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.
That was exactly the case for this Lititz, PA family. Their property overlooked a beautifully scenic dairy farm and they desired a landscape design that would allow them to get the full panorama.
At the time, a series of trees were blocking the view and causing a muddy mess. The family wanted to take down the trees, open up the view, and then create a more functional, multi-room space that would allow them to spend more time outside.
Working Around the View
To begin with, the home had an existing patio attached to the house but it was small and plain. The family wanted the existing patio resurfaced and wanted to extend it to additional hardscaped areas. These included an outdoor kitchen, a dining area covered with a pergola, and an area to enjoy relaxing around a fire pit.
The view of the dairy farm was a major consideration in the layout of each of these outdoor rooms. The family also wanted the outdoor kitchen to be conveniently located near the home’s back door, making it almost an extension of their home with easy access to the indoor kitchen.
However, because the home had so many back windows, each of which offered a view of the farm, it was important that the outdoor kitchen not be an obstruction in any way. As a result, it was strategically tucked off to the side and shaped in a way that it still offers a clear view from the windows.
Similarly, the layout of the pergola also came into question in terms of obstructing the view. The family originally wanted the pergola more centered but we worked on locating it in such a way that it would not block the windows.
This behooves the importance of spending a lot of time in the design phase to get things “just right.” We had the family stand inside of the home, look out their window, and then we demonstrated how building the pergola off to the side would protect the view the family cared so much about. Taking the time to work through ideas during the design phase is critical to any project’s overall success, but particularly when there are very specific goals in mind.
All of these considerations were also taken into account when constructing the fire pit area. While we might normally design the seat wall that partially surrounds the fire pit on the house side, it was intentionally designed on the back side so that the seats could face the dairy farm.
During the daylight hours, those lounging in that area have a picturesque view of both the fire and the farm. The fire pit can also be viewed from inside of the home, which was another request of the family.
All the Little Landscape Design Details
Whenever working with an outdoor living area, it’s important that all of the little details help enhance the space as a whole. Close attention to detail was paid in each of these four spaces, making each of them special.
In the enhanced patio, the family loved the gray Techo-Bloc material to resurface their existing patio. We completed some paver design work to create a carpet-like border around the main patio, which features a nice seating area for family and friends. As a family with three boys, they were often entertaining guests.
In the outdoor kitchen area, the family wanted something simple but of high quality. This included a built-in grill with some countertop space and a restaurant-style refrigerator with a glass door. Again, the strategic location made it easy for the family to pop back inside the house if needed.
The pergola area is incredibly elegant and what we might call a showpiece of the landscape design. It includes a paddle fan and some lights shining down on each of its rounded posts (purposely selected to match the rounded columns on the house).
In the evening hours, the well-lit pergola has a whole new level of interest and looks picture-perfect with a nearby fire roaring in the fire pit area. The seat wall added to the fire pit area helps close in the space, provides extra seating, and also has some nice undercap landscape lighting to enhance the look at night.
With all of the details involved in this Lititz, PA landscaping design project, the family felt they only needed minimal plantings to add a little bit of extra interest. There are some simple landscape beds around the main patio and the kitchen that provide a clean and polished look without requiring lots of plant material to care for.
Finding Landscapers in Lititz, PA and Surrounding Areas
There are a lot of details with this Lititz, PA landscaping project that could have gone awry with the average landscaper. Most importantly, the value of the property’s view might not have been given the level of attention that was truly needed to ensure the finished product enhanced the view rather than hindered it. Had time not been painstakingly spent during the design phase to get things just right, that “million dollar view,” so to speak, could have been ruined.
By choosing a landscaping company with a Registered Landscape Architect (RLA), you can be sure that your wants and needs into account and that the landscape contractor will go the extra mile to ensure everything is done right. This will make a huge difference in your landscaping project.
Ultimately, your choice in Lititz, PA landscaping companies will be the defining factor in a project that truly meets your needs or one that falls short—or even worse, a project that isn’t what you wanted at all. By choosing wisely, you’ll be investing in enhancing your property value rather than diminishing it.
If you’d like to start a conversation about how we can bring your outdoor ideas to life at your Lititz, Ephrata, Reading, Lancaster, Lebanon, or Hershey, PA home, contact us for a free consultation or give us a call at (717) 276-9447.
