Dream Tulsa Outdoor Environments - Resort Amenities Right at Home

Sometimes our lives are just too hectic to plan a two-week vacation across the world, but imagine taking a vacation day or two and retreating to your own private outdoor oasis. What would your dream destination include? The Tulsa landscape designers at Oklahoma Landscape can design and build the outdoor living space of your dreams. There is just one downside. With these outdoor environments right in your backyard, you may never want to go back to work.  Check out these ideas for creating your perfect vacation getaway – right at home.

The Perfect Camping Spot

Create your own Yellowstone-inspired camping spot with a custom fire pit made of natural stones. Add built-in stone seating around the fire pit for a cozy night by the fire roasting marshmallows and telling stories.

Building a water feature that sounds just like a babbling brook in your backyard will give you the feeling of camping out by a river while also blocking out some of the noise of neighborhood traffic.

A Hawaiian-inspired Resort

Enjoy the serenity of the islands, not just for a week, but throughout the summer in your own Maui-like retreat. Often, visitors to the Hawaiian islands love to spend their days just lounging by the luxury pool areas of their resort hotels. Why not create that resort in your outdoor living space? A custom pool with a swim-up bar area, waterfalls, and spa will allow you to unwind from all the stress of the work week, without even having to pack or board a plane. A “sunshelf” or beach entry for your pool can provide a practical and luxurious atmosphere,l allowing you to enjoy sunbathing while still staying cool in the shallow water. Infinity pools are also very popular at resorts and now are more often a part of the custom pool design for homes in Tulsa.

Our Tulsa landscape designers can create the perfect outdoor environment for your particular vacation style allowing you to relax and enjoy a tropical resort getaway in your own backyard.

A Romantic Italian Eatery

Maybe your perfect vacation destination would include more of a Tuscan or Mediterranean landscape. Why not add a luxury outdoor kitchen built in the style of a fine Tuscan restaurant in your outdoor living space? Outdoor kitchens today can come with an innumerable amount of amenities including stainless steel appliances, refrigerators, sinks, built-in cabinets, wine coolers, and plenty of counter space, making entertaining a breeze.

Add an al fresco dining area near your outdoor kitchen, maybe under a pergola with growing vines, for the ideal outdoor party area.

Custom outdoor fireplaces also create the perfect atmosphere for either a cozy romantic night spent at home or entertaining friends with the warm glow of the fire in the background.

Whatever your vacationing style, the Tulsa landscape designers at Oklahoma Landscape can design and build an outdoor living space to match your dream destination. While one vacation may last only a week or two, investing in your own backyard outdoor environment will result in years of memorable occasions and the opportunity to relax in your own resort-like retreat any time you want.

Tulsa Outdoor Environments - The Top Outdoor Living Trends of 2014

A great outdoor living space perfect for entertaining is in high demand in the 2014 landscape design world. Like many Tulsa homeowners, people across the nation still want “attractively designed” outdoor environments to create more space for entertaining and relaxation.

The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) recently published its 2014 Residential Landscape Architecture Trends Survey, which reports on the latest demands in landscape design. In rating the expected popularity of various outdoor design elements, residential landscape architects from across the country ranked the category of gardens and landscaped spaces as most popular with a 94.2 percent rating, closely followed by outdoor living spaces like kitchens and entertainment spaces with a 92 percent rating.

“Homeowners know that designed landscapes add value to their lives as well as their property values,” ASLA executive vice president and CEO Nancy Somerville said. “They’re interested in livable, open spaces that are both stylish and earth-friendly.”

According to the ASLA, having a landscape architect skillfully design your outdoor elements and landscaping is one the best investments for your home and can add as much as 15 percent to its value over comparable homes. And, the ASLA noted, the home value literally grows over time while you enjoy your outdoor living space.

What is in popular demand for 2014 among outdoor living features? Outdoor lighting was rated first by 98.3 percent of respondents, followed by seating and dining areas with 97.7 percent, fire pits and fireplaces with 95.4 percent, grills with 94.3 percent and installed seating with 89.6 percent.

What do these results tell us about Tulsa outdoor environment trends for 2014? Outdoor living spaces that are ideal for entertaining are in high demand. Many homeowners would like to spend even more time entertaining or relaxing in their outdoor environment in Tulsa, and they can with the right outdoor lighting design.

Sustainability and low maintenance landscapes were again also in high demand as popular landscape and garden elements for 2014. Native plants were high on the list of eco-friendly design elements along with fountains and ornamental water features as popular landscaping and garden elements. Many are also favoring food and vegetable gardens including orchards and vineyards.

“Decorative water elements – including waterfalls, ornamental pools, and splash pools – were predicted to be in demand for home landscapes (86.1 percent). Spas (76.4 percent) and swimming pools (73.8 percent) are also expected to be popular,” ASLA reported.

Patios, terraces, and decks are high on the list for outdoor structures as are fencing and pergolas. These additions can really become an extension of your home and living space. More and more functionality and customization are being added to these outdoor environments in Tulsa.

Elegant and practical outdoor living spaces will continue to be popular home additions. For more landscape design and outdoor living space ideas, contact the Tulsa landscape architects at Oklahoma Landscape.

Landscape Design Plans A Must For Your Tulsa Outdoor Environment

When developing their Tulsa outdoor environment, many homeowners may start by buying a grill for the patio or a porch swing. They may add items to their outdoor living space as they find them at gardening stores or change things about their landscape as they see new ideas.

Of course, starting small and finding new things as you go to add to a garden is fine, but without a particular theme or design in mind for the landscape, a yard could become a jumble of mixed-matched styles and items. This could leave the homeowner feeling a little disheveled, like there was always something missing in their outdoor living space, and then they’re on a never-ending search for what will complete their landscape design. 

Having a definite design style in mind when creating an outdoor environment will help to keep your landscaping projects focused and make your outdoor space a work of art. You can have a theme for your outdoor environment such as Mediterranean, Tuscan, or Asian-inspired. Choosing one of these themes not only will help you to have a more unified look, but will give you direction and purpose in your landscaping. 

It’s good to put your landscape design ideas down on paper. This will help you carefully plan out how best to divide your space, where to plant shrubs and trees, and help you anticipate any problems to your landscape plan. To help save water and maintenance, try to group shrubbery together by their watering and sunlight needs. Also, plan for the future in deciding where to plant foliage by determining how big trees and plants will grow when they mature. Will they block a view from window, or will their root systems have to struggle against other plants’ roots for nutrients as they grow? 

Determining how you will most often use your Tulsa outdoor environment will help you to better use the space you have. You may not be able to include every outdoor feature you would like in your space, so by drawing or writing out your plan, you can better see the amount of unfilled space and prioritize what you’ll include accordingly. Do you want an outdoor kitchen space or a fire pit? Would you like to have an outdoor dining area? Is a swimming pool a must? Knowing what you must have in your outdoor living space will help you know where to start when you begin building.  

Professional Tulsa landscape architects can help you to design and build your entire outdoor environment and can assist you in choosing a theme that will best match the architecture of your home and how you want to utilize your outdoor space. These professionals also understand how to use retaining walls and other hardscapes to prevent erosion and how to effectively divide your outdoor space into ‘rooms’ that mimic all the comforts of home.  

So before you dive into renovating your backyard this spring, think about how you want to use your space and carefully design a landscape plan and theme that will create a one-of-a-kind outdoor oasis.

Tulsa Fire Pits - the Many Benefits for your Outdoor Environment

As the weather gets colder, fire pits become the focal point of Tulsa outdoor living spaces. These hardscape elements provide a cozy area for friends and family to relax and keep warm. But the ambiance they give also makes them a charming design element addition for your outdoor space.

Fire pits have become a popular addition to Tulsa area homes. With 360-degree access, these design features allow for larger groups of friends to gather around the fire to roast marshmallows and talk about old times, more of a campfire feel than outdoor fireplaces.

These fire features can be built using a variety of finishing materials such as stone, copper, metal, concrete, or brick and can be wood, gas, propane, or ethanol burning. Fire pits can also come in a variety of shapes including triangular, L-shaped, square, or landscape architects can design a custom shape for fire pit.

Fire pits are great for your outdoor environment because they can be the perfect entertaining spot without overwhelming your outdoor environment. They are ideal for sitting around to watch the sunset or view the beautiful surrounding landscape or cityscape. You can create ample seating for the fire pit by creating a built-in seating wall, with or without a back rests, and add colorful weatherproof cushions to create a warm and inviting ambiance.
The fire pit can be customized to how you will want to use it and be designed to complement your home and outdoor environment. There are many different styles and themes for fire pits and outdoor environments, anything from Mediterranean or Tuscan to contemporary or traditional. Create a unique atmosphere and style with your Tulsa outdoor fire pit.

These design elements are practical as well as inviting and add a great deal of value to your Tulsa property.  Oklahoma Landscape can design and build the ultimate fire pit for your outdoor living space, creating unforgettable evenings with friends and family.

Tulsa Outdoor Fireplaces and Fire Pits - Practical Outdoor Living Design Elements

Fire pits and outdoor fireplaces in Tulsa allow us to enjoy our outdoor environment well into winter and can be an aesthetically engaging design piece for our outdoor space. These are quickly becoming one of the most popular outdoor living features for homeowners. They were among the most wanted additions in the 2013 Outdoor Living Trends survey conducted by the American Society of Landscape Architects. What are the major design and practical differences between fireplaces and fire pits?

Both outdoor fireplaces and fire pits in Tulsa provide warmth, light, a source for cooking (depending on design and fuel sources) and entertaining, as well as a relaxed atmosphere and cozy ambiance for your outdoor environment. They both can use mostly the same fuel sources – wood, natural gas, and propane – and can be built with a variety of aesthetic materials such as stone, brick, concrete, stainless steel, tile, and copper. These can be coordinated to match the style of your home and your outdoor environment.

Deciding on whether an outdoor fireplace or fire pit would be better may depend on a few preferences such as your entertaining style. Like a campfire, fire pits allow for people to gather all around them, which encourages storytelling and laughter and is often better for a larger group.

Although fire pits are often circular, they can be constructed into a variety of shapes such as linear, square, or custom-shaped and can have a wider rim or table feature to allow for easier dining. Outdoor fireplaces provide a more intimate ambiance with cozy seating next to the fireplace that may allow for a more romantic setting.

An outdoor fireplace often becomes the focal point or anchor of your outdoor environment. An entire wall can be attached to the fireplace, helping to “divide” the outdoor living space. An outdoor structure or roof can be built around the fireplace allowing for shade and protection from the elements as well as other decorative features that add a coziness to your outdoor space. The size and height of a fireplace can also add protection from wind, and with a chimney or ventilation system, guests can enjoy the glow of the fire without bothersome smoke. Thus, outdoor fireplaces provide a distinctive ambiance to an outdoor living space that cannot be ignored.

Fire pits create another mood or environment that can be equally charming based on your entertaining style and landscape needs. While these can become a centerpiece for your outdoor living space, they also offer a more subdued design style that doesn’t overwhelm the other elements of your outdoor space or the property itself.  With open seating, guests can fully enjoy the scenery that surrounds them an converge at a central spot that allows for everyone to join in the fun.

Both of these outdoor living features offer great value to your outdoor environment and home itself. They can increase your property value and provide a lasting investment. Oklahoma Landscape’s design specialists can help you determine which landscape feature may coordinate best with your outdoor space and home, or whether both may be captivating entertainment spot for guests all year round.

For more information, visit http://www.oklahomalandscape.com.

 

  

Additional sources:

http://www.concretenetwork.com/outdoor-living-rooms/firepit-vs-fireplace.html

http://www.landscapingnetwork.com/fire-pits/

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