The Hallmarks of Contemporary Landscape Design and Landscaping in Wheaton, IL
If you’re looking to freshen up your landscape, you’re probably looking at ways to make it more modern and on-trend. To help you with your design decisions, here are the hallmarks of contemporary landscape design and landscaping in Wheaton, IL.
Today’s outdoor living is very different from when you were growing up. Most backyards had a simple patio or deck, a portable grill, a picnic table with a sun umbrella, and cheap lawn furniture. Today, homeowners are blurring the line between indoors and out. They want many of the same amenities, and all of the comforts and conveniences. They are looking for more sophisticated backyards for entertaining, and many are more eco-conscious and want backyards that are environmentally friendly. The good news is you can have all of that with modern landscape design.
Pavers
If there’s one element that adds sophistication to your outdoor living spaces, it’s pavers. Paver patios look and perform better than any poured concrete patio, or wood or composite deck. Concrete pavers are available in a huge array of styles, colors. You can even get permeable driveway pavers, which will reduce runoff and keep your driveway safer since snowmelt and rain filter through to the ground below. Beauty and function combined means pavers offer a significant boost to your home’s value!
Fire
A fireplace, fire table or fire pit gives everyone a place to gather. If you don’t want the massive proportions of a fireplace, opt for a fire table meant to be dined around; or a fire pit that brings back campfire memories. Whichever style you choose, you can adapt its aesthetic to fit your style!
A Pergola
Forget flimsy umbrellas. Up-level your shade solution with a chic pergola! This timeless piece of outdoor architecture can shelter an outdoor kitchen (and keep it cooler, too, since the roof is open and heat can escape), a dining area, or a sitting area. Integrate it into your awesome new paver patio by setting the pergola’s supports on masonry pillars. Add fun string lights and gauzy outdoor curtains and you’ve transformed your backyard into a resort-worthy retreat!
A Zen Retreat
Create a quiet space where they can relax with a book, meditate, or nap. Dedicate a small part of a side yard to an enclosed private retreat. Tall privacy fencing, minimalist plantings such as ornamental grass, a comfortable place to lounge, and a soothing water feature are all you need.
Eco-Friendly Design
Low-maintenance and water-wise native plants, and specialty areas like edible gardens or pollinator gardens are beautiful and eco-friendly. A few raised bed masonry planters throughout the backyard can give your edible or pollinator gardens their own presence; plus, raised bed masonry planters with a generous ledgestone are a delight to sit on.
Smaller Lawns
Instead of a sea of grass, create a series of interconnected patios that each have their own distinct personalities and uses. These can be surrounded by any kind of vegetation you like to keep the space beautiful; and, they can replace a chunk of fussy, thirsty lawn!
Integrated Landscape Lighting
Today’s landscape lighting fixtures are unobtrusive. Many are carefully concealed in vegetation, or integrated into retaining walls or pillars. With so many different lighting techniques to choose from, you can create exactly the nighttime ambience you want using a multitude of low-wattage bulbs, without any harsh shadows or scary dark corners.
Smaller Kitchens
Fully outfitted outdoor kitchens are a must if you’re a serious cook/entertainer. But for most people who want just a little more than a grill station, one fresh solution is to simply add a peninsula bar and a pizza oven to your grill station. This creates an L-shaped cooking space that’s big enough to seat four or more people and give you more work space, without taking up the entire patio.
