There's a certain overwhelming joy when you feel your outdoor living space or backyard landscape coming together in your mind. After weeks or months of digging through websites like Houzz and Pinterest, you've narrowed down the overwhelming pool design options and maybe even decided on exactly what outdoor kitchen appliances you want featured in your outdoor kitchen. Depending on the timeline for your project, it's usually a great idea to involve a professional landscape design/build company early on in the design process before too much research and too many "decisions" have been made. We may be a bit biased here, but hopefully that company is Harmony Hill.
Before you call in the pros and really get going on designing your home's new outdoor space, consider a few of these essential elements to shaping out a landscape.
1. Get your kids involved.
Your kids, regardless of their age, are going to be using the outdoor living space quite a bit. Get them in on the project ideas early. What would they like to see or do? If they can't quite talk yet, consider how old they'll be by the time they' will be enjoying the space with you and what you can do to make it safe for them (or ask a pro to suggest safety tips).
2. Don't forget about the four-legged family members.
No one knows your pets better than you do. Is your dog a lover of water? Would he or she know to avoid the areas they'd be unhappy with or will you need a fence to protect them? Much better to get these details early in the planning process to make sure it all looks good together.
3. Consider how you'll be using the space 90% of the time.
Sure, the space might accommodate your larger gatherings and finally give you the opportunity to host special events. But how about the smaller events, the daily ones. You know, coming home from work and enjoying a glass of wine or cooking up a meal on the grill. Maybe this all means that your grill should be a lot closer to the back door. Whatever the considerations, best to discover them now.
4. Spend time to uncover your longer term plans.
Where are your expecting to be in 5, 10, or 15 years? Sure, things might change, but what are the plans? While you're not selecting all the details yet at this stage, it's good to think through this question to be ready when the time comes. It'll be handy for selecting the right material choices, budgeting your total investment, and maybe even towards design elements like built-in vs. moveable seating options.
