4 elements for a successful outdoor environment
When you picture your perfect outdoor area, what do you see?
As much as we all love to get cozy in the living room, a backyard is the truest of sanctuaries. Indeed, your outdoor space can be just as inviting, comfortable, and stylish as your interiors, but it also offers fresh air and nature.
In my 25 years as a landscape designer, there have been several times I’ve been invited for a consultation, and the homeowner points to their outdoor space and laments “we never go outside, we don’t use the space.“
In said patio, courtyard, or backyard is a chair that looks painful to sit in, under the hot baking sun, on a sad patch of grass or concrete. A space lacking charm, or personality…in short, lacking an invitation to go outside.
I believe that an outdoor living space is a vital aspect of a beautiful home. When done well, landscape design and outdoor design has the power to greatly increase the value of your home. More importantly, it can significantly enhance the enjoyment, functionality and even energy efficiency of your home.
Some days you want an entertaining outdoor space, and other days you want a relaxing space. You want to focus on beautiful architecture while hosting a fun area.
In my quest to get people outside I have found that there are four elements that prove to be very useful when approaching a landscape design project:
· Fire.
· Water
· Shelter.
· Comfort.
Outdoor living should focus on elements that bring nature’s beauty to our home. These elements can be as extravagant or as simple as your budget or comfort level allow. Here are a few ways to introduce them into your outdoors.
Sincerely
Molly Wood
Molly Wood Garden Design