Fire and water. Mix these elements in an outdoor room and wait until the sun goes down.
“The combination of fire and water is really powerful,” says Scott Cohen, president, The Green Scene Landscaping, Canoga Park, Calif. “Fire has a way of mesmerizing people – it relaxes you and encourages conversation. Water is reflective, and fire adds warmth, light…beauty.”
Setting a mood and creating an atmosphere is a priority for today’s homeowners planning landscape projects. According to a Gallup Poll, landscaping can add 7 to 15 percent to a home’s value, and homeowners recover 100 to 200 percent of the cost come sale time. And, according to the American Institute of Architecture, 63 percent of residential architects name outdoor living as a trend that continues to grow in popularity. This added attention to outdoor spaces has prompted an increase in upscale landscape amenities, such as fireplaces, gazebos, courtyards, swimming pools and tennis courts.
The American Society of Landscape Architect’s recent survey concurs, reporting that 87 percent of landscape design firms see increased client demand for water elements, such as fountains, pools and ponds.
Lately, hardscapes consume a higher percent of the overall landscape, says Dalton Hermes, CEO, Hermes Landscaping, Lenexa, Kan. “Historically, we might do 15 to 20 percent hardscapes in a job, and I would say today it’s closer to 50 percent,” he says, adding that landscape lighting is a top priority for making these outdoor spaces usable after-hours. In fact, Professional Landscape Design research shows 17 percent of design/build companies plan to add landscape lighting to their service menus in 2009.
One popular hardscape is patios, which have gone double- and triple-decker with separate “rooms” and conversation zones not unlike the arrangements in a home: kitchen/gathering space and casual living room.
“Patios are the first thing clients put in,” says Daryl Schauss, president, Cedar Run Landscaping, Aldie, Va.
Next come hardscape walkways and plants. Homeowners on a budget can opt for manufactured stone products. Interlocking retaining walls, stamped concrete patios and pavers that look like they were harvested from the Old Country trick the eye and please clients who want value.
Increased use of hardscapes is good news for contractors in drought areas as well. The landscape architecture firms answering ALSA’s survey concur, reporting increased demand for energy efficient and water saving design elements. Eight out of 10 firms reported increased client interest in native or drought-resistant plants.
Outdoor kitchens are a perennial request, and the range of high-end grills and weather-ready cooking stations is inspiring more mid-range clients to embrace the concept. On the higher end, grills are housed in stone or brick. According to the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association, a record 17.4 million grills were shipped in 2007 and nearly eight out of 10 households own an outdoor barbecue grill or smoker. The majority of grill owners (58 percent) use their grills year-round, the association reports.
In fact, according to Bill Trimmer, president, Professional Grounds Inc., Springfield, Va.: “Those projects are as strong as they’ve ever been.”