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.”

Adding Privacy to Your Tulsa Outdoor Environment

Lilly, the list expert at Listotic shared some clever ways to add privacy to your outdoor space, on both a small and large budget. Here is some of the ingenious ideas she found, as well as some that we’ve discovered.

Planting for privacy.

As Tulsa landscapers, we’re partial to plants. They can serve a variety of purposes, including acting as a natural privacy fence. Privet hedges will provide the most privacy and can give a more formal appearance to your outdoor space. But you can also grow your own living wall using a variety of plants, trees, and shrubs like Italian Cypress, Emerald Green Arborvitae, Gold Cone Junipers, Skyrocket Junipers, and other evergreens.

You can also create this living wall of plants by hanging pots in tiered rows. Choose just about any plant or growing vine such as Morning Glory to grow a layered wall of privacy plants to separate your space. Another idea is to build a garden using potted herbs or other potted flowering plants. This garden wall may not provide complete privacy, but it will give you more room in your herb garden.

Listotic also suggested purchasing Faux lvy for immediate privacy along an iron fence or trellis, as well as planting bamboo for a tall and dense screen of foliage planted either in the ground or in a planter. Another great suggestion using plants is to line your outdoor living space with tall garden pots. These large pots easily add height to your plants and shrubs while also creating a very decorative privacy screen for your landscape.

Enclose your outdoor living area. 

Sometimes it’s easier to add privacy to just your outdoor kitchen area, deck, or other smaller outdoor space rather than creating a partition around your entire yard. Building a pergola or adding lattice panels with growing vines on a deck or other outdoor structure can add a notable amount of privacy. You can also add curtains made with outdoor fabric around your pergola or outdoor structure to enclose your outdoor kitchen or dining area. These outdoor curtains are also great for creating your own luxury resort cabana area next to your pool or spa.

Create either permanent or mobile walls. 

If you want something more decorative than a plain wooden fence, but want an optimal amount of privacy, a stone wall may be just the thing your outdoor living space needs. A wall constructed of natural stone that matches the architecture of your home can add a sophisticated charm to your outdoor environment and add value to your home and property. The Tulsa hardscape specialists at Oklahoma Landscape can build a decorative stone wall that gives you added privacy and can transform the look of your backyard.

For a less permanent privacy fence, you could simply use re-purposed doors or shutters to separate the yard or block the view to an area.  Outdoor privacy screens are also available that are great for enclosing a small area of the yard and can easily be moved.

When designing and building a complete Tulsa outdoor environment for your home, our landscape architects keep your outdoor privacy needs in mind. Using the best hardscape materials, we can design your outdoor living space so that you can have the privacy you need to comfortably “find yourself outside.”

Tulsa Outdoor Fireplaces - Transform Your Outdoor Living Space

Nothing creates in your outdoor living space the warmth - figurative and literal - that an outdoor fireplace can. Many Tulsa residents are putting in outdoor fireplaces to their outdoor living areas as they see the increased flexibility and value they offer their space.

Outdoor fireplaces also permit you to extend your time outdoors both earlier in the spring and later in the fall. This accounts for why fireplaces are one of the most popular outdoor living additions. When the nights start getting colder, outdoor fireplaces create the perfect place for warm conversation in a relaxed atmosphere. Or to have an elegant dinner party for clients or a cozy night by the fire with family and friends. Extending your outdoor living season with a fireplace allows you to extend your time in your outdoor kitchen as well. An outdoor fireplace is the perfect counterpart to your outdoor kitchen, pool, or spa.

An outdoor fireplace can instantly transform any backyard into an upscale outdoor living space. A plain patio can transform into a sophisticated lounge area with the romantic ambiance of a stone fireplace. They can become the dramatic focal point of any outdoor area and really anchor the outdoor environment. Outdoor fireplaces turn regular outdoor living spaces into a kind of luxury resort retreat. By adding a sense of style and luxury to your outdoor space, this outdoor element can thus expressively increase the value of your home and property.

Outdoor fireplaces can be made using a variety of hardscape materials like concrete, stone, and brick and be custom-designed in a variety of styles to match the architecture of your home. From Mediterranean, Old World style, or with a Spanish theme, outdoor fireplaces can be as basic or ornate as you would like. Adjacent seating can be installed for pleasant  conversation or dining by the fire.

A stone, brick, or concrete wall can be added to the fireplace to create a “dividing” effect to different areas of your outdoor space. A pergola, roof, or other outdoor structure is can built to encapsulate the fireplace to provide protection from the weather. Thus, you can comfortably sit by the fire and watch snow cover the rest of your landscape.

These visual design elements offer a wide variety of uses in a wide variety of entertainment settings. Providing warmth, light, and sometimes cooking, depending on the design and fuel sources, outdoor fireplaces offer great flexibility.
Offering a distinctive ambiance and luxurious style, outdoor fireplaces were among the ‘most wanted additions’ in the 2013 Outdoor Living Trends survey conducted by the American Society of Landscape Architects.

The Tulsa outdoor fireplace designers at Oklahoma Landscape would be glad to design and build a custom fireplace for your outdoor space. We can coordinate it to perfectly match your home, lifestyle, and entertaining needs. Our custom outdoor fireplaces are built with quality design features and materials so that your family can enjoy them for many years to come. Check out our Outdoor Living Gallery for outdoor fireplace and fire pit design ideas.

Increase The Resale Value of Your Tulsa Home with Outdoor Upgrades

The key is to make livable space that’s flexible, something not too personal, but something buyers can see themselves using like their Tulsa outdoor environment.

Liveable Space. Everyone could use more space, so if you add areas where people can entertain and enjoy themselves more fully, then you have a good thing. But you may think, “Shouldn’t I just covert my garage into a room?” And true, converting a garage may afford more space, but then you also don’t have a garage, which many homeowners want. Whereas, adding a deck, patio, or outdoor kitchen extends the confines of your home, creating more living space that’s even more practical. For instance, if you have an outdoor kitchen and decide to put your house up for sale in the spring, buyers can envision themselves having their own cookouts. Or if you added a deck or patio to your Tulsa home, prospective homeowners will imagine a variety of different entertaining ideas and nights enjoyed with their family.

Perhaps you’ve been thinking of adding an outdoor kitchen, pool, or outdoor fireplace to your home in Tulsa, besides the obvious, there’s good reason to do so – the added resale value that these upgrades can bring. Even if you’re not thinking of selling your home right away, making it more “sellable” is always a good thing, just in case you want to sell in the future.

How do outdoor living improvements add value to your home? Two general principles come to mind...1. The more liveable space you give to your home, the more the value of your home goes up. 2. The greater your curb appeal, the quicker you’ll sell or greater your value will be.

Sandy Koepke, Interior and garden designer in Southern California, was quoted in the New York Times as saying that there’s many reasons for building an outdoor kitchen. “You’re getting a lot of bang for your buck because you’re basically creating a very usable room for a lot less money than if you were adding on to the house,” she said in the article.


Curb Appeal. Consider this, if you’ve made major renovations inside, buyers may never see them if their first impression of the house scares them away.

“If I were going to spend money on a property, I would really work on making sure the curb appeal was strong” realtor Ron Phipps told HGTV in an article. “You really want to convey a sense of welcome. If all your remodeling is on the inside but the outside of the house is challenging, you’ll never have a chance to even show the inside,” he said.

Don’t underestimate how landscape maintenance can add resale value to your home by increasing its curb appeal. Having a professional landscape design and maintenance plan can greatly increase the curb appeal of your home while taking away the hassle of regular lawn care while you live there.

Regular landscaping and lawn care can update the look of your home and keep it looking beutiful and well-cared for overall.

Also you might consider putting in a walkway to the front door or a path to the side of the house to add interest.

 So if you are wanting to add much resale value to your property while at the same time make your home more enjoyable for your own family, the Tulsa landscaping contractors at Oklahoma Landscape can help you in every way.

Entertaining in Your Tulsa Outdoor Environment - Tips for Memorial Day Weekend

Entertaining in your Tulsa outdoor environment this Memorial Day weekend? As the unofficial start of the summer season, many will be starting the grill and relaxing outside with family and friends as they celebrate the holiday. Check out these tips to aid in entertaining in style.

Check to see if your pool is ready! As the start of summer, many will be opening their pool for the first time this season. Make sure your pool is safe, clean, and properly maintained so that everyone can have a enjoyable time in the water. Check out our blog article on pool maintenance and cleaning for tips on how to get it ready for guests.

You bring it, we grill it. Outdoor kitchens. A Tulsa outdoor kitchen makes cooking and entertaining easy and fun. Instead of providing all the hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken or fish, tell guests that if they bring it, you’ll grill it! You’ll have a greater variety of foods at your picnic, and you won’t have to figure out what everyone likes, or worry as much about guests’ dietary restrictions (some could even bring veggies to grill). They’ll have brought what they like and can eat. Then, you just have to provide the sides and drinks.

Easy snacks. A built-in mini fridge is one of the numerous features of an outdoor kitchen that make it perfect for entertaining. With the days starting to warm up in Tulsa, keeping cool beverages close will be essential. The refrigerator in your outdoor kitchen will be ideal for keeping poolside drinks cool as well as fresh fruit and veggies crisp.

Landscape lighting is a necessity. Although the days are getting longer, your get-together will probably linger until after dark, so having landscape lighting in your Tulsa outdoor environment is a must. You could have custom landscape lighting designed for your poolside area or front walkway and landscape, or colorful balloon lanterns in maybe a red, white, and blue pattern.

Help guests stay cool. If you don’t have an outdoor structure such as a covered deck or patio to relax under, remember to provide a shade and fans for your guests to sit under. Pergolas are a great landscape design element that provides some shade while also permitting light through and adding an sophisticated flare to your outdoor living space.

Add some memorable décor. While there is often a patriotic theme with Memorial Day events, you can also subtly include Americana features into your party theme.

“Pick any theme and just incorporate some American pride elements,” the Nest recommends. “A California picnic? Think avocado and sprouts on a flag tablecloth. Or even a Hawaiian luau – just incorporate island native President Obama’s favorite nuts like pistachios and almonds into the menu.”

Activities. While some may enjoy playing sports or just relaxing by the pool, you could have some diverse interactive activities to spice up the day – like a fun photobooth where guests can take home playful photos of themselves to remember the day.

Have a fun and safe Memorial Day weekend as you enjoy your Tulsa outdoor living space!

Outdoor Kitchens in Tulsa - 7 Things Every Kitchen Needs

Outdoor kitchens have become a popular outdoor living addition to many Tulsa area homes. If you had an a dream outdoor kitchen, what would it include? Today’s custom Tulsa outdoor kitchens can include almost anything.

What are some popular features of today's outdoor kitchens? We’ve narrowed them down to seven things that every outdoor kitchen needs to entertain in style.

Grill Stations. Every outdoor kitchen will of course need a suitable grilling station. Gas grills with attached side burners allow you to get to cooking right away. Kamado-style grills, epicurious.com noted, are very versatile with a grill, oven, and smoker in one along with a great ability to retain heat. Some outdoor kitchens also have rotisserie grills and convection ovens for even more restaurant-style cooking.

Pizza oven. For delicious restaurant-style pizza at home, a wood-fired pizza oven to accompany your outdoor kitchen is an absolute must. And in addition to cooking great tasting pizzas, these classic ovens bring a Tuscan-style atmosphere to your Tulsa outdoor space.

Swim-up poolside bar. You don't have to travel to a luxury resort. Your own Tulsa pool and outdoor kitchen area can have an elegant and entertaining poolside bar. This beautiful addition is fun for adults and kids alike, and bring the kitchen to the pool with relaxed poolside dining.


 
Mini fridge. Your complete kitchen will rightly need a refrigerator? Stainless steel appliances like mini fridges built-in to your outdoor kitchen area make preparing and cooking outside a breeze.

Outdoor fireplace. A complete Tulsa outdoor environment will need an outdoor fireplace to match the outdoor kitchen area. Imagine relaxing by your outdoor fireplace after a delicious meal prepared in your outdoor kitchen. These outdoor fireplaces can be as elegant or as simple as you’d like them to be and can be custom made to match the décor of your outdoor kitchen and home.

Wine cooler. As part of your top-of-the-line outdoor appliances, don’t forget the handy and elegant wine cooler. Keep all your fine wines ready to serve with a built-in wine cooler. Perfect for entertaining!

Sink and storage areas. Again, every kitchen must have a large enough sink and plenty storage space. And your outdoor kitchen is no different. There are a variety of stainless steel sink options available including those with pull-down faucets for easy cleaning. Adequate storage is also a must for an outdoor kitchen. Continually carrying everything you need like utensils from inside to your outdoor kitchen can be frustrating, so these built-in storage and waste containers make prep and cooking times much shorter and easier.

These are just a few of the many choices you can have when designing and building an outdoor kitchen. The outdoor environment specialists at Oklahoma Landscape in Tulsa can help you choose the right options and features for your outdoor kitchen. They can custom-design and build an outdoor kitchen that will be the ideal outdoor entertaining spot.

Blending the Inside with Outside - Tulsa Outdoor Environment Designs

Tulsa outdoor environments allow homeowners to  utilize our outdoor space, engage with nature, and relax with friends after a busy workweek. What are some of the décor and design options of outdoor environments? What are the trends? With the almost endless variety of materials that can be used to create hardscapes for your outdoor environment, you can create an almost infinite array of designs for your outdoor space.

A well-designed outdoor environment can complement your home’s architecture and style. Thus, outdoor living spaces can greatly increase the value of your home and property while increasing your home’s curb appeal, in case you would ever want to sell. Outdoor living spaces can showcase your style with a particular theme like Mediterranean, Contemporary, Asian, Traditional, etc. So have fun with your outdoor space and create a beautiful staycation resort in your own backyard. And the added beauty is that you don’t have to pack. More and more, people are utilizing their outdoor space as an extension of their home.

Homeowners are blurring the lines between indoor and outdoor living spaces. Thus, they’re endeavoring to make their backyards more useful and comfortable, taking the best indoor amenities outside. For instance, outdoor kitchens in Tulsa are becoming more popular because, of course, food is at the center of great entertaining. These outdoor kitchens are built fully stocked with state-of-the-art grilling and cooking equipment, granite countertops, refrigerators, bar seating for great conversation, and much more. And homeowners are now bringing all the great entertainment features outside. From flat screen televisions, wireless devices, and surround sound to complete outdoor movie theaters, homeowners have all the entertainment services they need in their Tulsa outdoor environment.

And the lines are being blurred with outdoor furniture décor as well. No longer is there just plastic patio furniture and lawn chairs. Many styles, materials, and colors for outdoor furniture take their inspiration from fine indoor décor. Of course, everything outside needs to be weatherproof, but today many outdoor, weatherproof furnishings are also very posh and trendy, from throw pillows, cushions, rugs, and more. These also come in variety of designer colors, giving your Tulsa outdoor environment a touch of urban flare. Beyond just more stylish fabric, outdoor furnishings now more readily resemble your indoor space with coffee tables, sofas, and chic dining sets. Enjoying your outdoor space has never been easier or classier.

With many homeowners wanting to get back to nature more and relax in the beauty that only the outdoors brings, outdoor environments allow homeowners to be more comfortable outside and get more use from their outdoor space.