Hardscaping is a great way to add curb appeal and spruce up the exterior of your home. It can also add value to your home and property by making it much more aesthetically pleasing from the outside. Let’s take a look at what exactly hardscaping is and how you can use hardscaping to improve the overall look of your home’s exterior.
What is Hardscaping?
Hardscapes are man-made structures used to add aesthetic and functional value to the environment. Hardscaping is the use of hard materials such as stone or concrete to create a useful and aesthetic outdoor area around your home. When using the word “hardscaping,” you are really referring to all the non-living materials in landscaping. It is part of the landscaping that adds structure and functionality to the area.
What Can Hardscaping Do for Your Home?
Hardscaping is an excellent way to bring a sense of order and beauty to your outdoor areas. It can also add functionality in the form of walkways, patios, fire pits, walls, seating areas, planters, and much more. For example, Henry and I chose to add some natural stone steps going down to your pool area. Grass would have been just fine for this area, but adding steps allowed for a clean way to get from the back porch area to the pool. But not only are they functional, but they also incorporate a sense of texture and creativity into the area.
By designing these structures carefully, you can transform an ordinary backyard into a place that’s perfect for entertaining family and friends throughout the year. Depending on the materials used, hardscaping can also increase your property value over time. It’s a great incentive if you plan on selling in the future! By incorporating our backyard pool area with pavers and stone steps, we were able to add seating and a place for entertaining. Before, it was an unused grassy hill area.
Benefits of Hardscaping
In addition to increasing curb appeal and adding value to your home, hardscapes are low maintenance once installed. They also provide extra living space without taking up any additional square footage. This is perfect if you live on a small lot.Finally, because many forms of hardscapes are permanent fixtures in your yard or garden area—unlike furniture, which needs repurchasing from time to time—they are much more cost-effective solutions in the long run. The purchasing of the material and labor upfront is always well worth it in the years to come. And if you are up for DIYing as we did on the pool stone steps, you save a little money.
Examples of Hardscaping
Hardscaping utilizes a variety of materials, such as stone, brick, concrete, gravel, mulch, and more. These materials are often combined in order to create intricate and attractive designs that can be used within outdoor spaces. Common examples of hardscapes include retaining walls, patios, walkways, and stairs.
Retaining walls are built using stones or bricks to provide stability to an area on a slope or hillside while also allowing it to be utilized in a practical way.
Patios use pavers or flagstones laid out in a designated pattern and can incorporate features such as fire pits, water features, or seating areas.
Walkways are made using materials such as gravel or paving stones. This creates a purposeful path that ties together different areas of the landscape in an eye-catching way.
Stairs or steps made from materials such as wood or stone add texture and depth to an outdoor area. They also make it easier for people to navigate steep slopes or hillsides.
Hardscaping is a great way to add color and character to outdoor spaces while also making them more functional for recreation or leisurely activities.
Now that you know what hardscaping is, you might be thinking about adding some to your yard! From experience, I know that it is a great way to add structure and charm. And it can increase the overall value of your property!
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