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 Summer is coming soon and you’ll want to be ready to get the most out of your backyard all season long. Gathering with loved ones in your backyard is best enjoyed with an elegant patio that’s adorned with a gorgeous fire pit made from stone masonry. As you set up contracts with landscaping professionals this spring, make sure you’ve got a fire pit in mind. Here are the benefits of making sure your landscape design includes both a patio and fire pit in Naperville, IL.
Related: Designing a Brick Patio Around Your Fire Pit In Hinsdale, IL Designating Space Even if you use an open plan as a patio design, you should still have some space set aside for different purposes. A communal gathering place is absolutely essential for summer enjoyment in a backyard. Everyone needs a place to rest, and everyone needs a central hub where they can gather and share conversation. The heat of the summer is fleeting and can even disappear on the calmest nights, so it’s best to center your gathering space around a masonry fire pit. Permanent Elegance A fire pit prominently placed in your patio will give your backyard a strong sense of intent. Using masonry for your fire structure is not only practical, but it sends the message that warming up by a fire in your backyard with loved ones is a long-standing practice in your home. The stones, blocks, or bricks used to build your fire pit will last for generations and continually beckon friends and family as the years go on. Pairing With Pavers The stones used in your fire pit could and should pair with your patio pavers, the home, and the surrounding landscape as well. The color scheme used in your overall landscape can guide the look of the fire pit, though there’s always room for a little contrast and juxtaposition. Whether the look of your home and landscape is rustic or contemporary, fire pits can be built from any natural or manufactured stone that fits. Your fire pit will only enhance the atmosphere. High-Backed Seat Walls Further emboldening your patio’s sense of permanence, high-backed seat walls will make an elegant impact on your entire landscape. Fire pits are commonly built in the form of a circle, not only to allow everyone to gain equal access to the warmth but for giving everyone a common purpose of gathering together. High-backed seat walls will complement your fire pit and patio, creating a structure that defines the space, shields the area from harsh winds, and helps keep the warmth inside the circle. The seat wall can also offer a substantial amount of storage space for blankets, cushions, pillows, firewood, and more. Surrounding Additional Features The construction of a fire pit and adjoining high-backed seat walls on your patio will give you the opportunity to further bolster the area with conscious design choices. This could include stunning native shrubs and flowers, water features such as gentle fountains or waterfalls, and a more strategic lighting program. As the fire pit helps bring loved ones to your patio more and more often, you’ll have more inspiration for what to build next. Let the refined space inspire you to keep dreaming; it’s just the beginning of the rejuvenation your backyard needs! Related: Warm Up Your Wheaton IL Brick Patio With a Traditional Fire Pit
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 With the first crocuses peeking out of the snow, you and thousands of other homeowners in the area are getting excited about spring landscaping projects. Whether your landscape needs a minor spruce-up or a major remodel, here are 6 inspirational landscape design ideas to elevate your landscaping in Wheaton, IL.
Related: 5 Spring Landscaping Tips for Your Naperville IL Front Yard 1. Keep It Local There is a growing trend away from high-maintenance, thirsty lawns to more sustainable landscaping that is just as attractive as a landscape made with exotic imported plants. Native plants, ranging from ground covers to deciduous and evergreen trees, are the best choices for a water-wise landscape that rarely needs supplemental irrigation or fertilization. Natives are also much more resistant to local varieties of pests. This strategy of reducing the size of your lawn and introducing more native plants will reduce your water bill, puts fewer chemicals on your landscape, and allows you to spend more time with your family and friends. During lockdowns, more people than ever discovered the restorative effect of nature. Today, there is a growing emphasis on “rewilding” or creating natural landscaping that provides havens for birds, butterflies, bees, and other pollinators. These habitats center around native plants and include sources of fresh water, as well as shelter. 2. Outdoor Living Perfectly Designed for You Many homes feature a concrete slab outside the kitchen, just big enough for a grill and a few lounge chairs. If you felt cramped on your patio last summer with the lockdowns, this year is the perfect time to add to the space and make it more usable. Whether you opt for a new paver patio that’s one main area that comfortably fits an outdoor cooking space, dining area, and relaxing area - or create a series of interconnected outdoor “rooms” that extend out into the landscape - either way, you will have plenty of space for comfortable outdoor living. Even if your backyard is small, your landscape designer can create an amazing outdoor experience that uses every inch of the backyard while still maintaining a gorgeous natural feel. If your patio is adequate but you want to add a few amenities such as a fire pit or pergola, even these relatively minor changes will give it a fresh feel. 3. Smart Technology Nearly everything in your home can now be controlled via your smartphone, and the landscape is no different. Lighting, irrigation, water features, and of course entertainment can be adjusted at the touch of a button. No more over- or under-lit areas; no more over- or under-watered lawns; no more blasting your music to have it heard in the farthest corner of your landscape (like lighting, outdoor audio systems can be zoned). 4. Neutral, Natural Colors Part of the back-to-nature theme is toning down the brightness and boldness of hardscape materials and accessories and choosing soothing neutrals. 5. Multi-Level Living Multi-level outdoor living is a staple on sloped lots; however, a pancake-flat landscape can be made so much more interesting by creating multiple levels. Even just one step up or down helps to create visual interest and define spaces and allow for creative expression using different materials. 6. Luxurious Simplicity Less really is more. Narrowing down the list of amenities and features to ones that actually bring joy and get used, means you can allocate your landscape renovation resources to better materials. Related: 4 Landscape Design Ideas for Tranquil Landscaping in Hinsdale IL  Spring has sprung and it’s time to get going on landscaping projects you’ve been thinking about all winter. Landscaping professionals can help you launch projects that will transform your front yard into a welcoming yet private, open yet secure, and gorgeous yet reserved masterpiece. Focusing on a welcoming entry, various features and landscaping strategies can help increase curb appeal and safety. You can gather inspiration from some of these five spring landscaping tips for your Naperville, IL front yard. Related: 4 Landscape Design Ideas for Tranquil Landscaping in Hinsdale IL A Welcoming Entry Updating your hardscapes and adding plenty of greenery that fits in with a modern design will make an incredible impact on your home and the neighborhood. Making the most of your front yard begins with focusing on the entry of the home. Some may want to have a more welcoming front yard than others – hinting at various levels of desired privacy, but the simple fact is that the front yard is the main entry to the home. What folks see of your home’s entry from the street and the sidewalk affects your home’s curb appeal. A more welcoming entry has an open feel, a clearly defined path to the front door, attractive and carefully maintained vegetation, and accent features that improve the visual landscape. Safety is the Priority Safety contributes to the sense of welcome. Security could simply mean a clear visual line to all parts of your front yard if you have security cameras. It could mean doing away with thick foundation plantings and instead, placing more open landscape plants a bit further from the home. And, it means adequate landscape lighting that ensures safe passage at night. Create a Focal Point The front yard needs a focal point to draw the eye of visitors as they approach your home. This could be a dazzling feature such as a fountain or an ornamental fruit tree. Create Balance Balance doesn’t mean perfect, formal symmetry. While symmetry is pleasing to the eye, you can use a combination of visual weights to create attractive balance: for example, a visually dense spruce tree or large boulder can be balanced by a multitude of more open shrubs, ornamental grasses, and flowers. Updated Hardscapes Nothing is visually more boring than a straight concrete walkway leading to the front door. Updating your walkway to an attractive paver or natural stone walkway will allow you to complement your home’s aesthetic and express yourself creatively. Whether you admire the look of bluestone or the chic elegance of granite, you could opt for either in its natural form or in a concrete paver alternative. Some concrete pavers are permeable, which allows surface water to seep into the ground below; it’s better for the environment and helps reduce slipping hazards. A low seat wall that runs along the outside of a front walkway immediately offers a warm “embrace” to visitors as they approach your front door, along with a place to rest. There’s the choice of natural stone blocks, concrete wall blocks, or concrete blocks faced with either a natural stone or manufactured stone veneer. New Lighting Techniques The best feature for a nighttime landscape is the right amount of tasteful lighting at night. A well-lit front yard will greatly enhance curb appeal and dazzle folks as they walk by. LED (light-emitting diode) lighting is an optimal decision for any landscape illumination as it uses far less energy than traditional bulbs and it’s possible to place them in hard-to-reach places. They also have adaptability for different colors and automatic timers. Updating the lighting of your front yard will make a welcoming and attractive statement. Related: 4 Eco-Friendly Landscape Design Ideas for Naperville IL Homes  For many homeowners, the backyard is a sacred place of tranquility - one that must be designed and kept in the most peaceful manner. This respect and need for an outdoor living space can be achieved by selecting a few landscape features that bring peace and tranquility to a backyard. You can achieve your dream of a peaceful oasis right in your backyard with a few key design techniques. Here are four landscape design ideas for tranquil landscaping in Hinsdale, IL.
Related: 4 Eco-Friendly Landscape Design Ideas for Naperville IL Homes A Water Feature A gorgeous fountain or waterfall is a fantastic addition to any backyard. The gentle sounds of trickling or cascading water can make peaceful white noise that soothes and relaxes. A fountain can be designed in accordance with any architectural style, from rustic to highly ornate and formal, and from historical to ultra-modern. A beautiful Italian-inspired fountain that evokes dreams of Rome and stands proud in shades of white and beige… the quiet elegance of a Japanese fountain that inspires zen and harmony with your environment… or a naturalistic boulder-lined waterfall can evoke feelings of being in a remote mountain hideaway. A Curated Greenscape Plants can always bring relaxation, but overgrown plantings and backyards add more stress than they relieve. That’s why it’s important to carefully select plants that soothe your senses and don’t require much upkeep so you can spend more time relaxing than fussing over high-maintenance beauties. Plants do so much more than showing their natural beauty and providing wonderful scents. Colorful plants add a sense of vivaciousness. Trees and shrubs can be planted to make a tall privacy wall that keeps your backyard feel more like a well-kept secret. Flowers can make a wildly interesting color palette that attracts pollinators like bees and hummingbirds and keeps diversifying plant life. If you enjoy gardening, maintaining the greenscape will help soothe your mind and reassure that everything is in order… and if you don’t, you can outsource it to the pros and just enjoy your time outdoors. Minimalism One of the best ways to make a tranquil landscape is to design using minimalist styles. These include clean, wide spaces and long, straight lines. It’s also a movement against needless clutter which gets in the way of enjoyment and efficiency. There’s nothing extra in minimalist design by definition. So, consider how you best experience your outdoor living space. Then, prioritize those ideas, and get rid of any design elements that won’t constantly bring you joy (if you’re going to use it once or twice a year, you can do without, and redirect your resources and space to elements that will bring you joy on a daily basis. Do you feel most at home in a cozy space surrounded by greenery, and a simple fountain? Does gazing into a fire put you in a meditative state? Do you prefer to sit on a hilltop and soak in the grandeur of sweeping views? The cause for minimalism is simplicity and sometimes simplicity is relaxation! Patio Pavers The right patio pavers can make a difference in your patio, pool deck, or walkways. Subscribing to a tranquil design style can mean choosing large format pavers in neutral colors that blend in with the surroundings; and while this formal style can be appealing to some, others find formality to be stifling and not relaxing. Subscribing to a more rustic design might evoke feelings of nostalgia and a space being well-lived in, with a carefree vibe that invites relaxing in the hammock. Using patio pavers such as bricks on your patio will bring on certain feelings of familiarity and calm. Your choice of patio pavers can be one of the sources of tranquility in your landscape. Related: 3 Landscaping Tips to Refresh and Rejuvenate a Backyard in Hinsdale IL and Wheaton IL Areas Why Adequate Outdoor Lighting for Your Naperville IL Driveway and Front Yard Is So Important2/2/2021  You’ve already spent so much time making your home look beautiful like the way you imagined it. Yet there exists an entirely different perspective at night that you might not have considered as much as daytime. Lighting your home and front yard at night is absolutely essential to keeping your family safe and secure. There are also many different nighttime lighting strategies that make a home and landscape take on a completely new character once night falls. Here’s why adequate outdoor lighting for your Naperville, IL driveway and front yard is so important.
Related: 4 Outdoor Lighting Ideas to Highlight Water Features and Other Focal Points in Wheaton and Hinsdale IL Areas Safety: Always a Priority First and foremost, a properly lit driveway and front yard will ensure that whoever is coming and going after dark is walking or driving safely. The surfaces on which we walk need to always have an adequate brightness to avoid tripping or slipping. Likewise, there should never be any surprises on a driveway and no matter its length, there should always be full lighting at night. Keeping Secure Regardless of other security measures already in place, proper lighting must be present at all entrances to a house and any driveway or walkway entrances so that unwanted visitors will be deterred. Motion sensor lights can be useful in this area as well as in the backyard or side yards. Going Greener Using eco-conscious lighting design choices will not only cut down on your energy costs, but it will also create a more pleasing nighttime experience. Traditional light bulbs use far more energy than LED lights and old-school lighting usually meant a single high-watt bulb mounted on the house, driveway, or post - which created overly bright areas and simultaneously, harsh shadows. Lighting systems using LEDs get the same job done with much smaller light sources that use far less energy. They also allow for more creative expression in a landscape. LED lights are perfect for illuminating walkways when mounted low to the ground so that the illumination is concentrated on the path instead of in your eyes. Spotlighting Features Some of the landscape features of your front yard deserve attention at night. Whether it’s a beautiful statue, a single magnificent tree, or a series of boxwood shrubs that line a walkway, spotlighting is a way to amplify drama, create a sense of grandeur and add to the home’s sense of welcome. A few simple spotlights might be advantageous additions to a functional yet beautiful entry. Moonlighting in Trees Moonlighting is similar to spotlighting though it changes the location of the light source. In this case, a light is placed high in a tree canopy, so that it sends light cascading through the tree’s branches and scattering light on the ground that dances beautifully during a breezy night. It’s an excellent lighting technique for helping to illuminate a driveway by adding indirect light and texture. Defining Spaces is Everything Navigating a house you’ve never been to can be difficult, especially if there’s some rugged terrain. Using lighting techniques to guide a visitor’s eye towards the front door by defining spaces is a fantastic way to welcome your guests. Overhead floodlights already do a poor job of illuminating large spaces and cast harsh shadows that can confuse people who don’t see very well at night. Lighting should increase in brightness and frequency as your guests approach the front door, with the intent of minimizing shadows and highlighting any hazards. Using lights to illuminate certain areas more than others provides an important visual texture that not only feels welcome but promotes safety and security throughout your front yard and driveway. Related: 3 Historical Outdoor Lighting Options to Complement an Antiqued Brick Patio in Naperville IL  The changing climate is one of the biggest problems in the world and individual humans can actually do quite a lot to help fix it. One of the most important steps homeowners can take is to adopt an ecologically-conscious landscape design. That doesn’t mean that anyone needs to turn their landscape into a barren moonscape filled with succulents. A few tweaks can make a huge difference. Here are four eco-friendly landscape design ideas for Naperville, IL homes.
Related: 4 Landscape Design Ideas for Warm and Welcoming Backyards in Wheaton and Hinsdale IL Areas Permeable Pavers for Controlling Runoff In a natural environment, rain seeps into the ground and any excess flows downstream on the surface. Solid surface driveways (asphalt and concrete) decrease the surface area of the ground that can absorb rainwater and increases runoff. Permeable pavers are a good solution for this issue as they let rain absorb between the joints into a special substrate so water enters the ground naturally. Permeable pavers can be used on driveways, walkways, patios, and pool decks, and come in a variety of gorgeous colors, textures, and styles. LED Landscape Lighting A few steps can dramatically reduce your electrical use while you enjoy an attractively and safely illuminated landscape. The first step is to replace incandescent or halogen fixtures with low-voltage LED lighting. The second step is to create a strategic lighting plan to illuminate an area in ways that don’t destroy the nighttime appeal, yet provide plenty of safety and activity-appropriate lighting. Old-school floodlights mounted on the side of the house produce a wide and inconsistent spectrum of light from bright and direct glares to harsh and contrasting shadows. However, strategically-placed LED lights along a path or set into a masonry retaining wall will never interfere with eyesight and create a safe and pleasing ambiance and completely change the feel of your backyard. Xeriscaping with Native Plants Xeriscaping is rooted in being in harmony with nature and making the conscious choice to populate your landscape with an array of beautiful native plants that are perfectly suited to thrive in your ecosystem. Native plants are adapted to harsh winter and summer conditions and don’t need more water than what the region provides in rainfall and snowfall. Many homeowners are replacing sections of their lawn with natives - effectively eliminating the “food desert” expanses of grass that provide no habitat for local wildlife. More Living Space, Less Work If you don’t have a need for a lawn - for example, if you don’t have kids or a dog - then you could consider expanding the size of your outdoor living space using permeable pavers and replacing part of your lawn with xeriscaping. First, you’ll use your backyard more if you have an attractive and functional space to hang out and entertain in; and second, you’ll reduce your water use as well as the time needed to maintain the landscape. As well, if you make your backyard an attractive place for local wildlife and pollinators, you’ll have a much more vibrant place to call your own. Professional Irrigation Decrease water use while encouraging a lush and beautiful landscape with a professional irrigation system. Automatic timers and settings can be calibrated for specific plants in each location, all in a system that stays out of sight, out of mind. This eliminates the need for waking up super early in the morning to water the landscape before the daytime summer heat bears down. While drastically reducing the amount of water needed for proper irrigation, you can sleep in or focus on the next great eco-project! Related: 3 Landscaping Tips to Refresh and Rejuvenate a Backyard in Hinsdale IL and Wheaton IL Areas  If you’re installing a new retaining wall, does this mean it has to be “just a wall”? No. A retaining wall is the ideal opportunity to add interest and practicality to your landscape that goes beyond simply holding back earth and creating more outdoor living space. If you need ideas, here’s why your new retaining wall needs a water feature in Wheaton and Naperville, IL, areas.
Related: Benefits of a Retaining Wall for Your Downers Grove IL Property Do you “need” a water feature? Water is an irresistible draw for young and old. Everyone enjoys the sounds and sights of a fountain and in our experience, our clients often say, “I wish I had installed a fountain sooner.” In today’s increasingly stressful world, everyone could use more nature, to unplug and enjoy its serenity. So while a water feature may feel like an indulgence, on some level it’s a necessity that helps you relax more deeply and pull away from your stresses. If nothing else, it could mask the sounds of traffic, which will greatly increase your ability to enjoy an afternoon nap on the patio. Incorporating a water feature into a retaining wall can transform a boring wall into a stunning focal point. There are many style choices to choose from, depending on how intense you want the flow of water to be, the size of the fountain, and whether you will use a catch basin or a pool. The design of a fountain is about more than just aesthetics. Each type of fountain - as well as its height from the ground - determines how fast and how much water flows from it, and how far it falls. A fountain could provide subtle background sounds reminiscent of a babbling brook, or a more dramatic rush of water that comes from a high waterfall. Which type of fountain should you choose? Wall fountains can be large or small in size. Some can be inset into the wall so that water is coming out from the wall itself, while others are installed onto the face of the wall. One or several sheer descent waterfalls that come from the wall itself is one of the most popular ways to jazz up a retaining wall with a dramatic water curtain effect. This type of fountain is perfectly suited for a chic, modern space with smooth textures and clean lines. A Roman-style attached fountain could dress up a traditional, more formal patio with brick or quarry stone surfaces. A more relaxed yet sophisticated space could be created using a series of clay (or resin) pots set into the wall’s masonry, allowing water to spill from one pot into one another. Plan carefully! Plan a water feature carefully to make the process smooth right from the beginning. Plan for the pump’s electrical needs as well as electricity to power landscape lighting in and/or around the fountain. Plan the placement, avoiding locations under deciduous trees that will continually drop leaves, flowers, or fruit into your fountain. Make sure that the catch basin won’t pose a hazard to small children - even a few inches of water is too deep with little ones running around. Be sure that the area in front of the fountain is a solid surface, either natural stone or concrete pavers or decorative pebbles. Any water that splashes out of the fountain could quickly turn a grassy area into an unattractive mud pit. Whichever style of fountain you choose, your retaining wall will become a focal point in your landscape. Related: 4 Landscape Design Ideas for Warm and Welcoming Backyards in Wheaton and Hinsdale IL Areas  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  A well-designed landscape lighting system offers many benefits. Outdoor lighting increases safety, extends the hours you can use your yard and adds atmosphere to your landscape after dark. With the installation of outdoor lighting, Montanos Landscaping Inc. can help make your Naperville, IL, backyard as functional at night as it is during the day. Increase Safety and Security Without proper lighting, your landscape is filled with hidden obstacles once the sun goes down. Water features, masonry elements and even plants can pose safety hazards if they aren’t visible. Walkway lighting will increase safety and ensure your property is easy to navigate. Path lights can also help direct traffic flow and guide visitors to different areas of your landscape. Post lights are a good way to highlight stairs and entry points. Post lights are also popular choices for lighting driveways and front yards. Well-placed outdoor lights should also banish dark corners and deter unwanted visitors from accessing your property. Dimly lit areas, large shadows and obstructed views are appealing to intruders who want to remain unnoticed. Add Curb Appeal Good outdoor lighting will increase your property value and instantly add curb appeal. A dark landscape is forbidding and unappealing, while a well-lit front entry creates an inviting first impression. Landscape lighting can also highlight your home’s architecture and put your best greenery on display. Masonry features such as columns, statues and seating walls can add texture and depth to your property when correctly lit. Uplighting used on plants and trees adds drama and interest to your nighttime landscape. Many outdoor lighting systems offer a complete line of coordinating lights that cover different areas of your home. Pendant and post lights, wall sconces and walkway lighting all work together to create a cohesive look. With the variety of styles available, there are gorgeous options to complement any landscape design theme. Create Functional Outdoor Rooms Outdoor rooms extend your living space into the outdoors and add functionality to your yard. Illuminating outdoor spaces makes them useable at night and adds many hours of outdoor enjoyment. Combining different types of lights will allow for optimal lighting levels for any situation. An outdoor kitchen should include task lighting for cooking and cleaning, as well as low-level lighting under cabinets and toe-kicks. When possible, overhead lights such as a chandelier or pendant lights will provide the best illumination for outdoor dining. Your outdoor living room or patio has different lighting needs. Comfortable night time gatherings require enough light to see each other and to find food and drinks, but not so much light that the room is on display for all the neighbors to see. Related: Best Summer Landscape Design Tips for Your Lisle Backyard Highlight Focal Points One of the best advantages of outdoor lighting is how it transforms dark spaces and produces a beautiful ambiance. While your favorite landscaping elements speak for themselves during the day, nighttime focal points are created with lighting. Statues, benches, fountains and attractive plants can all become focal points when highlighted properly. Skillfully lit water features are especially attractive at night. A mix of submerged and above ground lights will provide the most attractive lighting for your pond or pool. The soft glow of underwater lights combined with the sparkle of an illuminated waterfall will create a relaxing and romantic atmosphere. New LED lights are energy efficient and last much longer than standard halogen lighting. |
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