Prevent These Mistakes in Your Tulsa Outdoor Living Space Design

Planning to build an outdoor living space at your Tulsa home? These outdoor additions are a great way to create more “livable” space for your home, increase your property value, and provide an ideal spot for entertaining friends and family or just relaxing on the weekends. But before you get started on the project, here are some mistakes toavoid. 

Forgetting to plan. A well-thought-out design plan is a must for any outdoor living project, large or small. Decide what style or theme you want for your Tulsa outdoor space. 

Determine how you and your family will use your outdoor environment. Choose where various shrubs, plants, and trees will go. Decide on a budget for your project. Even if you’re going to build your project one piece at a time, it’s good to have a design plan for the whole project so that in the end, the entire outdoor living space has one complete look. Often, it’s best to hire a Tulsa landscape designer who understands all the nuisances of the various outdoor living elements and can bring all of your ideas and goals together into one design.

“  . . . A beautiful, well-designed landscape costs the same as a poorly designed one. This difference is with the designer. Well-trained landscape designers who work with a large palette of plants and materials as well as a wide range of styles are geared to give you a fine project,” The Landscaping Network noted.

Choosing the wrong plants.  Without a plan, you may be tempted to go to the nursery and buy whatever catches your eye, but you should give much forethought to your choice. How tall will the plant be when it reaches maturity? Will it overcrowd other plants? Although at first you may want to cover every bare spot you have in your garden, you need to give your plants enough room to grow and not overcrowd each other when they’re mature. Also, will the tree you plant block a view or overtake your sidewalk or patio?

What will the plants you choose look like in winter? It may be good to plant some shrubs or trees that have winter interest and that will look good all year like evergreens. It’s also good to choose a color pallet when planning your outdoor living space in Tulsa so flower colors don’t get overwhelming to the viewer or look mismatched.

Also, plant foliage with similar watering and sunlight needs together. This will make watering and maintenance much faster and easier.  

Not thinking about erosion, drainage, and irrigation. Erosion can be devastating to your landscape. Plan ahead by building a retaining wall into the overall design of your outdoor space. Retaining walls are not only functional but also aesthetically pleasing if designed correctly. Proper drainage and irrigation can also do much to prevent erosion as well as flooding and other landscaping issues. Make sure you carefully plan out the drainage and irrigation system for your outdoor space before you begin.

Not planning with your home in mind. This might sound strange, but the elements of your outdoor living space – hardscapes in particular – should complement the style and architecture of your home so that the interior flows seamlessly into the exterior. When you look at your Tulsa outdoor living space from inside your home, does the outdoor space seem to be an extension of your home or does it look out of place? Although you may like how the outdoor living space looks when you’re outside, make sure it also looks great from inside your home and that it creates a cohesive theme for your property.

Forgetting the front yard. Although you’re excited about your building your backyard outdoor living space, you can’t overlook your front yard. Curb appeal is priceless. Whether you want to sell your home right now or not, you’ll want to create a welcoming home and landscape for your guests and your family. So in your busy planning and planting, don’tforget to give your front yard some planning too.

Not building big enough. While you don’t want to go overboard and build outdoor elements that are so big that they overpower the space, you also need to plan for their many uses. Patios, for instance, are one area that can be built too small for functionality. It must be big enough, not only for a patio table and chairs, but also for people to walk around the table and chairs comfortably.

This might seem overwhelming, but the Tulsa outdoor living experts at Oklahoma Landscape can help. Our landscape architects are experienced in designing and building outdoor living spaces of all types and sizes. We can create the perfect outdoor space for your family. Whether you want a pool, outdoor kitchen, outdoor fireplace, patio, deck, or just help with your lawn maintenance and planting, we can take care of all your landscaping and landscape design needs.

Tulsa Outdoor Kitchens - The Latest in Outdoor Living Amentities

What is one of the best home design trends of the year? You guessed it – outdoor kitchens and outdoor living areas, according to a recent article on CNBC.com. Outdoor kitchens have really become one of the top features of homes in the Tulsa area too.

What can you have in today’s outdoor kitchens? 

More than just your basic grill. Outdoor kitchen grills today are much more than the old small grill we used to have on the patio. Now barbecue grills are really advanced cooking appliances and can have warming racks, rotisseries, side burners for cooking side dishes, and more. These are lean, mean cooking machines that can almost literally do it all.

Increased functionality with storage and lots of extra amenities. In the old days, most of the food for an outdoor event would be prepared inside the house and just the meat cooked outside on the grill. Today outdoor kitchens have the functionality to prepare and store almost everything outside. With built-in refrigerators, sinks, storage cabinets, granite countertops, and barbecue islands, you can stay close to all the action and cook at the same time.

Outdoor kitchens are often made now with bar seating on the other side of the kitchen so that guests can sit, chat, and eat - even if the host is still preparing food. Outdoor kitchens in Tulsa today can also have wine coolers, beer taps, and ice makers for an evening of entertaining. 

Weatherproof entertainment systems are also becoming more popular additions to the outdoor kitchen so that while you’re grilling, you don’t miss any of the big game.

Cover, seating, and dining a must. To have the perfect outdoor living space in Tulsa, you must have enough space for seating and dining. Thus, outdoor kitchens are now including adjacent space for an outdoor dining area, even with a dining table, and an outdoor living area with weatherproof sofa and chairs.

Instead of the old umbrella, today’s outdoor kitchens have entire open-air structures built over them to protect guests and the kitchen itself from the elements. These structures can also have a ceiling fan or mounted heater.

The possibilities are endless for outdoor kitchens in Tulsa today. These luxury outdoor environments provide the perfect getaway at home. Call Oklahoma Landscape today to find out how we can design and build an outdoor kitchen to match your dreams and 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.”

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 Landscape Design Challenges - Slopes

Slopes in your landscape can make designing your perfect outdoor living space much more of a challenge. Numerous Tulsa residents find themselves with this type of landscape design problem because so many Tulsa homes were built on the area’s beautiful hillsides. These steep hillside slopes can be rather tricky to garden, but it’s important to landscape these areas to prevent costly and possibly even calamitous erosion and drainage complications. What are some ways to landscape slopes to prevent these kinds of issues?

Make some walls.

Erosion takes place when surface runoff moves downhill taking with it loose soil. The faster the water flows down a slope, the more soil it likely will take with it. Thus, to effectively control erosion, the rate at which water flows downhill must be decreased, and yet still allow for drainage. Carefully constructed retaining walls and terraces can be very adept at preventing soil erosion and flooding. Retaining walls can be made using a variety of decorative hardscape materials such as natural stones, brick, interlocking blocks, concrete, wood, or cinder blocks. Because of their decorative appearance, retaining walls can add dimension and character to your landscape. They can be textured and aged or smooth and symmetrical, adding a decorative structure and organization to the landscape while holding back an embankment and creating level areas of land.

However, retaining walls must be properly built so they can withstand the pressure of weather, time, and other elements. These retaining walls need to also complement your property’s drainage and irrigation system to be effective. Several shorter terraces are often more effective than one or two larger segments because the more gradual the slope, the less chances there are for runoff.

Put nature to work.

Woody shrubs and trees that have a deep network of roots can help bind the various layers of soil together. Over time or through construction, these soil layers can become weak and less compact. Thus, plants with a strong root system can help keep the soil layers intact and slow water runoff. Hardy, drought-resistant plants like succulents, groundcovers, and native plants that are plentiful in Oklahoma will help reduce erosion and even help combat weeds. These plants are also usually more low-maintenance plants, providing easy maintenance for you landscape.

Rocks and boulders provide another decorative means of slowing the flow of water down a slope. Add native plants or shrubs behind these stone hardscapes and you’ll create a beautifully natural landscape. Make sure boulders are packed tightly into the soil.

Steps that stabilize.

Meandering steps can be used to help guests up what would otherwise be a difficult slope. You could make a series of steps in a winding or zigzag pattern that adds personality and charm to the hillside. Plant colorful shrubs or groundcover next to the curving stairway to create even more interest and help prevent surface runoff.

Use Water to the Full

While surface runoff can cause much erosion damage, you can work with the water by diverting it through a stream, waterfall, or other water feature along a shallow slope. Fill in the stream with rocks and you have a natural creek bed. Thus, your babbling brook can safely allow water to flow downstream and form another visual piece for your landscape.

Because of the delicate nature of slopes, soil, and their proper drainage patterns, it’s often best to seek the advice of professional landscape designers before making any major adjustments to your slope or hillside. The Tulsa landscape designers at Oklahoma Landscape will be glad to help you correct or prevent drainage and erosion issues by properly landscaping your hillside or slope.

We provide a complete range of landscape architecture, drainage, irrigation, and hardscape services to help you ‘find yourself outside’ in your beautiful and engaging landscape.

Unlock Your Landcape's Full Potential With Tulsa Outdoor Lighting Design

Want to enjoy your backyard past just daylight hours? Carefully positioned landscape lighting for your Tulsa outdoor environment can create an enchanting area to entertain or relax in, well into the evening hours. Here are some Tulsa landscape lighting considerations to get you started.

To begin, decide what you want your outdoor lighting accomplish. That might sound simple…just create more light for at night, right? Well, to have an effective Tulsa outdoor lighting arrangement, you’ll want to consider different spaces of your backyard and what lighting effects are needed for them or what features of your landscape you want to enhance.

For instance, do you want pathway lighting perhaps to help your guests safely navigate to the backyard? Or do you want to showcase a focal point in your landscape like a fountain, pond, or statue? Does your deck or patio need accent lighting to outline the area? What tone or mood do you want your lighting to create for your whole outdoor living space?

Each of these different facets of your landscape can be borne with different types of lighting or different lighting arrangements. Key points like a statue or fountain may need a spotlight. Pathway lighting will of course call for several smaller lights arranged in a row.

Accent lighting needs to be situated so that it highlights but doesn’t overshadow the outdoor living space. This requires a balance of light between the landscape, different hardscape features, and the home itself. Pathway lighting can easily be overdone and begin to look like a runway, so lighting placement is essential.

Tulsa landscape lighting also needs to work well with natural or man-made changes that could occur to the landscape over the course of time like growth of foliage, hardscape additions, and seasonal changes. Outdoor lighting can look very different and out-of-place when these things start to happen if changes were not accounted for in the initial lighting design.

Low voltage lighting can be used to shape pathways, and it's safe, cost-effective, and environmentally-friendly.

For more outdoor lighting design tips, call the Tulsa landscape lighting specialists at Oklahoma Landscape. Our outdoor lighting experts can help you get the right tone and style for your particular landscape and home architecture, creating a custom outdoor lighting system that will help you ‘find yourself outside’ and fully enjoy your outdoor living space both during the day and at night.

We came across some very nice, well-balanced lighting designs as can be seen in these photos from our fellow lighting designers. The first photo is from London-based designers My Landscapes. The second photo is via Portland, Oregon designers: Beautiful Bones and Purple Stones.

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!

Relaxing Getaways At Home - Tulsa In-ground Spas

What do you think of having an in-ground spa in your own Tulsa home? You may have enjoyed using a spa or hot tub at a resort, watching the kids play in the swimming pool while you enjoyed the soothing relaxation of pulsating hydrotherapy jets, but imagine enjoying the same relaxation in your own backyard.

What are the perks of having an in-ground spa for your Tulsa outdoor environment?

Whereas a pool in Tulsa can only be enjoyed for a limited amount of time during the year, in-ground spas offer relaxation year-round. Spas can be built by themselves or in conjunction with a pool. These spas can extend the use of your outdoor environment. Picture a charming evening relaxing in your spa as snow falls all around you.

Besides providing a relaxing escape from the day’s stresses, the warm water and gentle massage of a spa can help to alleviate  pain in achy joints and muscles. Hydrotherapy has been shown to help with circulation, arthritis, metabolism, immune function, skin problems, detoxification, and overall health.

Many people also use spas to help improve their sleep. The overall stress reduction and massage benefits of a spa motivate many to go to a professional spa center each year. Having your own custom spa at home is a convenient and fun way to enjoy a more healthful, relaxed life.

  

Custom in-ground spas also add an elegant style and create a unique focal point for your outdoor living space. These distinctive spas can be a focal point for your patio or deck. They come in an almost endless array of shapes - from the traditional circle to square,oval, rectangular, or even a custom shape and design.

In-ground spas can be crafted to perfectly complement your home and landscape design. They can have decorative features including tile mosaics and water features like cascading waterfalls and bubbling fountains that flow into a connecting pool below.  The design options for an in-ground spa are virtually limitless. .

Tulsa in-ground spas can be designed using a variety of materials like concrete, tile, gunite, and fiberglass with decorative elements added like stone and tile to create a delightfully inviting outdoor retreat.

Adding an in-ground spa when you’re building your custom pool or as its own water element will bring years of fun and relaxation to your outdoor space.