Fully developed outdoor living areas offer an opportunity to bring the mood you’ve established indoors to your Highland Park, IL, landscape. The style and tone can be replicated in the materials you choose and the hardscape features you have installed. Consider these landscape design ideas as you look into expanding your living footprint to the outside.
Outdoor Fireplace
A small fire pit with some chairs circling it is one way to spend an evening, but a little more luxury would make this scenario a more regular—and enjoyable—experience. There is something about having a full-sized fireplace outside that seems to finalize the appearance of an outdoor living area. Aside from the obvious comforts of an outdoor fireplace, it also gives you a chance to create a centerpiece for your landscape design. You can place it along the border of your patio as a focal point or utilize a double-sided fireplace that offers warmth on either side—one side could face your outdoor dining room while the other warms your outdoor living room.
Outdoor fireplaces are available in various heights, colors, and layouts, so you will be able to the find the one that best fits your landscape and matches your style. Do you wish for an adobe-style outdoor living area? You can create a fireplace made of sand-colored spackle and natural sandstone pavers. Maybe you’re looking for more of a sleek and modern style? Try incorporating smooth, zero-bevel pavers with dark slate to create a sophisticated aesthetic.
Related: Sign Up for Landscaping Services for a Beautiful yet Functional Backyard in Highland Park, IL
Pergola
A pergola would be a great addition to your outdoor living space especially for those hot summer days. Pergolas allow you to step out of the sun and relax while still enjoying the fresh air. The best thing about pergola could be the options available—you can bring your artistic flair to the structure before it’s designed while also ensuring its functionality.
The main function of a pergola is the establishment of a shaded area that could be for cooking or just lounging. That doesn’t mean you have to stop there. Continue your landscape design with some extra flair by incorporating plants, lighting, or even a small dry bar for entertaining guests. Add some of your favorite flowers and climbing vines, and you will turn your pergola into a greenery oasis. Every dinner party will last long into light if your pergola includes some soft lighting fixtures such as lanterns. You could also ensure lasting privacy or a sense of intimacy for your gatherings if you have drapes installed on the pergola’s sides.
Related: Make an Outdoor Fireplace the Focal Point of Your Northbrook, IL, Landscape Design
Seat Walls
Seat walls offer another idea for bringing in a hardscape feature that’s both functional and beautiful. One of the main advantages to a seat wall is its ability to break up open spaces in a wide-open landscape. And, of course, like the name implies, it offers seating that’s a level beyond the typical patio furniture sets. A beautifully constructed masonry seating wall is impressive and clearly designates where to sit—a big plus for large gatherings that involve people who do not know each other well. You could also have built-in planters incorporated to the ends of your seat wall for an even more elegant look.
