Fire Features

Even with a large property, it can sometimes be challenging to design an outdoor space that everybody in the family loves and can utilize to the fullest. That was certainly the case for this landscape design near Harrisburg, PA, for a family with four active boys.

The natural setting of this backyard, which backs up to surrounding woods, was one of the aspects that the homeowner of this property loved most. It was a peaceful and perfect environment for the avid gardener and for someone who truly loved being engulfed in nature. However, the functionality of the property was something that was desired to be improved upon. Since the homeowner enjoyed entertaining and spending a lot of time outdoors, a solution to remedy the condition of the sloped backyard was needed so the space could be utilized to its full potential.

It can be frustrating when a finished area begins to have problems—particularly if it was the result of improper construction. Even if you love how an outdoor living area looks, you want it to function well, too. That was the case at this Reading, PA home.

There’s nothing wrong with having a backyard living area built over the years (as opposed to all at once). In fact, phasing is one of the best ways to incorporate multiple outdoor living zones into one complete space. But that’s all assuming it’s completed in a way that looks like all of the spaces were always meant to be one. When it’s not, it can negatively impact the entire look and functionality of the area. For this particular landscaping project in Strasburg, PA, there were multiple existing spaces that were built and added over the years by different contractors—and every single one looked like it was built as a separate project. The individual areas lacked unification and it was quite obvious that this outdoor living area was designed and developed over time. That’s why the family was looking to redo all of the individual zones to make it look and function as one intentional space.

Sometimes an existing outdoor space just doesn’t work. You may try to make the most of it but there comes a point when you realize it’s just never going to be the backyard that you love. An outdoor living area like this can actually start to have a negative impact on your overall enjoyment of the outdoors—and for that reason (among others), may be worth renovating.

Landscaping can have a tremendous impact on a home’s overall value. In fact, an ROI study by RealEstate.com expressed that landscaping and hardscaping can deliver a return on investment as high as 150 percent. That puts backyard landscaping ROI higher than other home improvement projects like a bathroom or kitchen update. Whether you are certain that you will be selling your home in the future or it’s just a possibility, you might be thinking about the best landscaping to sell a house before having a major project completed. After all, you want to love your backyard—but if you do go to sell, you want potential buyers to love it, too.

Is your outdoor living wishlist growing bigger than your budget? If it is, then you’re not alone. When push comes to shove, most homeowners, regardless of means, have bigger dreams for a space than they actually plan to spend on it. And that’s okay—because it’s great to dream big. We only live once and there’s nothing wrong with putting some thought into what you really want, if your budget would allow for it.

A fire pit can add beauty, warmth, and light to your outdoor living area—enhancing the space in a way that you can enjoy it to the fullest. The ambiance of the fire will make your outdoor meals, lounging, or entertainment even better.

One of the most critical steps in bringing your outdoor living dreams to life is the design phase. This invaluable process is where ideas start to evolve from mere conceptions to reality. Given the value of a great landscape design, it’s important that you fully maximize your first step in this process, the landscape design consultation meeting. If you're considering or have already scheduled a landscape design consultation with us, then this article is perfect for you. In order to get the maximum benefit out of your consultation, here are 6 questions you should ask yourself in advance.

Deciding to have a large landscape project completed at your home is an exciting endeavor. Of course, whether it’s an outdoor kitchen, a patio, a pavilion, or all of the above, you want to be sure that it’s built right. That means hiring a landscape designer to professionally complete your design. But excellent landscape design isn’t exactly cheap and you want to know that investing in it will be worth the cost. You may have been searching for “landscape design near me” online but you’re still not exactly sure what you’re going to get for your expense. The last thing that you want is to invest a lot of money into a “design” that took someone a measly 15 minutes to sketch.

Whether you have children now or you plan to in the future, you want to make sure that your landscape design takes into account safety just as much as it takes into account how your kids will use the space. After all, as a family that likes to spend time outdoors, you want them out there having good, safe fun with you or their friends. Of course, they won’t stay little forever. That means you also want a landscape design that will be appropriate as they grow. You don’t want to worry about making poor design choices now that will end up being a frustration down the road.

Whether you have an outdoor living space that you’re looking to upgrade or you are adding something from scratch, the last thing that you want is an ordinary space that can’t be used for extraordinary events.

Whether you already have (or you’re looking to add) functional outdoor living space, then you might be thinking about outdoor organization ideas. However, you want solutions that are going to be an attractive enhancement—not something that’s going to be an eyesore.

Are your ideas for your outdoor living area bigger than your budget? If they are, you aren’t alone. Oftentimes, homeowners have grand ideas that they’d like to see brought to life but they simply can’t afford to do them all at once. That’s not a problem as landscape design for your Lancaster, PA home can be phased—as long as there is a strong professional design to begin with.

With a daughter in high school, only a year away from graduating, these Lancaster, PA homeowners were eager to turn their backyard into a space where their family could make long-lasting memories. Of course, they also wanted it to be a space that could be used in the years ahead—when their daughter would return home from college or maybe even have a family of her own.

Any good landscape designer takes the wants and the needs of the homeowners they’re working with into account. And, every homeowner enters the design process with a different level of involvement. Some have lots of ideas of their own while others are looking for direction.

Lancaster County is known for its unique blend of residential areas and rural countryside. The picturesque views of sprawling farmland are part of what makes the region so charming. Small towns throughout the county each have their own specific personality. It’s no surprise that one such community in Lititz, PA was voted the “Coolest Town in America” in 2013. Lititz homes are highly sought after. In fact, it’s quite desirable to find a home that has one of the stunning views that overlooks the countryside. For this reason, when you find that perfect setting, you want to ensure your Lititz, PA landscaping goes a long way in enhancing that view.

Imagine gathering around your beautiful fire pit with friends and family, enjoying the warmth and the glow. A fire pit is a wonderful addition to an overall outdoor living space design. With the addition of this fire feature, your outdoor living area has come together just as you’d imagined it—that is until the wind from your fire pit is blowing smoke directly into everyone’s faces all evening long. Because orientation wasn’t given any thought with your fire pit design, each time you use it, you have to move away from the fire pit every time the wind picks up. Or, even worse, maybe a novice installer used a material that is not even rated for such high heat. You may not know this, but concrete blocks can actually explode if they get too hot, making your fire pit a serious danger.

Even a small backyard can be spectacular. That was the case for this historic estate, which had a sprawling front yard, but not a tremendous amount of space to work with in the back. The new homeowners (who had recently relocated there) had a lot they wanted to accomplish with the yard and it required maximizing the available space to get as much out of it as possible. Projects on the wish list included a patio design that incorporated various entertainment, dining, and living spaces. More specifically, they desired a cigar patio off of the sunroom, a dining patio for guests or family dinners, an entertainment area, and a cozy fire pit zone. It was a tall order for a small space and required some out-of-the-box thinking.

When it comes to entertaining, the layout of your outdoor living space can make or break the party. That’s exactly what this Downingtown, PA family found out with their existing deck. It was not only very small, but it was fenced in on all sides, giving it a “playpen-like” feeling. The family wanted to be able to spread out and truly enjoy their outdoor area with a space that was thoughtfully designed. This would allow them to get more use out of the space for themselves, and for their guests.

Exceptional vs. Typical: Landscape Design in Lancaster, York, Hershey, and Reading, PA Imagine stepping outside in your dream backyard—the yard that you’ve been thinking about for quite some time. Your favorite colors are reflected in the plant material. That idea for a unique water feature is in just the right spot where you can enjoy the sound of the water while reading a book on the nearby bench. And your patio was designed in a way that it’s not only gorgeous, but it’s extremely functional and you aren’t quite sure how you ever lived without it.

If you’re like most people, you’ve probably experienced what it’s like to have workers come to your home that you’re not exactly comfortable around. You hire a contractor to complete a job and suddenly you feel as though you have to cover your children’s ears because of bad language or you can’t even step out for a quick errand because you don’t trust them alone on your property.

Every project we do at Earth, Turf, & Wood is exciting for us since it means we get to help bring our clients backyard dreams to life. But some projects certainly stand out. This project, completed just outside of Reading, PA is one such endeavor. In addition to providing beauty and functional use to this client's backyard, this project received two significant recognitions on the national stage.

At Earth Turf & Wood our goal is always focused on creating one-of-a-kind outdoor living spaces for our clients that truly suit their wants and needs. In this particular outdoor kitchen and patio design project in Lititz (just outside of Lancaster, PA), the homeowners wanted an open design concept. They previously had a screened in porch but decided to open everything up. The end result was an outdoor kitchen and patio that was perfect for entertaining with multiple spaces for lounging and dining.

Nothing quite extends your outdoor living space like a pavilion. Incorporating a pavilion gives you some shelter and allows you to find respite from the heat or even from inclement weather. One of the first questions we ask when designing a pool and landscape pavilion is: How do you plan to use it? The answer to that question will then dictate everything that goes into the project. While some may just want a space to sit and eat others may also want to be able to cook in the space, so we’ll design a pavilion with outdoor kitchen. As you think about what you might want to incorporate in your landscape pavilion design, consider these popular must-have design elements.

Both an outdoor fireplace or a fire pit can provide a lot of enjoyment. They can add light, heat, and an interactive experience that really enhances your time spent outdoors. A fire feature can also add a lot of ambiance to your space. After all, there’s nothing quite like sitting by the fire. While outdoor fireplaces and fire pits both add the appeal of fire to your outdoor space, they are different structures that provide quite different experiences. If you’re debating a fire pit vs. fireplace, there are a few things to keep in mind as you narrow it down for your home in Lancaster, Reading, Hershey, or York, PA.

Once pool building season begins the pool companies in Lancaster, PA and its surrounding areas are looking to get as many jobs done as they can. The sad reality of this way of doing things is that (in most cases) they just want to build a pool, pour a concrete patio, and move on to the next job. Unless you hire them for any ongoing maintenance of your pool, their relationship is pretty much over after it's built.

11 of the Hottest Fire Pit and Outdoor Fireplace Ideas and Pictures Fire pits and outdoor fireplaces are an incredibly useful addition to your outdoor living area. That’s because they add both light and heat to your outdoor space. Plus, because everyone is drawn to fire, adding a fire pit or outdoor fireplace also helps transform your space into a gathering place, enhancing everyone’s overall enjoyment. When it comes to outdoor fireplace ideas and fire pit designs, there are so many directions you can go.

When a retired couple in York, PA wanted to have an outdoor family entertainment area completed, they knew they had to find the right professional for the job.