Enjoy the Fall Season: 4 Landscaping Trends for Loving the Outdoors in Wheaton and Hinsdale, IL
Just because summer is winding down doesn’t mean that outdoor fun has to stop. If you want more outdoor fun and natural serenity in your life, here are our tips on how to enjoy the fall season: 4 landscaping trends for loving the outdoors in Wheaton and Hinsdale, IL.
A Patio With Character
It’s hard to get excited about hanging out with friends on a boring concrete slab. But on a gorgeous custom paver patio complete with a pergola… seat walls… an outdoor fireplace or fire pit… and an outdoor kitchen with bar seating? Now we’re talking!
The most appealing and functional patios feature a zoned approach where high-traffic areas such as the outdoor kitchen don’t interfere with quieter activities such as a lounge area. Think about your favorite patio activities, and plan a patio so that each of these main activities have their own zone.
One way to achieve this is by setting these different zones at different elevations. For example, your outdoor kitchen could be on the main level - convenient to the home - and your lounge area a step higher for a commanding view of the surroundings, and a fire pit one step below the main patio to add a sense of coziness and intimacy.
If you don’t relish the thought of shoveling your patio once the snow begins to fall, consider a driveway heating system that’s placed under the pavers. Your patio will be safer and much more appealing in cold weather.
An Outdoor Kitchen With the Amenities You Need
Cooking delicious meals for family and friends is one of the joys of outdoor living. The key is to have a cooking space that meets your needs as a cook. Do you love grilling? Then a masonry grill station with an adjacent bar could be just the ticket for backyard BBQs. Do you love to wow your guests with gourmet meals? Then spring for a full outdoor kitchen that features a wine cooler, Kamado grill, 2- or 4-burner cooktop, or even a wood-fired pizza oven.
Shelter
Nothing puts a damper on outdoor fun than a cold November drizzle. But from the shelter of a pavilion, you won’t give it a second thought! A pavilion is an open-sided structure with a solid roof that offers protection from the elements. You still get the outdoors feeling, but without the hassle of running indoors when the skies open up.
Since a pavilion can be any size, it could cover your outdoor kitchen/bar area, and even include a seating area. Make it even cozier by adding an outdoor fireplace along one side - or a gas-fueled fire table in the center, for an amazing outdoor dining experience.
Updated Lighting
As the days get shorter, you’ll want landscape lighting that will keep your outdoor spaces safe and inviting. Today’s landscape lighting designs use light-emitting diode (LED) technology because these bulbs last an incredibly long time, use very little energy, and their small sizes mean you can get creative with placement.
A layered approach will give you the most pleasing results. This strategy involves the appropriate amount of lighting within each activity zone (a combination of task lighting, ambient light, and accent lighting). As well, you want to prevent the unpleasant contrast between a dark landscape and a brightly lit patio and walkway. Placing a few subtle lights throughout the landscape will give dimension to these formerly dark spaces, without disrupting the appeal of a nighttime experience.
