those where the traffic of visitors can flow seamlessly from indoor to outdoor spaces. For those with spacious gardens or pool areas the outdoor living room may be a separate area for relaxing away from the house.

Though usually protected from sun and rain with a roof of some sort, the outdoor living room may be covered with an open pergola or a retractable awning. For ultimate privacy, hanging curtains of canvas or weather resistant fabric may be added to provide ‘walls’ and privacy to the space.

For those in southern states, the outdoor living room is rapidly becoming a large part of family life today. Sitting on a comfortable couch with a gas fireplace on chilly evenings, homeowners find the ultimate in relaxation in their own backyard.

August 19, 2009

Landscape Water Feature Design Tips

Filed under: Landscape Design & Installation, Water Features — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , — Kathleen @ 8:51 pm

Here at Enhancescape, we’re big fans of landscape water features. We’ve worked with clients all over the country to install everything from fountains, to waterfalls and ponds and have seen how they can transform a hum-drum landscape into an oasis.

Dallas water feature, Atlanta water feature

Dallas Water Feature, Waterfall

There are so many different ways to use water to enhance your landscape, with options for every landscaping style and budget:

  • In a more formal setting, fountains can be added to create drama and elegance as a focal point for your landscape. Fountains are closed systems that recirculate water with an electric pump, so they can be used anywhere, including places such as Dallas or Atlanta, where there are seasonal watering restrictions. Manufactured fountains are available in a range of styles (including rising jets and downward falls) and materials (masonry, rock, slate, and marble are but a few) and costs vary widely.
  • Waterfalls make a beautiful addition to a terraced backyard or as part of your pool setting or a garden wall. When designing a waterfall, be sure to consider property slopes and architecture, connecting ponds or pools, and water flow. A common mistake is to build a tall waterfall – while dramatic, large waterfalls may seem out of place among your existing landscape, whereas smaller designs give you the sounds and visual pleasure you want while providing better balance and harmony with your existing landscape design. Manufactured landscape waterfalls can be specifically designed to fit your property in just about any material
  • Ponds do a great job of attracting wildlife and injecting a note of tranquility into your garden, but must be located in well-drained areas that get at least six hours of sunlight daily (to ensure that aquatic plants thrive). And remember, aquatic plants should cover at least half of your pond’s surface in order to control the buildup of algae. A good variety to begin with includes Water Lillies, Duckweed, and Anacharis.

Water features can be constructed using either natural or architectural materials. Natural stone will blend beautifully into the surrounding landscape, while materials such as concrete block or pavestone can be used to ensure that your water feature is seamlessly integrated with your patio.

Regardless of how you design your water feature, it will bring sound and movement to your landscape, adding new dimensions to your plants, trees and lawn and creating a tranquil environment in which to relax and enjoy the outdoors.

August 3, 2009

Landscaping Around Your Water Feature

Filed under: Landscape Design & Installation, Landscaping/Outdoor, Services, Water Features — Tags: , , , , , — Kathleen @ 3:22 pm
Water feature, waterfall, Dallas, Atlanta

Dallas Water Feature

More and more homeowners are choosing to add water features to their landscapes. Water gardens can add interest to an otherwise unremarkable yard, form an appealing border for a patio or deck, or provide soothing sounds to drown out the noise of a surrounding neighborhood or nearby street. Just look at how the pond and waterfall we installed for a Dallas-Fort Worth area homeowner adds to the appeal of this backyard!

Water gardens are fairly simple structures. Most begin with a pond of some sort, and ponds are built by digging a hold in the ground, laying down a liner, and placing rocks or other hardscape around the edge. But no pond is complete without plants, both in the water and in the area surrounding the pond.

Adding plants to the water itself is the key to avoiding algae problems. It’s important to cover at least 60 percent of the water’s surface with plants such as water lilies, water hyacinths and oxygenating plants, which actually filter the water to help keep it clean.

In addition to placing plants in the water, you should add plants in the area immediately surrounding your pond to mask the pond liner and soften the look of the rocks or hardscaping that forms the border.

Which plants should you choose?

  • If you want to create a Japanese feel, try dwarf conifers (such as Alberta Spruce) with minimum color or alpine plants.
  • To add height, you can use conifers, crimson fountain grass (Pennisetum rubrum) and Siberian iris (a bog-loving plant).
  • Other good plants to use around ponds, especially those with a lot of rock, include some of the sedums and hen-and-chicks. They add a variety of color. Some are tight and low growing, while others are more leggy. They do great in full sun and help soften the rocks by growing right around them.

When all of the plants are in place, the next step is to add mulch to help prevent the soil from eroding away. It protects the plants and provides a finished look for your water feature, but also helps retain moisture and keeps the weeds away. Be sure to water all of your plants regularly to get them up and growing.

July 5, 2009

Using Rocks and Boulders in Your Landscape

Filed under: Landscape Design & Installation, Landscaping/Outdoor, Natural Stone, Pathways & Walkways, Services, Water Features — Tags: , , , , , , , , , — Kathleen @ 1:20 pm

Have you ever considered landscaping with rocks? Not only can rocks add texture to your garden, but they are also very attractive and don’t cost a lot. The beauty of using rocks is that you don’t necessarily have to spend a lot on materials, as you might already find you have a wide variety of rocks on your land to begin with. If not, you can always use natural stone from a garden supply center or landscaping contractor.

dallas water feature, dallas covered decks

Dallas Water Feature

There are a variety of projects you can do with rocks and boulders. These include:

  • Building a rock wall to define your property border;
  • Creating a border around trees;
  • Laying a rock pathway;
  • Adding interest to a pond or water feature (like we did for a Dallas-area homeowner, above); and
  • Accenting your existing landscape with rocks here and there.

Accent rocks boulders can add a lot interest, impact, and character to your landscape. They can even add a second or third level to your landscape without actually having to create an elevated area. However, accent boulders need to be made a “part” of the landscape. Try burying the bottom of the rock four to six inches in the ground and see the difference it makes. Simply dig out a little under where the boulder is to be set and place your ground cover around it. This will give a more natural look as it would appear in nature. It also leaves a little to the imagination. There’s no telling how big the rock actually is or if it was really there to begin with!

 

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