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Serving the Naperville Community
Serving the Naperville Community
 If the idea of a traditional brick patio has you itching for a change, you’re in luck. Today’s market offers a staggering array of choices that make rethinking the traditional brick patio a breeze in Wheaton and Naperville, IL, areas. Whether you want to use brick in innovative ways or freshen up the space with an updated approach, brick is still the “little black dress” of hardscape materials and you may be surprised at just how versatile it is.
Related: 2 Outdoor Design Ideas for a Cozy Brick Patio in Naperville and Hinsdale IL Areas What is Brick? What is “brick” exactly? Traditionally, the term referred to a block made with clay that was used to build walls, pavements, and other masonry elements. Today, “brick” also means blocks made using concrete. The traditional shape was rectangular but today, you can find brick in a variety of shapes. If you want to get away from a traditional herringbone, running bond, or basket weave pattern using reddish bricks, there are plenty of options. Because of the historical feel of brick and its timelessness, it’s one of the most versatile materials for modern hardscapes. Brick pairs with any architectural style including ultra modern. Think of it as a material that brings warmth to your outdoor living space, whether that space is formal or relaxed, dark or light, modern or rustic. The Various Color of Brick When it comes to color, traditional brick relied on the color of the clay it was sourced from. This meant that different regions of the country (or the world) would have different colored clay, ranging from near white to charcoal, but mostly reddish. This gives brick a wonderful depth of character since no two regions have exactly the same composition of clay. With concrete technology, the color choices are expanded to include bricks made with blended colors. If you still want to use traditionally shaped bricks but want to give your outdoor living space extra personality, you could blend two or three colors together randomly onsite. One or more of these colors could pick up colors on the home, or in the environment. Trends in Brick A modern trend is to use bricks in an assortment of sizes in random bundles, for example, bundles of small rectangles, large rectangles, and medium squares; these are laid in an easygoing ashlar pattern. This approach gives your patio a relaxed look that lets you enjoy the earthy tones of brick without the traditional brick look. Another trend is to use large format brick pavers, for example, 24” square or 12”x36” rectangles. This gives you the warmth of brick in a less busy format. Fewer joint lines make your patio or walkway feel smoother and more like a solid surface, which helps to make small spaces feel larger. You can also use mixed materials for a fresh modern look. Mixing and matching hardscape materials such as brick and natural stone lets you get creative and play with patterns, abstract designs, or geometric designs. There’s something wonderfully appealing about mixing colors, for example, the reds of brick alongside the blues of bluestone or the greys of granite. Using Traditional Brick as a Border Traditional brick can also be used as a border or accent in virtually any surface including natural stone, concrete pavers, poured concrete. Since you can find a wide assortment of colors from a variety of “brick red” tones to soft tans, pinks, steely blues, and dramatic charcoal, you will be able to find the perfect match for any surface you’re considering for your patio, walkway, or driveway. Finally, traditional brick sizes lend themselves to unusual laying patterns including circular, fan, or freeform - this lets you create artistic inlays on a patio that uses different materials. And, it gives any space a custom feel. Related: How Contractors Turn the Fire Pit Into the Focus of the Patio in Naperville IL
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 There are few outdoor spaces more charming than those that use brick. If spending a lot of extra time on your patio in 2020 made you aware of its shortcomings, now is the perfect time to plan ahead for the coming outdoor season and design a patio you’ll be thrilled to use every day. Here are 2 outdoor design ideas for a cozy brick patio in Naperville and Hinsdale, IL, areas. Related: How Contractors Turn the Fire Pit Into the Focus of the Patio in Naperville IL 1. Fire and Food Give people a reason to go outside, even once the summer is over. Let’s start by creating a focal point where everyone will gather year ‘round: an outdoor fireplace! In a smaller space, a fireplace is preferable to a fire pit; only because a fire pit needs to be located more or less centrally to make for easy traffic flow - and this can make the space feel choppy and awkward. By contrast, an outdoor fireplace can be positioned in a corner of the patio, to create a more intimate experience that’s outside of the flow of traffic. The fireplace is its own entity, and building it with brick could result in too much brick in the space, making it feel visually cramped. If you like, you can use brick accents on its face, but use a complementary material whether it’s natural stone, poured concrete, or manufactured stone (concrete veneers). Add a wood-fired pizza oven to your fireplace, and you’ve just created “the” place to be, in virtually any season! If you enjoy grilling, positioning the grill in relative proximity to the fireplace will create a hub of outdoor living. This means the rest of your patio could be assigned to more relaxed activities, such as relaxing with a good book. Related: Check Out These Landscape Design Ideas for Large Naperville, IL Properties 2. Separate Zones A patio is generally thought of as a single space with different activity zones. This is one approach, but it’s not the only one. Mini-patios could be the answer to creating intimacy in a large backyard. Depending on the layout of your backyard, you could also create a series of smaller, interconnected yet separate patios. This works especially well if you have a sloped backyard but thoughtful use of plantings and other physical barriers can create outdoor rooms, much like indoor rooms are separated by walls in your home. Each of these mini-patios could be paved with the same brick, but the laying patterns could be different; the patios could be tied together with a series of brick walkways laid in a consistent pattern. If you want to stick with one larger patio, it’s best to use a consistent laying pattern to prevent an already busy brick patio from becoming too busy. A basket weave pattern is one of the most popular patio laying patterns since the eye isn’t drawn in a straight line (such as a running bond pattern). The classic herringbone pattern is also popular on patios. If you use a basket weave pattern, you could alter the orientation of the pattern to define individual spaces. For example, you could create an outdoor “rug” in the fireside lounge area by rotating the orientation of the bricks 45 degrees; within this “rug” the pavers could remain in a basket weave pattern, or you could try a simpler running bond pattern in this space only. This is a beautiful approach that brings attention to the inherent charm and beauty of brick. Related: Are Your New Landscape Design and Driveway Winter-Ready in Hinsdale IL 3 Landscaping Tips to Refresh and Rejuvenate a Backyard in Hinsdale IL and Wheaton IL Areas12/3/2020  This year has seen an unprecedented shift toward backyard living; partly out of necessity, and partly out of a realization that nature really is the best place to spend one’s free time. If your backyard felt like it was lacking in amenities that could have made the summer more enjoyable, here are 3 landscaping tips to refresh and rejuvenate a backyard in Hindsdale, IL, and Wheaton, IL, areas.
Related: Check Out These Landscape Design Ideas for Large Naperville, IL Properties 1. A Patio That Reflects Your Lifestyle You probably spend the majority of your outdoor time on the patio. If your patio is too small - if people are tripping over each other and the space feels cramped - or if it doesn’t fit with your design theme, then investing in a new outdoor living space will yield significant returns in your enjoyment of your property. Make a list of all the ways you want to enjoy your outdoor space, and then think about designs and amenities that will meet those needs. For example, if you’re a passionate cook who loves to share meals with a large family, you will have different needs than someone whose primary means of enjoying their outdoor spaces is to kick back with a good book, and still different needs than a family with young children that needs plenty of space for kids to play and burn off energy. An avid gardener or someone who loves a wilder, more natural landscape won’t need much lawn, but will be enthralled with “secret” walkways that lead to intimate paver patios where one can sit among the flowers. Someone who loves to relax and share good conversation around a fire will want a cozy fire pit or outdoor fireplace area, and position it so that it’s out of the main traffic flow between the home and the outdoor cooking area. 2. Quiet Spaces Life is stressful enough without being able to get away to your favorite spots where you feel serene and happy. You can create a private getaway in an unused corner of your backyard, or even a side yard, with a few simple additions: a privacy fence (this could be a wood privacy fence, or a living wall); a natural stone or paver surface to keep the spot free of mud; comfortable seating such as a lounge chair or even a hammock; shelter such as a gazebo, if you want to use this space in inclement weather; landscape lighting to set the mood at night; plants that make you feel secure, happy, and peaceful; and a special treat in the form of a small fountain that will help mask the sounds of traffic and neighbors. Placing your zen getaway close to your WiFi router can mean that you can even take work meetings or chip away at a deadline in the serenity of nature. Related: Check Out These Landscape Design Ideas for Large Naperville, IL Properties 3. Fire and Water Fire is a hugely important element for getting people to enjoy their outdoor spaces more. A fireplace or fire pit will instantly extend your outdoor season throughout the winter, giving you a reason to get outside even when it’s cold outside. Water is the most soothing or, depending on the type of water feature, energizing element you can add to your landscape. Anything from a chic water wall next to your outdoor dining space, to a waterfall that livens up a corner of your backyard, to a serene reflecting pool at your front entry brings a completely fresh energy to your outdoor spaces. Related: 3 Landscaping Ideas for Making Your Naperville, IL Property More Useful  It’s the perfect time to warm up your evenings outside with an outdoor fireplace! Outdoor fireplaces are a great alternative to a fire pit, since the smoke is directed up and away through the chimney at the top! This allows you and your guests to enjoy the heat and ambiance of a fire, without dealing with the pesky smoke! We can design a custom fireplace to perfectly suit your style, needs and budget! Give us a call and schedule your free consultation today!
Montano’s Landscaping (630)271-9709 www.montanoslandscaping.net Related: Best Summer Landscape Design Tips for Your Lisle Backyard |
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