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Solution: Play with horizontal and vertical lines If you have a backyard that’s on the tight side, make the area appear larger than it really is by working in horizontal and vertical motifs. Here, square pavers are arranged in a stepped and linear pattern, and direct the eye to the back garden wall, creating the illusion of greater depth. Meanwhile, the ipe wood slatted wall draws the eye from one side of the garden to the other, which visually widens the area and amplifies the feeling of space.
4. Path or bed detail. When laying out your garden paths and beds, designate an area that can be covered with a layer of glass pieces. For a surface that people or animals will be walking on, tumbled glass is the safest option, due to its lack of jagged or sharp edges. Tip: Put down a layer of landscape cloth first to keep the glass from sinking into the soil over time. Lay down at least 1 inch of glass to make sure the surface has ample coverage. (About 7 pounds of tumbled glass will cover 1 square foot to a depth of 1 inch.)
Choose your wind-free location. Wind accelerates over large expanses, like big bodies of water. As it encounters the change of terrain on the coast, its intensity is altered and slowed by vegetation, topography and buildings. To decrease wind exposure for your coastal garden, determine the exact areas you want to protect. Consider creating a wind-free zone where you relax the most, or screen wind from an outdoor dining or gathering area.
16. Get design help when you need it. It might not seem like it, but small spaces are often more difficult to design than large ones. An expert will be trained to deal with your needs and challenges. Calhoun suggests going with an architect who can best come up with the right approach for your unique space. Is there a lot of sun? Rain? Wind? “You want someone who has a whole philosophy,” he says. A landscaper who specializes in country-style gardens could come in and do the usual, and it might be lovely, he says, “but it won’t be as satisfying as something that reflects what’s going on with the building. Call an architect instead of calling the nursery.” Beyerl suggests bringing in a team of pros to get the job done. “Room making is an architect’s profession,” he says. “Then a carpenter can complete all the design finesse. And a landscape designer will understand how the plantings will work over time.”
Glass Railings While it’s expensive, it’s hard to beat glass for its transparent properties. If you’re near the ocean, be aware that salt spray can build up on the surface of the glass, and it will readily show off the points where it’s been touched (sunscreen-covered legs, fingers, arms etc.). It has some distinct advantages. It’s completely transparent, allowing for a seamless visual connection between view and viewer, and it doubles as a windscreen, which can extend the functionality of decks, especially those nearby water bodies that are typically subject to higher winds. It has its disadvantages too. Glass is expensive (it must be tempered or laminated for safety), and it requires a regular commitment to cleaning. And, because it’s heavy, it requires special hardware to attach it to the deck edge and may require additional structural supports.
A built-in bench hugs the inside of a wall, conserving space on this terrace and maximizing seating when there’s a crowd. Notice how the houndstooth on the pad is echoed in the throw pillows, and how the simple presence of an oval table (how often do you see those on a patio?) makes the space feel distinctive.
Ellis removed two French doors in the living room area and replaced them with large sliding glass doors, bringing the living room and the outdoor deck area together as one large space. "The front deck challenged us. The wisteria tree presented some issues, and we made sure not to damage any of its roots. It was planted in 1954, and I still have this image of it being a little shrub," she says.
Plastic Plastic pots have come a long way in recent years and can take on the look of terra-cotta or wood, like in this photo. Often you don't realize a container is plastic until you touch it. It's flexible enough to expand and retract through freezes and thaws, making it appropriate for year-round use.
Inside a sunken or elevated space, you have an altogether different vantage point. Perhaps the design focuses your attention inward, fostering intimate conversation. Or, if the orientation is outwardly focused, you'll observe the borrowed landscape or enjoy a bird's-eye view of the garden. Any time the grade is changed, even with a single riser, the dynamic is also changed. Here are some clever ways designers have changed the grade. I give them an A-plus. Step it down. At the lowest point of this narrow, steep backyard, there was plenty of room for a patio. But this is no ordinary patio. It's a dreamy destination for anyone who walks outside the back door. The elements are perfect. First, the designer has done a superb job of breaking up the slab into bands and squares, further defined by crushed stone. The treatment ensures good drainage and suggests a patterned carpet. As you descend a few concrete steps to enter the sunken outdoor living room, you're drawn to the generously scaled U-shape bench. Made of a sustainable hardwood, it embraces three edges of the patio and has a gas fire bowl at its center.
As opposed to Mondrian’s perfect flat planes, gardens tend to be built with the third dimension. But we can still use his theories in three dimensions. Here the house and garden seem as though they have been designed as one. Both have strong Mondrian-esque features, including rectangular planes, though the garden especially gives us a great template for creating a Mondrian design. The composition is centered around closely planted raised rectangular beds that have been separated by paved walkways and narrow planted beds. The paths and narrow plantings follow Mondrian’s belief that grid lines create paths of movement for the eye.
Plants do not have to be the focus of this style. Planes or strong blocks of color can be composed of many materials, in this case poured concrete. The gravel borders serve the same purpose as the black lines in a Mondrian painting. Not only do they separate the planes, but they also create movement and lead the eye through the design.
Looking down on this garden, we see the classic features of Mondrian design — the rectangles, or planes of colors, separated by lines. Here, though, the rectangles are composed of planted blocks separated by stonework. To achieve the full Mondrian effect, the plants need to be, as in this case, compact, preferably evergreen and closely planted, yet allowing the structure of the design to show through.
13. Make your party spaces multifunctional. People are likely to carry food and drinks everywhere during a party, so try to have plenty of little tables and stools on hand for setting things on, both indoors and out. Hard benches are ideal for parties, because they can be used as seats and tables, and fit more people than individual chairs. Try not to make any indoor or outdoor space too full of furniture, though — some folks will want to stand up and chat, so leave some space for that, too.
5. Disguise an eyesore. Seattle designer Tina Dixon created this faux-adobe facade as a focal point in her garden, but it has a second equally important role — it disguises a large garden shed. Because the sides are masked with dense plantings, creating a secluded seating nook, first-time visitors are easily fooled. Cobalt blue is Dixon’s signature color, used throughout her garden on fences, pergolas and containers, so it was a natural choice here. Don’t be afraid of using bold color on the walls in your garden. It’s only paint, so you can always change it to suit your style.
2. Showcase plants. Narrow planting strips rarely allow for layering plants, which at first may seem a disadvantage. Yet this is the perfect opportunity to use plants that have a strong architectural silhouette. In the design here, the kangaroo paws are set off beautifully by the solid wall, while the warm coral shade adds richness to the scene and depth to the flowers. The subtle purple accent on the lower wall repeats the deeper tones and also ties into the mottled hues in the sculpture it supports. Paying attention to detail and echoing colors in this way will always create a professional look.
I'm a fan of creative uses of brick in modern designs, so I really like the way the texture of this freestanding wall — part of a three-house project by Richard Wintersole Architect — is created through the orientation and placement of bricks. The narrow openings that align with the heads of people sitting on the wood benches are a nice touch.
Maintenance No matter what material you choose for your deck, it's going to need maintenance — a minimum of one annual cleaning. Most composites and plastics need a regularly applied finish (once or twice a year) to keep from fading, but most decking wood can be left finished or unfinished. While wood is more susceptible to rot and warping, mold spots are more difficult to remove from composite and plastic decking.
For this reason, many professionals recommend using wood in climates with extra hot summers. Tropical woods, such as ipe and teak, wear and weather well. However, some of this wood is dark, so it holds more heat than lighter woods, such as the commonly used pressure-treated Southern yellow pine. Redwood tends to be the West Coast's — primarily California's — predominant decking material due to its reasonable price tag, low maintenance and cool surface. "Redwood is definitely the cheapest material in California because there's so much of it," says California contractor Bonny Weil. "Manufacturing costs are very low, versus a composite decking board that might take a lot of time to make, so it tends to be about twice as much."
Heat Resistance "At the time composites and plastics were made, there wasn't a lot of thought as to how they'd perform in heat," Jourdain says. While composites and plastics have their benefits, comfort on a hot day is not one of them. "Composites and plastics can get so hot, you can't walk on them barefoot," Rossi says. Capped composites are no different. "The plastic layer surrounding the composite holds heat," Jellema says. "But the lighter the color, the less heat it holds."
Types of Decking Plastic: 100 percent plastic decking is stain resistant and won't crack, warp or splinter. It doesn't require any finishing. Some plastic decking is made from new plastic; others are partially or completely recycled. Composite: This decking is made from wood fibers (usually recycled maple sawdust) and recycled plastic. Dense, weather and stain resistant, it won't splinter, warp or rot. Wood: Most of today's wood decks are made of cedar, redwood (pictured), pressure-treated pine or ipe, a sustainable tropical wood. You can find sustainably produced versions of most hardwoods, including bamboo, cedar, redwood and ipe. Make sure to buy wood from a Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified company to avoid illegally harvested wood. Charlie Jourdain, President of the California Redwood Association, says substantially more people have started using plastic and composite decking over the past 10 years, and Denny Rossi of Seal It Green agrees. "Michigan seems to favor plastic and composite decking, and now plastic-capped composites as the ever-growing field of less maintenance materials evolves," Rossi says. Clemens Jellema of Fine Decks Inc. in Maryland now installs al...
you choose between plastic and wood for your decking, ask yourself one question: Where is your deck? If your deck is in the sun or in the shade for the majority of the day — particularly in summer, when it will be used most — you'll want to choose the material that will be comfortable in that spot on the hottest days of the year. Of course, size, cost, style and maintenance should factor into your decision, too. We talked to four decking experts from across the country to find out how to choose a decking material.
Create inviting smaller spaces for intimate conversation. The extrovert’s well-designed garden should incorporate smaller vignettes so partygoers can break off from the crowd for more intimate conversations. Narrower paths leading to small seating areas with cozy furniture provide a respite during larger gatherings. A surrounding hedge or wall will create a psychological sense of freedom and security for those who venture there and can optimize usable space in a smaller gard
Use color to bring out your inner party animal. Just as many nocturnal insects are attracted to bright light, many extroverts are drawn to bright colors. Saturated colors create a festive atmosphere just right for informal gatherings. In contrast, white furniture and fabrics create a more elegant, formal environment. Neutrals can create a rustic vibe.
The wood wall beside the driveway conceals the home’s utility items and is made entirely from leftover wood. The owners carefully wove the pieces together and then heavily oiled the wood.
The outdoor dining chairs came from a used-furniture store; the couple built the dining table from leftover wood.
3. Pergolas. Though traditionally planted with vines to cover walkways in the garden, many pergolas today are used as architectural elements and are given the same pride of place in the garden. Materials run the gamut from rustic and naturalistic willow branches to the wood or metal seen in modern interpretations like this modern oceanfront design. If you do decide to grow vines on your pergola, choose strong and woody vines that can support much of their own weight. A professionally installed pergola can handle a much heavier load than one installed from a kit.
Matisse’s most famous cutout is called “The Snail.” It’s large, 9 feet by 9 feet, and it’s a composition of different-colored squares and rectangles that interact with one another, barely touching, set within an irregular orange border. In modern garden design, we love to have strong, simple shapes interact with one another. But it is not easy to get it right. Matisse showed us in works such as “The Snail” that getting the structure and scale correct within a boundary leads to a design that not only works, but is pleasing.
Plan your space to the square inch. Map out your patio space on paper before making any changes — if you measure and plan well, you may realize you can actually fit in more than you thought. In this small space, the designer squeezed in a grill, a dining area, and built-in planters.
Create a living privacy fence. Cable wires mounted between fence posts create a sturdy support for climbing plants. Over time the plants can completely fill in the area, providing privacy for the patio.
Light up the night. If you have a narrow patio squeezed between tall buildings, use the vertical space to hang string lights high, transforming what would be a flaw into a charming feature. Just as with a small interior room, an outdoor space feels bigger and more welcoming when it’s well lit. Try adding landscape lighting to the plantings in the corners of your patio to draw the eye all the way to the edges of the space.
Zen retreat. A planter of bamboo and a petite Japanese maple, along with a simple wood-slat trellis and minimalist furniture, create a peaceful space in which to unwind. A palette of white, natural wood, stone and lush greenery helps boost feelings of relaxation. Choose smooth river stones as mulch, and just one meaningful sculpture or icon.
The tearoom, in the front of the structure, has a polished concrete floor and a red cedar ceiling. The mass of the fireplace and chimney defines the two spaces, which are otherwise open to each other. “This is a great device for dividing the greenhouse and meditation space, and contains a gas fireplace so the space is comfortable in the winter with snow on the ground,” says Flavin. Originally Flavin had wanted to paint the steel black, like on the Glass House, but ended up buying sliding glass doors with a bronze finish, which he then matched the steel to. He liked the aged look of the bronze, because it imparted an always-been-there look and suited the forest setting.
Inside there are two distinct rooms: the greenhouse and the tearoom. The greenhouse, with its gravel floor, takes up the rear two-thirds of the structure. The gravel flooring sections inside and outside of the glass are level, creating a seamless inside-out transition. “In summer the owner can wander right through the building,” says Flavin. Custom-made teak and galvanized steel potting benches provide ample room for pruning, flower arranging and practicing the art of bonsai. Sunlight pours through glass skylights. Cedar cabinet doors conceal storage space on the rear side of the fireplace. A cantilevered stone sink and counter provide easy watering access.
“The site for the greenhouse is prominent from various vantage points in the garden, so the aesthetics became very important,” says Flavin. “The more the owners pushed us to simplify the design, the better it became, distilled down to the elements of structural steel and glass.” With strong references to Philip Johnson’s Glass House, inspired by modern master Ludwig Mies van der Rohe’s glass and steel vocabulary, Flavin borrowed many elements for the structure. Like the Glass House, the structure sits well in the landscape, with the surrounding views as integral to the design as the architecture itself. “We wanted the large outcropping of granite to be visible and highly present as viewed from inside, so we wanted to be near the stone,” he says.
Wrap a deck corner with planters. Box planters add architecture and foliage to a deck. When they are placed right, they can provide extra privacy and shade. Depending on what you plant, they can also add colorful flowers and lovely fragrances.
Cut into a deck's corner. Clever moves at the end of the deck create more interesting sight lines and a closer connection between the built work and the surrounding landscape
This example adds a third side to the seating.
Add an inviting seating area. An outdoor sectional sofa or corner bench is a good way to mark the edge of an intimate outdoor living room.
This serene pavilion is well sited in this Asian-inspired garden.
Consider creating an outdoor living space with a fountain as a focal point instead of a fireplace. The relaxing sounds of water will create a wonderful atmosphere for you and your guests.
Dining spaces generally depend on the table size. I suggest measuring the table you would like to use and allow for 3 feet of circulation around the table. If you use bench seating on one or more sides, you can utilize a smaller space.
Haynes designed a vertical succulent garden to serve as living art on the deep orange stucco wall. "The vertical garden takes a lot of care and water in a dry climate like Santa Fe's," he warns. "In a wetter climate, the care and water requirements would be minimized."
Triangulum Fire Pit - $1,979 2I love to warm up by the flames of an outdoor fire. Imagine a group sitting around this one that's made of durable composite concrete. It's both good looking and practical. The fire sits 10 inches off of the ground, above vertical slots that allow drainage and let in air to feed the flames.
Bench With Backrest and Planter 2I can see a few of these planter seats together on a patio overlooking the cityscape. They work nicely as seating, occasional tables or both, and versatile pieces like these optimize limited spaces
Concrete/Wood Planter Bench by Tao Concrete - $1,300 2This concrete and wood planter bench has a wonderful blend of industrial and organic elements. For both exterior or interior spaces, it's a good example of a multifunctional piece that is both furniture and a planter. It would be especially great for smaller spaces where one piece needs to do the work of two.
Pot a pair of trees. Want to add major drama? Pot two trees in oversize pots and use them to flank a door or gate. Check with your local nursery to find out which varieties do well in your area.
10. Roll out an indoor-outdoor rug. An outdoor seating area instantly becomes cozier and more welcoming with the addition of a rug. For a dining area, the rug should be large enough to fit beneath the chairs when they are pulled out slightly. For a couch seating area, the rug can fit either under all of the furniture or just beneath the coffee table and reach to the front feet of the furniture (as shown here).
Soften corners with plants. Sharply angled corners are not only a challenge to decorate, but if left empty they can make a space feel cramped and uncomfortable. Fill in tight corners with potted plants to soften the angles — tall plants and topiaries work especially well.
Log Alternatives What if you already own a wood-burning fire pit? Try logs made from alternative materials. Today these are made of renewable resources that release up to 80 percent fewer emissions than regular wood when burned. Not only does this mean less carbon monoxide and residue in the air, but less creosote build-up on the walls of your fire pit. Options include logs made from non-petroleum natural wax, recycled sawdust, used coffee beans, soy and switchgrass.
Raise those planters. Add more vertical cover (and much-needed color) by securing planters on top of a low concrete or brick wall.
Decorate your space with a living wall. Give a tall fence new meaning by creating your own vertical garden. It adds even more privacy, and does it with style.
Go vertical with your flowers. To block the view of two-story neighbors, landscape architect Bartron bolted this tall custom metal trellis onto the garage wall. She added colorful Orange Clock Vine for additional privacy.
Screen in your hot tub. Ensure your spa isn't out in the open by installing these corrugated acrylic panels. You can even filter light from behind for a romantic background glow.
6. Stair Riser Lights This small touch can add ambience and prevent falls. Good to know: Having just one or two steps can actually cause more accidents than a taller staircase. Especially at dusk, that single step can be easy to miss, so adding a light is a kind thing to do.
Recessed Lighting Simple and sleek, recessed lights would be perfect tucked into the covered patio of a contemporary or modern home. Good to know: Dimmer switches allow you to adjust the lighting to perfectly suit the mood — and a dimmer is something you can do yourself.
Recess the garden walls. Layering garden walls can make a space feel more massive. Even in a small garden, taking up extra floor space to layer walls may be worth the trade-off. In this garden, the seating has a minimalistic sculptural quality, making up for any lost square footage.
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