29th 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 |
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