Water & Fire
Water & Fire
Fascinating Elements for your Living Space and Patio
Water and fire are two elements that can really highlight the personalized creativity and style of your garden or patio. Water features create a soothing and serene atmosphere for your outdoor sanctuary perfect for reflection and relaxation. Fire features, on the other hand, not only keep us warm on those cool Colorado nights, but they can become a social beacon for your family night or evening get-togethers. Combine both of these powerful elements for an even more dazzling spark to your garden or outdoor living space.
Water
Water features can be the pinnacle of relaxation and serenity in your garden and outdoor living space. The soft sound of trickling and bubbling water can complement a quiet day in the garden perfectly. Or you can include a large waterfall near the pond to help drown out neighborhood noise. Consider the addition of a small pond or water trough to accent your garden or small space. Use oxygenating plants to accent your pond, while keeping it healthy, oxygenators provide oxygen and absorb the nutrients and elements that would support algae. Some oxygenating plants add a nice touch of color with above-water blooms, like common water-crowfoots or pygmy water lilies. Consider using wood-barrels for a rustic look, or a sleek ceramic or tin trough for a modern or minimalist touch. For a modern look, be sure to keep the design simple and sleek, so limit the variety of plants you use to compliment your feature and use those with bold shapes. The horsetail, simultaneously primitive-looking and elegant, can be a nice compliment to tall and sleek water features.
To capture the soothing sound of flowing water, introduce a fountain to your garden or patio design. Fountains with recirculating pumps create beautiful ambiance as water trickles through stones or out of bamboo shoots. Sunken fountains blend in nicely with surrounding elements and create a bit of mystery when surrounded by small plants. Fountains are the perfect way to infuse a small space with a burst of creativity and elegance.
Fire
Your fire feature can be the center point of your outdoor living space whether you are roasting marshmallows with the kids on a warm Summer evening, or if you’re illuminating and warming-up your patio dinner party. Before adding this spectacular element to your garden or patio, consider how you’d like to use it. Will you add small fire urns to accent the boundary of your deck or patio, or will you create a social hub with the addition of an outdoor fireplace? You can also decide between a portable hearth or chiminea, or a permanent feature such as a wood-burning fireplace or gas powered fire-pit. Permanent features can be used as stylistic elements year round, for example consider using fire-blasted stone to compose your chimney and mantle for an Italian Rustica look. Extend the arms of the mantle to create a designated dining area, complete with pizza oven and counter space. Stucco is another common and inexpensive material to use for your fire feature, a style often found at its peak in the southern regions of the state.
Water & Fire
Combine both sensual elements to create a complimentary scenic landscape. Fused together, fire/water pots, or fountains with fire features create a special dazzle in the host garden or living space. Fire/water hybrid features can be a fantastic centerpiece to a sleek, modern scape, or can be used as walk-way accents through a lush, enchanted garden.
Sources:
Better Homes and Gardens – http://www.bhg.com/home-improvement/patio/designs/patio-ideas/ & www.bhg.com/home-improvement/porch/outdoor-rooms/designing-for-outdoor-living/ & http://www.bhg.com/home-improvement/patio/designs/patio-ideas/
HGTv – http://www.hgtv.com/landscaping/water-features-for-the-garden/pictures/index.html
HIGH CRAFT Builders :http://www.highcraft.net/kitchen-remodeling/its-time-to-plan-outdoor-living-spaces.html
FineGardening – http://www.finegardening.com/item/9427/fireplace
ELA – http://www.elaoutdoorliving.com/fire-features.htm
Extended Living Spaces – http://www.extendedlivingspaces.com/fire-features.php
Outdoor Living for the Entertainer!
Get Out and Live!
After enduring the long Colorado cold spell brought on by Old Man Winter, there’s nothing like enjoying your backyard retreat in the pleasant Spring sun! Now is the perfect time to transform your yard or deck into the ultimate outdoor destination.
When planning your outdoor living space consider how you would be using the area. Design your family fun space around a built-in gas grill and chiller with stone pathways to the perfect grassy picnic area. Or host evening get-togethers at your marble-top island under the covered patio. Plus, great add-ons can boost your property value as a homeowner as well!
Extend your living space outside and enjoy the fresh air year-round. It is always nice to use existing patio space and decks when possible, so try to consider how you can expand upon an area already accessible. Transform your space with an appealing and long-lasting patio. Use interlocking pavers, creative flagstone or stamped and stained concrete to create a good, low maintenance floor base. Or keep the pleasant natural look with a weather-resistant deck using materials such as recycled composite planks or finish with a weather-resistant sealant. Both weather-resistant decks and stone floors require little maintenance and maintain their structural integrity through Colorado weather. 
Select great plant life and features to create the perfect outdoor atmosphere. An in-ground fire pit or a gas-powered fireplace can be the perfect modern touch for a cozy environment, adding ambiance and warmth to cool Colorado nights. Nearby, install a beautiful granite or marble counter top island with a built in gas-grill and mini-fridge perfect for entertaining guests and relaxing at the end of your day. Outdoor lighting is an ideal way to illuminate your covered patio in the evenings. Using solar-powered lighting or energy-efficient bulbs conserve energy and keep the cost down.
Add a touch of color and life to your space by planting shade-loving flowers and shrubs around and within your patio area. Line your covered patio or deck with beautiful Hostas, Brunneras, and Caladiums during the Spring and Summer months. Keep color all year long with flowers such as Impatients and Begonias growing alongside your shaded retreat. It is a good idea to plant foundational shrubs as a lush backdrop for your plants all year round – we recommend evergreen shrubs such Norway Spruce , Bird’s Nest Spruce, or Daphne, Carol Mackie.
Most importantly, be sure you make the space yours! There is nothing more rewarding than going home and being drawn to your perfect outdoor living space.
Contact Personal Touch Gardening and Landscape for more great outdoor living ideas, or to help design, install, and maintain the outdoor space of your dreams!
Sources:
High Craft Builders – http://www.highcraft.net/kitchen-remodeling/its-time-to-plan-outdoor-living-spaces.html
Better Homes and Gardens – http://www.bhg.com/home-improvement/patio/designs/patio-ideas/ & www.bhg.com/home-improvement/porch/outdoor-rooms/designing-for-outdoor-living/
Creative Outdoor Fall Decor
Fall Time
When decorating a porch for fall, use bales of straw or hay as a base. Visit your local garden center or major craft supply retailer for bales of various sizes. IF you don’t have the time Personal Touch Gardening would be happy to help. Please contact us for prices and other decorating ideas !!
Consider setting up a display that welcomes guests to the home. Place bales of hay or straw on both sides of the walkway that lead up to the porch. Stack bales of various sizes on the porch beginning with the largest. Purchase scarecrows that can be posed, and sit one on each side of the porch entrance on the bales. Create a welcome sign on a post, and place it through one of the bales. Wrap one of the scarecrow’s arms around the sign post, and surround it with pumpkins and gourds of various sizes, patterns, and shapes. Add a faux raven or two for an interesting fall display that is sure to impress.
“Decorating a Front Porch for Fall – Ways to Make it More Comfortable and Inviting”
Decorating a Front Porch for Fall – Ways to Make it More Comfortable and Inviting
By Jessica Ackerman from Kissing Camels
A front porch is one of the most appealing areas of a home, especially if it is comfortable, inviting, and well decorated. It is a place where people often read the morning paper while enjoying the cool breezes of fall. The front porch is also a place to sit back and relax while taking in fresh air and observing outdoor activities. A well decorated front porch is friendly, and it provides countless ways to creatively welcome in seasons and special occasions. As fall approaches, consider the following creative ways of decorating a front porch for fall, and turn an ordinary entryway into a comfortable and more inviting place to enjoy the outdoors while showing off your personal decorating style.
Preparing a Porch for Decorating
Before decorating a porch for any season or holiday, it is important to sweep away dirt, webs, debris, and wayward leaves on a regular basis. Even though this living space is outdoors, no one wants to sit in an area that appears dirty and uninviting. In addition, take the time to wipe down railings using clear water or a product labeled for cleaning a porch or deck. Removing layers of dirt and grime and sweeping away debris is the first step in decorating a porch for fall or for any season or occasion, and as a result it will look more welcoming than ever.
Overhead Color
Many people never consider decorating the underside of their porch overhang, and it is often the same color as the trim of the house, but adding a little color is a great way to make it more cheerful, especially when decorating for fall. Consider painting the ceiling of a porch overhang a lovely shade of light blue. Choose a soothing shade of cerulean that is reminiscent of the lightest shades of blue that touch the horizon on a clear fall day. The porch will have a more open and airy feel, and the ceiling will seem as high as a beautiful fall sky.
Comfortable Seating and Side Tables
An outdoor porch that is used regularly must have comfortable seating and side tables to be truly relaxing and inviting. When decorating a porch for fall, consider outfitting existing chairs will comfy cushions in colorful and interesting fall patterns. When buying new seating, opt for weather-resistant wicker and thick chair cushions. In addition, select a roomy side table to place between seating areas. Tables with eye-catching mosaic tabletops are ideal when decorating a porch for fall, and with proper care they will last for decades. A table between two comfy porch chairs is ideal for holding a pitcher of refreshing apple cider or a carafe of hot chocolate. Make this picture come to life by decorating your front porch for fall. It will become a refuge as well as an outdoor haven for autumn relaxation.
Creative Outdoor Fall Decor
When decorating a porch for fall, use bales of straw or hay as a base. Visit your local garden center or major craft supply retailer for bales of various sizes. They will provide a stable surface for decorating with planters, scarecrows, colorful gourds, faux crows, and other items used when decorating for fall.
Consider setting up a display that welcomes guests to the home. Place bales of hay or straw on both sides of the walkway that lead up to the porch. Stack bales of various sizes on the porch beginning with the largest. Purchase scarecrows that can be posed, and sit one on each side of the porch entrance on the bales. Create a welcome sign on a post, and place it through one of the bales. Wrap one of the scarecrow’s arms around the sign post, and surround it with pumpkins and gourds of various sizes, patterns, and shapes. Add a faux raven or two for an interesting fall display that is sure to impress.
Fall Planters
Along with creative outdoor fall decor, consider decorating with fall planters. The flowers of fall are some of the most beautiful of all, and they will add rich color and design to an autumn-themed display. Select large terracotta pots with adequate drainage, and fill them with organic potting soil and beautiful fall mums. Plant trailing vines around the edges, and place the potted plants on the bales of hay or along stair steps. They will add a tremendous amount of color and design to this fall display, and they will help welcome guests and make the porch look and feel more welcoming.
Lighting Options
An outdoor porch decorated for fall or for any season or occasion should include practical and decorative lighting. Consider purchasing rope lights to mount under porch railings or around the edges of the porch overhang. Rope lighting is available in various lengths and colors, and they can be combined with other rope lights or trimmed to fit perfectly. In addition to rope lights, consider choosing two solar or electric spotlights that can be pointed toward the display on both sides of the walkway. The addition of lights is one of the easiest ways of decorating a porch for fall, and it makes a dramatic impact on the display.
The options are truly endless when decorating a porch for fall. These are just some of the ways you can add color and design to your outdoor living space. Visit local flea markets, resale shops, craft stores, and home improvement stores for decorating accessories. Some of the most decorative items are not meant to be used for decorating and serve other useful purposes. With a little creativity and the desire to begin decorating a porch for fall, you will be able to create a welcoming area for sitting and relaxing with friends and loved ones or for relaxing with a good book and a cup of hot apple cider.
