Blog Contributed by Stephen McClain
There are so many exciting things you can do with your outdoor space including landscaping, hardscaping and implementing simple or intricate garden elements. Curious about what the landscaping trends for spring will be like in 2016? Take a look!
1. Creating Seriously Cool Outdoor Meeting Spaces
“It’s these common spaces … that’s where work is being done,” explains Billy Hallisky, senior designer at Luckett & Farley’s Media & Entertainment Group. Commercial properties should have a hardscaped and landscaped area where clients and employees can meet. These outdoor meeting areas are growing, giving properties a differentiation factor from other office parks nearby. A nice feature would be providing wireless internet at outdoor sitting and picnic areas. This will expand the workspace, taking employees from their desks to the outdoors for work, as well as for rest.
2. Adding Color
People are desiring more color out of their structures and landscaping. Commercial hardscaping features like fencing are typically painted white, brown or gray. Instead, try using dark greens or blues as your primary structure color. These dark neutrals will accentuate the surrounding garden area. You can also bring colors into your landscaping by adding brightly colored shrubs, plants and flowers.
3. Bringing the Inside, Out
You might traditionally think of kitchens, fireplaces, and lounge areas being inside your home. However, it is very possible to have all of these elements functioning outside of your home or office. Hardscaping options like outdoor kitchens and fire pits are becoming increasingly popular in outdoor design. Implementing these features allows for increased opportunity for outdoor socializing, entertaining and cooking! Fire pits come in several designs but round, rectangular and portable designs are most popular.
4. Shedding Some Light on Your Space
Outdoor lighting is essential to enjoying your space with no limitations. LED lights are changing the game with long-term energy savings and convenient abilities to in some cases control lighting from devices like your smartphone. Dim blue and green lighting can also really accentuate your garden at night. String lighting (like that you’d see on a quaint cafe patio) is also a popular option.
In addition to being a manager on the landscaping maintenance, installation and turf management team at Great Estates Landscaping, Stephen McClain is a sports fanatic who enjoys spending time in nature and doing outdoor activities with his family.