Retaining walls can completely transform your Laconia, NH, landscape from an unusable space into a beautiful and functional backyard. While a retaining wall is designed to help prevent soil erosion and shape your landscape, it can also work double duty and enhance your landscape design in interesting ways. Consider these innovative design ideas to make your retaining walls stand out:
Incorporate Seating
If you like to entertain, incorporating additional seating into your landscape design will make your backyard more comfortable and inviting. A retaining wall, for example, can be turned into a place to sit with the addition of quality coping stones. Unilock offers products that feature stain resistance technology to prevent potential stains from food, drinks or water runoff. The addition of wall lighting will create a safe and comfortable seating area, day or night.
Turn a retaining wall into a bench with inset seating. Inset seating is ideal for taller retaining walls and large yards. Seating is created by jogging a section of the wall back so that the base is wider than the top. This creates a built-in bench with a raised backrest. Smooth-surfaced stones are best for adding retaining wall seating that doesn’t scratch the skin or pull on clothes.
Create an Outdoor Room
Retaining walls are an excellent way to help form and define outdoor rooms. A good landscape designer can plan your retaining walls to double as boundaries for outdoor living spaces. Use natural stone walls for a cozy outdoor living room, or concrete walls for a more modern patio area.
Related: Landscape Design Ideas for Sloping Terrain in MA
Depending on the slope of your landscape, retaining walls can create a raised area, or they can form the backdrop for a sunken room. A terraced landscape provides the opportunity to build a variety of outdoor spaces on different levels.
Add A Water Feature
A sloped landscape lends itself perfectly to a beautiful water feature. The natural slope of the land helps guide the flow of water. Incorporating a waterfall, pond or pool along with a retaining wall will elevate the look of both features.
For a modern landscape or a small space, including a wall waterfall in a retaining wall will create a striking focal point. A wall waterfall is easier to maintain than a pond or pool and requires very little space.
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A natural waterfall brings the soothing sounds of running water to your landscape. Whether you have a single retaining wall, or a terraced landscape with multiple drops, a waterfall can be designed to fit your landscape.
A sloped backyard can pose challenges when adding a pool. Without the addition of a retaining wall, soil erosion and water runoff can end up in the pool. Including retaining walls as part of the pool design can help eliminate these problems. Options such as a privacy wall with a cascading waterfall, low seating walls, or a raised pool deck will add function and look stunning.
Include Stairs
A sloped landscape is often difficult to navigate. Adding stairs along with your retaining walls will allow for easy passage from one level of your yard to the next. Incorporating stairways during the planning stage will create a cohesive landscape with good flow.
A long, winding flight of stone stairs will create a path through a sloped landscape. For a terraced landscape, short flights of steps can be included in each retaining wall for access to each level.
