An outdoor living space can sometimes be even more inviting than the home. A lot of the best memories can be made in your outdoor living space, especially when you add some features that encourage everyone to gather outdoors. As you plan out the next steps in your landscape renovation, be sure that there are some improvements that make your outdoor living space even more enticing. Prepare to spend more time in your outdoor space with these landscape design and masonry ideas on Long Island, NY.
Plant Lavender
Having a great time in your outdoor living space involves all of your senses. Add some beautiful scents to your landscape by planting lavender near the patio. Not only does lavender look amazing with its waves of gorgeous purples, but it also smells incredible. Lavender can also be used in various recipes for some delicious food and beverages.
Add a Pergola
Creating a great place to hang out in your backyard can start with building a pergola. This timeless shade structure can make an incredible impact on how much time you spend outdoors. Pergolas feature a semi-open ceiling that blocks most of the sunlight and allows air to pass through to keep the space cool. You can let various climbing plants such as grapevines, ivy, wisteria, or Virginia creeper make their way up the side of your pergola to soften the look and add a secluded feel.
Light fixtures and fans can be installed in the structure of the pergola for even greater comfort. And if you want to make the structure friendlier for all-season use, you could install a temporary polycarbonate roof that lets the light in but shelters you from rain. This versatile approach lets you enjoy the coolness of a pergola in summer, and make the space cozier when the cooler temperatures come.
Get Creative with Pavers
There are so many excellent paving materials out there, and the overwhelm of too many choices can be a little intimidating. Any outdoor space is made better with the use of masonry.
You could choose uncut natural stone such as flagstone for a rustic look (the slabs are arranged in a random puzzle style), and you can plant low-growing moss or creeping thyme between the stones for a gorgeous natural look.
For a slightly more structured yet natural look, consider cut natural stone slabs. This lets you enjoy the unique qualities of natural stone, but in a format that’s much easier to install.
Traditional brick pavers bring a touch of familiarity to an outdoor space. Typically small, brick pavers create intimacy. You may be surprised that brick pairs equally well with rustic, traditional, contemporary, and ultramodern homes. Like the “little black dress” you can’t go wrong with brick, especially now that concrete alternatives give you many more color choices.
Concrete patio pavers are the ultimate in design versatility because they can mimic natural stone, brick, or they can embrace their modern nature with textures including brushed concrete. There’s an incredible range of possibilities.
Where to start? If you’re considering changing your patio, start with complementing the materials and style of your home (don’t match, but complement). Your landscape contractor will have some great ideas and suggestions to help you narrow your choices.
Related: REVAMP YOUR LANDSCAPING WITH THESE AMAZING PATIO IDEAS IN EAST HAMPTON AND WESTHAMPTON, NY
Install A Game Space
When you have friends and family over, you can add to the fun atmosphere by installing a game space. Depending on which kind of games you and your family like the most, the game space can take up a small area or make a substantial mark in your landscape. Consider games such as bocce ball, horseshoes, or even a half basketball court!
An otherwise unused side yard can be the ideal spot for a game area, especially if you want to preserve the landscaping in your backyard.
A Private Retreat
The addition of a privacy fence can completely transform your backyard from a “fishbowl” to a private retreat. You could enclose your entire backyard, or just a small area such as a side yard - this could be transformed into a cool retreat for teenagers, complete with a hammock and string lights.
A Secluded Breakfast Nook
Having a delicious alfresco summer breakfast or mimosa brunch is a great way to add some luxury to your backyard. Set aside a little mini-patio in a secluded corner of your landscape to place a simple bistro table and chairs. The connection to nature and isolation from the troubles of the world will relax you and make summer even more enjoyable.
A Bubbling Fountain
Water features have a place in every outdoor living space. A simple bubbling fountain can make a wonderful impact on the feeling of the space. Whatever kind of design style or aesthetic your home and backyard follows, a fountain can be an integral piece of the design. Apart from the structural and artistic beauty of the fountain itself, the sounds and visuals of moving water will create a soothing ambience.
Living Barriers
Adding barriers between the various sections of your outdoor living space can be advantageous. They can help make a space feel intentional and let your guests feel more relaxed by creating cozier hangout spaces. But barriers don’t have to be solid and wall-like. They can be living walls of cedar or boxwoods; a linear planting of billowing ornamental grasses; a privacy screen that allows some light and air to pass through; or several trellises covered with climbing vines.
A Terraced Living Area
There’s no rule in the playbook that says you need to keep your patio on one level. A terraced living area with different platforms that hug the landscape can help the entire outdoor living space feel much more dynamic. Place features like a bench and some hammocks on a top platform to take advantage of the view. Put your hot tub or a fire feature in a lower area to help it feel more secluded and intimate.
Even a flat property can be enhanced with changes in elevation. A simple one-step difference - along with a change in materials, for example from masonry to decking - can add a dimensional and visually interesting look.
A Snowmelt System Under Your Patio
Now we’re talking luxury! If you’re adding a new paver patio, you’ll want to know that one feature that will help you and your family stay more comfortable as the weather cools down is a snowmelt system such as those used under driveways. A snowmelt system will ensure that your paved surfaces stay free of ice throughout the winter, and makes your patio more appealing in any weather.
A Beautiful Outdoor Fireplace
One feature that can really make a difference in making everyone feel cozy outdoors is the outdoor fireplace. This gorgeous masonry structure can use either wood or natural gas as fuel to create heat and ambient light. It will quickly become one of the most important features in your entire outdoor living space. You can even integrate culinary experiences into your outdoor fireplace by adding a chamber to bake some wood-fired pizza ovens. Soon, no one will be able to resist coming to your backyard!
Related: DESIGN TIPS FOR CREATING A HIGH-END OUTDOOR FIREPLACE IN BROOKHAVEN
A Vertical Garden
Especially advantageous in backyards with limited space, a vertical garden can have an incredible impact on a landscape. This feature takes full advantage of an otherwise blank and unused vertical surface, adding beautiful greenery. It will help increase the backyard’s connection to nature and can serve as a privacy wall. You can plant small flowers or even edible herbs in this vertical garden. Make sure to include an automatic drip irrigation system to ensure that you never have to worry about keeping your plants watered.
A Romantic Walkway
By installing a creative walkway in your backyard, you can add a quirky, yet elegant touch to an essential function. Use large format pavers or natural stone slabs, and separate them by several inches. Fill the wide spaces in between with grass, moss, creeping thyme, or pea gravel. This will automatically make anybody walking slow down a bit and appreciate what they see around them just a little more.
Related: 5 LANDSCAPE DESIGN IDEAS FOR CREATING A ROMANTIC GARDEN WALKWAY IN WESTHAMPTON, NY
Raised Masonry Planters
This wonderful masonry feature can make certain plants even more visually prominent. Even better, the seat-height walls of the planters make gardening more convenient. Raised masonry planters can be installed along your front entry walkway or along the perimeter of your patio. On a very large patio, they can even serve as “room dividers” (add ornamental grasses for a soft look).
An Outdoor Kitchen of Your Dreams
Happiness comes from keeping everyone refreshed and nourished. An outdoor kitchen is the foundation of outdoor dining. When designing an outdoor kitchen, consider “less is more.” Incorporate only the appliances you will use regularly, and spend your budget on beautiful masonry and higher-end appliances. An outdoor kitchen with bar seating lets your guests be in on the action while you cook. This design can even take the place of the traditional outdoor dining table, which is a great space-saver.
Related: WHY OUTDOOR KITCHENS ARE IN DEMAND FOR LANDSCAPE DESIGN PLANS IN EAST HAMPTON, LONG ISLAND, NY
Intelligent Lighting Design
Intelligent lighting design makes your outdoor living space infinitely more livable. It involves maximizing energy efficiency by focusing smaller light fixtures closer to their targets, upgrading light fixtures to use light-emitting diodes (LEDs), and incorporating light fixtures into masonry aspects in your backyard. The resulting effect could potentially be a backyard that’s even more exciting at night than it is during the day.
A Retaining Wall
Especially useful for sloped landscapes, a masonry retaining wall can have multiple important functions for a property. It prevents erosion, expands horizontal space, increases vertical interest, provides overflow seating, and houses light fixtures.
On a flat property, a double-sided seat wall will add interest and practicality especially along a front entry walkway and along the perimeter of your patio.
Water-Conserving Plant Life
Lawns may look amazing, but they use an incredible amount of water. During your landscape renovation, consider replacing a part of your lawn (if you don’t need it for kids and pets) by expanding the size of your patio (where you spend most of your time); or by installing native grasses or other water-conserving plants that add color, dimension, fragrance, and interest to the landscape.
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