When improving the exterior of your home, you might look for ways to enhance your landscaping design. Landscaping refers to designing and maintaining your yard’s natural aspects, like grass, shrubbery, and other greenery. However, hardscapes are also important additions that would boost the property’s overall appearance and functionality.
It can be tricky coming up with hardscape ideas for homes in and around St. Louis, MO. If you need hardscaping inspiration, consult the guide below.
What Is Hardscaping?
Hardscaping is a service that handles the inorganic aspects of landscaping. Examples are wooden arbors, stone walls, and brick pathways. Hardscaping services make it easier to manage an outdoor environment and improve a yard’s infrastructure.
Hardscape design is the integration of hardscapes within the natural environment. It incorporates the use of grass, plants, and trees with human-made constructions to transform a property’s exterior into a lovely and functional living space that complements the home’s architectural style and design.
The Purpose of a Hardscape
There are several reasons why you could add a hardscape into your landscape design. Depending on your backyard’s size, you could use features to create different zones on the land to make smaller, cohesive spaces. You could also expand your home’s livable space or reshape the landscape to add dimension.
The versatility of hardscape designs also allows property owners to create low-maintenance yards with attractive features and minimal plants. Installing the right hardscapes can reduce or eliminate the need for mowing grass, pruning trees, and watering flowers.
Common Types of Hardscape Materials
Hardscapes can consist of synthetic or organic materials. Wood, natural stone, artificial grass, gravel, flagstone, and rubber mulch are the most common options.
Since hardscapes are semi-permanent, you cannot move them without demolishing or deconstructing them first. The materials must be durable and waterproof to withstand weather exposure, making construction materials like brick and concrete acceptable.
Top 5 Hardscape Design Ideas
There are countless hardscape designs available; with enough imagination and the right hardscape design team, your yard could take on a new aesthetic that matches your house design and personal style.
The key is to plan and design a layout before beginning any hardscape project. If you need inspiration for a hardscape to incorporate on your land, consider the ideas below:
- Pathways: Hardscape ideas can be as simple as adding stone pathways or walkways around the house, through the garden, or from the front door to the sidewalk. These features can also include steps to make it easier and safer to walk through the property.
- Retaining Walls: Retaining walls are a multi-purposed hardscape feature. They are attractive, prevent soil erosion, support yards with small slopes, and add functional yard space.
- Outdoor Living Space: Hardscaping allows you to turn your yard into an outdoor living area. Features like a patio with seating, an outdoor kitchen, or an outdoor living room for entertaining guests will increase your home’s usable square footage.
- Decorative Hardscape Features: Constructed ponds, waterfalls, pergolas, and gazebos are decorative features that boost a property’s visual appeal. Hardscaping makes it possible to incorporate these designs into a landscape by providing a sturdy foundation.
- Raised Garden: These unique gardens have walls and flower beds above the ground and walkways between each row. You could take a natural approach using wooden platforms and soil walkways or enhance the design using natural stone or pavers.
Quality Hardscaping Near St. Louis
Transforming your hardscape ideas into a stunning reality takes a skilled hand. For your exterior home improvement projects, rely on a contractor with ample experience in hardscape and landscape design near St. Louis. It is best to work with a licensed, insured, and bonded company with a positive record of meeting their client’s needs and exceeding their expectations.
Conclusion
You don’t have to settle for a dull backyard or front yard. Instead, consider working with a landscaping team to incorporate various hardscape ideas into your property. Hardscapes are equally functional and visually pleasing, and they can boost your home’s value.
Warren Professional Services LLC is here to create your ideal hardscape according to your needs and specifications. As a fully licensed and insured landscape design company serving St. Louis, MO, we have over 24 years of experience transforming properties throughout the area. Contact us today to get started with your next project.