Landscaping has a big impact on the way your home looks on the outside. Great landscaping can add to a home’s aesthetic and make it look inviting, welcoming, and well-cared for. The landscape of your home should coordinate with the style of the home as well as the interior design. Using natural materials from the home’s exterior throughout the yard can help to create a feeling of cohesiveness on your property.

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In order to create unity between the house materials and the yard, first consider how to divide up the layout of the outdoor space. If the outdoor space is laid out with planting beds, paths, and sitting areas in a way that does not blend with the overall house, it creates a disconnect between the two, and can take away from the vision you are trying to create.

Some places to consider using the same materials as the house:

? The borders around planting beds

? Edges of pathways

? Edges between the grass and other materials

? Borders around an outdoor dining area

These edges not only define the areas of the landscape but also create a crisp and clean yard. These clean lines make the landscaping stand out and tie in the home’s exterior.

The best landscape layouts are those in which the proportions of the house such as the spaces between the doors and windows create a grid that is used for their design. That way the landscaping looks like it is natural and supposed to be there, rather than being overly planned.

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Landscaping for the Seasons: In many locations, the exterior of a home looks different throughout the year. In the spring and summer, flowering plants in the front yard or hanging baskets on the porch look pretty and can help soften the hardscape or the exterior elements of the home. Choose shades of flowers and plants that complement the exterior of the home. In the fall and winter, you might use more neutral tones that match the exterior of the house. Keep in mind what plants and shrubs will look like during the winter. You can use landscaping throughout the year to serve as inspiration for the home’s design elements.

Your home’s architecture should not stop within the walls of your home, instead, it should extend to the outdoor living space, whether it be a front porch or back patio. The outdoor living space should complement the design of the home as well as be a continuation of its architectural style. For example, a home with a stone façade might also use a similar type of stone as the back steps or pavers for a patio. A brick home might utilize bricks in the driveway or for the front steps.

Greenery always adds to the curb appeal of a home. Anchor pots that are made of the same materials used in the home’s exterior can further the design and can be used all year round as an accent piece, or a focal point at the home’s entryway.

Location is an important consideration when it comes to outdoor planters. If the pots will be on a front porch to enhance the house’s curb appeal, they should be able to tolerate some shade and be arranged to be a focal point of the porch area. They can also be used to section off a dining or outdoor space in the backyard.

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The size and scale of anchor plants are important. A shallow container with a low-profile plant will not be noticeable if placed on the ground. Identical planters made of the same material as the exterior look good when arranged to surround a garden bench or front door. The planters should be organized by color and texture, so they look like part of a cohesive design.

If the exterior of your house includes stone, it can also be used in many ways around the house. Big stones such as boulders are useful when making a retaining wall or carving out pathways. Cobblestone is a smaller, round stone that is fairly uniform making them a good choice for driveways or walkways. Flagstone is a favorite for featuring landscape rocks in their yard or patio. Steppers can be used to pave a walkway, the bottom of a fountain, or the entire backyard patio. Small stones like pebbles can be used around a fire pit area.

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Piers are a solid stone pillar that ends a wall or frames a driveway. Stone piers can be built with different materials, but most are made of stone, brick, or stucco. They can be built to any size and capped with a natural stone. Lights can be placed at the top to enhance the piers.

When styling your landscape with stones and rocks, make sure they match the home’s design. Flagstone and chipped rock work well with modern and contemporary homes. Traditional colonial homes look great with multicolored stones. Cobblestone driveways complement Spanish homes.

Landscaping walls are a great addition to the yard and can be used to retain, divide or decorate. Steep surfaces in a yard can be difficult to work with. A retaining wall will hold soil behind it which is helpful for sloped yards and turn land into uniformed or flat areas. But they can also be used to create levels in a hillside or produce a pathway. It can be used to section off parts of the yard as well as create a raised bed in which to plant.

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There are a variety of materials that can be used such as stone, brick, concrete blocks, railroad ties, and treated wood that tie in the exterior of the home. There are many hardscaping options that add visual interest to the outdoor space. A concrete retaining wall with built-in flower beds, for example, combines the natural surroundings with the materials used in the house.

The placement, pattern, and repetition of stones, rocks, or bricks can create a modern look. Wood can also create a modern-looking retaining wall but may not last as long as stone. Stones like limestone and granite have a more traditional appeal.

Perhaps your driveway is in good shape but could use an upgrade. A driveway apron or inlay spruces up the front of your driveway without having to do an entire overhaul. Many homeowners choose to add an inlay to their driveway in order to add interest. Inlays are bands or designs of contrasting or complementary colored and textured pavers. Inlays can be made of the same material but in different colors or use a different material that plays into the home’s exterior.

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A driveway apron connects the driveway to the sidewalk or street. A driveway apron that is well-constructed makes for a smoother transition from the driveway to the street. It can match the rest of the driveway, such as made of asphalt or concrete, or it can be decorative to add flair to the driveway.

Cobblestone mats, bricks, pavers, or individual stones can be used for this type of project. Decorative inlays or aprons add a personalized feel to a driveway. Not only does an inlay or apron give the driveway a lift, but also ties the exterior elements of the house together.

Landscaping can add curb appeal to the home, but trees and shrubs should be carefully selected and placed to enhance the home. A little pre-planning goes a long way to making the most of the landscaping.

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Match the architectural lines of the house to the landscape. For example, ornamental grass and tall thin trees can accentuate vertical lines like pillars, columns, or chimneys. Weeping trees and low shrubs make horizontal lines stand out. A low ranch, for example, will look larger with a tall tree planted at the corner of the home to draw the eye upwards. Planting shrubs is the best way to create structure around the home. You should aim to strike a balance between different heights and foliage types that will look good all year long.

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Plant in groups and use repetition to match the exterior details of the house. It can be tempted to plant one of everything, but the garden will end up looking disorganized. Instead, choose plants and shrubs that work for the structure and appearance of your home and will look good in pairs or groups.

If you are ready to enhance the exterior of your home with landscaping, there are many ways to do so. A little creativity with landscaping can turn your home into a standout in your neighborhood. Dzinly.com can show you what your home would look like with any or all of these landscaping ideas to complement your home’s exterior. Our personal design coordinators will work with you through every step to make sure you are making the most of your home’s exterior and landscape.