"How to Create your Dream Outdoor Living Space" Part One- Finding Inspiration
March 06, 2018
As the warmer weather approaches, you might start thinking about spending more time outdoors in your backyard space. If your outdoor space is not somewhere you'd like to utilize more often, then it's time for an update! Everyone deserves to have an outdoor living space that they are proud to call their own. Now you're left with one question…where to start?
Research
Planning your dream outdoor living space can be an overwhelming, but fun process. The best place to start is gathering inspiration. This is a crucial step in the planning phase. If you're unaware of all the possibilities that are out there, how can you know exactly what you want? There are hundreds of different pavements, features, colors, patterns, blends, shapes and more! Every year, the Hardscape and Landscape industry is coming out with new products and innovative ways of designing outdoor living spaces, so research is key! When you find the right contractor down the line, it's a good idea to have pictures that clearly represent your vision. Luckily, there are a bunch of resources that make finding inspiration easy!
Pinterest is a great place to start. Pinterest is an online pin board that is used to collect visual imagery in an organized manner. All you have to do is make a Pinterest account and start researching! The great thing about Pinterest is that you can organize your thoughts by "boards." For example, you can make a board named "fire pits" and a board named "patios" where you can categorize and save your pictures. This will help keep your thought and inspiration imagery organized as well as give you a clear direction. Did we mention its free?
Company Catalogs
Hardscape company catalogs are a great resource as well, and a lot of the 2018 catalogs are available digitally online. This helps you to see what products are new for this year, and what actual completed projects look like. You can also get a better understanding of different pavement brands and what they have to offer. These Catalogs can give you specific information on products such as style, blends and colors that may give you a better idea of how you want your outdoor oasis to look. It's also a great way to get inspiration on how you want to divide or section off different parts of your outdoor living space. The possibilities are endless.
Friends & Family
Last but not least, gather inspiration from friends, family and neighbors. Ask them about their outdoor living space and how they found inspiration. This will help you get a better idea of the entire process from start to finish, and who knows? Maybe they will even recommend you a good contractor!