As 2016 is coming to an end, we wanted to reflect on the projects we’ve worked on this year and the trends we’ve seen become more and more popular among our customers.

Outdoor Living Spaces

Outdoor living spaces are extremely popular right now but unlike other trends, this concept isn’t going away anytime soon. Outdoor living spaces can be defined as any space you have outdoors to comfortably relax and enjoy as an extension of your home. This includes pergolas or decks with comfy outdoor furniture and televisions or fire pit areas with stone seating or outdoor kitchens for grilling and barbecuing etc. Here in East Tennessee around this time of year, the sun sets around 5:30 PM due to daylight savings hours. For some people, this extremely limits the amount of daylight they can enjoy what with work and school. So outdoor living spaces help to increase time spent outdoors comfortably. Now that it’s getting colder, roasting marshmallows around a fire pit sounds like the perfect family activity for the evenings. The beauty of outdoor living spaces is that you and your family can enjoy them as often as you like without leaving the comfort of your backyard and they increase your home’s overall value tremendously!

Sustainable Landscapes

What is a sustainable landscape? Sustainable landscapes are responsive to the environment, regenerative, and can actively contribute to the development of healthy communities. Sustainable landscapes sequester carbon, clean the air and water, increase energy efficiency, restore habitats, and create value through significant economic, social and, environmental benefits. American homes account for 22 percent of total energy use as well as nearly 22 percent of carbon dioxide emissions. When most homeowners think of residential sustainability, they think of energy efficient measures inside their homes. But, there are also energy reducing measures you can take regarding your landscape. For example, strategic tree placement can reduce summertime cooling energy needs by 7-47%. Residential green roofs and green walls can also reduce energy and provide insulation. Before beginning your next outdoor project, ask your certified landscaper what measures you can take to assure sustainability. (American Society of Landscape Architects)

Outdoor Structures

Outdoor structures such as pergolas, retaining walls, gazebos, or decks are becoming increasingly popular in two ways. For one, they can tie into outdoor living spaces seamlessly and be visually appealing. Secondly, they are functional and serve a purpose. Pergolas are great for creating shade in places there isn’t, retaining walls help to level or break up areas of your yard into separate spaces, and gazebos create nice secluded seating areas. The great thing about structures, is they’re actually inexpensive to implement.

 

Vegetable Gardens/Herb Gardens 

Many people are taking it into their own hands to grow their own vegetables and herbs in their backyards and it makes great sense! By growing your own, you save money and ensure freshness. If you’re often running out to the store to stock up on lettuce, tomatoes, jalapenos, basil, etc. you might want to consider growing your own. To grow your own garden outdoors, you’ll have to check on weather and the right location in your yard for the best results first. But if you want to begin small, you could always use a planter and place it close to the window in your kitchen. The key to a successful vegetable or herb garden is to plan what you need, start small, and be patient! I’ve heard that the taste of home grown vegetables is incomparable to store bought vegetables.


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