The Best Patio Designs Are Designed Around You
The best patio designs are not only beautiful, but are most importantly designed around the way you intend to use them. It’s so important to have enough space on the patio to allow room for the things that make the patio functional, like: a large primary patio table with chairs that can slide forward and back without falling off the edge of the patio, a bistro set, a fire pit, the grill, a bar or anything else you’d like to see incorporated into your patio space. The patio must also have space to move comfortably through and within the patio from one area to the next.
How Many People Would You Like To Comfortably Seat Or Entertain On Your Patio?
Over the years we’ve found that on average you’ll need roughly 60-90 square feet of patio per person you’d like to comfortably entertain at the same time, which includes the space needed for furniture and space to move easily throughout the patio. So, if you have a family of 4 and you want ample space for a patio table with chairs, a spot for the grill and possibly a small bistro table, you likely need around 240-360 square feet of patio. After 5 people, you’ll usually add much less square footage for additional seating, more like 15-20 square feet per person starting with the 6th. If you’re a family of 4, but also plan to use the patio for larger parties at times, you might consider adding square footage to the space for a total size around 360-450 square feet. Sitting walls are a great way to seat more people during larger gatherings without significantly increasing to total square footage. Our average patio size is roughly 400-450 square feet and is usually meant for 4-5 people, with room to seat more during larger events. This will give you a rough idea of the size you are looking for, but will certainly vary depending on a number of factors.
How Much Does A Paver Patio Cost And What Is The First Step In Getting Started?
Cost will vary depending on which stone you like best, what features you’d like to incorporate and a number of other factors. On average, a concrete paver patio will cost anywhere from $18 – 25 per square foot. Working with a landscape designer is highly recommended to maximize the potential of the space you’re trying to create. A great design is the most important part of the entire process. Contact us today to speak with one of our landscape design professionals at Sheridan Landscaping by phone at 774-413-5012 or submit a quote request online to receive more information on patio design and installation or to set up a free consultation.
Features To Consider Adding To A Patio
Pergola
Outdoor Lighting (in the blocks or in the area around the patio)
Built-in Barbeque
Outdoor Fireplace/Fire Pit
Full outdoor kitchen
Sitting Wall
Water Feature
Ambient Sound
Design
There are many different ways to design a patio. Often, the design depends on the type of material you want to use. Natural Stone, Brick, and Concrete Pavers are the three primary types of material.
Natural Stone is often laid out in a mosaic or just natural pattern. Stones are picked to fit in the right spot so each patio has a unique look. The picture up above is an example of this. Natural Stone is definitely a more contemporary look for a patio. It’s especially beautiful when paired with a natural stone wall or fire pit.
Some examples of brick designs can be seen to the right. Brick is a classic look in many patios.
Concrete Pavers is also a popular trend in patios. With the numerous sizes, colors, and textures available, a concrete paver patio can be designed in many different ways to fit whatever design features or look you are going for.
With all of the above options, using different colors and materials for borders, accents, and inlays will set your patio apart and give it a personal touch that fits your style and vision.
Project of the Month
Our client was looking to replace the old concrete pool deck at the home they most recently purchased. They wanted a patio with varying colors and character. There was also an old stone porch that needed to be redone and brick front steps that needed repair. We replaced the pool patio with a natural cleft bluestone using a full range of colors for the patio and for the porches.
We installed New England Round Fieldstone veneer to the sides of the porches and capped them off with bluestone treads. These elements give this home a sophisticated new look while giving it character. Our favorite feature is the 23’ long steps that run the length of the rear porch. One of the challenges of the job was using natural cleft stone for the patio. With the inconsistent thickness and varying sizes,
it took a lot of effort to make sure the stones were installed level and even. Our masonry crew did a fantastic job and the result is stunning!
Guide to Choosing the Right Fire Pit for You
Roasting marshmallows with the kids. Enjoying an evening basking in the warmth of an outdoor fire. These are all things people enjoy, which is why outdoor fire pits have become so popular across backyards in America. An outdoor fire pit can dramatically change your outdoor living space for the better. But what’s right for you? Let us guide you through what will be the best option for your backyard.
Here are a few tips that will help you decide on the look and feel you want to achieve.
- Materials – When it comes to choosing a fire pit, homeowners have several different materials they can choose from for their fire pit. Using a pre-fabricated unit from a concrete paver supplier such as Techno Bloc or Unilock is the more economical solution. These units use pre cast concrete units and are simple and easy to assemble.
For a more sophisticated and natural look, using a modular concrete unit that is finished with a natural stone veneer and cape is the way to go. These units can be customized to fit your exact needs, space, and budget.
2. Shape – From circular to square, rectangular to an octagon, the options you have for your fire pit have come a long way in recent years. This allows us to design a fire pit that will accent and enhance your outdoor living space, whether you are starting from scratch or adding a fire pit to an existing space.
Wood Burning or Gas Burning
Why gas burning?
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- Ease of Use – after a long day at work, it is nice to be able to start a fire by simply hitting a switch.
- Clean Up – there is none (except when marshmallow drips on the glass or lava rock)!
Why wood burning?
People usually go with wood burning for two reasons:
- They love burning wood! The sound, the smell, the warm feeling, and the price! Some gas pits can increase the price.
- In many parts of the country, natural gas may not be available, or too expensive to pipe to your fire feature. Some fire pits will run on a propane tank, but if there is nowhere to hide it, it might take away from the look you want.
With proper planning and careful decision making, you can turn your backyard into the envy of the neighborhood with an outdoor fire fixture. From entertaining, to cooking, to a source of light long after the sun goes down, you can enjoy your investment year round with both family and friends.
Retaining Walls: Function and Beauty
We all know that retaining walls serve a very useful purpose. They hold back soil to prevent erosion towards structures, divert water, and increase useful space. Often times they are functional but unattractive. Materials have come a long way over the years. Retaining walls are now being used as focal points and being incorporated into landscaping designs. Now they can be built with beauty as well as function.
Materials
There are a wide variety of materials available such as, stacked natural stone, stone veneers, interlocking blocks, concrete, brick and block, or wood. Having many options for materials allows for more attractive walls that fit into any surrounding landscape. Installation Proper installation is paramount. The leading cause of failure in retaining walls is the lack of proper drainage which can cause saturation and in turn create frost heaves in the colder months. Anything over four feet is not for the weekend backyard warrior. Over four foot walls need to be engineered for safety and structural well being and should be left to the professionals. Uses Retaining walls are not only being used to hold up hillsides or provide proper drainage they are also being used creatively to enhance your curb appeal and your outdoor living spaces. They can be used to define space, add texture, create seating, or lead the eye down a walk way that begs you to explore what’s beyond. Retaining walls can also be used as garden beds, tree rings, seating in entertaining spaces, and they may even be dressed with lighting.
Design
Depending on your environment, retaining walls can also influence the architecture of your home. You can create a dramatic front entrance by creating a gateway to your property. If you have a more traditional setting, straight lines can add to the formality. Brick can also be used to complement more traditional homes and landscapes. They are labor intensive but strong and durable. In a more casual atmosphere, such as a wooded backyard, curved lines may help to marry the environment with your outdoor living space. Interlocking blocks work well to create curves for walls up to 4 feet tall. Whether you are looking to increase functional space, add a pool and an entertaining space to a sloping backyard, create curb appeal, add terracing for garden beds, or hold that hillside up, there are many materials and options available to property owners today. Let’s talk more about how a retaining wall might benefit your landscape. Call us anytime at (774) 413-5012 or contact us at www.sheridanlandscaping.net.
Outdoor Kitchens: Pictures and Ideas for Your Property
Outdoor kitchens are a sizzling hot trend in outdoor living. Studies continue to show that outdoor kitchens remain the most requested outdoor feature of a home on Cape Cod and the South Shore, MA and beyond. An outdoor kitchen is a destination location for you and your family to enjoy. It is a space that will help you truly capture the full potential of your outdoor living area. After all, there’s nothing quite like cooking and dining al fresco and an outdoor kitchen allows you to do just that. You’ll be able to entertain and enjoy time with friends and family in a unique way. Outdoor kitchens have become a hot trend nationwide and finding a company that knows what it takes to put together a complex building project like an outdoor kitchen is incredibly important. At Sheridan Landscaping, we love designing and building outdoor kitchens and have a lot of experience doing so.
Outdoor Kitchen Designs: Something for Every Budget
When it comes to building an outdoor kitchen, each situation is unique. There is something to fit every budget, from simple to high-end. A basic outdoor kitchen will include the key necessities, such as a built-in grille and storage unit. The countertop can be designed to create extra seating for added value and space. An outdoor kitchen with the basic necessities can be built for around $15,000. Just like the kitchen in your home, there are numerous features you can add-on, which will increase your budget, but also add value to your kitchen. It’s also important to remember that outdoor kitchen appliances and materials can range dramatically in price. It is not uncommon to see a grille of the same size, but a higher end model with more features cost twice as much as it’s less expensive counterpart. Some of the most popular add-ons for outdoor kitchens include a built-in refrigerator, a pull-out trash container, lighting, and a sink with running water. An outdoor kitchen can include anything that your indoor kitchen has. The highest end outdoor kitchens can feature structures such as pergolas and pavilions, outdoor fireplaces or pizza ovens, outdoor TV’s and sound systems, and beer dispensers and wine coolers. You can truly design an outdoor kitchen to meet all of your wants and needs.
Outdoor Kitchen Ideas
Just as your Cape Cod or South Shore, MA outdoor kitchen can be as small or large as you wish, it can also have any look that you desire. Oftentimes, an outdoor kitchen is designed with your home’s interior in mind. For example, if your outdoor kitchen is viewable from your living room, you want to try to tie the look and feel of your outdoor kitchen in with the features of your living room. If you have a beautiful stone fireplace in your home, you might want to match the stone finish to your outdoor kitchen with that of your fireplace. Your outdoor kitchen can also be designed as a U-shaped, L- shaped, or curved structure to create a different look and feel. The shape and design of your kitchen will also come into play when planning your outdoor space. The shape of your outdoor kitchen will affect how you move around and in and out of the space. A back bar is great feature to add to your kitchen to create additional seating space. When building your outdoor kitchen, the materials you use are a very important consideration as you plan and design your project. Granite countertops are the most popular choice and they are incredibly durable. However, choosing a lighter color will help to keep the surface from getting too hot. The type of finish, whether it be stone or lumber, will affect how various appliances, trim, and storage units are installed. Most the kitchens we install use modular cabinets that are faced with stone and designed to accommodate a wide range of appliances. This allows for easy installation and greater durability than a kitchen built with concrete block and you cannot beat the look of natural stone veneer. In addition, outdoor cabinetry comes in a variety of materials ranging from waterproof polymer materials to bamboo, teak, or reclaimed lumber.
Outdoor Kitchen Appliances
Your appliances are what truly make your outdoor kitchen come to life. At the very least, an outdoor kitchen will have a built-in grill. As we said, earlier, there are numerous choices for your outdoor grill and the prices can vary depending on features and materials. We have worked with everything from grilles with full LED lighting to multi-fuel grills that run offer charcoal, wood chunks, natural gas, and propane. Some homeowners are requesting an outdoor kitchen side burner, separate from the grill. These side burners offer great versatility for cooking a side dish or other items separately from the grill. My father-in-law’s favorite is to use his side burner to cook lobster, while the burgers and hot dogs cook on the grill. This is also great as a stand-alone option, as well Cooking seafood outside versus inside means no lingering smell in your house.
Outdoor kitchen appliances may also include a refrigerator, dishwasher, oven, beer kegerator, or an ice maker. Any appliance that you have in your indoor kitchen can be part of your outdoor kitchen. But that’s not to say you should use appliances made-for-the-indoors in your outdoor kitchen. That’s because outdoor appliances are specially built to be more durable to deal better with temperature fluctuations and be able to withstand the elements. While that can make them a bit more costly, it’s not an area where you should cut corners.
Finding an Outdoor Kitchen Builder & Designer for Your Cape Cod or South Shore, MA Home
When investing in an outdoor kitchen, whether big or small, you want to make sure it is done right the first time. Your kitchen should be designed with maximum value and enjoyment in mind. Our sales staff and Landscape Architect will guide you through the process of creating the prefect outdoor kitchen. Over the years, we have developed a guide to help you plan your outdoor kitchen and can handle every aspect of your project from design to completion.
Our landscape architect will go over every detail as we plan out your project. From how you plan to use your outdoor kitchen to where you kids play in the yard, these are all details that will affect the functionality and enjoyment of your outdoor kitchen. Every project is unique and requires careful planning, design, and attention to detail. Our team of meticulous craftsmen and partners can make your dream and design a reality. We know that an outdoor kitchen is an investment and want you to truly fall in love with the finished project. Get in touch with us at 774-413-5012 or contact us to start the conversation on bringing your outdoor kitchen dreams to life with a free consultation.