Tulsa Outdoor Living - Plan Now to Revamp Your Space

Now is the best time to think about all the things you would can build for your Tulsa outdoor living space this summer. And now is the time to make a plan so that you can start in the spring!

The Tulsa outdoor living experts at Oklahoma Landscape can help design and build the best outdoor environment for your home. We can work with you from concept to creation in designing and building your dream Tulsa outdoor living space. Here are some ideas to get started . . .

Add an outdoor kitchen. These outdoor cooking areas make entertaining a breeze. Today outdoor kitchens in Tulsa can be built to care for all your cooking needs. They not only caninclude a grill but also stainless steel refrigerators, pizza ovens, wine coolers, sinks for easy cleanup, storage, outdoor televisions, burners, and more. Everything you need for game day or an elegant outside dinner with friends is right there in your outdoor kitchen. 

Create a dining area and plenty of seating. What goes better with an outdoor kitchen than an outdoor dining area? There are a variety of design options when it comes to outdoor dining tables, but creating a designated dining area adds sophistication and structure to your Tulsa outdoor living space. More and more homeowners are bringing the indoors outside so that they can enjoy all the comforts of home while also enjoying the outdoors. An outdoor dining area does just that, creating the perfect area for family picnics and dinners to entertain friends or clients.

Creating plenty of seating areas is another addition you may consider for your outdoor space. Whether you add benches, chairs, or even outdoor sofas, your outdoor living space will be more inviting if there is plenty of seating space for guests. However, be careful not to have too much seating so that it overcrowds your outdoor living space.

Build an outdoor fireplace or fire pit. The crisp spring, fall, and even summer nights can be enjoyed by the glow of an outdoor fireplaces or fire pit. These outdoor amenities create a great place for people to gather around and share old stories. Outdoor fireplaces in Tulsa can be constructed using a variety of materials to match your outdoor environment. Not only are they a great entertaining spot, but they also can help to increase the value of your home and property. Whether for a chilly fall night or just to create a romantic ambiance, Tulsa outdoor fireplaces are the perfect makeover addition to your outdoor living space.

Create a focal point in your outdoor space. Some backyard areas can begin to seem a little unplanned or haphazard, but creating a focal point in your outdoor space adds the design needed to create a stunning outdoor space. Maybe it’s an elegant water feature or custom swimming pool. Often the outdoor fireplace or outdoor living/seating area can be the focal point of the space. Whatever outdoor element you use, a focal point can bring direction to your outdoor space and transform your backyard from ordinary to spectacular!

For more ideas on Tulsa outdoor living space design, please contact us at 918.296.9679 or check out our Outdoor Living Gallery.

Best Tulsa Pool Design Trends This Year

Winter is a great time to begin planning the design for your new Tulsa pool. Here are some of the latest trends in Tulsa pool design for the coming year!

Glass Tiles. 

A lot of people in the pool design industry has been talking about the use of glass tiles in place of ceramic tiles inside pools and to accent the edges of a pool. Glass tiles are more durable and less likely to crack or break than the traditional ceramic tiles. They also bring a gorgeous iridescent look to the pool, and are available in wide variety of styles and sizes.

Knife-Edge Pool Design. 

Known by many names such as “knife-edge,” “Lautner knife-edge,” “slot-edge,” or “wet-edge,” pools, this type of pool design is quickly becoming very popular for its “impressive visual style.” Like infinity or vanishing edge pools, knife-edge pools provide a stunning visual effect my having the water in the pool reach the same level as the pool deck creating a mirror-surface effect. This look is accomplished by having a slot edge around pool’s entire perimeter so that water can spill over into this slot. This knife-edge pool design creates an incredibly luxurious, resort-like look for the outdoor living space but does require different maintenance and construction techniques than traditional pools.

Water Features. 

Another huge trend in Tulsa pool design for 2014 and going into this year is the increase in water features for custom pools. Water features like waterfalls, fountains, sconces, and other artistic and playful features are popular in Tulsa pool designs. Not only do these added features create visual interest, but the soothing sound of water trickling over stones or in a fountain creates a relaxing tone for your outdoor space. Splash pads, slides, and spraying jets can entertain the kids in this resort-like outdoor environment. LED lighting is another feature that is becoming increasing popular in pool design as are fire features.

Beach Entry. 

Another great pool design is what’s often called a “beach entry” or “zero entry” pool feature. This pool design creates a gradual slope into the water to allow swimmers to walk into the pool slowly, much like they would at the beach or allows them to sunbathe in the shallow water. Baja shelves are another pool design feature that creates a ledge or “shelf” at the edge of the pool that’s perfect for sunbathing or relaxing on lounge chairs in the water.

These are just a few of the latest trends in pool design that are sure to make a splash in 2015. The Tulsa pool designers and pool builders at Oklahoma Landscape can design and build you a custom pool to fit your lifestyle and outdoor environment. We can also remodel your existing Tulsa swimming pool to include some of these new features that will make your pool area even more enjoyable.

Makeover Ideas for Your Tulsa Patio & Outdoor Living Space

Whether you want to just spruce up your Tulsa patio or totally revamp your outdoor living area, we have some great ideas for transforming your outdoor environment.

Outdoor seating. Of course, to have a practical outdoor entertaining space, you definitely need plenty of seating for your guests, and there are numerous creative ways to add more seating to your Tulsa patio – from the simple to the elaborate. You could add benches, even storage benches, bar stools, or repurpose old chairs you already have for use in your patio. Outdoor sofas are popular decorative features of outdoor living spaces.
These sofas are made particularly to withstand the elements provide a cozy and relaxed atmosphere for entertaining while better defining the seating area for guests. If you’d like more elaborate and permanent seating, you could build a sitting wall for guests. Often these decorative walls are built around fire pits or as part of a retaining wall. These hardscapes bring an elegant charm to your outdoor living space by complementing the style of your other outdoor elements.  

Water features. The soothing sound of water can add so much to your outdoor living space. Whether in a small fountain or an elaborate water feature like a babbling brook, pond, or full water garden, water trickling over stones creates an instant peaceful ambiance for your Tulsa patio.
 

Custom walkways. Paths that guide guests to your outdoor living space add an elegant dimension all their own. Using a variety of hardscape materials, you can build a custom walkway to your patio using pavers, stamped or stained concrete, or even just stepping stones or concrete pads.

Pergolas, trellises, and gazebos. Having a patio in your backyard is nice, but when the heat of summer returns, you may want some shade on your patio area. Pergolas and gazebos can provide some shade for your outdoor space while also adding dimension and character to your landscape. These outdoor structures help to define various areas of your outdoor environment. Pergolas are perfect for accompanying an outdoor kitchen and dining area.

Flowers and climbing plants. One of the easiest ways to spruce up your Tulsa patio area is to mix in some new flowering plants. Add a flower border of annuals and perennials around the edge of your patio to really enliven the outdoor space. Better Homes & Gardens even suggested planting flowers that are known for their rich aroma such as licorice-scented sprays of hyssop or moonflowers to create a fragrant path. If you have a trellis, you can add vines or other climbing plants to accent your trellis and patio area.

Outdoor lighting. To extend the time you can enjoy your Tulsa patio and simply to create more interest and a romantic ambiance, you can add an outdoor lighting design.

Fire pit or outdoor fireplace. Nothing goes better with a Tulsa patio than a fire pit or outdoor fireplace. These bring a unique and elegant charm to your outdoor living space while affording practical warmth and a place to gather around and talk with old friends. Fire pits and fireplaces can be custom-designed and built using a variety of hardscape materials to match your outdoor living space and home.

The Tulsa patio builders and outdoor environment specialists at Oklahoma Landscape can help you create an amazing outdoor living space. We can design and build the entire space to best meet the needs of your family and that will perfectly complement your landscape and home. Call us today to see how we can help you “find yourself outside.”

Lawn Care - Heat Safety Tips

The Oklahoma heat and humidity can be hard on us at times. So when it comes to taking care of weekly residential lawn care chores, what can Tulsa homeowners do to protect themselves from the heat’s ill effects?

Mow early or late. The Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) advise residents to limit their outdoor activity to morning or evening hours in the hot days of summer. Often, you’ll see Tulsa homeowners gardening or mowing in the early hours of the day when the temperatures are lowest. In Oklahoma, it can still be pretty hot in the evening, so early mornings are often the best .

Take Breaks Often. Although it may take you a little longer to mow, breaks are so important. Take a 5 minute rest when you stop to drink water. Working with these breaks not only will help you maintain your energy but will also give your mower engine a much needed break.

Hydrate Regularly. It may not be in your best interest to wait until you’re thirsty to drink water, the OSDH reports. They said no matter your activity level, you should drink more fluids during summer, so imagine how much you’ll need to drink doing yard work? Drink water before you start and every 15 minutes while you’re doing lawn work, experts advise. You could also spray yourself with a light mist of water to help you keep from overheating.

It's good to wear lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothes and a wide-brimmed hat when mowing during the day. Apply a sunscreen with an SPF 15 or higher. Also use an insect repellent to keep away mosquitoes. Also wear goggles, gloves, and ear protection. You may at times also consider wearing light long sleeve shirts and long pants to protect yourself from bugs and debris.

“If you experience signs of heat stress such as dizziness, rapid heartbeat, diarrhea, nausea, cramps, throbbing headache, dry skin (no sweating), chest pain, great weakness, mental changes, breathing problems, or vomiting,” contact your health care provider immediately,” the OSDH says.

If you don’t want to have to worry about residential or commercial lawn care in the Tulsa heat this summer, contact Oklahoma Landscape about their regular lawn maintenance programs. We would be glad to help.

How to Have a Great Summer Party in Your Tulsa Outdoor Living Space

Tulsa residents will have fun firing up the grill in their outdoor kitchen this summer and entertaining friends and relatives as they celebrate goodtimes. But planning a party can get stressful, so we’ve got some great tips to getting your Tulsa outdoor living space all ready for the event.

Here are some tips from Real Simple on outdoor entertaining:


Outdoor lighting is a must. A little ambient lighting is enough to keep your guests safe out the dark. Globe string lights that are elegant and give off a warm glow, the article reported, are great for outdoor dinner parties as well as hurricane lanterns and tealights along with string lights.  The landscape lighting experts at Oklahoma Landscape can also install the right accent and pathway lighting to complement your home and landscape during anytime of the year.

Make sure there are enough seats. If you anticipate running low on seating, you might think about using some of your indoor furniture or even renting folding chairs. Another option the magazine mentioned could be to spread out quilts on the ground for picnic-style seating, if it’s a very casual party.

Repel flying pests. If you don’t have a mosquito misting system already in place, you might try adding some fans to your outdoor living space. “Mosquitos are weak flyers, so even if a fan is set on low, it can create enough airflow to keep them away,” Laura Harrington, an associate professor of entomology at Cornell University told Real Simple. This works best in small areas like a deck, she said. Also she recommended emptying anything with standing water in it, and giving guests bug wipes that contain repellent picaridin in place of DEET, which could damage clothing.

Keep the kids entertained. Many Tulsa homeowners have a custom swimming pool area where kids can have fun during the party. But some other kid diversions, Real Simple suggested were blowing bubbles, a Slip ‘n Slide or sprinkler, and even some inexpensive disposable cameras to let them capture the event, “say cheese”.

Make the music memorable, not just loud. Don’t make guests have to cover their ears with blaring music. “If you’re using a boom box or an iPod dock, place it above ear level so it’s not blasting directly at guests’ heads,” Michael Antonia, owner of the Flashdance, a Los Angles production company said. “And turn it toward the side of the house – you can make it a little louder and the sound will spread out better.” For the best music setup, the article noted that using four or more speakers, spread out and set at a lower volume work best.

Remember these outdoor entertaining tips to have a fun and be safe! For more ideas on designing and building the perfect outdoor living space, contact the Tulsa landscape contractors at Oklahoma Landscape.

Pool Design for your Tulsa Outdoor Enviroment

To have a pool built at their home some feel they need to have a very spacious outdoor enviroment, but actually that doesn’t have to be the case. Tulsa pool builders like Oklahoma Landscape can design a custom pool to fit perfectly in a variety of landscape areas. Using a few carefully planned landscape design elements, you can have a pool that will look great and be functional in even smaller outdoor spaces.

How can design elements help you make the most of the space in your backyard? 

Custom Tulsa pool design. The beauty of custom-designed pools is that not only do you have a unique pool designed specially for your family and the architecture of your home, but your pool can also be planned to fit your specific backyard space. This custom designed can open up new possibilities for landscapes that might not fit a standard size pool. Landscape architects can tailor the pool size to be proportional to the size of your outdoor environment so that it perfectly complements your outdoor space and does not overwhelm it.

Build a pool close to other outdoor structures. You can maximize space in a smaller landscape by building the pool near the home or close to the fence or another outdoor structure. Not only are there spacing benefits by building a pool closer to the home, but this can also allow you to more easily supervise children as well as cook and entertain guests with an easier transition from inside to outside. Pool designers can create a pool that will aesthetically match the look and feel of your home.

Use stimulating design elements. Including native plants, rock accents, and shrubs around the pool or even integrating a vanishing edge or a rock waterfall in the pool design can help to blend the pool with the rest of the outdoor environment. Also using materials with different but complementing textures and shapes can help the pool area seamlessly integrate with the home and landscape. A retaining wall is a practical landscape design element that can help to level out uneven landscapes as well as provide aesthetic interest and structure to the outdoor space.

Built-in outdoor living features. A swim-up poolside bar creates an easy connection between the pool and an outdoor kitchen. Built-in seating areas around a nearby fire pit help to consolidate space while offering interesting and appealing designs. These and other multi-purpose landscape design elements allow homeowners to create functional and engaging outdoor living spaces in even smaller landscapes.

With custom landscape design touches, the Tulsa pool designers at Oklahoma Landscape can help you transform your backyard into the outdoor environment of your dreams.

 

Water Feature Ideas for Soothing Tulsa Outdoor Living

Don't you just love the calming sounds of water flowing through your garden? It's always a soothing feature of an outdoor living space in Tulsa. Many people are opting to build stunning and sometimes distinctive water features in their outdoor environments. Not only adding a relaxing character to the outdoor living area, water features also can become the focal point of the space and can entice colorful birds that help to invigorate the space even more. 

Especially if your Tulsa landscape has a slope or changes in its topography, a flowing stream and waterfall are perfect embellishments to your garden. Line the stream with vibrant native plants to provide more eye-catching interest, and you can create a beautiful path through your outdoor living space. As Better Homes and Gardens (BHG) noted, “Run your stream over different materials and at varying depths to create a variety of delightful gurgles.”

Water features and gardens with an Asian theme are becoming more prevalent as homeowners want a more tranquil tone in their outdoor space. Whether simply for pondering by the water or a space for entertaining, Asian-style water gardens offer an exclusive, Zen-like atmosphere. Using bamboo, arbors, wooden teahouses and bridges, and reflecting pools, you can bring your Japanese garden to life.

Adding Tulsa hardscapes around your water feature can really enrich your outdoor living experience. Building a pergola and seating area can help afford a place to relax and contemplate life while watching your water garden, which may be teaming with fish or surrounded by birds that flock to the colorful foliage nearby the water feature. An artful bridge offers an additional focal point across a stream or pond. A deck adjacent to a pond or other water feature provides a great place to unwind or entertain. Using various pavers and hardscapes in a variety of textures and shapes can create more appeal and charm in your water garden.

If you would like to start small, BHG recommended placing a water feature in a planting bed or even using a bowl filled with a miniature water lily to serve as an outdoor dining centerpiece.

Whether you would like a more formal water garden or something with a more relaxed, even country feel, the Tulsa landscape designers at Oklahoma Landscape can create the perfect outdoor living area for your lifestyle and home.

Fire Pits in Tulsa - Creating Relaxing Outdoor Entertaining Areas

A fire pit is just what Tulsa homeowners need to create an inviting and cozy spot for entertaining in your outdoor environment.

Tulsa fire pits can become a charming focal point for an outdoor area – bringing the whole area to life, so to speak, with their warm glow. You will need to check with your neighborhood and city officials for any codes or rules regarding building a fire pit or outdoor fireplace in your backyard.

These hardscapes can be custom-made using a wide selection of materials to add a distinctive character to the outdoor space while complementing the architecture and finish of the home and surrounding landscape.

What material you use, may be contingent on a variety of factors such as if you want a permanent or mobile fire pit, or if you want to use it for outdoor cooking. If you want a permanent fire pit for your Tulsa home, you’ll need to use a more durable material like stone, brick, or concrete.

Often, you can use a variety of materials to add more personality and create a more vibrant fire pit. Some types of fire pits, such as some gas ones, HGTVGardens noted, are not designated for cooking or will not support a grill. Sometimes an attached table or extra space that can be used as a table can be built with the fire pit allowing a place for easy dining. Many brick, stone, or cinder block fire pits, HGTVGardens said, are great for using with grills or rotisseries.

While the customary round fire pit design may come to mind, really fire pits can be formed into a variety of shapes like rectangular, square, and even L-shaped. Often built-in seating around the fire pit or a lounge area with chic outdoor sofas near the fire pit offers a peaceful place for friends to talk. Other times, homeowners may want a simpler look like Adirondack chairs to complement their classic fire pit look.

Fire pits built near the pool or spa area really enhance the feel of the outdoor environment and make the space great for entertaining any time of the year.

Spring is a great time to enjoy the warm glow of a fire pit amid the cool night air. Oklahoma Landscape’s hardscape experts can design and build the perfect fire pit for your Tulsa home.

Tulsa Hardscapes - Creating Elegant Outdoor Environments

Often we hear the words “hardscape” and “hardscaping” used by Tulsa landscaping companies, but what are hardscapes and how can they be used in your outdoor environment?

Hardscape materials become the basis of a great Tulsa landscape. They are the inanimate, permanent features in your landscape – those made with pavers, stone, stone, wood, or brick. Used to build permanent structures, they help to stabilize your landscape and frequently provide the foundation for an outdoor environment like an outdoor kitchen or fireplace. In a small outdoor living space, hardscaping can provide the extra seating, dining, and cooking prep space you need to stylishly entertain guests.

With an almost infinite variety of shapes, textures, and colors, Tulsa hardscape materials can really set the tone for your Tulsa outdoor environment – from romantically elegant to modern urban designs. These materials can enhance and change the look of you property.

Tulsa Hardscapes such as pavers can easily expand your outdoor space creating a paver patio. These patios can become an addition of the home itself. That’s why it’s vital to consider the architecture and feel of your home when installing hardscapes so that the feel and tone of the hardscape complements that of the home and the rest of the landscape.

Hardscape materials help you visually divide a landscape. A pergola or other outdoor structure can aid in separating an outdoor kitchen or dining area from the rest of the outdoor living space while providing some much-needed shade. Permanent outdoor seating can be built to encircle an outdoor fireplace. Retaining walls can divide various sections of a property, even creating different levels for a landscape. Stone walls add charm and character while providing privacy.


Water features help to create a beautiful focal point for your landscape. Built using a variety of textured hardscape materials, water features bring color and interest to your Tulsa outdoor environment.

And, of course, a walkway or path of hardscape materials like stone or concrete pads kindly welcomes guests to your home or guides them to your backyard.

The Tulsa hardscape experts at Oklahoma Landscape are adept at designing and building the right hardscapes for your landscape to perfectly complement your home, the topography of your land, and how you want to use your outdoor environment.

Tulsa Pool Builders Oklahoma Landscape Create Luxury Backyard Retreats

A swimming pool for your Tulsa home may be one of the first things on your list for summer. Especially since Oklahoma summer weather can get pretty extreme, Tulsa homeowners often choose a custom swimming pool to relax and cool off in during the summer heat. Children gather around pools during the summer, and parents who give their child a pool party will unquestionably win ‘the coolest parent’ award. 

But more than simply a way to entertain friends or keep children busy during the summer months, custom-designed pools and spas give added value to Tulsa homes and property, providing Tulsa homeowners with a great investment for the future. 

What are some choices when it comes to designing and building a pool for your Tulsa home?

Swimming pools in Tulsa become the center of a complete backyard retreat for your family. Imagine going to a luxury resort in Hawaii, lying by a magnificently-designed pool with waterfalls, fountains, swim-up bars, slides, and other elegant amenities. All of these can be designed and built in your custom Tulsa backyard pool area. Nearly, the only limit is your imagination. 

Baja steps allow for cool relaxing as chairs can be placed in the water on the Baja step, giving sunbathers a way to easily put their feet in the water to cool off.

A poolside fountain with dramatic lighting can create a romantic atmosphere to relax by at night. Waterfalls and spillways also create that soothing and elegant environment that differentiates a simple pool from a resort spa. The variety of styles of these water features can range from soft and peaceful flowing water as a small accent to the pool to surrounding the pool with chic columns and rushing waterfalls. 

 

A variety of materials can be used to create your custom Tulsa swimming pool and surrounding patio area including natural stones, tiles, stamped concrete, gunite, and other materials that give your pool area the sophisticated look and feel you want.

And of course, pool areas can also be combined with other elegant outdoor environment features like outdoor kitchens, fireplaces and fire pits to create a total outdoor entertaining area. 

Relax in style this summer with a custom-designed and built swimming pool. Create a luxury resort in your very own backyard with landscape designs from Tulsa’s Oklahoma Landscape.

Summer Staycations - Made Custom By the Premier Tulsa Landscaping Company

Even before spring gets here, Tulsa homeowners are now planning for summer – planning their summer vacations, home improvement projects, and even “staycations.” Why take a staycation? And what can Tulsa’s Oklahoma Landscape do to give you the ideal summer staycation spot?

Staycations became widespread when the economy took a downturn, but even with the country’s economy on the rise, many have seen the benefits of a staycation. Not only is there the reprieve from packing and traveling through busy airports, but there are also the obvious economic advantages. Many have decided to invest the money they would have spent on a luxury vacation into creating an indulgent retreat right at their home. As an investment, these home-based retreats add significant property value and curb appeal to the Tulsa home. 

But what kind of retreat is possible? Just about anything you could want. That’s where the Tulsa landscaping company Oklahoma Landscape comes in. We can create the one-of-a-kind vacation retreat you’ve always dreamed of, and all in your own backyard. We also provide numerous other hardscaping, landscaping, irrigation, drainage, lawn care, drainage, and landscape lighting services.

With Tulsa outdoor environment staycations, we can design and build an outdoor kitchen complete with state-of-the-art outdoor appliances like refrigerators, grills, pizza ovens, burners, sinks, and more. You can have bar seating attached, creating the perfect entertaining spot, along with extra cabinet and storage areas so you have all your prep and cooking utensils right at hand. Many have a stylish dining area nearby to bring the whole outdoor living space together. 

Custom outdoor fireplaces and fire pits offer an excellent way to stay warm during the chilly spring or fall nights while providing a cozy spot for chatting with friends. Combined with all-weather outdoor sofas, coffee tables, and chairs, these outdoor living areas give Tulsa homeowners all the comforts of the home outside. 

Relaxing swimming pools and in-ground spas customized to your home and family needs add the finishing touch to any outdoor environment. Paver patios create the ideal foundation for these stylish outdoor living spaces. 

We also offer custom Tulsa hardscaping to build retaining walls, decks, walkways, bridges, and patios that are not only practical but add the design details that make your outdoor living space come together. 

Landscaping is at the center of what we do. We strive to bring out all the beauty that nature provides and create living works of art that Tulsa homeowners can enjoy for years to come. The basis of great landscaping includes keeping your lawn healthy, vibrant, and lush. That’s why Oklahoma Landscape offers a custom 6-step lawn fertilization and weed control program to make sure your lawn has the nutrients it needs to be ready for summer. These Tulsa fertilization and weed control programs are beginning now as the grass prepares for spring growth. Overseeding and aeration are also important aspects of turf care. 

Oklahoma Landscape also offers commercial and residential Tulsa lawn maintenance to relieve business and homeowners of the worry and hassle of regular lawn care. 

From designing luxury outdoor living spaces to creating custom irrigation and drainage solutions and everything in between, we can deliver all the Tulsa landscape design and build services you need to create the perfect home and the perfect summer staycation spot.