When committing to a landscaping or hardscaping project, think of it as an extension of your home. It should seamlessly blend in and enhance your lifestyle, like it’s been there all along. To us, complimentary doesn’t necessarily mean same but, we do believe it comes in two forms:

The first form is through COMPARABLE MATERIALS.

• Comparable means like-kind, similar, or matching. The best way to identify these materials is to look around the space you want to build and point out the colors and textures that are present and reachable. For instance, your home may be built of maroon brick, with cream trim, and mahogany doors. These are the details that should be considered and used for inspiration when choosing the new materials for your outdoor living space.
• Think how you want your space to feel. Do you want everything inviting, warm, and calm in the same color pallet? If  you answered yes, then comparable materials are for you!

The second form is through CONTRASTING MATERIALS.

• Contrasting means unlike, dissimilar, or varying. These are the materials that will break up color from becoming monochrome or texture from becoming indistinct. If done correctly, contrasting materials will liven up a space without overpowering it.
• The key to using contrasting materials is to use them wisely – meaning, create an impact. The purpose of using contrasting materials is to create a wow-factor in your space. If you use too much, then the wow-factor disappears and the moment of impact is lost. So, again, use contrasting materials wisely!
• A great way to use contrasting materials is to create, what we call, an outdoor area rug inlay with a different color and pattern material or you can implement a border in your patio or walkway to define the edge.

That said, whether you are leaning toward subtle, comparable materials or bold, contrasting materials, we urge you to prioritize function over form and if you get lost in all the options, have no fear! We have many resources to get you out of a designer’s rut and reinvigorate your creative juices.

ALSO FIND US ON: