Enhance your outdoor living experience with native plant landscaping and hardscaping ideas in Central Texas. Learn how to incorporate limestone retaining walls, flagstone patios, granite walkways, and sandstone water features into your design.
Chances are good you or someone you know works from home. The pandemic left a permanent mark on American society with many employees forced to work remotely, and now doing so happily, and voluntarily. But working from home has its drawbacks. One – it can become monotonous when you’re stuck in the same space for hours on end.
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Consider setting up an outdoor office space where you can work in the fresh air and natural light. Invest in a sturdy outdoor table and chair set, and make sure you have access to a power source if you need it. If you’re worried about the elements, invest in a sunshade or outdoor umbrella to provide some shade.
But what could you do with an outdoor workspace?
If you have a patio or deck, add some comfortable outdoor furniture, like a sectional, lounge chairs, or even a hammock, to create a cozy seating area. You can also add a fire pit or outdoor heater to keep you warm during chilly days or nights. This will create a relaxing atmosphere and provide a change of scenery from your indoor workspace.
Take your lunch outside! Consider installing an outdoor kitchen, which can include a grill, sink, and storage space. Cooking outside can provide a break from indoor cooking, and it’s a great way to enjoy the outdoors. You can also add a bar area and outdoor refrigerator to make your outdoor space feel like a second living room. Enjoy the fresh air, a more enjoyable break, and an easier cleanup.
Supercharge your creativity and productivity. Creating a garden space is a great way to transform your backyard into an oasis. A variety of plants and flowers adds color and texture to your outdoor space, and your mindset. You can also add a small vegetable garden or herb garden, which can provide fresh produce for your meals. Being surrounded by greenery and nature can also help you feel more relaxed and refreshed. Which is proven to improve productivity. We work best when we’re less stressed!
Aromas like Jasmine, Rose, Geranium, and Lavender, in addition to many others, can go a long way to refresh your mind and arrest body fatigue.
Adding a water feature, like a fountain, pond, or small waterfall, can create a relaxing atmosphere and provide a soothing sound. Water features can also attract birds and other wildlife, which can be a great distraction from work. Just make sure to maintain and clean the water feature regularly to prevent any unwanted pests or bacteria.
Transforming your backyard into an outdoor living space can provide a much-needed break from the monotony of working and living in the same place. By creating a cozy seating area, installing an outdoor kitchen, creating a garden space, setting up an outdoor office, and adding some water features, you can create an oasis that will help you feel more relaxed and refreshed and be more productive.
Contact us here to get on our calendar for your complimentary landscape design consultation today. It’s that time of year, space fills up quickly!
We proudly serve Austin and its greater metropolitan areas including Liberty Hill, Leander, Cedar Park, Round Rock, Pflugerville, Georgetown, Salado, Bertram, and Lago Vista!
By Alicia Witt | 5/27/22
Like many of us, spending more time at home has probably given you the sudden urge to change your surroundings. You’ve repainted the bedroom walls, hung up some new pictures, and rearranged your furniture one too many times. With summer weather here, and no more indoor space to spruce up, you’ve set your sights on larger grounds: your outdoor space.
Suddenly many great ideas are coming to you – the patio and poolside can use an upgrade and a firepit would be nice. And while you’re at it, why not add an outdoor kitchen since that’s most likely where you’ll be spending the majority of your time? All of these additions seem really tempting, up until you look up pricing. You’re probably starting to wonder: is remodeling a landscape really worth the investment? In this article, we’ll go over a few reasons why a landscape renovation is more than worth it. Let’s get started!
Aside from the obvious and much-needed change of scenery, there are many great reasons to invest in renovating your landscape:
Quality of Life
Creating a beautiful outdoor space can have a significant impact on your quality of life and mental wellbeing. According to a 2018 study conducted by the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP) and the National Association of Realtors (NAR), 85% of homeowners reported a greater desire to be home after completing their project, 78% reported feeling an increased sense of enjoyment when at home, and 79% reported a major sense of accomplishment when thinking about their project.
Other studies have also found that spending time outdoors surrounded by nature can reduce stress, decrease blood pressure and increase memory and attention. Simply put, a well-designed landscape remodel will bring you happiness, something that we can all use a little bit of and that is priceless!
Family Living
Are the kids growing up much faster than expected? Or maybe you couldn’t resist bringing home one more puppy. It happens to the best of us. Instead of shopping for a larger home to accommodate your growing brood, why not renovate your backyard for some extra living space? When going this route, you should start by defining the areas you’d like to see in your yard.
Do you want to keep your vegetable garden? Do you want to add a space for entertaining family and friends? Do you have or want a pool with a lounging space? Can you easily keep an eye on your kids and pets from your patio? Properly planning your backyard remodel will ensure that you maximize your space and create a living environment that can be enjoyed by all for years to come.
Home Resale Value
Something often overlooked when performing any renovation is how it may increase the resale value of your home. Improving our living environment is nice, but wouldn’t it be great to also see a monetary return on investment?
As with most things in life, first impressions matter, and the façade of your home is no different. According to 99% of NAR members, your home’s curb appeal will have a large impact on attracting potential buyers. So, what does that mean? Think manicured lawn, blooming flower beds, gorgeous steps, and an eye-catching driveway. Additionally, a well-landscaped home can sell for up to 12% more than a home with no landscaping!
The features you choose to invest in will depend largely on the reason why you are remodeling your landscape in the first place. That said, certain features will increase your home’s value more than others. If that’s a deciding factor for you, we’ve compiled a list based on the NALP-NAR survey mentioned earlier:
Outdoor Kitchen
Barbecues are great, but a fully equipped and personalized outdoor kitchen is even better! If you enjoy hosting get-togethers in your backyard, this is a feature you definitely want to look into. From shelving to mini-fridges and even side burners, there is no reason for you to be running back and forth from the indoors to the outdoors. We offer a wide range of retaining walls, allowing you to build a feature that is 100% you. Should you decide to sell your house, your outdoor kitchen just might seal the deal, and you can expect to recover about 71% of the invested cost.
Concrete Patio
What’s a backyard without a patio? Whether you’re looking for a spot to lounge while the kids play in the yard, a place for your outdoor dining table, or a space for friends and family to gather, a patio is a must. According to the NALP, walkways, and patios with contemporary, geometric patterns are a growing trend! And with our large selection of concrete pavers and patio slabs, designing your perfect patio is made easy. From traditional to modern and everything in between, you will certainly find a product to match the style of your dreams.
Fire Feature
Nothing says summer more than gathering around a crisp, warm fire after a day of lounging in the pool. But when we think about a fire pit, the image of a cast-iron bowl often comes to mind. Luckily times are changing, and options are growing, making it oh so simple to create a feature that will match your home’s aesthetic. Have a modern design in mind? Why not add a more modern fire pit into the mix? Its ultra-sleek design will certainly make it the centerpiece of your yard. Prefer something a bit more rustic? No problem – we can custom-build your ideal fire feature. Regardless of the style you choose, real estate website Zillow reported that homes mentioning ‘’fire pit’’ in their listing sold on average 3.8 days faster, and for 2.8% more – That equates to $8,400 more on a $300,000 home! It also ranked number one in the American Society of Landscape Architects survey on the most popular outdoor design elements. Finally, whether you’re selling or not, you’ll have something to make your space enjoyable throughout the seasons.
Curb Appeal
If you’re thinking of selling, now is a great time to spruce up your entrance! The façade of a house usually tells buyers what they can expect once they come in, and a poorly kept front yard can leave potential buyers wondering what else is wrong with your home. A simple way to refresh your lawn is by keeping the grass green, the flowers blooming and adding garden edging and planters to keep everything in place. If you really want to take it up a notch, now would be the time to redo your driveway and follow design trends by laying pavers in eye-catching and unique patterns! You’ll certainly boost your curb appeal and have passersby doing a double-take.
Landscape Lighting
Often an afterthought when planning a landscape renovation is lighting. But if you’re investing so much in your home’s exterior, wouldn’t you want to enjoy the view even once the sun has set? Not only does lighting increase safety when walking around your property at night, but it can also set the mood for your outdoor space. To really get the bang for your buck, we suggest investing in high-quality lighting that can be set with a timer and is guaranteed to last for years! If you’re in the process of redoing your steps, driveway, or any hardscape project, think about including integrated lighting such as step lights or recessed lighting, and use them to highlight key features of your landscape design. Adding ‘’outdoor lighting’’ to your home’s listing can even speed up the sale by three days. Not 100% sold on the idea? Check out our gorgeous hardscape lighting ideas for inspiration.
In our opinion, a well-planned and thoughtfully designed landscape remodel is always worth the investment. Whether it be an improved quality of life and mental wellbeing, more space for family activities, or a higher resale value, renovating your outdoor space is sure to bring you long-lasting benefits. So, what are you waiting for?
Find out how much your project will cost and treat yourself to the landscape remodel of your dreams!
Serving Austin and its greater areas including Leander, Liberty Hill, Georgetown, Cedar Park, Round Rock, Pflugerville, Lago Vista, Lakeway, Marble Falls, Burnet, and Bertram