28th Year Anniversary
Serving the Naperville Community
Serving the Naperville Community
 The leaves may be falling and the air feels more brisk every morning, which means Old Man Winter is on the way. Are your new landscape design and driveway winter-ready in Hinsdale, IL? Here are some tips for making your life easier this winter.
Related: 4 Seating Options For Your Fire Pit in Wheaton and Hinsdale IL Areas 1. Simple Landscaping Around the Driveway Shrubs and flower beds along a driveway are beautiful to look at, but they can take a real beating in the winter. Careless plowing, or even simply the sheer weight of wet, packed down snow (whether shoveled or plowed) can crush shrubs and make a huge mess come spring. De-icing salts can also kill plants surrounding your driveway. While there is no perfect solution to this ongoing problem, simply minimizing ornamental plantings around your driveway will save you a lot of headache. You will still need to refresh grass that may have been damaged by plows or by the weight of added snow - but you won’t have to be replacing shrubs or raking mulch back into a plant bed. 2. Install a Driveway Heating System If you haven’t already installed a new driveway, don’t take another step before considering the benefits of a driveway heating system. You may never have to shovel or plow again… and you can install heating systems under concrete pavers (for a serious up-leveling of your driveway’s curb appeal) or under asphalt or concrete. There are two types of electric driveway heating systems to consider: a heat-generating mat, or a coil system containing antifreeze. Both can be automatically activated when sensors detect precipitation or freezing temperatures. This way you never have to wonder whether you remembered to turn the system on, and the system automatically conserves energy by shutting off when temperatures are above freezing. While your electric bill will be higher, this cost can be partially or completely offset by not having to hire snow plow services. Bonus: if you haven’t installed a new patio or walkways yet, consider installing a heating system there as well. This will make your patio a much more usable and pleasant place to be on chilly days (especially if you have a fireplace or fire pit). And, it will make your front entry walkway much safer. Another bonus is that a heating system also eliminates the need to use de-icing salts, which makes your landscaping very happy… and since no additional snow will need to be thrown or pushed onto your landscaping, you could install attractive planting beds along your driveway - and your driveway will be the envy of the neighborhood all year long! 3. Add a Fireplace or Fire Pit And speaking of fire… a roaring fire really takes the chill out of winter. Imagine sitting bundled up in your favorite fleece blanket, sipping hot cocoa, and sharing laughter and conversation with family and friends around the fire. Fire pits are more casual and they come in both portable and permanent versions. For an authentic campfire experience where you can cook food over an open flame and enjoy a hotter burning fire, go with a wood fire pit. For more convenience and ease (no dealing with wood and no smoke in the eyes), choose natural gas or propane. Outdoor fireplaces are more stylish and help to create an outdoor living room vibe in the backyard. Related: Achieve a More Welcoming Home With an Upgraded Driveway in Wheaton, IL
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3 Historical Outdoor Lighting Options to Complement an Antiqued Brick Patio in Naperville IL10/17/2020  Antiqued brick is one of the most charming and timeless materials for patios. It looks amazing during the day; but which lighting techniques can you use to bring out brick’s natural beauty after dark? Here are 3 historical outdoor lighting options to complement an antiqued brick patio in Naperville, IL.
Related: Adding a Brick Patio to a Traditional Landscape Design in Naperville IL Lanterns Lanterns are the ultimate in classic outdoor lighting. They have illuminated streetscapes for over a century and you can still find them in certain historical locations throughout the country. The pluses to using lanterns is that they add elegance and a touch of history to your outdoor living space. They come in a variety of styles ranging from victorian to bungalow, and are often made using black iron. Today’s lanterns can accommodate low voltage light emitting diode (LED) or compact fluorescent bulbs that last much longer than old-school incandescent bulbs. The cons with lanterns (especially square shaped lanterns) is that they only spread light outward. When mounted on a post, pergola, home, or pillar, the light cast from the fixture will spread to the sides, but it will not illuminate the ground below the fixture. This can create challenging shadows immediately beneath the lanterns, which can be dangerous on walkways. One solution is to use many small pathway lights in the shape of lanterns, which will help fill in the dark areas. Another solution is to hang lanterns high and ensure they have a tapered bottom, which will direct more light downward as well as outward; this could, however, result in too much illumination if the lights don’t have dimmers. Hanging lanterns high will also eliminate any potential blinding effect. Mounted around eye level, lanterns can be too bright as the light shines into your eyes; this works to create the illusion of greater darkness in areas of the landscape not directly illuminated by the lanterns. In short, lanterns generally work best as accent lighting. Given that lanterns spread the light, they will highlight the textures of brick to create visual interest after dark. As mentioned, you could use them in a miniature version along pathways; or, use low-voltage lighting if the lanterns will be hung closer to eye level, to provide enough light without being blinding. Sconces Sconces could be another way to illuminate a brick patio. Sconces direct light up and down rather than sideways - which makes them the perfect complement to lanterns. Sconces are generally used more as accent lighting. They are mounted to vertical surfaces and create interesting textured effects both above and below the fixture. Sconces are the ideal decorative fixture to use for uplighting and downlighting, to highlight textures on vertical surfaces and to some extent on underfoot bricks as well. In-Masonry Lighting While not exactly historical, subtle lighting effects can be achieved by incorporating light fixtures into vertical features. These can softly illuminate the outer perimeter of a brick patio in a romantic way. The fixtures themselves are recessed and virtually invisible during the day, so they won’t interfere with the patio’s historic appeal (and at night, you only notice the effects and not the fixtures themselves). A Modern Blend A modern blend of all three lighting types could yield the best results: a historic vibe with the modern convenience of specific types of lighting to create more even lighting as well as the right ambience. Related: 3 Patio Ideas For Fall Flair in Hinsdale and Naperville IL Areas  If you’re tired of your driveway - the straight shot to the garage, the boring asphalt or poured concrete, and the overall cookie cutter look; or if your driveway is in need of a complete replacement or renovation - then now is the perfect time to plan a driveway that will not only turn heads, but put a smile on your face every time you come home. To inspire you, here are 4 dramatic driveway designs for Naperville and Wheaton, IL, homes.
Related: Adding a Brick Patio to a Traditional Landscape Design in Naperville IL Honor the Landscape Your driveway doesn’t have to be strictly utilitarian. It can also become a thing of beauty that blends attractively into the landscape. If you have the space for it, consider a longer, more undulating driveway that follows the contours of the land and/or creates its own interest. It’ll make a statement. A less direct approach to the home will encourage people to drive slower and take more notice of the landscaping, and it will give your driveway a more thoughtful feel: more deliberate, and more artistic. A Grand Entry If you have the available space, a horseshoe driveway, or a driveway with a circle or entry court, near the home will add to the drama and sophistication. The area within the circle can feature a sculpture, a beautiful tree, a dramatic fountain, a rock garden, or other prominent focal point. This approach can allow you to narrow the driveway itself to just one car width - preserving more of the landscape - and allow space for multiple cars to turn around by the driveway. A Wagon Wheel Track Muddy, rutted wheel tracks are one of the reasons people started paving driveways in the first place. And yet, the look is charming and works well with a rustic or relaxed home. You could use concrete pavers in lieu of dirt for a much more durable and beautiful look; the center of the driveway could be grass, which will also make for a more eco-friendly driveway. Choose Pavers Any driveway, whether short or long, straight or curved, can be made more dramatic with the use of concrete pavers. You’ll get the timeless look of virtually any traditional driveway material (brick, granite blocks, or cobblestones) as well as in an expanded palette of colors and finishes. Or, the driveway could become a modernist work of art using concrete pavers and contemporary mixes of sizes, colors, and textures. A trendy approach is to create an edgy, industrial look, by mixing and matching various shades of steel-grey pavers that range in texture from brushed, stippled, to smooth. Pavers give you options in sizes, shapes, and laying patterns, including trendy plank-style or hexagonal pavers. These materials can be carried over to walkways and patios as well if you want the same look throughout; or, you can tie these various hardscape areas together using a unified border theme. Concrete pavers can also be installed as permeable, with larger spacing between them to allow water to seep through. This is a more water-wise option that allows water to return to the aquifer instead of flowing down the driveway. If you want to retain the look of an asphalt or poured concrete driveway you could also add a paver border, accents, or apron (a paver area where the driveway meets the street). This will add interest and sophistication. An apron can have a functional purpose as well; it can extend the life of your asphalt driveway in the high-impact area where cars are turning and accelerating. Related: 3 Patio Ideas For Fall Flair in Hinsdale and Naperville IL Areas  Gathering with family and friends around a fire pit is one of the great joys of outdoor living. Whether your space is formal or casual, a fire is irresistible. It’s the perfect setting for creating wonderful memories. But, “where” to put everyone is sometimes a challenge. Here are 4 seating options for your fire pit in Wheaton and Hinsdale, IL, areas.
Related: 4 Seating Options For Your Fire Pit in Wheaton and Hinsdale IL Areas 1. Chairs Adirondack chairs are the classic fire pit seating options. They are stylish, in a casual and friendly way, and the main benefit is that everyone can be as close to the fire as they like. Some people may love to sit close to the fire, while others prefer to keep their distance and only occasionally put their feet up to warm them. The challenge with large chairs (whether they are Adirondack-style or cushioned lounge chairs) is that there is only so much space around a fire pit. The area can quickly become very crowded, which can make navigating around the fire pit a challenge. The ideal situation for using Adirondack chairs around the fire pit is if the fire pit itself is large (so that nobody is pushed out to the perimeter), and that there is ample space around the fire pit to comfortably position enough chairs for the whole crew. 2. Wooden Benches Wooden benches offer more seating for a larger group of people, since several people can share a single bench. They can be moved closer or further from the fire (as long as the bench’s occupants all agree), and they eliminate the cluttered feeling of a chair-filled space. The downside is that they may not have backrests, which can get uncomfortable after a while. If you choose to have benches around your fire pit, opt for benches with backrests. This will keep the party going longer! Benches are also better suited to a larger fire pit area with ample space to position the benches for optimal comfort. 3. Seat Walls Seat walls are the masonry version of wooden benches. They partially surround the fire pit, which means you’ll still have an “entry point” to the fire area that can accommodate one or two freestanding chairs. Seat walls serve to create a defined fire pit area that visually ties in with the rest of the patio. However, there are a few important drawbacks to seat walls: they are not particularly comfortable for extended fireside chats, unless you provide cushions to sit on. They often don’t have backrests, which again gets uncomfortable. And, they cannot be repositioned to suit individuals. Seat walls are great if you have limited space and want to avoid clutter around the fire pit. 4. High-back Seat Walls Seat walls with a backrest serve the same space-defining function as backless seat walls. In addition, they create a cozier - and warmer - space since the heat from the fire pit reflects off the back rests. All in all it’s a more intimate and welcoming experience. Again, you’ll need to provide cushions to sit on, and people won’t be able to adjust their proximity to the fire. However, this is a stylish way to create a conversation-pit style fire area. In fact, fire pits with high-back masonry seating can be positioned lower than the rest of the outdoor living areas (recessed into the ground, or on a slope) for a dramatic miniature amphitheater effect. Related: Achieve a More Welcoming Home With an Upgraded Driveway in Wheaton, IL  If you’re looking to spend more time outdoors next season - and spend more time enjoying your outdoor space and less time working on it - now is the ideal time to plan a landscape that won’t eat up your free time. Here are 3 landscape design ideas for low maintenance landscaping in Wheaton, IL.
Related: 3 Patio Ideas For Fall Flair in Hinsdale and Naperville IL Areas Replace the Lawn with Low-Maintenance Options Lawns are gorgeous, but they’re the prima donnas of landscapes. It’s estimated that Americans spend, on average, 70 hours each year on lawn care, not to mention a disproportionate amount of water and chemicals just to keep the lawn alive. Considering that this average figure also factors in people who don’t have a lawn or pay a lawn service, the number of people who have lawns and care for them is much higher than 70 hours each year. Low-maintenance softscape options abound, and the best choices begin with native plants that are ideally suited to the Illinois climate. Water-wise natives range from ground covers to ornamental grasses, annuals, perennials, shrubs, climbing vines, and trees. Not only do native plants add beauty with their huge diversity of shapes, colors, and textures, they also don’t need much from you. A few ideas for beautiful natives include: Big Bluestem (an ornamental grass); Blazing Star (a tall flowering perennial); Milkweed (a favorite for pollinator gardens); Prairie Phlox (a perennial perfectly suited for woodland-to-meadow transitional areas); Eastern Prickly Pear Cactus (you’ll love the stunning spring flowers); Chokecherry or Chokeberry (a shrub with beautiful fall foliage and bird-attracting berries); Buttonbush (a butterfly-attracting shrub); Sweet Fern (an unusual shrub with gorgeous fall color); Sweet Gale (a shrub with leaves that exude a lovely fragrance when crushed); and New Jersey Tea (yes, you can make tea from the leaves). Native trees such as American Hophornbeam, Eastern Redbud, River Birch, Downy Serviceberry, and Carolina Silverbell are a few trees that are perfectly suited to local climate and soil conditions. Raised Bed Masonry Gardens If you enjoy gardening but want to make life a bit easier, consider a few masonry raised bed planters. Pollinator gardens, edible gardens, herb gardens, or annual gardens are just a few examples of what you can do in a confined space - with virtually no weeding needed! Raised masonry planters can be used to divide living spaces, add privacy (when filled with taller ornamental grasses, climbing vines, or evergreen shrubs), and create attractive green areas in otherwise awkward corners of the backyard. Expand Your Outdoor Living Space To enjoy your free time more, expand your outdoor living space - the patio or deck. You can still have a wonderfully lush and interesting landscape filled with a variety of plants, but less lawn and fewer fussy plants that demand your attention when you’d rather be relaxing or entertaining. One trend involves creating multi-level outdoor living spaces that are adjacent to one another. For example, you could keep an attractive paver patio as it is, and add on a slightly elevated deck with a pergola-covered lounge area. Another option is to create one or two additional outdoor “rooms” that are completely separate from the main patio and connect them with walkways. Tuck an outdoor fireplace into a corner of the property, add comfortable seating and a small beverage fridge, and you’ll have an amazing destination that creates a more intimate conversation area and replaces some of your lawn as well. Either of these options can be surrounded by vegetation for a more intimate feel, or left more open and expansive. Related: Adding a Brick Patio to a Traditional Landscape Design in Naperville IL  Fall is all about warm colors and warm interactions with people. But, that doesn’t mean hunkering down indoors! Here are 3 patio ideas for fall flair in Hinsdale and Naperville, IL, areas. These tips will let you enjoy the coziness of crisp fall days while you admire nature’s splendor. Related: Achieve a Rustic Front Entrance With the Right Driveway Pavers and Landscape Design in Wheaton IL Fall is often considered the most beautiful season in Illinois. It’s the tantalizing beginning of the holiday season yet still retains the warmth of summer. Even though nature is getting ready to take a break, you can still make great memories with family and friends on your patio. Here’s what you need to spruce up your patio this season. Fire What’s more special than gathering around a fire pit or outdoor fireplace with people you love, wrapping yourself in a cozy blanket and sipping a mug of hot cocoa? Fall days are often still quite warm but evenings bring an unmistakable chill. Don’t send everyone scurrying indoors when the sun dips below the horizon. Invite them to sit together by the fire! A fire pit will give your patio a relaxed campfire feel that’s about as casual as it gets. Fire pits allow everyone to share in the warmth and can be either wood fired for authentic campfire ambience, or gas- or propane-fueled for convenience and safety. You can, if you’re careful, still roast marshmallows over a gas fire pit - just be sure to choose fire pit materials that are easy to clean (pebbles instead of lava rock, for example). A fireplace is a more formal addition to your patio. This is a fire feature that can easily be decorated for every season and can be wood-, propane-, or gas-fueled. A fire table brings a level of sophistication to your patio. Fire tables are meant to do double duty as a coffee, dining, or bar-height table where people share food and drinks so they are gas- or propane-fueled. Add red, orange, and yellow colored decorative glass to bring a festive atmosphere to your fire table. While you can always use portable fire features to warm up your patio, permanent fire features are more stylish and durable. Combined with a new seat wall, masonry fire features will totally transform your patio into the “hot spot” to spend your time. A Colorful Trellis and Arbor If your patio feels too exposed, consider adding a trellis on one or more sides. This will block ugly views (or nosy neighbors), provide a wind break from chilly fall breezes, and it’s an opportunity to showcase fall colors. Climbing vines like Virginia Creeper, roses, or hops create a gorgeous living wall all season and their vibrant fall reds, oranges, and purples make for a stunning backdrop to outdoor living. An arbor between two trellises is another opportunity to grow colorful climbing vines and to lean a few corn husks to honor the season’s bounty. Seat Wall Another way to make your patio “the” place to be in fall is to add a seat wall. This is a great way to add seating without clutter (in the colder months, be sure to provide colorful blankets or cushions to sit on), and what better place to showcase the family’s pumpkin carvings! Seat walls can also be decorated with colorful containers filled with hardy ornamental grasses, evergreens, or creeping ground covers. A seat wall can curve around a fire pit, or it can serve as a patio boundary. Using a seat wall to enclose your patio gives you a wonderful sense of cozy enclosure without blocking views. It also gives your patio vertical interest and timeless charm. Related: Adding a Brick Patio to a Traditional Landscape Design in Naperville IL Achieve a Rustic Front Entrance With the Right Driveway Pavers and Landscape Design in Wheaton IL8/20/2020  COVID-19 has brought us all closer to home, and many people are rediscovering the joys of a simpler, more rustic lifestyle. Now, you may not be raising chickens and growing all of your food, but you’ll feel even more at home with a more relaxed and simple outdoor space with a rustic, homey vibe. Here’s how you can achieve a rustic front entrance with the right driveway pavers and landscape design in Wheaton, IL.
Related: Driveway Pavers vs Patio Pavers: Is There a Difference in Hinsdale IL? Mixed Materials/ Rustic Pavers Back when people were building homes by hand, they used materials on hand. This meant mixing materials. You can do the same on your entry and driveway. For example, you can use granite cobblestones (or concrete pavers made to look like granite cobbles) as the main field of your driveway… complement that with a textured flagstone walkway and entry… and tie the look together using smooth cobblestone or dimpled brick borders. Or, you could use natural bluestone on your walkway and entry, flagstone-look concrete pavers on the driveway, and tie the look together using a natural stone seat wall that runs the length of the driveway and arcs around in a welcoming embrace at the front entry. The contrast of colors and textures will give you the best finished effect: just remember to stick to no more than three materials to prevent an overly busy look. We’ve mentioned a few different types of pavers already. The rustic look comes from irregular edges, rougher or more weathered finishes, and pronounced textures. Some concrete pavers come with rustic edges that look hand-hewn; but underneath you’ll find precision and dimensional consistency that makes it easy to interlock pavers for a sturdy surface, which is particularly important on the driveway. Flagstone, bluestone, limestone, sandstone, brick (especially distressed brick), granite, and limestone all make great rustic pavers. You can find natural paving stones or concrete pavers with a natural or vintage finish, to suit your budget and design aesthetic. When laying pavers, go for an easygoing pattern such as Ashlar, that isn’t too formal or predictable. It’s not random, but looks like it is! Landscape Tips for Rustic Spaces Making your landscape look as natural as you can will add to the rustic flair. That doesn’t mean wild and unkempt! Just avoid straight lines, formal gardens, perfectly trimmed hedges, monochromatic plantings, or too many exotics. You’ll get the best results using native plants that are perfectly adapted to your home’s location. Reduce the size of your lawn (you’ll be thrilled by the lower maintenance) and replace areas of lawn near your home with collections of native shrubs and flowers - you can think of them as little islands of nature, such as pollinator gardens that invite beneficial insects and wildlife to your landscape. Give your driveway and entry a warm welcome by guiding your visitors along a beautiful masonry wall made with stacked flagstone (whether natural or a concrete alternative), to a gently meandering walkway that’s just right for the size of your home… add some shade with local flowering trees, some cheerful color and inviting fragrance with native perennials and annuals… Foundation plantings can be simple: some ground covers reaching away from the walkway and driveway to relaxed, un-manicured shrubs and perennials. Finish the look with a welcoming stone or wooden bench at the home’s entry and a rustic stone fountain that brings the joyful and relaxing sounds of water to your landscape. Landscape lighting can be incorporated into the wall so that your attention rests on the natural features. Related: Achieve a More Welcoming Home With an Upgraded Driveway in Wheaton, IL  A patio is a central place to gather, converse, eat or drink, and enjoy time with loved ones. The beauty of a patio is that it can be designed to complement both your home and your existing landscape. A traditional landscape typically uses more historical-style materials, brick being a common and popular choice. Adding a brick patio to a traditional landscape design in Naperville, IL, will complete your landscape and add both value and visual appeal to your property.
Related: Check Out These Landscape Design Ideas for Large Naperville, IL Properties What is Traditional Landscaping? When designing a hardscape that acknowledges the traditional or historical significance of your home, it’s important to use materials that have been used throughout time. Brick is one of these materials. It is easy to come by, durable, and decorative with the natural color variation in each brick. Using traditional materials such as bricks is the best way to complement the design of your home and existing landscape while you create a beautiful patio that you will use and enjoy. With bricks, there is more than meets the eye. They allow you to be creative with your design, all while adding to the beauty of your traditionally landscaped lawn. Authentic Bricks From classic red, to natural hues, to dark and weathered, bricks are a go-to material for traditionally inspired hardscapes. Bricks have been around for millenia, and their beauty comes from the unique color variations in each one. Bricks that are made in the traditional way by shaping and firing clay always have an element of color variation, as the clay from the ground is never just one solid hue. Around the world, bricks can be found in many different hues, depending on the color of the natural clay found in the earth. Stay true to the traditional character of your house by working with brick colors that are native to your geographical area. Brick Patterns Bricks can be arranged together in many different patterns, which make them a very versatile material to use for your traditional patio. Especially when designing a patio with ample space to be creative, experiment in your plans with how different bricklaying patterns will look next to your house. The most well-known pattern is the running bond, where bricks are laid in horizontal lines, with each line staggered from the one before it. Get a little extra creative with a basket weave or half basket weave pattern, where bricks are laid in an alternating horizontal and vertical alignment. For an interesting zig-zag effect, try a herringbone or diagonal herringbone pattern. Add some visual dimension and define the border of your patio by laying a line of bricks end-to-end around the outside edge. Brick Pavers To achieve the traditional look of brick, along with the benefits of concrete pavers, opt for a paver that is styled to imitate bricks. With concrete pavers, you will see a more uniform color and style. Concrete paver bricks can be made to look sharp-edged and sleek, or weathered and rustic, and can imitate any color and pattern of brick, all while still achieving a traditional look to match your existing landscape. Brick-style pavers are also available in a selection of geometric shapes and varying sizes to add even more visual dimension to your patio. Finishing Touches Add a brick walkway that leads from your patio to your gardens, along your side yard to your driveway, or to another favorite part of your yard. However you choose to use bricks in your yard, they will be the perfect complement to your beautiful and traditional landscape. Related: 3 Landscaping Ideas for Making Your Naperville, IL Property More Useful  If you’re looking to freshen up your landscape, you’re probably looking at ways to make it more modern and on-trend. To help you with your design decisions, here are the hallmarks of contemporary landscape design and landscaping in Wheaton, IL. Related: Landscape Design Ideas for Showstopping Entrances in Hinsdale and Naperville, IL Areas Today’s outdoor living is very different from when you were growing up. Most backyards had a simple patio or deck, a portable grill, a picnic table with a sun umbrella, and cheap lawn furniture. Today, homeowners are blurring the line between indoors and out. They want many of the same amenities, and all of the comforts and conveniences. They are looking for more sophisticated backyards for entertaining, and many are more eco-conscious and want backyards that are environmentally friendly. The good news is you can have all of that with modern landscape design. Pavers If there’s one element that adds sophistication to your outdoor living spaces, it’s pavers. Paver patios look and perform better than any poured concrete patio, or wood or composite deck. Concrete pavers are available in a huge array of styles, colors. You can even get permeable driveway pavers, which will reduce runoff and keep your driveway safer since snowmelt and rain filter through to the ground below. Beauty and function combined means pavers offer a significant boost to your home’s value! Fire A fireplace, fire table or fire pit gives everyone a place to gather. If you don’t want the massive proportions of a fireplace, opt for a fire table meant to be dined around; or a fire pit that brings back campfire memories. Whichever style you choose, you can adapt its aesthetic to fit your style! A Pergola Forget flimsy umbrellas. Up-level your shade solution with a chic pergola! This timeless piece of outdoor architecture can shelter an outdoor kitchen (and keep it cooler, too, since the roof is open and heat can escape), a dining area, or a sitting area. Integrate it into your awesome new paver patio by setting the pergola’s supports on masonry pillars. Add fun string lights and gauzy outdoor curtains and you’ve transformed your backyard into a resort-worthy retreat! A Zen Retreat Create a quiet space where they can relax with a book, meditate, or nap. Dedicate a small part of a side yard to an enclosed private retreat. Tall privacy fencing, minimalist plantings such as ornamental grass, a comfortable place to lounge, and a soothing water feature are all you need. Eco-Friendly Design Low-maintenance and water-wise native plants, and specialty areas like edible gardens or pollinator gardens are beautiful and eco-friendly. A few raised bed masonry planters throughout the backyard can give your edible or pollinator gardens their own presence; plus, raised bed masonry planters with a generous ledgestone are a delight to sit on. Smaller Lawns Instead of a sea of grass, create a series of interconnected patios that each have their own distinct personalities and uses. These can be surrounded by any kind of vegetation you like to keep the space beautiful; and, they can replace a chunk of fussy, thirsty lawn! Integrated Landscape Lighting Today’s landscape lighting fixtures are unobtrusive. Many are carefully concealed in vegetation, or integrated into retaining walls or pillars. With so many different lighting techniques to choose from, you can create exactly the nighttime ambience you want using a multitude of low-wattage bulbs, without any harsh shadows or scary dark corners. Smaller Kitchens Fully outfitted outdoor kitchens are a must if you’re a serious cook/entertainer. But for most people who want just a little more than a grill station, one fresh solution is to simply add a peninsula bar and a pizza oven to your grill station. This creates an L-shaped cooking space that’s big enough to seat four or more people and give you more work space, without taking up the entire patio. Related: Check Out These Landscape Design Ideas for Large Naperville, IL Properties  The mid-century modern look is a style that ushered in the era of modern design. It inspired later trends, but has stood the test of time. Mid-century modern patios are just as chic today as in the 1950s. Here are 5 ways to achieve a mid-century brick patio in Hinsdale, IL.
Related: Landscape Design Ideas for Showstopping Entrances in Hinsdale and Naperville, IL Areas Mid-century patios echo the linear shapes, mixed traditional and modern materials, and emphasis on functional beauty that characterize the famous mid-century modern style. Here, we’ll discuss the five characteristics of the mid-century modern style as they relate to outdoor living spaces. 1. Form Follows Function Objects and spaces weren’t created to be purely decorative. Instead, the mid-century patio puts beauty into functional elements such as retaining walls, fire features, water features, outdoor kitchens, and patio materials. Every element of the patio serves both a functional and aesthetic purpose. From patio pavers to the veneers on your grill station, every element is chosen with great care for their visual impact as well as practicality. Today’s brick pavers are easy to care for, and you can recreate a natural or man-made look according to your preferences (for example, you can find brick pavers that mimic the look of tumbled limestone, or smooth and sleek pavers that are unabashedly not trying to look like a natural building material. 2. Minimal Ornamentation Since patio elements themselves are the focus, there is a distinct lack of ornamentation. The lovely textures and patterns of the patio pavers, plantings, and fencing keep the eye occupied and contribute to a lack of clutter and a fresh, open feel. This is a brilliant solution for small backyards. Since concrete can be colored and formed to virtually any style, you can take the opportunity to emphasize paver texture as a way to bring interest to the space. 3. Lack of Clutter The mid-century patio uses clean lines and a mix of organic and geometric forms such as large format square brick pavers on the patio, a horizontal teak slat privacy wall, and a few rounded chairs around a fire pit. Underfoot, large format pavers in neutral colors contribute to an uncluttered feel. The lack of joint lines makes the space feel unified; and neutral colors that blend into the environment also visually expand the space. 4. Use of traditional and Non-traditional Materials Brick is certainly a traditional material, but it can take on a distinctly modern vibe by changing up the shape. Today’s “brick” choices include the standard clay-brick shape that has been around for centuries, as well as more modern shapes such as oversized squares (24” x 24” or even larger) or plank-like pavers in colors not normally associated with bricks. Non-traditional building materials are also used. For example, Plexiglas panels around the pool serve as an interesting contrast to the textural and visual richness of brick pavers separated by ornamental pebbles in a darker color. 5. Use of Bold Color The style utilizes a huge range of color. The main patio features are still natural: brick, wood, and natural stone (brick as the main patio field, wooden privacy fencing, and decorative stone used throughout as accents or banding). Accent colors are primarily found in furniture: too much bold color on the patio can make the space feel busy. While banding and accents are not a mid-century modern feature, you can use them to create contrast between horizontal and vertical elements. For example, you could achieve bold contrast with a cinnamon-brown privacy fence, a sand-colored masonry fire pit, and neutral mid tone grey brick pavers. Related: 3 Landscaping Ideas for Making Your Naperville, IL Property More Useful |
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