Unilock photoluminsecent pavers – Columbus Decks, Porches and Patios by Archadeck of Columbus

Columbus OH patios an hardscapes builder — This CAD design rendering showcases some of the hottest trends in hardscape designs.

As an outdoor structure design and build company, we pay close attention to the color trends in all aspects of outdoor living spaces. Hardscapes in particular are ever becoming a more popular choice. Whether your vision of a hardscape is a retaining wall to border your landscape, or a patio, a path or seating wall, choosing the right color is important to your overall satisfaction with your new outdoor space.

Patio with sailor course edging adjacent to Deck Columbus Ohio — This patio and deck combination matches the exterior of this home beautifully and also includes a sailor course border for added contrast.

Among the many color trends we are seeing in hardscapes are homeowner’s choosing colors that closely match their home. Choosing a color to closely match the exterior of your home is more easily achieved through stain and stamp style applications. Pavers have a lot more variations within each color because they are blends, which can be a little trickier to getting an exact match. Earth tones are being used more readily, which encompass a neutral base and allows for easier color matching options.

Contrasting colors are also popular with hardscape designs. One way to incorporate contrast through color is by adding a border to your hardscape. Soldier course and sailor course borders are popular. A soldier course involves the brick, or paver, used as a border or edging standing up, whereas a sailor course lies down flush with the patio. With borders, like a sailor course, darker ribbons around the edges of your hardscape not only add a stunning contrast, but they also serve as an outline to indicate where the edge of the patio ends. Texture is just as important as color and is also a great medium used to add contrast. Right now the old Chicago style street banding is being requested frequently. This style involves changing the color in the banding to deliver a vintage look. We are seeing a lot more variations in banding by using red bricks too. You may also consider using two different color pavers, with different textures to add contrast to your design. A good example of this approach is using a standard brick with a soldier course in tumbled brick, or using a traditional clay paver with an embossed finish. Choosing a hardscape professional that is inclined to “think outside the box” will help you achieve a unique contrast within your hardscape structure.

Columbus Monarch Composite Deck with Paver Patio — Among the most popular multiple living structure combinations is the deck and patio.

In order to get a beautiful, on trend hardscape you don’t always have to use contrast. You can still achieve a stunning effect by playing up the darker and lighter tones of the same hardscape material. When using pavers, the same pallet will hold different degrees of dark and light pavers within the same color base, and when installed to play up these difference you can create a breathtaking finished project.

Columbus OH paver patio with retaining wall and fire pit — The curved seating wall and fire pit is a great way to add vertical dimension to this patio in Columbus, OH.

Along with color, texture and contrast there are still a myriad of ways to bring out the individuality in your hardscape. A great way to add vertical interest to areas like retaining and seating walls and built-in grills is to use different kinds of curving. If you have a slightly raised bed outside your patio there are curving products that can add dimension and elevation to the patio. Among my personal favorite of growing trends are multi-level outdoor spaces that include fire features, seating walls and even pillars. Pillars add drama and vertical dimension and can even include lights in them to shine down on the face of the pillar. We often see coach lights used on top with different bands which can be used at both ends of a seating wall or to define an entrance into the backyard or a walkway leading to a patio. Curving can even be used on the front of your home to add flair; this can be achieved through concrete steps, or even adding a new paver walkway that leads to your entry. Hardscapes in the front of your home will also add a tremendous amount of curb appeal.

Throughout 2012, and continuing into 2013 multiple living spaces remain big. This includes combinations of hardscape spaces and deck or paver spaces. As we look into the New Year we anticipate the popularity of solar paver lights to increase. These pavers have replaceable batteries and can last for up to 100,000 hours. Unilock offers a solar paver, as well as a line of glowing pavers that charge during the day and glow at night giving the appearance of “glowing in the dark”. These unique additions to the Unilock line of quality products are great for creating ambiance.

Let Archadeck of Columbus keep you up to date on the latest trends in outdoor living designs. We specialize in creating a space for you that provides function and beauty beyond your wildest dreams. Contact us today for a free consultation (740) 879 – 3730
westcolumbus@archadeck.net

See more inspiring photos of beautiful hardscapes by visiting our patio and hardscape photo gallery and our outdoor living photo galleries located on our website.

Patio, deck and fire pit combination in Dublin, OH — This patio, deck and fire pit combination in Dublin, OH shows the use of curves to achieve harmony, flow and beauty in the overall design.

Recently, our resident patio and hardscape expert shared some of his thoughts on the fundamentals of hardscape design. Rob Mitchell is our patio and hardscape expert and is truly a craftsman. He shared with me the basics that go into creating a magical outdoor space, and also the key elements that need that go into the recipe for aesthetic appeal, good function and convenience. In many instances our customers bring some of their own ideas to the table, Rob is able to take these ideas and translate them into the design in ways that are quite impressive. In design, every space is different, and should be treated as such. We like to see something develop and enjoy working with homeowners through the entire process.

Archadeck_Columbus_paver_patio_architectural_Rendering — No stone is left unturned when we prepare your architectural rendering.

How arc and tangent play a role in good design

The initial thing we try to do with the design of each outdoor structure is to create a grand entrance into the structure, or a grand entrance exiting the structure. This goes back to the old cliché’ that ” first impressions mean everything”. This could not be more true, the first impression sets the tone and expectation for the design in its entirety. We usually achieve this through the staircase that leads you into the structure itself. We use a great deal of arc and tangent design that incorporate the use of curved lines. Curved lines soften the back of your home, are more intriguing than straight lines, and offer more opportunities within the design to serve specific function. For instance, using curves and circles within the areas that you wish to designate for living and conversation areas versus dining areas. The decks from the past were squares and rectangles, using arc and tangent leaves more room for open creativity and lends the design to connect the curves with no flat spots so the design is seamless and continuous. Arc and tangent promote flow and harmony as you move from one structure to another, or from each area of designated function into another. Circles and curves are more relaxed and easier and more visually appealing to connect to.

The hot new trends are destined to become timeless classics

Design statements can also be made through the use of colors and textures. Most of the time our customers allow us to pick the colors. In general, with patios and hardscapes, earth tones are very popular right now. We are seeing a trend towards the use of larger pavers with natural stone texture, similar to a rock texture on the top. One of the ways in which we like to add drama to our hardscape designs is to change direction in which we lay the materials for our patios. Often times, we will lay the pavers soldier course around the patio and have a 45 degree angle. This spices the design up a bit. We also like to use seating walls with lighting and banding. The use of retaining walls and planters blend especially well with a patio/deck combination structure because it adds height without creating a stark contrast. Thinking “outside the box” , by using arc and tangent when it comes to outdoor living designs offers more flow and harmony within the structure itself and makes it a joy to look at as well.

Columbus_paver_patio_plan — This paver patio design shows the way in which we use arc and tangent.

We are also building a large number of outdoor fire pits and fireplaces to partner with our deck and patio combinations. Letting Archadeck of Columbus design a custom feature such as this promotes continuity of the custom feel and we can pull accents from your home to make it a cohesive design. Rob said, ” if he won the lottery himself, he would build a deck/patio/outdoor fireplace combination in his own backyard.” This speaks volumes on the impact adding an outdoor fireplace or fire pit can make in your own backyard!

The only thing we would like to see people do more with is integrated patio lighting. Good lighting creates an ambiance, not necessarily in areas that it would perform function, but to create more mood. Adding light to areas such as risers in stairs, beneath seating walls, or even as a banding in the border of a patio will create mood. Unilock pavers actually offer a glowing luminescent paver to use in borders or as banding, it is not cheap, but the effect is well worth the cost.

If you are ready to design an outdoor space that fulfills your every want and need, contact Archadeck of Columbus to design your backyard masterpiece. (740) 879 – 3730 westcolumbus@archadeck.net

See more of our patio and hardscape designs and outdoor fireplace and fire pit designs by visiting our patio and hardscape gallery, and our outdoor fireplace and fire pit design gallery, both located on our website.

Tag: Unilock photoluminsecent pavers

Archadeck of Columbus shares the top color trends in acheiving a fabulous hardscape design

A design conversation with our own design expert sheds light on creating good overall space design for your outdoor living structure