It's time to move the family outside

For 3 seasons a year here in the Hudson Valley, the weather is oh-so nice for enjoying time outdoors. And while you could pack up the family and head off to a park or public swimming pool, we like to think the best memories are made right outside your own backdoor. That's why we work with client's in Dutchess and Orange County, NY to design and build the outdoor living spaces of their dreams. 

Whether it's an outdoor kitchen, an inground swimming pool and patio, or a simple walkway with an outdoor seating area, the team at Harmony Hill has you covered. Just think...how would your family's everyday life be different if you extended the livable spaces of your home outside? 

Hudson Valley Pool Patio + Walls Moving Along Nicely in Saugerties, NY

The Harmony Hill Team is up in Saugerties, NY installing a beautiful poolscape surrounding a stunning pool installed by the awesome folks at Fishkill Pools.

Contemporary in style, this clean lined, rectangular pool will be complimented by a few of the newest products offered by paver and wall manufacturer, Unilock in Brewster, NY. Seating walls, built using a product called Rivercrest, will surround the pool on 3 sides with an incredibly natural look that is perfect for the home's native country setting. Bringing a sharp contrast, and extending the style of the pool, the pool patio uses Unilock's Fairstone product line. Squares and rectangles in shape, the product is the manufacturer's first foray into premium quality natural stone.  

Image by Unilock picturing the Fairstone natural stone paver.

Harmony Hill Landscaping is a Unilock Authorized Contractor with years of experience installing paver patios, pool decks, paver walkways, retaining walls, landscape lighting, and outdoor living structures in Dutchess County and Orange County—so this poolscape project is right up the team's ally. Check back for the final images as this project progresses. 

Built-in seating areas for your outdoor living area in Dutchess County, NY

For many years now, seating walls have been a very popular trend in outdoor living design here in the Hudson Valley area. Most commonly installed along the outside edge of a paver or natural stone patio, seat walls are built using retaining wall stone from the likes of Unilock, Techo-Bloc, or Cambridge Pavers. Standing roughly 18"-21" off the ground, seat walls are pleasing to look at from both sides and are capped off nicely with retaining wall caps or natural bluestone. 

Image Unilock.com

More recently, however, more and more built-in seating options have been popping up on websites like Houzz.com and Pinterest. Material types like wood, steel, concrete, and natural stone are all coming together to make built-in seating truly beautiful. 

A welcome addition—or in some settings a replacement— to outdoor patio furniture sets, built-in seating options are weatherproof and durable. They can also be very comfortable when topped with outdoor cushions and pillows. Manufacturers like Sunbrella have fun, vibrant fabrics specifically made for outdoor living spaces. 

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It's never to late to add style to your Dutchess County landscaping

With all the buzz surrounding outdoor living spaces here in the Hudson Valley region, chances are pretty good that you've been thinking of ways to bring some style to yours. Whether you're looking to add a little life to your paver patio, pool deck, front porch, or back deck, here's 3 simple tricks to get you headed in the right direction.  Related: 10 Tips for a Beautiful & Functional Landscape Design in Dutchess County, NY.

1. COLOR >> Just like the interior spaces of your Hudson Valley home, the outdoor living and landscape spaces need a color scheme. Let's take your new patio for instance. While considering the colors of your natural stone or concrete pavers, add one bold accent color to the soft, muted colors of nature. Introduce this color through outdoor pillows, couch cushions, planters, and even outdoor rugs. Remember, a little goes a long way here!

2. TEXTURE >> One of the best ways to add warmth and class to an outdoor living space is through the careful use of contrasting textures. There are a ton of options in the outdoor fabrics world today for pillows, throws, outdoor curtains, and outdoor rugs. Combine these durable fabrics with woven wicker or wrought iron outdoor furniture and throw in some rough concrete and stone. Top it off with lush plantings and you've got yourself a truly special outdoor space.

3. LIGHT >> Outdoor lanterns are so popular for a good reason—they bring function and style together in a traditionally interior design element. Restoration Hardware and Pottery Barn offer some awesome options in a variety of shapes and sizes. Adding a fire pit or fire bowl can add both warmth and light, not to mention  a reason to gather the family up for a cozy chat session! Landscape lighting, string lighting, and even candles are all great additions to your Dutchess and Orange County landscaping as well. 

Enjoy the outdoor living season!

Integrated in-ground hot tubs and spas

Most times here in the Hudson Valley region, spas and hot tubs are installed above ground on a concrete slab. While this is a system that certainly works well, what if your spa could be better integrated into the overall landscape design? 

Enter H2Zen Spas. Essentially and in-ground spa, the Canadian manufacturer offers multiple shapes and sizes available to fit any landscape design style from country to modern. Exciting stuff!

Imagine one of these H2Zen spas sitting level with your back paver or natural stone patio, blending in perfectly with the rest of the outdoor living space.