Hardscaping is one of the best ways to extend your indoor space, making your front and back yard places your family and guests love to spend time in. The opposite of softscaping, hardscaping is any of the hard stuff in your yard such as concrete, bricks and stone. It encompasses everything from retaining walls to outdoor kitchens, gazebos, decks, water features and pavers for paths or patios. Want to create a holy smokes hardscape for your yard? Here are 7 of our best tips.
1. Extend Your Living Space
Who doesn’t want an extended living space? Create a seamless transition between your indoor and outdoor spaces to enjoy when the weather allows. Consider putting in an outdoor fireplace with a seating area, an outdoor kitchen, and an outdoor dining space that allows you to embrace the outdoors to the fullest.
2. Amp Up The Fun
Your backyard should be a place your family loves spending time in. Along with features like an outdoor kitchen or fireplace, consider incorporating your family’s hobbies into the yard. Maybe this means a small putting green, sand box, or climbing wall. Customize your hardscape to suit your family!
3. Mix and Match Stonework
There’s no rule that says you have to use the same stone throughout your hardscape. A combination of stonework will add visual interest in your yard, and make it completely custom to you. Play around with different pavers, pebbles and granite options to create a hardscape that’s completely personalized to your yard.
4. Pull Inspiration From your Travels
Were you inspired by a Balinese resort you visited? Or did a photo of Greece on your best friend’s Instagram account take your breath away? Get creative and add these influences into your hardscaping design. Incorporating these elements will make you feel like you have a paradise right in your backyard.
5. Complement Your Home
When choosing the materials for your hardscape, make sure you use ones that complement your home’s style. If your home exterior is traditional, brick is a great option, whereas if you have a more contemporary style home, granite is likely the way to go. If your home has a rustic, cottage vibe, a flagstone patio would complement it well.
6. Add Vacation Vibes
Make your yard into a small paradise, so it feels like you’re stepping out into a vacation every day. If you have the room for it, consider putting in an outdoor pool for your friends and family to enjoy. A gazebo is another way to increase the vacation vibes. Add one in that people can use for relaxing, snacking and enjoying a drink.
7. Create a Gorgeous Seating Area
If you have a big yard, create a seating area in the middle of it, on top of a concrete patio. A simple stone pathway can lead from your house to the dining area, where you’ll find a harvest table and chairs and a cozy fireplace to keep your warm when the temperature drops at night.
If you’re ready to up your yard’s hardscaping, use these 7 tips to create a holy smokes hardscape!