Flowers, shrubs and trees have long been the backbone of a beautiful yard but they aren’t the only way to create something gorgeous. In recent years, hardscaping has become quite popular and for good reason. Check out these gorgeous ways to add hardscapes to your yard.

 

Walkways and Steps

Whether you have no walkway or at all or a traditional — AKA boring — sidewalk leading up to your home’s front door, consider trading it out for a more unique walkway or set of stairs. Stone pavers add sophisticated elegance to any walkway and can be used to create paths around the house and through the yard so you never need to walk on the lawn — especially helpful after a big rain.

 

Retaining Walls

Who needs a traditional fence when you can use hardscapes? Stone or paver retaining walls are gorgeous and modern without being overbearing. In addition to creating a more secluded yard for you to entertain friends and family in, retaining walls can also prevent water runoff that ruins plants if you live in a hilly area. Turn it into a green wall by stacking the pavers in a way that allows you to plant flowers directly into the wall. The result is gorgeous scenery that is the perfect backdrop for relaxing and reading a book nearby.

 

Patios or Entertainment Areas

You don’t need to stick to a traditional concrete patio or wood deck to create an excellent outdoor space for your home. Have the walkways you created lead to a beautiful patio setup in the middle of your yard if you prefer. Stone pavers will add a luxurious feel and create a dry, comfortable space for you to add patio furniture, a grill or even a gazebo. Make it even more magical but surrounding it with flowers or a couple of your favorite trees.

 

Hardscapes are gorgeous but they also require knowledge and creativity to create. Avoid doing the work yourself. Hire a professional who can help you create and implem

When it comes to choosing flooring, materials like ceramic, carpet and hardwood likely come to mind. These tried and true materials have been used in homes for years, though each of these materials has its own pros and cons. However, polished concrete is becoming an increasingly popular alternative to these traditional flooring choices. No longer just for sidewalks and buildings, consider the benefits of this medium for your next flooring project.

 

One benefit of this material is its value. The cost is often less than wood or ceramic tile, and significantly less expensive than marble flooring. These more traditional options are also less durable, harder to clean and more likely to require replacement over time.  Concrete’s ability to withstand heavy traffic and maintain its appearance even after substantial use greatly increases its value. When you consider all of these factors, concrete is not only a far more cost effective choice than the alternatives, but is likely to add value to your home as well.

 

Another benefit of this unique material is it’s aesthetically pleasing look and the wide variety of colors and textures available. Depending on the stain you choose, the look of the material can change substantially, making it easy to customize to fit the décor of your home. The versatility makes it an attractive option when you are trying to match existing cabinets, fixtures, and appliances to your new floors. Additionally, staining does not fade so the color will stay consistent over time.

 

Choosing flooring can be overwhelming with the number of options on the market today. You want something that will last, but also something that aligns with your overall vision of the perfect kitchen, bathroom, or living space. While carpet, wood, and tile may be the traditional choice, it can pay to consider something a bit different. The cost, durability, look, and versatility of concrete make this material worth thinking about for your next flooring upgrade.

 

 

 

Making your concrete colorful has the potential to make something that is normally basic that much more appealing. It is important to learn about the different options available in order to make the best selection. Below are some tips about different projects you can pursue to make your concrete hardscape a little more aesthetically pleasing.

 

Give Your Concrete an Antique Look — You might try doing this to reveal the interesting patterns in your concrete. This method may be combined with different methods of coloring, which makes it versatile and opens up many possibilities for creativity. The aesthetic value of this method comes from the way the colors interact with the ridges and nooks, as the antiquing powder or liquid is applied after the concrete hardscape is poured but before it has anything else done to it. [Read more…]

Hardscaping can be used in addition to traditional landscaping to create an attractive environ around your house. More people are becoming interested in hardscaping as it is newer and can built on already landscaped designs. Hardscape design is multifaceted, which makes it a versatile option for a plethora of outdoor projects. Hardscaping professionals often have intimate knowledge of landscaping which can make them quite useful for various projects around your property.

 

Hardscapers are handymen who can accomplish most outdoors design projects that you can envision. There are many different projects that hardscapers can help you with. For example you could have them design a statue of some sort, a pit for your barbeque or even interesting walls and fences. Hardscapers have experience in the field of designing outdoors projects, which makes them uniquely qualified to complete various number of projects beyond the normal scope of mere pavers and walkways.

 

If you ask for design help from a hardscaper, they may tell you that there are two rules of thumbs in hardscape design: houses surrounded by nature should work with hard lines whereas other houses should have soft lines billowing around them. The reason why the first type of houses get straight lines is to differentiate them from their surroundings, which is natural and curvy. In contrast, other houses are typically engulfed by hard lines already, like the planned rigid lines of the city, and would look better if contrasted. These design moves can be discussed at greater length with hardscape professionals to achieve the best results for your project.

 

An additional advantage of working with hardscaping professionals is that they typically have gained their experience in hardscape design from working as a traditional landscaper. That means that their projects need not be exclusively hardscaping. Instead, hardscaping professionals can be relied on to incorporate the best elements of landscaping with their intimate knowledge of hardscaping.

If you want to have the greenest lawn on the block this summer, early spring is the best time to start your preparations. Starting your lawn care now can give you a head start, and it can ensure that your lawn has a good foundation for later when the weather gets hot. Check out these tips for improving your lawn’s appearance.

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A more prevalent style of home improvement nowadays is to complement your landscaping with some nice hardscaping. As opposed to maintaining plants and gardens, the term hardscape refers to the addition of human artifices to decorate your lawn or garden. One of the most common methods of doing this is by adding stone structures like walls and path, hence the ‘hard’ in hardscaping. You can use hardscaping to improve your house by finding pleasing varieties of different types of stone and arranging them in an appropriate way.

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Grading your lawn can enhance the health of your landscape and ensure the safety of your home especially if your landscape has water and drainage issues. When it comes to fixing a landscape drainage problem, lawn grading is often a great solution that will ensure that the soil and area surrounding your home, receives the proper amount of water, no more and no less.

 

If your landscape is susceptible to flooding, landscape sloping and grading is often considered to provide a drainage pathway for the excess water. Dangers with improper drainage include muddy lawns, poor crop growth, flooded basements, and many other issues for homeowners.

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Fall is here and and one of the best ways to enjoy a chilly autumn night is to sit around a warm and welcoming fire. Some homeowners choose to have a fire pit constructed on their patio, while others opt for a grand fireplace. But what’s the best option for you and your family? We’ll break down the pros and cons of each option for you to help you determine which is best for you.

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After a long summer of barbeque’s, pool parties and other entertaining nights your wood deck probably needs some rejuvenation, but how much does it really need? To find out if your deck is in need of repair we’ve listed some tell tale signs that your deck is in need of some TLC.

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