There is a small yet noticeable difference between hardscape and landscape, you can easily remember them by referring to them as non-living elements and natural elements. When working on your backyard, the hardscaping contractor focuses on the former aspects of a space.
This would include things such as rocks, wood, stones, paving, and even all man-made structures. The landscape or softscape refers to everything that is living within your yard. This would refer to your grass, trees, bushes, and anything that may revolve around the living aspect of your space.
A good softscape should provide a harmonious and serene environment whilst the hardscape ties it seamlessly into a space.
Benefits of Hardscaping and Landscaping Projects
When you are undergoing a hardscaping and landscaping project, the two work hand-in-hand with one another.
A good hardscaping contractor should be able to seamlessly merge the hardscape with the softscape without creating a space that counteracts each environment. The hardscape provides a human element to the space for relaxation and enjoyment—the landscaping project, on the other hand, provides the peace and tranquility needed within an outdoor space.
The main benefit is to create an overall atmosphere that is both restful and inclusive of human activity.
Types of Hardscape Projects to Consider
There are a few hardscape projects that one could undertake to better the overall aesthetic of a space and boost the positive environment that it brings with it.
Here are some fantastic ideas that you could incorporate into your hardscape projects to truly bring your spaces to life.
Outdoor Spaces
Designing a pergola is a fantastic outdoor hardscape project to incorporate into your space. A pergola is either freestanding or cantilevered apart from your house. It provides a fantastic outdoor space for shaded seating and can be wired with electricity for those beautiful nights under the stars.
Much like a pergola, a ramada is a structure that provides fantastic shade by utilizing a full-coverage roof. These ramadas can be designed in the same style as the original house and often beautifully complement the overall aesthetic.
Water Features
Miniature waterfalls and streams can be a great addition to any yard. The tranquility and visual appeal provided by calmly rushing water is unbeaten. Having a small stream or waterfall feature provides you with a fantastic space to kick back, relax and enjoy a good drink of your choice.
Bird baths have been used in many homes across the globe to add a subtle yet natural beauty to their space. Along with its beautiful aesthetic appeal, it draws in little feathered friends that are always a pleasure to see.
This is bound to raise the overall quality of the natural environment within your space without being too intrusive.
Patios or Decks
When designing a patio or deck, it is essential to remember to include enough space for all your amenities. This includes chairs, desks, and space for whatever else you wish to include. While doing so, be sure to take the surrounding environment into account.
If you want a more open yard surrounded by lush vegetation, a stone patio allows for great breathing room. A wooden deck provides a more intimate space to enjoy the surrounding environment.
Whichever you choose, think about what emotion it should provoke and how the space will be used.
Pathways or Walkways
Pathways and walkways are a great addition to any backyard. From stone to gravel pathways, whichever you choose should reflect your vision of the project as a whole. Think about where it leads to.
Does it lead you through a stunning array of vegetation and life? Perhaps there is no destination in mind as it loops you through the journey of your backyard. There are hundreds of possibilities with pathways and walkways.
The only limitation you have is your imagination.
Retaining Walls and Steps
Walls can be built for the stability of scaped areas, as a part of beautiful hardscape designs, or for privacy. When designing a wall, utilizing the same material as the home itself can be a great way to make the overall project more cohesive and attractive. Walls can also be used to uphold stunning creeper plants and other flora that may find their way up the structure.
Whether you choose structural steps like stone or natural steps created from the space itself, choosing one that directly matches the surrounding scape is a good way to immerse yourself within the overall space.
Some yards have utilized natural stepping to descend into a lower, lush garden that serves as a getaway from the rest of the world.
Fire Pits and Fireplaces
Creating a fire pit or fireplace serves as a fantastic communal area. These spaces are great for nighttime events with friends and family, roasting marshmallows, and enjoying one another company. It is a great idea to surround a fire pit with a seating plan that allows all visitors to enjoy its beauty.
There is a choice between sheltered and non-sheltered fire pits, which would depend on what you enjoy best. Non-sheltered fire pits serve as a great area for midnight stargazing whilst sheltered areas are better for those gloomy days next to the warm embrace of the pit.
Types of Landscape Projects to Consider
The landscape or softscape of your chosen area is just as important to the overall design. The landscape design should serve to boost the natural element within the property whilst providing a space for you to retreat into.
A peaceful and beautiful landscape project can truly make your yard a mesmerizing zone.
Curb Appeal and Aesthetic Design Elements
Landscaping projects encompass your entire yard space. It is important to take the curb appeal of your project into consideration. Some great elements that could be added are curbside bushes, flowers, and plants that may boost the overall presentation and beauty of your front yard.
The curb appeal of your property is the first thing that people see when they visit, so making a fantastic first impression is a great treat to behold.
Backyard Designs
A backyard space should seamlessly merge with the home and hardscaping that is present. If you have a patio, surrounding it with lush vegetation and a wrap-around garden adds to the overall appeal of the patio.
With a fire pit, having an open space surrounded by trees gives it the feeling of cleaning in the woods. Small additions of flora make a large difference, so determining what you want as your focal point is a great way to adapt to the landscape around it.
Green Space and Plant Materials
A green space refers to an open-plan landscape design. If you want a well-maintained green lawn surrounded by trees that creates a stunning array of foliage, this is your go-to option. Placing a ramada or pergola in the midst of it creates an inviting and warm atmosphere to enjoy, no matter the circumstances.
Flower Beds and Resource-Efficient Plants
Flower beds have been used in landscaping for ages because of the effective beauty that it provides. Some flowerbeds are exceptionally easy to maintain whilst covering a large area.
Adding these to your curbside or around the edges of your property raises its visual qualities whilst creating an almost enchanted feeling of being surrounded by nature.
Potted Plants, Trees, and Bushes
Potted plants, trees, and bushes are a sleek way of adding greenery to your home and yard. With the addition of these elements, you could contain a larger tree to a specific size and surround it with greenery that adds to the overall aesthetic.
Utilizing potted plants around pathways and walkways is a great way to boost the visual look of a hardscaping design whilst not being too intrusive.
Hire the Best Hardscaping Contractor for Your Backyard Project
There are many factors to consider when planning to design your hardscape and landscape projects. Having a good landscaping and hardscaping contractor is the first step toward solidifying your overall dream.
Creating space should fill you with joy, and we have provided hundreds of designs with tools created from beauty. From simple landscaping projects to in-depth hardscaping, West Hills Masonry ensures that your dream steps into reality.
Follow your dreams for a better and more stunning space in the real world, contact us at 714-519-5009 at West Hills Masonry today!
