You’ve walked through dozens of homes and finally found the house of your dreams. You signed all the paperwork, boxed and unboxed all of your belongings, and are finally settling in.
After sitting down and taking a deep breath, you begin to assess what you purchased. Day by day you find some fun perks – maybe an extra large storage space that you didn’t even notice when you scoped out the home in the first place or some upgraded crown molding or special touches that really fit your personal style.
But you also will find some things that maybe aren’t as fun to realize – an appliance that needs replacing sooner than expected or some other repair work that you didn’t spot during your previous walk-throughs.
The same thing happens outside. You’ll find some highlights – maybe flowers blooming at different times to give you some seasonal color – and some surprises – maybe a drainage issue or patio that is cracking or failing as a result of years of settling.
How to landscape your new home is something that will come up as you assess your new surroundings. And whether you build a brand new home and have a completely empty landscape canvas or you moved into an existing home and have to deal with landscaping that’s already in place, the principles of achieving the outdoor space of your dreams are the same.
Let’s talk through some landscape design tips for new homeowners in Chicagoland so you can gain some knowledge to kick off your space right.
You’ve repainted some of your walls, maybe recarpeted a room or refinished your hardwood floors, and now the inside of your new home is looking closer to what you envisioned when you first stepped through it.
But both the front yard and backyard need some work. The process to revamp your landscape can feel overwhelming. Try some of these landscape design tips for beginners to get a better handle on the project.
A big mistake people make when they think about how to landscape their new home is just planning for the now ... and not the 5 or 10 years from now.
For instance, today you may have small children who use a playset outside. In 10 years, that playset may be unnecessary in your yard. By thinking about that now, your landscape designer can make that space easy to transition to a more adult patio or a relaxing space for your older family once the playset doesn’t serve a purpose anymore. This way your landscape transitions with you.
Or maybe you’re just starting a family or you’re on the other end and are downsizing. Ask yourself these important questions so your outdoor areas fit your lifestyle.
Another landscape design tip for new homeowners is to think about your plant beds.
You might think bigger plant beds means more maintenance, but that’s not always the case. Bigger plant beds strategically designed using mass plantings can actually be less maintenance. And large areas of just grass will always require weekly maintenance. Consider the maintenance you are willing to do or willing to hire help to achieve as you choose your plant beds.
Also, maybe you escape in the summer to a summer home. KD Landscape has some clients who want a great spring flower show, and a wonderful autumn color display for when they are in the Naperville, Elmhurst, and Hinsdale, IL area, but they don’t need a summer flower show because they are out of town. Share your seasonal interests with your landscape designer when looking at plant choices to get the best display for your needs.
When it comes to how to landscape your new home, the topic of budget will come up, and there are two questions you should ask yourself:
When you move into a new home, there will be some landscape areas that need addressed that are important for your entire space. For instance, if you have a drainage issue, need a retaining wall or steps, or have a patio that has seen better days, focusing a budget on the things you need to fix is one area of your budget.
Then, you should determine a budget for the fun things you might want to add. For instance, once your grading and drainage issues are fixed and your patio is replaced, you can add that outdoor kitchen you’ve been dreaming of. If you tried to skip a step and add the outdoor kitchen first, you might risk the construction failing as a result of your other landscape issues.
A top rate, professional landscape designer will alert you to any issues in your landscape that can help extend the life of investments like outdoor kitchens so you can get the longest life and most enjoyment from your new space.
Now that you are powered with these key landscape design tips for new homeowners in Chicagoland, you might be excited to get started.
As you find different spots in your new landscape that you like and others you don’t, the process might feel a bit complicated. Where do you start? Should you focus on the front yard first for curb appeal or the backyard first for entertainment and relaxation? What about that weird slope that seems soggy and hard to mow?
Looking at an entire landscape at one time can feel quite stressful. Let KD Landscape help relieve that stress by asking you some key questions about your lifestyle, needs, and wants so we can show you some possibilities to help you focus your time and budget effectively.
The end result will be an outdoor area that you and your family will enjoy for years to come. There’s nothing better than melting anxiety in your own relaxing retreat.
Ready to see how KD Landscape can transform your new home landscape with a well-planned design? We’d love to share our design and installation expertise with you. Get started today with a free consultation. Together, we can prepare a design that you will love.