Landscaping Paver Ideas for the Perfect Landscape

Looking for an addition to your landscape that can combine both beauty and function? Pavers are versatile materials that allow for a variety of options when installing an outdoor feature such as a walkway, driveway, or patio. They are available in a wide array of styles and colors, so you can customize your perfect look to coordinate with your home. Today we’re sharing some ideas to help complete your outdoor space using pavers.

Driveways

Pavers are an excellent alternative to poured concrete for use in driveways. Most driveways occupy a large chunk of street-side real estate, so the increase in aesthetic value stands to greatly boost the curb appeal of your home.

It is also a great value for the area it covers, providing a high degree of durability and resilience for the cost. The high strength of the product can hold more pounds per square inch than concrete or asphalt, making it perfect for long-term durability. Unlike concrete, it won't crack during repeated cycles of freezing and thawing and it weathers well over time.

Patios

By using pavers, it is easy to turn your yard into a complete outdoor living area with the addition of a patio. Installing a stylish paver patio makes it easy to arrange outdoor furniture and other fixtures, and it encourages your family and guests to spend time outside. Patios offer a great way to take full advantage of your outdoor space from spring through fall.

Pool Decks

Like patios, pool decks can increase the usability of your outdoor areas, and it also serves to secure the ground around your pool or other water feature, preventing seepage, erosion, and soil instability that could negatively affect the rest of your landscape. Installing non-slip paving stones in these spaces also keeps you and your family safer by decreasing the risk of slipping or tripping when the surface gets wet.

Walkways

Whether you are looking for a simple and modern surface to lead straight to your front door, or you are trying to create a whimsical pathway through a lush garden, paving stones can build your solution.

Thinking outside the box when it comes to choosing the materials for your walkway can make a strong visual statement and lend your path a lot more character without much extra effort. An occasional accent stone in a contrasting color to the rest of the surface adds a bit of flair. Use larger pieces with filler space in between for a more casual, meandering feel.

Decorative Edging

Pavers are an easy way to mark the borders between your flowerbeds from the rest of the lawn while adding a bit of charm. Choose colors and styles of pavers that complement your landscape to really make them stand out and add a sense of composition to your lawn. They can also serve as a way to keep the rich soil for your flowers where you need it to be. However, if you are looking to redesign your landscape, they are easy to remove and reposition, so you can always end up with the look you want.

At Barber’s, we have years of experience incorporating pavers into landscapes for homes all over South Jersey in a variety of colors and patterns. Contact us today or give us a call at 609.861.5050 for a free in-home estimate to see how pavers can be incorporated into your landscaping plans.

Simple Summer Outdoor Entertaining Ideas

Summer is the absolutely best time to enjoy the beauty of mother nature. Although the weather can get too hot to even walk from your car to your front door, sometimes all you need is a nice breeze and a setting sun to enjoy yourself outdoors. So, with that in mind, and especially since we've created our share of beautiful outdoor entertaining areas, we've compiled a list of 5 simple summer outdoor entertaining ideas to help you take advantage of your yard in the summer months. 

5 Simple Summer Outdoor Entertaining Ideas

Light Up the Night

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As soon as the sun sets, most nights immediately begin to cool off. So, its best to be prepared with a creative lighting scheme that adds to the ambiance of the night, while also being practical to allow your guests to see their drinks. A simple strand of clear lights can do the trick as its not too bright to attack too many unwanted visitors (like bugs!) but still be bright enough to see the smiling faces of your guests - sure to be enjoying themselves.

Make It Comfortable

Source: Melissa Haynes

There is nothing worse than uncomfortable outdoor seating, something that will surely send guests to an early exit. However, adding comfortable and stylish outdoor seating is a simple fix and one that will make a big impact to the enjoyment of your outdoor living space. 

Add Bright Touches of Color

Source: West Elm

We're a big fan of using color in outdoor spaces, so of course we love the idea of adding a brightly colored bistro table to add to the appeal. If colored furniture is a bit too much, you can always had pops of color in throw pillows or even brightly potted flowers such as impatiens.

Turn Up the Heat

Source: HouseBeautiful

Outdoor fireplaces and fire pits make a great addition to any outdoor entertaining. On chillier nights it creates added warmth while also creating a great excuse to make smoores - a delicious summer tradition. From an elaborate fireplace to a DIY hole in the ground, a fire is always a great end to a well spent night. 

Cool Off Under Natural Shade

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There is a lot to be said for adding trees to your backyard to cool off your guests. Many flowers and plats thrive in partially to fully shaded areas, and a few well placed shade trees can add the necessary beauty and practicality necessary to enjoy your patio and backyard. 

We hope you'll take advantage of the summer season to enjoy outdoor entertaining. However, if your yard is in need of an overhaul or a spruce-up, give us a call at 609-861-5050 or contact us, as we'd love to help you make the most of your yard year-round.

Simple Landscaping Ideas to Improve Your Yard

Improving the outdoor appearance through the use of landscaping doesn’t have to be difficult or overly elaborate. In fact, well-thought out landscape design compliments the home and property you have in order to let its natural beauty shine – not overpower it so completely. While we love a large and complex landscape job and are more than capable of handling it with our years of experience and equipment, we also relish in these simple landscaping ideas that can be truly transformative if executed properly.

Upgrade Your Lawn with Sod

When sod is installed in your yard, your lawn instantly goes from bland to WOW! While seeding is part art and science to achieve the thick, lush effect, once sod is rolled out and installed properly, your yard is instantly transformed. Plus, while seed can take weeks and months to achieve the desired look, sod is ready to go in a couple of weeks, taking care to ensure the roots take hold with proper watering and fertilization.

Add Color Through Perennials and Annuals

Perennials are flowering plants that come back year after year and include such beauties as hydrangea, crape myrtle, azalea and rhododendron that provide beautiful, bold colors throughout the warm months. These plants provide everything from classic white and green to stunning pinks and purples that are sure to provide the wow factor you’re seeking.

In addition, annuals, or flowers that only last a single season, can provide you with beautiful colors and textures all season long at a minimal investment. Annuals include such beauties as impatiens, begonias, vincas, portulaca and petunias. There are also a host of other annuals that can add gorgeous color to your plant beds, front porch or back patio or deck.

Incorporate Natural Grasses

Natural grasses can be a wonderful addition to any landscaped yard. While fairly inexpensive, natural grasses can add lots of visual interest and provide natural fill in areas around your yard. Natural grasses come in a wide variety of blade sizes and colors, including variegated grasses with multiple colors. Grasses are easy to maintain season after season as you simply cut them down with gardening shears to the ground at the end of the fall and watch them grow back come spring.

There are many other simple landscaping ideas that you can incorporate into your yard to improve the visual aesthetic and value of you home. We’d love to consult with you to answer any questions you may have on how to improve your home’s landscaping. Give us a call at 609-861-5050 or contact us today for a free in-home estimate.