Keeping on top of the latest landscaping trends is what keeps your customers interested in your services. While there are some timeless ideas that can go with any modern look, there are many new ideas breaking through the horizon. As a landscaping professional, you should become familiar with all the modern landscaping ideas listed below so you can add them to your service list.
Glass is becoming the newest of the modern landscaping trends. Whether it’s clear, tempered, or frosted, glass can help to throw a modern twist into any front yard landscaping design. This works great for areas like gates, doors, and garages. The glass should be fairly easy to clean and replace, in the event the glass gets broken. This type of material is best utilized in homes where there is a large view. The glass allows the homeowner to enjoy the view surrounding their home without obstruction.
Next up, we have metal. Copper and other metal materials are making their way into the modern trend of front yard landscaping. Used as doorways, flower bed edging, rain gutters, pots, and yard sculptures, these can bring a hint of custom architecture to any home. There’s no denying that metal emits a sense of high-end. This makes it the perfect material for those homeowners who are looking for more of a flashier look at their home.
When it comes to presenting a home, the driveway is one of the key features that newcomers look at. Clearly defining the driveway with concrete pavers can make a large difference in the look and feel of any home. The best part is these concrete pavers are very flexible in the way they can be cut and positioned to formulate the driveway. They’re very low maintenance, so the homeowner doesn’t have to worry about cracks and cleaning. These concrete pavers provide a more minimalistic look that is becoming so modern in today’s society and they work great for filtering water, so there will be no puddles after any rainstorms.
While greens are an essential part of any landscape, a more modern look is to include colored stones. The size, texture, and color of the stone will depend greatly on the home and other landscaping features. There are countless options that can be chosen to make any home landscape look modern. From white marble rock to pea gravel, each stone can have their own pairing with a client’s home. These decorative stones are great for homeowners who prefer low maintenance as the stone can cover most of the area which would otherwise be grass.
When you think of modern landscaping, you can’t omit the importance of lighting. We’re not talking about the traditional spotlight on the side of the house. Rather, think of lighting as an accent to allow the rest of the landscaping design to pop. Instead of opting for simple lighting along a walkway, you can use individual lights illuminating the trees along the walkway. This provides enough light for homeowners to easily see where they’re walking in the dark and gives it a more comforting feeling. When installing lighting fixtures, look for ways to bring ambient lighting into the landscape to accent the existing features.
As we discussed above, minimalism is part of the modern landscaping theme. One way to help bring out this minimalistic feel is by utilizing one tree or plant as a focal point for the entire landscape. While this tree or plant may not be the only greenery on the landscape, it should be the most prominent in feel and height. Choosing a tall tree to stand in front of the home can allow for a large focal point in the landscape. If the homeowner isn’t interested in a larger tree, you can always opt for a larger plant that takes the focus of all guests upon arriving at the landscape. You can let your creativity run wild as the right focal point for each property is going to vary.
We can’t discuss modern landscaping for the front yard without mentioning the need for geometric shapes. Our brains love shapes. Utilizing various size blocks for a walkway into the home can help to create those geometric shapes we love. When using plants, it’s best to place them in groups of threes or fives. Doing the traditional pairing of plants, like one on either side of a front door, portrays a more formal look than a modern one. Instead, opt for placing groups of three plants in a triangle shape. For groups of five, you want to place three and then two in a staggered fashion. This is more appealing to the eye and provides a modern flair to any front yard landscape.
When you take a look at some of the most popular modern landscapes that have been photographed, you’ll likely notice the use of grass insets. These are most popular for driveways and walkways into homes. These insets can be of any size and length. Their actual dimensions will depend on the other surface in which you’re putting them against. For example, if you have large flat stones creating a walkway that is five feet wide, you’ll want to opt for a grass inset that is two and a half feet wide or less. Don’t overpower the adjacent hard surface with the grass inset. If your client isn’t a big fan of dealing with the regular maintenance of grass, you can always use fake sod to supplement the look.
The last front yard modern landscaping trend we’re going to touch on is bright colored planter boxes. These are becoming more and more popular as time goes on. Bright reds, greens, purples, and blues tend to be the most common colors used for these planter boxes. These can be placed in a staggered fashion on walls and walkways. Many landscapes even include these boxed planters installed on the side of raised plant beds as an accent feature with their bright color.
As a modern landscaper, you know that you must keep up with the needs of your clients. Understanding the newest trends that bring the feel of modern to a home landscape is a must. The above are some of the most commonly used modern landscaping tactics that you should consider including in your landscaping designs if you haven’t already done so.
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Jessica Kane is a writer for Bauhaus 2 Your House, who offer only the highest quality mid century modern furniture and contemporary furniture direct from Italy.
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