Kevin Manning

Kevin Manning

Kevin has deep roots in the Chicagoland area, growing up in Plainfield and now residing in Naperville. He holds a degree in Ornamental Horticulture from the University of Illinois and serves on the board for the Illinois Landscape Contractors Association (ILCA). Since KD's inception in 1998, Kevin has loved creating outdoor environments to match the lifestyles of thousands of customers. In his spare time, you can find him spending time on the water with his wife, daughter, son, and labradoodle.

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Recent Posts

Cost of Building an Outdoor Kitchen: What to Expect in Greater Chicago

Cost of Building an Outdoor Kitchen: What to Expect in Greater Chicago

Do you like cooking and enjoying meals outdoors? Do you love inviting family and friends over to your home for entertainment and dining al fresco?

If you answered yes to either of these questions, you might consider building an outdoor kitchen as a part of your overall outdoor living plans, and it's certainly a great idea. Outdoor kitchens are a current outdoor living trend – and one that shows no signs of going out of style since it’s one of the best ways to extend your functional and usable space.

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Common Landscaping Challenges in Chicago Suburbs

Common Landscaping Challenges in Chicago Suburbs

Your landscape is a growing, changing entity.

And that’s what makes your Greater Chicago backyard glorious to spend time in. There’s always something blooming or erupting with new color and life.

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How to Care for a Bluestone Patio: 4 Bluestone Patio Maintenance Tips

How to Care for a Bluestone Patio: 4 Bluestone Patio Maintenance Tips

You might have a bluestone patio in your Greater Chicago home landscape, and you probably love it as much as we do.

Bluestone makes an impactful statement in your yard, bringing a classic and timeless look with colors that go from beige and gray to blue and lavender and even have bits of plums, ocres, and rusts. The product makes for a stunning patio.

As you’re enjoying your patio, you are probably looking to embrace some downtime and detox from the stress of a busy day. There’s no better place to relieve anxiety and unwind, after all. But while a patio increases your living space and becomes a great place for enjoying the weather or hanging out with family and friends, you’re probably wondering how you can ensure it can live a long life in your backyard.

When you’re looking for how to maintain a bluestone patio, you want to make sure you follow the right guidance to ensure it looks brand new for as long as possible and continues to grace your yard and give you this enjoyable escape for years to come.

Let’s talk about some strategies for keeping your bluestone patio looking its best.

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Don’t Forget Your Neighbors: Prevent Light Trespass in Landscape Lighting

Don’t Forget Your Neighbors: Prevent Light Trespass in Landscape Lighting

You want to enjoy your Greater Chicago area backyard for as long as you can when the summer months arrive. We all know how cold winters can get.

And a great way to play outside even after the sun sets and embrace that warm weather is with landscape lighting.

Proper landscape lighting adds some moonlighting to your patio, ensures your pathways are passable, and adds a twinkling ambiance to your outdoor entertaining.

But poorly installed landscape lighting can be quite different. The lights could be blinding with angles that are all wrong. Then it becomes more like outdoor light pollution you want to avoid instead of landscape lighting design that you want to embrace. You also don’t want to annoy the neighbors by blasting lighting into their windows in the evenings.

Lighting up your nights can be a good thing if it's professionally designed and installed, avoiding light trespass. Recognize these common mistakes in landscape lighting design to ensure peace on your block.

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4 Family-Friendly Backyard Design Ideas and Tips

4 Family-Friendly Backyard Design Ideas and Tips

Your backyard is your playland. It’s a place where you can melt worries and stress away and enjoy summer days and nights.

The possibilities for creating a great space that meets all of your entertainment and relaxation needs are endless.

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How Much Does an Outdoor Fireplace Cost? 3 Factors To Consider

How Much Does an Outdoor Fireplace Cost? 3 Factors To Consider

Summertime in Greater Chicago means more time spent outdoors.

And though the days are longer, you likely want to linger out there past sunset when the weather brings those warm evenings that you can’t get enough of, staring at the stars and chatting with family and friends.

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4 Tips to Choosing a Landscape Lighting Company in Naperville, IL

4 Tips to Choosing a Landscape Lighting Company in Naperville, IL

Landscape lighting can certainly elevate your entire landscape as it changes its daytime look into an elegant nighttime one that has unique shadows and dimensions.

And on top of elevating your visual appeal, lighting also extends your hours of enjoyment. What’s not to love about that?

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