Outdoor Space in a New Home

Building a new home from the ground up is an exciting time. Design choices are plentiful and contractors have included experienced designers on their staffs to help homeowners make critical decisions. The look and feel of a new home should be immediately welcoming to the owners. Form and function should meet their needs and be built with attractive materials. The house should feel like it has always been their home from the moment the first foundation stone is laid.

In the past, design has focused on the inside of the home. This is natural because people sleep inside, cook and eat most meals there and shelter during stormy weather. The inside of their home is where they will spend the bulk of their time. Fortunately, designers have seen the need to incorporate a welcoming atmosphere outside the home. Curb appeal is important because this is the part of the home everyone first sees. It needs to appeal to the owners and their guests.

While the look of the home from the street is very important, the comfort of the backyard provides personal enrichment to the owners. It is a private place where they can relax and enjoy the outdoors in multiple ways. Reading a book or walking through the garden on crushed gravel pathways is restful after a long day. A gathering place, such as a stone patio, is important for cook-outs and sharing meals with invited guests during good weather.

It has become critical that porous and permeable paving materials are used when building outdoor spaces, especially with stone. Contractors and designers understand the need to let rain water seep through porous paving materials and soak directly into the ground. These professionals now help homeowners design patios and walkways that look great and make use of stones that will allow water flow into the ground rather than water runoff. They show the homeowner beautiful designs with stones and mineral composites that will last for years and keep the local environment safe.