Creating a personalized and stylish home custom to your needs is the epitome of living luxuriously. However, if you’re anything like us, social distancing brings into focus the backyard design of our properties. They could use a little bit more TLC.
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Summer getaways have been postponed and more time is being spent at home. We’re all looking for ideas on how to turn our backyards into our own personal luxury resort. That will also apply as we head into Fall. With that in mind, we asked landscape architect and owner of Partridge Fine Landscapers, Juergen Partridge, for his tips on how to create a luxury oasis in our own backyard.
Backyard design: Ultra, well-placed lighting
Just like in interior design, strategic lighting is also an integral part of luxury outdoor design. However, it’s an element that’s often overlooked when people plan their backyards and outdoor spaces. White neon signs might be another way to give your yard some pop, with providers like Neon Mama
“The impact and mood of a well-lit pool or uplights that will illuminate statues or prominent garden fixtures really makes a difference in the space,” Partridge says.
Options like in ground flagpole lighting is another way to go. Ultimately, professional lighting can make or break the ambiance and functionality of your backyard. Additionally, be mindful of lighting high-traffic pathways and steps on your deck or gazebo. That will enhance the visual exterior of your home. It will also improve safety.
Looking to go the extra mile? Fire features such as rustic wood-burning fire pits are always a hit. That will set the stage for some awesome summer and fall nights.
Pretty up your pool
According to Partridge, the secret to good pool design is incorporating height into your outdoor landscaping. Consider adding cabanas, island platforms, in-pool waterfalls, or a grotto (a cave made from real or imitation rock), into your pool design.
Backyard design: Ponds, fountains, and waterfalls
Splurge on premium seating options
Dine outdoors
According to Partridge, one of the most fast-growing backyard design trends are California Rooms, also known as all-season rooms. “California rooms are indoor-outdoor living spaces that are usually attached to your house,” he explained. By adding a California room into your landscaping plans, you’ll be able to enjoy your backyard all-year-round.
Best described as an open-air transition room, and beyond the common sunroom, you can utilize this space by adding a bar, vaulted ceilings, or anything else you fancy. The Partridge team is even adding a synthetic putting green to one of their client’s California rooms.
Focus on privacy
When you invest in mature trees, you don’t have to wait the twenty or more years it takes to get the privacy, shade, and the curb appeal of a more “lived-in” look to landscaping, Partridge says.
“A row of mature trees is a true luxury,” he explains. Some of the best trees for privacy include false cypress or hybrid willow trees.
Additionally, opting for a living fence of privacy trees, such as evergreens, will also provide a lush green landscape you can enjoy year-round. Overall, investing in mature trees is one of the easiest ways you can create a big impact on your outdoor space overnight.
Angela Serednicki is a Toronto-based lifestyle journalist specializing in travel, health and wellness content. She’s written for some of Canada’s top publications, including Best Health, Reader’s Digest Canada, The Globe and Mail, Today’s Parent, The Huffington Post and MSN.com. After working with the largest luxury-focused travel agency in North America, Angela has become even more passionate about the incredible bespoke travel experiences the world has to offer. Angela is a proud graduate of Ryerson University’s School of Journalism.
