Making Your Outdoor Living Space Comfortable

I came across these tips that help make your outdoor living space as comfortable as possible by Stefan Hammerschmidt. I thought you’d enjoy it. My favorite tip is design your own outdoor space that reflects who you are. We can also help with landscape design if you get stuck!

PHOTO BY: Garden Design
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MAKE A PLAN: Remember you’re out to create a cohesive look, like making house and garden join seamlessly with continuous concrete floors and separated only by glass doors.

STRETCH THE SEASONS: Design the outdoors as a place to live in year-round. Don’t think of it as a place to visit on special occasions. Think comfort and flexibility as well as outdoor fireplace, shower, spa, and bed.

HARMONIZE COLORS: An exterior room needs a harmonious color palette. Plant hues of bronze, lush green and gray-blue can be set off by soft gray flooring and fencing.  Cushions can pick up the colors of orange-blooming variegated cannas, yellow buffalo grass, or bronze New Zealand flax.

CREATE A JOURNEY: Even in a small space it is important to create a journey. From the front gate, for instance, you may have the thrill of walking on water (stepping stones in a shallow lily pond) to get to the front door.

KEEP IT EASY: Stefan Hammerschmidt loves concrete. “It’s inexpensive, easy to use, and I love it contrasted against lush green,” he says.

REFLECT YOURSELF: Whether you’re designing your own outdoor space or asking a designer to handle the job, be sure that it reflects who you are.

BE THEATRICAL: One dramatic idea can make a small space really special. In one garden, Hammerschmidt used an airplane wing to form a front yard fence.

For more landscaping tips, contact Justine Sandefur at 719.240.3167

Here is a picture of one of APL projects: