Tag: outdoor living

Outdoor deck design ideas for your yard

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There are many choices involved in building a new outdoor deck. Size, shape, style and building materials are just some variables involved in the project. To create a truly excellent outdoor living space, it’s crucial to think beyond the basics and choose the best design for your lifestyle.

If you’re interested in ideas for stellar outdoor deck design, here are some options to consider:

Celebrate the view with a balcony-style deck

Does your home boast a beautiful view? Whether it’s a neighborhood vista or a view of your beautiful landscaping, building a balcony-style deck is the perfect way to enjoy the great outdoors at home.

A balcony-style deck design is simple and relatively easy to install. For a small outdoor space, try including built-in seating in your deck design. Ensuring that your deck connects to the side of your home will also save valuable square footage while still providing an exceptional place to enjoy the natural beauty of your yard.

Incorporate a swimming pool or hot tub for at-home luxury

You can create your own spa-like outdoor oasis by including a pool or hot tub into your deck design. A raised deck with a sunken hot tub is the perfect way to achieve a sleek, uncluttered aesthetic. If your yard already has a swimming pool, building an enclosed deck to surround it creates both functionality and privacy.

If you prefer to relax by the water, include lounge chairs and an outdoor coffee table where you can enjoy your downtime. You can make your deck even more luxurious by including plenty of water-resistant throw pillows and an outdoor rug.

Enjoy your deck all year with a cozy fire pit

A fire pit is a popular focal point for any outdoor living space, and can make a perfect addition to your deck design. With the myriad styles of fire pit available to buy and build, finding the best choice for your deck is easy.

For a rustic vibe, a classic stone or concrete fire pit will do the trick. Otherwise, consider adding an outdoor fireplace to extend your home’s living space into the great outdoors. A brick wall creates the perfect backdrop for a simple, space-saving fire pit you can incorporate into any outdoor dining area or cozy gathering space.

No matter what direction you decide to go with your outdoor deck, these ideas can help you get started in the right direction.

Arbor and Trellis Ideas for Your Garden

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Photo by Colin Maynard on Unsplash

Homeowners love the idea of creating a personal sanctuary in their outdoor living space, but many aren’t quite sure of how to proceed when it comes to making the most of their yard and garden area. One of the most common issues faced by homeowners is that they don’t really know how to use hardscaping elements to their best advantage. For instance, it’s standard procedure to place a trellis against the side of the house and let a rambling rose clamber up and around it, and while this provides a classically charming cottage garden look, it’s not the only way to use a trellis. Following are three suggestions designed to provide you with inspiration concerning how arbors and trellises can help transform your yard into the serene sweet spot of your dreams.

Create a Privacy Hedge With Trellises

One of the most primary elements of serenity is privacy. By putting in a row of trellises on the edge of your property, you can create a living hedge that does double duty by providing aesthetics as well as privacy. Climbing roses are a good option, but if you want year-round coverage, choose something like evergreen clematis. If you like the idea of mixing it up every year with different types of vining annuals, choose fast-growing options such as morning glory.

Define the Back of a Perennial Border With Trellises

Traditional perennial borders sometimes lack the necessary height for optimal balance, but you can fix that situation by installing one or two tall trellises at the back of the border and planting vining perennials. Classic choices include wisteria, clematis, vinca and, of course, old-fashioned rambling rose. Feel free to let your imagination be your guide when it comes to selecting vining plants. Blue potato vine, for instance, is a vigorous climber that’s not often seen in modern home gardens but is one of the few vining plants that reliably produce true-blue flowers.

Create a Secret Glade With an Arbor for an Entrance

If you’ve got a small, treed area on your property, consider creating a private glade where you and yours relax in an environment filled with natural beauty. Create a small seating area using a weather-resistant teakwood bench, and plant plenty of flowering woodland vegetation such as primrose, sweet woodruff and trillium. Plant your choice of vibrant flowering vines near the arbor so they can ramble up and over it to create a lush bower leading to your private retreat. 

Any one of the above approaches will bring an average yard from mundane to magical. With a little creativity, you can no doubt come up with more ideas for creating a serene ambiance using garden arbors and trellises.