6 Landscape Design Ideas That Improve the Look of Front Yards in Bristol and Tiverton, RI
The front yard is one of the most important aspects of your home as it conveys the feeling of welcome. The idea of curb appeal is a central facet of landscape design and there are plenty of ideas to improve it, ranging from sprucing up the front yard with an array of color to installing attractive new masonry features. Here are six landscape design ideas that improve the look of front yards in Bristol and Tiverton, RI.
Related: Need New Steps? Masonry Contractors Suggest These Trends in the Newport and Bristol, RI Areas
A Masonry Wall
Placing a low masonry seat wall along the outer perimeter of your front walkway gives an immediate “embrace” to your visitors. It also helps create a beautiful transition between the home and the landscape and it’s an opportunity to incorporate LED lighting for a safely illuminated walkway without the clutter of standalone light fixtures.
A Welcoming Gate
If your property has a fence surrounding the front yard, you’ll want to make sure to have a beautiful gate greeting your visitors; once inside, it’s clear they have been welcomed into your inner sanctuary. It should be both welcoming and secure while paying tribute to your existing landscape and home. The gate can be as extravagant as a European palace or be elegant in its simplicity.
Subtle Lighting Strategies
As your guests walk up to your front door, you don’t want them stumbling along a poorly lit walkway surrounded by darkness. You could add solar-powered LED path lights low to the ground along the walkways and driveway of your front yard in order to provide adequate bright lighting without becoming a nuisance. A solar-powered array of lights will be off-the-grid and lead to a fantastic decrease in your power bills. Likewise, LEDs (light-emitting diodes) need far fewer replacements than traditional light bulbs.
As well, consider a layered effect using a small number of low-lying LED lights throughout the landscape to spotlight certain features and bounce light off others. This will prevent the uncomfortable transition between a well-lit walkway and entryway, and a pitch-black landscape.
These tactics are wonderful for improving depth perception and visual texture at night.
Updated Paved Surfaces
If your front yard paved surfaces are crumbling and uneven, consider updating your walkways and driveway with some gorgeous patio pavers. Whether your home and front yard are traditional or modern, cozy or minimalistic, there are always patio pavers that can elevate the space.
Ask us about using permeable paver technologies that prevent water collecting on the surfaces, both preventing slip and fall hazards as well as damage from freeze and thaw cycles. These pavers are impervious to water, but feature larger joints that allow surface water to seep into the ground, preventing puddling, runoff, and freezing. Your driveway and walkway will be drier, safer, and more attractive.
As a bonus, you could install a driveway heating system beneath the pavers of your driveway and walkway to forever banish the chore of plowing, shoveling, and using deicing chemicals to keep your driveway and walkway safe all year.
Native Plantings
The best plants for your landscape are the ones that have been evolving for millions of years right in your environment. They require hardly any supplemental watering or maintenance. Adding these plants to your front yard will ensure the least amount of work possible while enhancing the look of your home with dazzling colors and textures.