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With three seasons of great weather ready to be enjoyed here in Long Island, outdoor living spaces are becoming a normal part of creating a comfortable home. With the onset of many new outdoor products and design possibilities, there is less and less of a difference between enjoying the interior rooms of our homes and relaxing in the kitchens and dining rooms located in the backyard. But with so many landscape design ideas out there, it’s tough to know which ones to choose for your Islip, NY property. Here, we take a look at four big ideas for bringing big style to your backyard.
A welcoming entrance sets the tone
As the saying goes, you only get one chance to make a good first impression. And this saying certainly applies to front yard landscaping. When thinking about front entrances, homeowners often focus on the front door area of their property, which is certainly important. But in reality, the driveway is the first thing that visitors see when they arrive to your home. Creating a welcoming front entrance begins with the driveway entrance, so consider adding some style and warmth there first. Driveway pillars built using retaining wall systems and topped with lighting fixtures are a classic way to welcome guests. Add in some planting beds at the base of the pillars with lush shrubs, flowers, and perennials and you’ve got a great first impression.
Outdoor kitchens are the heart of the outdoor home
With the onset of many new products and features, outdoor living spaces today are becoming true extensions for the homes of many Islip, NY residents. When homeowners are looking to make their backyard patio spaces more usable, outdoor kitchens are one of the best ways to make it happen. Having the ability to prepare great food and drinks for family, friends, and guests without leaving the party to go back inside to the kitchen improves the entire outdoor entertaining experience. With high-quality grills, outdoor refrigerators, cooktops, built-in smokers, and even warming drawers hitting the market, creating an outdoor kitchen that offers stand-alone functionality is truly possible. Consider using retaining wall systems for the construction of your outdoor kitchen for increased design possibilities and performance.
Outdoor fireplaces bring the heat
Many Islip homeowners are looking for ways to bring the family closer right at home. There are few better ways of accomplishing this than adding an outdoor fireplace to your patio. Offered as a pre-built element by Unilock, or built custom with retaining wall products, an outdoor fireplace creates an ambience that is perfect for talking, reading, and gathering for food by the warmth of the fire. Now, instead of heading out of the house with the family, it’s just as fun to walk out the backdoor to roast some marshmallows fireside with the comforts of home.
Create outdoor rooms with retaining walls
As backyard landscaping ideas have evolved, outdoor living spaces in the Islip, NY area have started to include larger patio areas. With this expansion comes new design challenges. One of these that we see is how best to provide individual “rooms” within a much larger patio space. Much like we are used to seeing inside the home, outdoor living spaces need to be segmented into smaller, more intimate outdoor rooms. While elements like outdoor kitchens and outdoor fireplaces are excellent for achieving this, the proper use of retaining wall systems is another. Seat walls—low, freestanding walls about 20” in height—can help add separation and definition when designing a backyard living space.
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See more inspiration for your driveways and patios here or contact a Unilock Authorized Contractor.
