Landscape Design: The Principles and Elements of Landscaping

A good landscape design is characterized by various elements and principles. You may opt to borrow or come up with own ideas for your landscape designs. Most people assume that the principles and elements are a must have for your design. They are meant to guide you but not restrict. Therefore, do not shy away from using your creativity to spice up the process. This article will outline some of the important elements and principles that can help you to come up with an excellent landscape design.

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Simplicity

In any form of art, simplicity is among the basic principles that you are encouraged to use. Especially if you are a beginner, use the simple concepts to learn the complex ones. You can keep your décor within a specific theme, maintaining consistency and simplicity.

Unity

The concept of unity is brought about by repetition and consistency. It is the ultimate goal in landscape design. Through repetition, you can achieve unity by applying similar elements such as plant groups, plants or decor. On the other hand, consistency can be emphasized through characters such as height, size, color schemes and texture. Coming up with themes will also help in attaining simplicity. When creating a garden theme, it is best when you stick what you are passionate about; it will be easy to execute. You can use one or more elements to attain unity in your landscape design in a harmonious way.

Color

When you are coming up with a landscape design, using bright colors such as orange, red and yellow can help in bringing the object closer to you. It is a way of adding dimensions of interests and real life to the landscape. You can also opt for cool colors such as blue and green. Such colors will draw the object far from you. Neutral colors such as white, black and grey are best applied in the background when dealing with bright colors in the foreground. Alternatively, you can decide to use coarse and dark textured plants in the foreground while you apply the lighted colored and fine textured plants in the background. This will assist in increasing landscape depth.

Balance

When you are dealing with landscape design, attaining a sense of equality is important. In landscape design, there are two types of balance. That is, asymmetrical and symmetrical. Under the symmetrical balance, less or more equally spaced matching elements of the design are used. For instance, you can splash paint on a piece of paper and then fold it into two to achieve the symmetrical balance. This design tends to give a reflection or mirror image. On the other hand, asymmetrical balance is more complex. You may opt to hold elements such as colors, textures and forms constant to attain unity but make random hardscapes. In such a case, the themes used are different.  A good example is the difference in the sides of a pavement,

Proportion

This refers to the relations among elements. You can design your landscape to meet the proper proportion. It is an important element in landscape design that requires planning.

Natural Transition

This element is often applied to prevent abrupt or radical changes in the landscape design. It is often applied in all elements of landscape design. The transition should be gradual in a natural way. This concept is used to create illusions such as standing out or bringing the object in closer.

In conclusion, we all have different priorities that will affect our landscape design. You should use some of these factors to achieve what you want in your design.

Written by Boulder Creek Lawn & Landscape, the best service for landscaping in Jefferson City, MO.

3 Ways to Enhance Your Curb Appeal

Owning a home has its perks. One of the perks involves the ability to customize the design to your liking. Sure, you may live in a home with a strict HOA. However, there are always fun things you can do to personalize your home and make it look beautiful from the outside. If you're scratching your head regarding what changes need to take place, consider trying these three ideas first.

1. Window & Door Decor

Windows and exterior doors are great places to display your personal style. The best way to make a decorative statement is through the colors you choose. If you have shutters, paint them a complementary color to the door. A growing trend in design involves homes with brightly colored doors. Colors like bright yellow, red and cobalt blue are great options. A great way to decorate the doors involves wreaths. Door wreaths aren't for Christmas time alone. You can create wreaths for each season. For example, a spring wreath filled with tulips would be beautiful. A summer wreath filled with greenery, twine and sunflowers would make a nice, bold statement. For fall, choose a wreath decorated with fall leaves and mums. If you're not crazy about wreaths, consider trying the first letter of the family name and hanging it from the door. Don't be afraid to get creative and push the envelope.

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2. Landscaping

Landscape design Jacksonville is quite the task. Gardening, planting flowers and figuring out the design are all rewarding yet very time-consuming. A landscape designer has tons of experience in different settings and can create the most complimentary design for your home. Don't be afraid to go online and look at landscaped homes that inspire. Bookmark a few of them and show them to your designer. This is helpful for reference, but ultimately your designer will create and customize a beautiful layout that works perfectly for your home.

3. Lighting

Lighting makes a big difference in a space. Even though more people see a home during the daylight hours, there will be times when people visit at night. It is always nice to have a beautiful curb appeal at any time of day. In this case, line the walkway of your home with beautiful lighting. It is considerate of your guests. It also looks uniformed and professional. It gives off the clear impression that you care about your property and in return, you treat it well.

It may be a good idea to handle this project one step at a time. Don't try to do all three ways at one time. As you finish one project, it will give you inspiration for the next one.

How to Find a Great Contractor for Your Home Renovation

No matter how much you love your house, the fact is that sooner or later things start to wear down, appliances start to leak and frankly, the whole thing starts to scream for a remodel. Whether your home upgrade involves putting paint over everything or in tearing out the entire kitchen cabinetry, the fact is that a home remodel is a big project to take on.

One of the best things to do when considering a remodel is to start talking to experienced contractors who can guide the process. An experienced contractor can help decide whether or not redoing the kitchen with all new cabinets and appliances is worth the money, and also help you explore color schemes that might work well when choosing a new sink and tub and wall color accents. The great thing about working with an experienced contractor is that they have seen all kinds of remodels and they know what works, what doesn’t work, what’s practical and what is just too expensive to be worthwhile.

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So, how do you find a great contractor who really knows his way around a home renovation? Now, it’s easy, with www.renovationexperts.com. This site is a broad range listing of contractors that can help you find the right people in your area to get your renovation job done right. The site offers all the pertinent information needed to make a solid assessment of the contractor you’re looking for, with their experience, credentials and referrals all listed. Once you’ve honed in on a professional who seems right for your specific project, you can give them a call and arrange for a free estimate and consultation.

It’s a good idea to have a solid sense of the scope of your project thought through before you call a contractor, so they can give you an estimate that is accurate. Some aspects of your project may change as plans develop, but going in, it’s a good idea to try to be as specific as possible about what’s needed.

The contractors listed with www.renovationexperts.com are experienced professionals in all types of specialties, from plumbers to wood workers to general contractors. There’s no question you’ll find the contractor you need when you search this site. So, when you’re ready to take on that big project, learn more now by going to the pros at www.renovationexperts.com.

Common House Maintenance Tips

Owning your own home can be a great source of pride, but it also comes with an immense amount of responsibility. As a homeowner, there are several different things around your house that you need to worry about, such as the plumbing, heating, and electrical systems. It’s important for you to carry out regular maintenance at least once a year to avoid serious damage to any of these systems. Here are some basic maintenance tips that will prevent serious, long-term damage to your property.

Air Conditioning Inspections

Almost every house nowadays has an air conditioner. Air conditioners are used for regulating the temperature and the quality of air within a controlled environment. Most houses either have a split air conditioning unit or a centralised heating and ventilation unit. Either way, it’s important for you to contact a company that offers thorough property maintenance in London to take a look at your air conditioning system. With the passage of time, the efficiency of your air conditioning unit is bound to decrease. Proper inspections will not only help you save money, but they will also highlight impending issues that could save you from looming damage.

Drainage Checks

Drain pipe blockages are very common throughout London. If you notice gargling water every time you flush the toilet or if the water takes a longer time to drain, you may have an issue with your drain pipes. You should call in a plumbing company to take a look as quickly as possible. If the drain pipe is actually blocked, it can lead to some serious problems. Due to the buildup of pressure, the pipe can even burst, thus causing significant damage under your floors. Taking preemptive measures as a homeowner could save you from a great deal of trouble in the long run.