A landscaping upgrade can completely transform your outdoor living experience. Here are __ design ideas a landscaper would recommend for homes in the Peterborough and Amherst, NH, areas; ideas that will move your patio away from a generic space to one that’s customized for you, with all of the amenities and features that are meaningful for you.
1. An Indoor-Like Experience
As outdoor living spaces become more sophisticated, homeowners desire indoor amenities and creature comforts that blur the line between indoor and outdoor living.
Amenities such as privacy walls, overhead string lights, an outdoor fireplace, and a wood-fired pizza oven transform an ordinary patio into a fully functional outdoor room complete with the illusion of a ceiling, and a sense of seclusion from the outside world.
2. A Vacation Vibe
If spending another summer cooped up in an ordinary suburban backyard doesn’t sound appealing, you could create a backyard sanctuary inspired by your favorite vacation spot. For example: a waterfront getaway complete with a teak deck, lush landscaping and a dramatic water feature; or, a Mediterranean villa-style patio featuring tumbled pavers, a vine-covered pergola, and a Roman fountain. Picking several key elements from your favorite vacation spot will be sure to bring back great memories each time you step outside.
3. Nature-Friendly Design
Modern patio designs bring nature closer and invite it into the space. Living walls, natural materials (wood and natural stone), paving stones separated by greenery, water features, and vine-covered trellises make the patio a truly transitional space between the home and the landscape; a space that is both convenient and lets you benefit from nature’s tranquility.
4. Design Based on Experiences
Today’s outdoor living trends are often zoned, so that everyone can enjoy the space in their own way. A mix of higher-activity and lower-activity zones, with different experiences in each one, could be the way to go for a busy family. Zones could include a cooking and dining zone with a pizza oven; a relaxing fireside lounge sheltered by a pergola; a “secret” meditation or reading corner; a dynamic party area with a fire table and cocktail bar.
5. Raised Masonry Planters
Raised masonry planters for edible gardens let you grow your own food in an attractive and convenient way. Each planter could be designed with its own irrigation system (no more lugging the hose around!); and landscape lighting incorporated into the planters can provide attractive lighting to the landscape without clunky fixtures.
6. Modern Pavers
Modern patio pavers contribute to a sleek look for your patio pavers. Plank-style pavers give your space a linear look that can be dramatic or subtle. Large format pavers make even a small patio look more spacious. Permeable pavers keep your patio, walkway, and driveway drier after heavy rains or warmer days after a snowfall, by allowing water to seep through the joints into a special substrate, and eventually into the aquifer.
7. Shelter
If you’re looking for shelter from the hot summer sun, a pergola could be the way to go. Its open roof lets hot air escape (which makes pergolas ideal for sheltering a grill station or outdoor kitchen). If you’re looking for shelter from sun, rain, and even snow, a solid-roofed pavilion could be the ideal solution; and if you add an outdoor fireplace to the pavilion, you can enjoy the space in nearly any weather.
