Custom Patio Blog

Designing a patio gives one more creative freedom than designing interior spaces for the home. Since you are not confined or restricted by walls, you can create spaces that are truly unique and reflective of your outdoor lifestyle. Find out which 3 factors dictate the shape your patio is going to take.

Outdoor area’s shape and size

Your outdoor area’s shape and size is the first factor to consider when determining your patio shape. Does it have uniform sides like a square or rectangle? Does it have sharp corners like a triangle or is it more free-flowing with its curves and uneven sides?

Patio Use

Will it be for a single function like an outdoor living room for the family? Or will you use it to be a dual function area such as a combined outdoor kitchen and dining room? Or maybe a multi-functional area with all these outdoor structures? As long as the area permits it, feel free to combine shapes that will help you achieve the best layout for your outdoor area’s functions. You may have a rectangle shape for an outdoor kitchen and dining room connected to a square living room with a fire pit in the center. And lastly, a free flowing garden area that makes your green landscape a miniature nature trip on its own.

Your House Architecture

Modern houses may command definite shaped patios such as square or rectangle, while contemporary homes with a more laidback garden design can play around with flee-flowing patio shapes that do not need to conform to the house style. It will fit well with informal gardens and large outdoor areas where space isn’t a problem.

Knowing these 3 factors can help you decide what patio shape you should start with for a better patio layout. A defined patio shape will also help you trim your ideas and plan for patio elements.

Having an outdoor fireplace adds warmth, coziness, and ambiance to any outdoor setting. Designed thoughtfully, a fireplace can also serve as your outdoor area’s focal point. But when it comes to installation costs, here are the top 5 factors that can easily inflate the price.

Size

The size of the fireplace usually corresponds to the size of the outdoor area it is supposed to heat. While some may want to build a smaller fireplace to reduce costs, size is one of the most important factors that will determine whether it will provide enough heat that covers the outdoor area well.

Hearth

The base of the fireplace is not confined to the rectangle firebox but also extends to the seating area created near the fireplace’s mouth. This is so people who want to be closer to the fire can have a good spot to sit in.

Masonry and Design

If you are keen to have a grand fireplace that features special designs using stones and brick, this design requirement will certainly add to your cost. To achieve intricate designs requires the hands of an expert stonemason and that will cost you a lot. However, if aesthetic is important for you then the upfront costs will be small in comparison to the beauty your fireplace will add to your outdoor area.

Utility Lines

If your fireplace will run on gas, and its location is far from your gas lines, gas pipe installation will incur additional costs. Electricity lines are also another utility you have to anticipate in your bill.

Accessibility

Having an accessible area where your contractor’s vehicles can easily reach will make your fireplace cost go down significantly as having an accessible area means fewer hands needed to transport materials from their vehicle to your outdoor area.

Now that you know these 5 factors that greatly contribute to your fireplace installation costs you can now check which of these factors you can hold back on. For a better estimate on outdoor fireplace installation costs, call us for a free, no-obligation estimate!

After a long work day at home or completing all your household chores and errands, a backyard retreat is the best place to unwind and rest. If you’re looking for ideas on how to turn your backyard into a haven of relaxation and comfort, read on.

Put a comfortable swingseat or hammock.

After a whole day of working or running around completing errands and chores, taking a much-deserved rest in a comfortable swingseat or hammock is simply priceless. Powernaps have since become the norm to recharge in between tasks or chores.

Create a rock garden.

Transform your backyard into a unique spot by decorating it with rocks. Use gravel as an alternate ground cover. You can place boulders as borders or even craft it into an outdoor table and seating area. Erecting stone statues made of carefully balanced stones and pebbles can also be a fun outdoor activity challenge for the whole family while transforming the place into something that will look straight out of a faraway zen paradise.

Meditate to the sound of a steady stream.

If water is your favorite element, incorporate it into your backyard and let its soothing effect calm down your nerves and wash away your fears and anxiety. A minimalist fountain that fits a small patio table can already change your backyard atmosphere.

Build a sunken lounge with a fire pit in the center.

Make your backyard the ideal place to sit back and relax with a sunken lounge populated by comfortable seats. Fill it with pillows and cozy blankets for chilly weather. A fire pit in the center will ensure you’ll always have a warm and toasty stay no matter the weather.

Turn it into a place where you can pursue your hobby.

Whether it’s sewing, crocheting, herb gardening, woodworks, or painting, you can transform your backyard into such a place where you can devote your leisure time pursuing your hobby.

As the new year begins, so do yard transformations begin. In this blog we’ll give you 4 landscaping options you can choose from for your 2021 yard.

Xeriscaped Landscape

As climate change becomes more apparent, many will turn to transforming their yards into eco-friendly landscapes like xeriscapes. By using native and adapted plant species, your yard will use less water to keep these plants thriving. Xeriscaping also helps animals and insects native to the area thrive in finding sources for their food.

Tropical Vibe

Bring in the colors of the year Illuminating Yellow and Ultimate Gray by filling your yard with landscape plantings that boast of yellow blooms and gravel ground cover. This landscaping theme best suits yards with swimming pools. Palm trees and birds of paradise also help create the tropical vibe. Hang a hammock between trees and a fire pit or grill.

Japanese Garden

For those looking for a safe and calm space within their home, your yard can certainly be that haven. Create a Japanese garden by choosing evergreens of varying heights, shapes, and textures. Aside from evergreen plants, use bamboo for fencing and plantings to create a private atmosphere in your yard. Another key element in a Japanese garden is the water feature such as a fountain, pond, or stream. To fully enjoy the charms of a Japanese garden at night, choose warm lighting to complement and highlight key areas in your garden.

Modern Patio

A modern patio suits those with limited yard space as this design focuses on neat space allocation such as grids and containers. Modern patios usually use concrete, wood, or metal in its design. Plant containers or hedge rows prevent plants from growing and spreading into the other parts of your yard. Clean lines and boxed in spaces maximize the space and leave no corner underutilized.

This holiday season might be a little bit different than past celebrations. With the pandemic still raging on, here are 5 patio design ideas that can be easy to put up but is still full of holiday spirit and cheer!

Spell out inspiring words for the holiday season.

As the year concludes, we cannot help but admit that it has rather been a trying year for all of us. Send out a positive and inspiring message by putting up letter stands for words like hope, peace, and joy. You can also do this on the banisters of your porch and use garlands instead. These word decorations will also serve as a reminder to look for the good things life has in store for us.

Re-wrap your empty delivery boxes into faux gifts.

Usher in the season of giving with displays of faux gifts. Even if it’s just for display, it helps in reminding one of the happy season that makes us generous not only in material things but also in spreading kindness, love, and care for everyone.

Display a snowman with a different pose this year.

To commemorate the rule of social distancing of one meter apart, have your snowman’s arms stretch to exactly one meter for a witty twist this year. You can also hang a sign with a reminder on its neck. Who says you cannot have your holiday decoration with a twist?

Put in a plant container or three that’s brimming with holiday colors.

What better way to display holiday colors than by arranging an array of plant containers full of thriving plants in the season’s colors. A Christmas cactus can be a great alternative to poinsettia, lantana for a burst of color and evergreens in small pots can be quite a sight whether in a group or in their respective corners.

Have Santa and his reindeer team don their masks on.

And have Rudolph and his friends stand farther apart than usual. A great sign of the times but still in keeping with the holiday tradition, this holiday patio set up will also serve as a reminder for the little ones. Even Santa and his team follows health protocols, holiday or not.