What’s Possible L O O K B O O K
O F
YA R D
A M E N I T I E S
WH AT ’ S IN S ID E
SEATING + DINING .......................................................... 6
OUTDOOR PLAY .............................................................. 14
SPECIAL FEATURES ......................................................... 24
PLANTS AS AMENITIES .................................................. 34
COMPLETE AMENITY COLLECTION ............................. 40
USING T HE LO O K B O O K
Explore the range of possibilities for your outdoor space. Whether you’re planning a major overhaul or simply looking for fresh ways to enliven your property, this booklet will offer many options for using your exterior spaces more thoroughly. To the left of each item, you’ll find a silhouette icon illustrating that amenity from the side view, with a brief text description. Symbols on the right-hand side show the amenity in plan view as though looking down on the element from above. (Note: symbols in this lookbook are not to scale.)
LEVEL OF INVESTMENT $$$
Low - a budget-friendly option
$$$
Mid-Range - won’t break the bank, but still an investment
$$$
Pricey - more expensive to purchase or install, best thought of as a long-term investment
MAINTENANCE REQUIRED
Minimal - check in seasonally, minimal support needed Fair - weekly care, some expense required High - care needs are high and/or costly
Lounge Chairs Great for a cookout or larger families.
Amenity description Simple side view of amenity
$$$
Relative level of maintenance Relative cost Plan view of amenity
YardKit
5
S EATING + DINING Ideal for R ELAXING AND ENTERTAINING
Add furniture and fixtures that extend your livable area, giving your friends and family opportunities for enjoying time outside.
6
Amenities Lookbook
YardKit
7
8
Amenities Lookbook
S E ATING
Hammock A seasonal feature you’ll be happy to have come summer.
$$$
Bistro Chairs Informal, lightweight seating that you can move around the garden.
$$$
Adirondack Chairs Enjoy a great view or invite friends for happy hour with casual chairs easily moved around the yard.
$$$
Lounge Chairs Relax with a good book for an afternoon in the sun with chaise lounge chairs.
$$$
Movable Bench Create a moment for stillness in your garden with a bench placed alongside or at the end of a pathway.
$$$
Built-In Benches Make retaining walls, fences, or storage areas multi-purpose by adding a benchtop for sitting.
$$$
Sofas, Side + Coffee Tables Bring living spaces outside with furniture from your favorite home store.
$$$
YardKit
9
10
Amenities Lookbook
DINING TAB L E S
Bistro Table Sip coffee and read a book out in the garden at a lightweight bistro table. Seats 1 or 2
$$$
4-Top Round or Square Table These tables are perfect for casual family dining outdoors. Seats up to 4
$$$
6-Top Round or Rectangular Table Great for a cookout or for larger families. Seats up to 6
$$$
8-Top Round or Square Table Invite a larger group to enjoy epic dinner parties. Seats up to 8
$$$
Picnic Table A classic choice for playing and snacking. Seats about 6
$$$
Farm Table An extra long table is a modern take on an al fresco dinner party. Seats 6 to 10
$$$
YardKit
11
12
Amenities Lookbook
C O OK ING F I X TU R E S
Freestanding BBQ A simple, classic choice for outdoor entertaining.
$$$
Pizza Oven A surefire crowd pleaser. These can be purchased as freestanding products or customized and installed features, and come as wood-burning or electric.
$$$
Built-In BBQ + Smoker Invest in a more permanent cook-top by installing a grill or smoker alongside preparation counters with storage below.
$$$
Built-In Kitchen - counter, sink, bar Love to entertain? Build an outdoor kitchen with all of the cooking amenities: sinks, grills, ovens, cook-tops, dishwashers, smokers, and refrigerators.
$$$
YardKit
13
OUT D OO R PLAY Ideal for K IDS, PETS, AND THE YOUNG AT HEART
Space to run and play is what the great outdoors is all about.
14
Amenities Lookbook
YardKit
15
16
Amenities Lookbook
KIDS PL AY
Small Play Element Simple fixtures like see-saws or balance beams need less space and still make a play area fun.
$$$
Sandbox Little tykes can enjoy nature-based play with the simple addition of a sandbox.
$$$
Larger Play Structure From old-school slides and swings to newer rock walls, bridges, and rope ladders, there’s a play structure for every age and ability.
$$$
Sports Lawn Expanses of lawn or turf transform into space for soccer, field hockey, or a simple game of tag.
$$$
Sports Courts Carve out space for sports and games, scaled to the size of your property.
$$$
Playhouse / Fort / Treehouse Let imaginations soar with a sheltered, private place to play.
$$$
Trampoline Take to the air with a purchased trampoline, or install one in-ground for safer bouncing.
$$$
YardKit
17
18
Amenities Lookbook
PE T PL AY
Dog Run Give canine friends room to run within an enclosed space. Dog runs are great additions to long side yards.
$$$
Koi Pond Enjoy the sound and sights of a pond, while creating habitat for fish, turtles, or other water-dwellers.
$$$
Animal Enclosure Whether you want a henhouse for chickens or to give your cats a place to play, a simple, airy structure will keep animals safe.
$$$
YardKit
19
20
Amenities Lookbook
YOU NG AT H E ART
Fire Pit Gather around a warm, glowing fire on mild evenings. Roast s’mores, tell ghost stories, or sip a glass of wine — your choice!
$$$
Putting Green Practice your golf game any time with a green just outside your door.
$$$
Court Games Sports like bocce, petanque, and lawn bowling are fun ways to recreate outside.
$$$
YardKit
21
22
Amenities Lookbook
WATE R PL AY
Splash Pad Little ones can cool off and play in the water without the costs, safety concerns, and high maintenance of a swimming pool.
$$$
Spa / Hot Tub / Jacuzzi Retreat to a soothing soak outdoors with a freestanding or built-in tub.
$$$
Pool Classic summertime fun! Pools require a lot of upkeep, but are beloved by those in warm climates.
$$$
Lap Lane Stay fit with a smaller pool designed especially for lap swimming.
$$$
Outdoor Shower Clean up under the sun or stars, whether with a simple water fixture or luxurious bathing room.
$$$
YardKit
23
S PECIAL F EATURE S Ideal for VIEWS AND DESTINATIONS Garden accents and structures will add incredible spaces to enjoy (and resale value to your home). Placing accents at the edges of linear spaces extends an invitation outside, while elements that showcase your personality placed around the garden will enhance views.
24
Amenities Lookbook
YardKit
25
26
Amenities Lookbook
V E RTIC AL S U R FAC E S
Green Wall Systems can be purchased for planting against fences and walls to bring plants into small spaces. Green walls are a great option for urban yards.
$$$
Screen Often of latticed wood, these upright structures are great for dividing spaces while keeping some transparency.
$$$
Low Decorative Fence Add a friendly separation between yard and sidewalk with a low fence.
$$$
Privacy Fence + Gate Taller fences (usually about six feet high) add privacy from neighboring lots, create a sense of enclosure within, and may keep outside animals from making a home in your yard.
$$$
Deer Fence Protect delicate plants from uninvited visitors with a 6’ to 8’ high fence made of wire mesh.
$$$
YardKit
27
28
Amenities Lookbook
S TR U CTU R E S
Arbor or Portico Shade a patio space with an airy overhead structure. These work especially well right next to the home, blending indoors and out.
$$$
Gazebo To create a destination out in the garden, build a functional and inviting structure where family and friends can gather. These also provide shelter from the rain and sun.
$$$
Storage Shed Expand your home’s storage area with a freestanding storage shed. Keep your outdoor maintenance tools, toys, and seasonal furnishings handy and dry.
$$$
Greenhouse Cultivate your own garden, no matter the weather, with a greenhouse kit or custom-built structure. Ideal for avid gardeners!
$$$
YardKit
29
30
Amenities Lookbook
O RN AM E NTA L E L E M E NTS
Fountain Freestanding fountains are readily available for purchase in many sizes and styles. A contractor can help build more elaborate, built-in water features.
$$$
Sculpture Whether a souvenir from travels, the work of a favorite artist, or an object you love from your local garden store, small sculptures add visual interest at the end of walkways or immersed in planting beds.
$$$
Habitat Draw Place feeders, baths, and houses for visiting wildlife just outside of windows to enjoy views of avian friends year-round.
$$$
Trellis or Gateway Add a moment of emphasis or transition, or provide a great focal point for views from the house.
$$$
YardKit
31
32
Amenities Lookbook
O R N AM E NTA L PL ANTING
Urn or Statement Pot Find a favorite fixture to display plants. Keep things simple with one species, or plant a variety of colors and textures. Statement pots work well when flanking entries or at the terminus of long viewpoints.
$$$
Sculptural Planting Have your very own botanical garden by setting aside planted areas that highlight dramatic plants like topiary or cacti. These areas look great as silhouettes in front of an accent wall.
$$$
Parterre Garden Ornamental planting beds edged with clipped hedges make great views from kitchen or living room windows. These decorative gardens can take many patterns and uses — you may want a formal French-style knot gardens, beds of productive herbs, or a fun hedge maze for the kids.
$$$
YardKit
33
PLANTS A S A MENIT I E S Ideal for F OOD + NATURE LOVERS Gardens specially designed for growing fruits, vegetables, and flowers will bring joy to your kitchen or community. Special plantings may also create gardens for wildlife or evening strolls.
34
Amenities Lookbook
YardKit
35
36
Amenities Lookbook
P RODU CTIV E G AR DE NS
Kitchen / Community Garden Have an abundance of vegetables, herbs, and fruit just steps from your door.
$$$
Cutting Garden Seasonal blooms grown for their durability in flower arrangements will also enliven your garden.
$$$
Mini-Orchard Enjoy home-grown fruit with trees that enhance your property with a beautiful show of blossoms each year. ‘Compact’ forms work well against walls and fences.
$$$
YardKit
37
38
Amenities Lookbook
H AB ITAT G AR DE NS
Butterfly Garden Add special planted areas to invite butterflies, and enjoy the view.
$$$
Night Garden Add mystery and romance to your yard with blooming plants that release their fragrances at night or glow under the moonlight.
$$$
Bio-Retention Area Help your local ecosystem! Set aside an area just for grasses and water-loving plants in the lowest spots of your property.
$$$
YardKit
39
Lounging + Seating SEATING + DINING
Hammock
Bistro Chairs
Adirondack Chairs
Lounge Chairs
Bench
OUTDOOR DINING
Bistro Table
4-Top Table
6-Top Table
8-Top Table
COOKING FIXTURES
Freestanding BBQ
Pizza Oven
Built-In BBQ
Built-In Kitchen (counter, sink, bar, etc.)
Outdoor Play KIDS PLAY
Small Play Element
40
Amenities Lookbook
Sandbox
Playhouse
Larger Play Structure
Built-In Seating
Picnic Table
Sofas, Side + Coffee Tables
Farm Table
Sports + Games
Trampoline
YardKit
41
PET PLAY
Dog Run
Coy Pond
YOUNG AT HEART
Fire Pit
Putting Green
Court Games Shuffleboard
Bocce / Pétanque
WATER PLAY
Splash Pad
42
Amenities Lookbook
Outdoor Shower
Spa / Hot Tub
Lap Lane
Animal Enclosure
Pool
Small - 20’ x 10’
Large - 40’ x 20’ YardKit
43
Special Features VERTICAL SURFACES
Screen
Green Wall
Decorative, Privacy + Deer Fences
STRUCTURES
Arbor or Trellis
Storage Shed
Gazebo / Portico
ORNAMENTAL ELEMENTS
Fountain
Sculpture
Habitat Draw
Trellis or Gateway
PRODUCTIVE GARDENS
Kitchen, Community + Cutting Gardens
44
Amenities Lookbook
Mini-Orchard
Greenhouse
ORNAMENTAL PLANTING
Urn or Statement Pot
Sculptural Planting
Parterre Garden
HABITAT GARDENS
Butterfly, Night, and Bio-Retention Gardens Size to your planting area
YardKit
45
© YA RD KIT, IN C .