HARDSCAPES & DESIGN

DESIGN AND FUNCTIONALITY:

Incorporating New Hardscaping Concepts for a Cohesive Backyard

The demand for outdoor living products remains high, meaning contractors are booked months (or even years) in advance. With multiple projects lined up to complete in 2022 and beyond, it’s critical contractors and crews stay up to date on design trends and product and equipment updates to keep themselves on track.

Today, outdoor living is part of daily life, and these spaces are used for a variety of functions and activities. Knowing this, there are some key design concepts and products to consider when working on outdoor living plans as peak season approaches.

Mixed Materials: Blending Landscapes, Hardscapes

The industry is seeing a huge shift in outdoor design to incorporate more mixed materials. Hardscapes and landscapes are blending in what is known as entangled or biophilic design. This style uses true natural elements or materials that mimic nature to create a more organic look and feel.

Entangled design comes to life through many different design options and techniques. A few common methods can be used to achieve this modern, natural style with hardscapes. • Fading: Likely the most common, the fading technique allows hardscapes to blend into turf or grass. This creates an effect that appears as if vegetation has

“broken” into these surfaces, which can help soften the space and achieve a very pleasing natural aesthetic. • Outcropping:

Burying large stone boulders or outcroppings into the landscaping provides an intriguing visual effect, making both the hardscapes and landscape appear as if they are woven around these features. • Formal inset: While this can be considered a standard design, it still creates a beautiful effect. Formal insets, curved or angular, in the paved surface, maintain a classic look but still allow for the inclusion of natural elements like trees, plants or even a water feature. • Stepping Stone: The stepping stone technique is becoming more and more popular, especially around pool designs. Pavers are set in a stepping stone pattern and integrated with real grass or turf.

In addition, new products and textures are becoming popular to enhance biophilic design and offer more visual interest to a project. Natural wood and stone in patios, decks and other outdoor elements help these features blend into entangled design, creating a modern yet timeless aesthetic. Overall deck designs have shifted to include curved decks that have a more organic flow. Using composite decking, contractors can create a variety of curved designs — from curved edges to circular decks and even intricate shapes.

PebbleTec Water features come in an array of options, from more traditional fountain styles to copper and stone water bowls, which can be integrated with fire features and planters. Creating Cohesive Designs As contractors head into their busier seasons, the shift in how customers think about outdoor living today should be top of mind. With the rise in entangled design and the need for increased functionality, it’s more important than ever for designers, contractors and their teams to look at the “big picture” of their projects and ensure designs are as cohesive as possible. Joe Raboine Director of Residential Hardscapes Belgard Belgard