What to Keep in Mind If Your Landscaper Recommends Adding Retaining Walls to Your Norwalk, CT, Backyard

The title image features the Lineo Dimensional Stone.

If your landscaper has recommended a retaining wall, you may want to focus on materials that could add character and style to your landscape. The good news is that you have options: Here’s what to keep in mind if your landscaper recommends adding retaining walls to your Norwalk, CT, backyard.

Larger Outdoor Living Spaces

Although the primary purpose of retaining walls is to hold back soil, they can also be intended to increase outdoor living space. This is an opportunity to design some incredible spaces where you can entertain and relax—spaces with character that do not look like afterthoughts.

For example, you could use a retaining wall for extra seating, to create a cozy fire pit area, or to give guests a place to sit as you tool around your outdoor kitchen. The Brussels Dimensional System is a great option from Unilock for homeowners looking for a casual, easygoing retaining wall that brings to mind the weathered quarry stone that’s ubiquitous to Mediterranean towns where terraces create some of the only flat land available for patios or agriculture. Finish the look with relaxed, rounded-edge Brussels Fullnose Coping or Universal Coping if you prefer a smooth and more refined surface.

Maximizing Space

Using a retaining wall as the back of an outdoor kitchen is an opportunity to grow some culinary herbs right at your fingertips, and add a cozy feeling to your cooking space. Maximizing your outdoor living space could also mean incorporating an outdoor fireplace to help set the stage for an outdoor living room—virtually the only difference from your indoor living room is that this ceiling will contain billions of stars.

Lineo Dimensional Stone features a smooth texture and simple-yet-sophisticated aesthetic that could be ideal for contemporary outdoor spaces that favor a linear design. The smooth finish beautifully complements outdoor kitchen materials like countertops and stainless steel appliances. It’s also a beautiful contrast to more rustic textured pavers. Finish the look with Universal Coping from Unilock. 

Defining Zones

Today’s outdoor living spaces are often divided into various activity zones. You may want, for example, a busy, vibrant space around the outdoor kitchen and outdoor dining room or a more relaxed space around a fire pit. 

A retaining wall can be used to define these spaces. You could have, for example, a curved wall that partially surrounds a cozy seating area. 

The Estate Wall features relaxed wall units inspired by timeworn natural stone. The rustic appearance could be a wonderful contrast to smooth pavers, by adding textural interest to your outdoor living space.

Don’t Forget the Front Yard: A Warm Welcome

Make the most of your front entry with a low wall between the walkway and the surrounding landscaping. For this application, a chair-height seat wall could be best, to give elderly visitors a chance to rest if your walkway is long. Or the wall could offer a place to display colorful pottery or found treasures—giving your visitors a glimpse into what awaits them indoors. 

The U-Cara Multi-Face Wall System could be the ideal solution for nearly every design style. Enjoy a variety of fascia combinations to achieve exactly the look you want. Finish the look with Universal Coping, which will give your wall an elegant look.