Boring Landscape? Simple Ideas to Make it Shine!

Can an interior designer give you advice for the exterior of your home? You bet they can! Many of the same principles apply, and it’s all about creating an environment of balance, scale, proportion and harmony. Everything from choosing the paint color, to adding decorative elements to your landscape ~ these are the details that will set your home apart!

Develop a Theme ~ Would you have a French baroque style in one room of your home, and modern in another? Probably not. The same theory applies when designing your landscape. Consider the style of your home, whether it be cape cod, contemporary or old world, and select plants and accessories that compliment that style.

Vary The Height ~ Just as you might do in a grouping of accessories on a fireplace mantle, vary the height of plantings in your landscape. If you’re planting in a bed against a fence, put the taller plants in the back, and terrace down to shorter plants in the front, as shown in this example from Sunset magazine.

Add Some Weight ~ Adding “weight” is a common design term to signify the balance of scale and proportion in a room. If everything is the same size, it doesn’t look quite right! Something needs to stand out among the rest, so when working with your landscape, be sure and have a dominant focal point in each planting area, and vary the diameter of the plants, as well as the height.

Do The Unexpected ~ I love that the fountain in this photo is actually placed in the planting area. It softens the rough concrete edges by having rocks and plants tucked around it. I’ve done the same thing in my yard with potted plants! It adds an element of interest, but also adds height by elevating the greenery off the ground.

Check back weekly for more home improvement and decorating tips! If I can give you any assistance with your design and decorating needs, please don’t hesitate to call or email me. Many times a single consultation is all that’s needed to pull your project together!

Everyone deserves a home they love ~ Inside and Out!

Lighten Up Your Landscape

Is your front or back yard in the dark? Landscape lighting is not only functional, but can make a dramatic difference in the visual appeal of your home. That said, try and consider both of these elements when designing your lighting plan.

Miss the Runway ~ If you’re lighting a walkway or driveway, try and add some uniqueness to the layout. Though lights perfectly lined up along your walkway seem like the natural thing to do, it can appear more like an airport runway than an entrance into your home. Stagger the lights for a more natural effect.

Give the Light Some Shade ~ Think about positioning the lights in such a way that plants will be gently tucked around them. This will soften the glare, but still expose enough light for function. As you see in this photo, there’s plenty of light to illuminate the space, but several fixtures are hidden to where you don’t even see them.

Reduce the Glare ~ Though bright lighting is functional for guiding the way and security purposes, it can be offensive if it’s glaring at your guests upon arrival. The purpose of landscape lighting is to add beauty to your home, and create enough lighting for you and your guests to safely move throughout the space. Of course, there are exceptional times when you may need brighter light for tasks, or if you have people with special needs. For these instances, you can still have the light available, but installed on a switch that’s separate from your main landscape lighting.

Check back every Friday for more decorating and home improvement tips. If I can give you any assistance with your design or decorating needs, please don’t hesitate to call or email me. Many times a single consultation is all that’s needed to pull your ideas together!

Everyone deserves a home they love ~ Inside and Out!