Do you want a yard that makes you sigh in delight and not distress? If so, Outdoor Makeover & Living Spaces would love to work with you to help create a landscape that meets your needs, as well as your wants. As Atlanta landscape designers with years of experience, we know there are some key elements to be included for the project to be a true success. These components of landscape design all work together to create a peaceful and harmonious landscape that makes you smile every time you walk into your yard.

No matter the type of design work you are considering, there is one thing that they all have in common: understanding the space with which you are working.  Whether it be a floorplan for your new home, a room makeover or an upgrade to your landscape, having a design plan is essential for a successful result. In order to create the plan, there are an assortment of landscape design components that need to be considered. For those who have never embarked on the excitement of landscape design makeovers, it can be a bit overwhelming. After all, just because your yard is the equivalent of a blank canvas, it doesn’t necessarily mean you are ready to start adding color. Before going to the nursery and selecting a plethora of plants and yard décor, it is important to have a well-crafted plan with the following components of landscape design.

Creating A Landscape Design Plan

So, now that you have decided to upgrade your current front yard or backyard landscape, you may be wondering what landscape design elements should be included. Fortunately, you don’t have to have all the answers, as that is where the Outdoor Makeover & Living Spaces team shines. Our landscape renovation and design experts will listen to your front or backyard design ideas and then create a landscape renovation plan that incorporates each component below so you can enjoy your outdoor living space more than ever before. 

Lines - For a landscape design to be soothing to the eyes, it needs to have lines connecting various focal points of your yard. It might be a gazebo, a water feature, a large flowerbed or any other element, but having a focal point helps set the theme. Lines are often subtly incorporated to draw the eyes from each feature of your yard. Vertical lines draw one’s eyes upward, while horizontal ones are great for bringing attention to small alcoves, garden areas, or paths or other focal points. In addition, keep in mind that curved lines tend to be more natural and calming while straight lines are more formal and direct.

Mass - This is the space or area occupied by the elements of your landscape – whether those include a gazebo, flowerbeds, the plants within a flowerbed, a swing set or any other features in your yard, these items add to the mass of your landscape. And, while each component has its place, it is important that things are balanced proportionately else it will make the yard seem cluttered or cramped. 

Balance – Endeavor to keep the size of garden areas, shrubbery, trees and outdoor structures in proportion to the house and space you are working with. A good rule of thumb is that the height of an element (be it shrubbery, a fence, or a fountain) should be 1/3 the height of the width of a space – so a patio area that is 24 square feet is best paired with a vertical element that is 8 feet tall. Choose plants and design elements that suit the style of your home. It helps to determine the theme or feel of the finished product, then work to have the design be aesthetically and functionally placed.

Form - Everything in your lawn has a shape – from the walkways and driveway to garden areas and seating areas. They may be squares, triangles, circles or irregular shapes, but each of these shapes lend to the form of your landscape. Typically, rectangle forms are formal, circles are soft, triangle are strong and irregular shapes are seen as carefree. Since you will want your landscape design to express a certain personality, be sure you let our team know what message you want your lawn to reflect. 

Color - The best way to add life and energy to your landscape design is through color. Whether it is through pavers for a patio, a stone retaining wall, the flowers chosen, or decorative fountains, color helps unite your landscape, while making it even more inviting to you and those who visit. 

Texture - Nature is full of textures, so why not use them to make your landscape design shine? From the type of grass chosen, to whether you opt for a winding gravel path or pavers, choosing trees with smooth bark or those with a rough bark, there are many ways to incorporate texture. Having a good variety will make you landscape more appealing to the senses. Don’t be afraid to incorporate a wide range of plant types in the same space. It is totally acceptable to combine a variety of hostas with decorative grasses. Also, don’t forget to plant from big to small. Start by deciding on trees, water features, statuary, or any other structures to set the stage.  

Lighting - Just as color is important to your yard, so are outdoor lights. The addition of spotlights, path lights, twinkling white lights and other illuminating elements will take a basic landscape design to the next level. Better yet, when lights are placed properly, they also help add security to your yard, while still making it an inviting place to hang out with friends. There is a wide variety of lighting choices that can be used to set the atmosphere of your landscape, but also try to take advantage of natural lighting. For instance, planting trees and shrubs along an east-west line will often create a beautiful display at sunset/sunrise.

Simplicity – A busy landscape with numerous features is not only difficult to keep maintained, but it can be difficult to focus on or be able to relax in. By keeping the landscape design simple, it is easier to find pleasure and relaxation when enjoying your outdoor living space.

While each component of landscape design is important, creating a cohesive plan for your yard requires landscape design experts incorporating each element above. If you want to incorporate these components of landscape design into your home’s landscape, then don’t wait till spring to get started. Contact Outdoor Makeover & Living Spaces to schedule a landscape design consultation and you can have a new yard before summer even gets here!

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When it comes to getting work done around the home, everyone wants to be sure they have hired the best. Be it an interior project or and exterior one, we know that homeowners will talk to friends, co-workers and family to learn who they recommend for a particular job. But beyond talking to people we know, as a consumer, the average homeowner will also check out sites such as Angie’s List, Yelp or Google Places, or look for awards a company has received.

Consequently, the value of what you, as a client of Outdoor Makeover and Construction, has to say about our work on your property matters significantly. We know that you could have hired any other landscape design team in the Atlanta area, but you chose us. You trusted us with one of your most valuable possessions and allowed us to come in and redesign the space. You counted on us to listen to your dreams and goals for a space, and to work within a budget and timeframe so that we could make your landscaping dreams come true. But, many of you went above and beyond merely being satisfied customers – you told others about what we did. From word of mouth promotions to online recommendations, you bragged about the Outdoor Makeover and Construction team of Atlanta – in fact, we have been given over 800 online five-star reviews! It is these reviews, that were instrumental to bringing us to the attention of the Atlanta area Consumers' Choice Awards panel. The Consumers' Choice team uses several aspects – market surveys, industry directories and records, etc.- to check out what clients are saying about a company’s ability to deliver on its commitments, its team members and the quality of a company’s work.

The CCA team researches a company on sites such as Google Plus, Houzz, Homestar, YELP, Bing and others to see if they meet the CCA’s standards. If the comments meet their criteria, then that company is added to the list of possible award winners. Thanks to our client base in the metro Atlanta area, we were awarded the 2017 Consumers' Choice Award for Business Excellence. This award is received due only from customers voting and writing recommendations, and is recognized by other companies as a Seal of Excellence for top ranking companies. As one of the many Atlanta area landscaping teams, the Outdoor Makeover and Construction team does not take this award lightly.

We know that it is due to your continued support and recommendations that have allowed us to be in the spotlight and we are thankful for having such a supportive – and vocal- group of homeowners and businesses.

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The maintenance of your front yard is one of the most important aspects of home ownership. We've done a lot of talking about how your outdoor living space should reflect not only your personality, but should also reflect the care you put into your home and your front yard is no different. It is the first thing people see when they look at your home. You want your front yard to be inviting and engaging yet not cluttered with too many conflicting aesthetics. Here are some ways to bring unique visual qualities to your front yard without going overboard.

1. Use symmetry to your benefit: One of the main rules of aesthetics is symmetry is key. It provides your front yard with balance so everything feels as if it is in the write place. Have your landscape designer come up with a design that seems like each side of your yard is a perfect image of the other.
2. Make sure your front yard has enough color: Color brings a certain vibrance and liveliness to everything especially in nature. You can achieve this by having a colorful porch or flowerbed surrounding your yard.
3. Edging: Odds are you have a concrete walkway to your front door or a concrete driveway. Just having the plain gray concrete in contrast to your grass isn't nearly as appealing as a homeowner would like. Using some thoughtful landscaping as a way to transition from your driveway or sidewalk to the actual yard, i.e. shrubs, mulch, flower beds can add much needed curb appeal to your driveway/walkway.
4. Stonescaping: For those who aren't aware, stonescaping is using various stones to bring a textured and worldly aesthetic to your outdoor landscape. Stonescaping can range from a stone walkway to having a rock wall along the property. It can add a modern spin to your front yard and provide a sharp contrast from the softness of your natural landscape.

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In today's digital era, DIY tutorials have become a popular resource for addressing numerous jobs. The internet is a great resource for learning makeup skills or making a scratching post for your cat. When it comes to home improvement and outdoor tasks, considering DIY guides may not always be the best strategy. In this article, we discuss the significance of requesting professional assistance for certain activities, emphasizing the need of assessing individual house and foundation stability, relevant legal requirements, and the worth of talking with specialists before beginning on any large work.

Home and Foundation Stability Evaluation:

Every home is unique, and the stability of its foundation is critical in deciding what type of building work it can take. Using a DIY instruction without taking into account the unique qualities of your property might have terrible repercussions. The first step in ensuring a safe and effective renovation is to have an expert evaluate your property and analyze its structural soundness. This professional inspection will give vital insights and assist you in avoiding potential building errors.

Legal Considerations for DIY Projects:

Each construction and outdoor tasks may require specific licenses or certifications as mandated by local laws and regulations. Ignoring these legal requirements can lead to serious consequences, not only for your property but also for your community. Before undertaking any significant project, thoroughly research the task at hand and verify if any legal permits are necessary. To avoid legal issues and ensure compliance, it is advisable to enlist the services of licensed professionals who possess the expertise to complete the job safely and legally.

Benefits of professional consultation:

Consulting with specialists in the appropriate industries might give you new ideas and solutions that you may not have considered before. Their knowledge and experience may help you save time, money, and hassles. Developing a connection with a reliable specialist may provide you with peace of mind and guarantee that your project is completed with accuracy and perfection.

Are you looking for an Outdoor Makeover? If so, then we are here to help you. Consult us today. We are proud to offer a comprehensive range of landscape and construction services that allow us to reimagine any outdoor space.

The post DIY Landscape Ideas: When to Seek Professional Help appeared first on Outdoor Makeover & Living Spaces.

No matter the type of design work you are considering, there is one thing that they all have in common: The need to plan and understand the space with which you are working.  Whether it be a floorplan for your new home, a room makeover or an upgrade to your landscape, having a plan is essential to having a successful result. But, in order to create the plan, there are an assortment of factors that need to be considered. For those who have never embarked on the excitement of landscape design, then it can be a bit overwhelming. After all, just because your yard is the equivalent of a blank canvas, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you are ready to start adding color. So, before going to the nursery and selecting a plethora of plants and yard décor, it is important to have a well-crafted plan.

7 Tips for Determining Landscape Design Elements

1. Lines:  Understand how you can use the alignment of the plants to draw the eye where you want it to go. Vertical lines draw one’s eyes upward, while horizontal ones are great for bringing attention to small alcoves, garden areas, or paths or other focal points. In addition, keep in mind that curved lines tend to be more natural and calming while straight lines are more formal and direct.
2.  Balance: Endeavor to keep the size of garden areas, shrubbery, trees and outdoor structures in proportion to the house and space you are working with. A good rule of thumb is that the height of an element (be it shrubbery, a fence, or a fountain) should be 1/3 the height of the width of a space – so a patio area that is 24 ft2 is best paired with vertical element that is 8 feet tall.
3. Lighting:  There is a wide variety of lighting choices that can be used to set the atmosphere of your landscape, but also try to take advantage of natural lighting. For instance, planting trees and shrubs along an east-west line will often create a beautiful display at sunset/sunrise.
4. Mix it up:  Don’t be afraid to incorporate a wide range of plant types in the same space. It is totally acceptable to combine varieties of hostas with decorative grasses. Also, plant from big to small. Start by determining trees, any water features, statuary or structures to set the stage.  Need help? Our Outdoor Makeover team is happy to help you determine what types of plants will work best in your landscape design.
5. Harmony: Choose plants and design elements that suit the style of your home. It helps to determine the theme or feel of the finished product, then work to have the design be aesthetically and functionally placed.
6.  Harmony: Choose plants and design elements that suit the style of your home. It helps to determine the theme or feel of the finished product, then work to have the design be aesthetically and functionally placed.
7. Focal point:  For your landscape design to fully work, be sure to have a focal point. It might be a gazebo, a water feature, a large flowerbed or any other element but having a focal point helps set the theme.
8. Simplicity: A busy landscape with numerous features is not only difficult to keep maintained, but it can be difficult to focus on or be able to relax in. By keeping the landscape simple it is easier to find pleasure and relaxation when outside. Designing a landscape that makes you happy without adding a long list of items to the To Do is important. Our team of landscape makeover specialists knows how to turn your landscape from blasé to beautiful. Give us a call to get started on your dream landscape.

The post 7 Key Elements of Landscape Design for Your Atlanta Yard appeared first on Outdoor Makeover & Living Spaces.

While landscaping designs are important, and allow you to be sure to get all the elements you want in your yard, there is a crucial aspect of landscape design you don’t want to overlook - that of outdoor lighting. Sure, having the right plants, water feature(s), deck, and other elements needs to be included, but without lighting, those much desired features will not be noticed after the sun goes down.

5 Advantages of Outdoor Lighting

If you have never considered outdoor lighting to be a needed part of your landscape design, then now is the time to incorporate them – be it to an existing landscape or brand-new design. Here are some reasons why so many design teams and homeowners are choosing to make outdoor lighting an integral part of crafting the perfect outdoor landscape.

1. Appearance:  Having outdoor light adds a finished look to your yard. With the variety of lighting options available, it is possible to spotlight special features, brighten up dark areas, and set your home apart from others in your neighborhood.
2. Function:  Let’s face it, dark areas- whether inside or out- mean a greater chance of someone tripping over an item in the path. But beyond the extra visibility for walking outside after dark, having outdoor lighting means those great lawn parties don’t have to end just because the sun went down. Whether it is string lights along a deck, low lights in the shrubbery, lights designed for the patio table or spotlights around the pool there are many ways lights can be incorporated that offer function and more time for fun.
3.  Security:  Lights and home security go hand in hand. When criminals cannot approach your home without being in the lights, you lower your risk of being a crime statistic. (It should be noted that many insurance companies offer a discount for adding exterior lighting.)
4.  Staging: There are dozens of light choices available, and when installed by professional outdoor lighting experts, these lights can be incorporated to set the stage for nearly any event – weddings, garden parties – you name it. You may even choose to incorporate extra color such as using red lights to show off a Japanese Maple, yellow lights hidden near the shrubbery of a fire pit or patio area, or even tracers along the edge of a deck to make it feel like a performance area.
5. Value: Adding outdoor lighting can add more curb appeal to your home – in some cases getting as much as 28% more in the resale value. After all, a well-lit home is more attractive than one that is dark and hidden. Outdoor lighting not only sheds light on your landscape but serves practical purposes such as accident prevention, minimizes risk of break in, and making it possible to enjoy outdoor entertaining after the sun has gone down. Talk to the pros at Outdoor Makeover and Construction to learn how we can add energy and excitement to your yard by introducing outdoor lighting. We can’t wait to brighten up your world!

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