Deck over dock
An increasing number of Canadians are eschewing cottage commutes and costs in favour of backyard retreats. Here’s how to make yours a destination
It’s true, Canadians do love their cottages, but there seems to be a shift taking place in the desire to spend hours getting to the lake to find only a few measly hours to relax there. It comes down to both time and price — that little cabin in the woods is damn expensive. A waterfront cottage in Muskoka will set you back at least $650,000 — but even double that amount no longer raises eyebrows. Coupling that with maintenance, rising property taxes and the always memorable drive up the 401, many cottagers have begun to rethink their summer escape plan. Some have decided to forgo the headaches and reinvent their backyards.
But as with interiors, a good design foundation should come before the decor; this means focusing on the yard’s infrastructure to create a base from which to build a lovely urban retreat.
Carson Arthur, outdoor design and lifestyle expert and HGTV host, says this is fundamental. As a voice for environmentally friendly landscape design, he’s helped many homeowners create private oases right at their back door. “People walk into their own backyards and right into their own cottage,” he says. “It’s easier to switch from business shoes to flip flops when all you really have to do is step outside.”
Here are his tips and tricks for building your own local sun-to-stars paradise.
Start with research
A big space can be really intimidating, so take time to do your due diligence. Gather photos of projects you like in your neighbourhood, read magazines, visit websites like Pinterest and houzz.com. Find inspiration in the pictures and, more important, if you like what you see, find out if the landscaper is in your area. If you find yourself pulling together a number of different styles, a good designer will be able to find their common elements and help you define your taste. Make notes. Don’t get frazzled; you don’t have to spend all your money in one day or even one season. Take your time, see what captures your eye and what’s trending (be flexible to a point, because your must-have list might change once you see the vast range of designs out there). Don’t even think about cushion colours at this point.
Define what your
usable space is
What does “usable” mean? Any area that is comfortable to walk on and to have furniture on. Ask yourself whether you actually need a lawn — or do you want a huge patio, a vegetable garden (a huge trend right now) and/or an outdoor kitchen? Define your goals for your backyard space and consider how often will you realistically use that feature.
Maximize that outdoor space
Flowers and plants don’t actually provide much return on investment, plus, gardens take a lot of work and commitment, and a cottage — erm, backyard — should be about kicking back. While plants help realize your aesthetic, think about how your family could use the yard and prioritize your design for those purposes. Love that big tree in your backyard? Use it as a canopy to provide muchneeded shade for a small dining area. Doing that frees up patio space for, say, an outstanding firepit surrounded by luxurious lounge seating.
Laying the ground work
Decking Ask yourself how long you are likely going to be in this house. If it’s less than five years, decking might be the best option. It is the less expensive option, as installation is fast; it will last five to eight years with low maintenance. A deck can usually be built to your custom design, and because the structure itself is above the ground, tree roots, wet ground and grading can be easily be accommodated without adding significant expense.
Composite decks are made of recycled materials to mimic wood. They’re extremely low maintenance, but costly: In Ontario the average price is $65/square foot. Wood decks have traditionally been seen to be the best value, but with rising material costs this has been changing. The old pressure-treated woods have been banned, but new products are coming on stream (for example, Arthur is a spokesman for MicroPro Sienna, which he says is an environmentally friendly pressure-treated wood that rivals the look of cedar, but at about half its price, and requires no initial staining). Patio stone This is a fantastic option for the backyard as it makes the most of your outdoor potential, but it does come with the highest initial outlay of all outdoor hardscaping options. A well-built patio can hold its value for 25 years or more with virtually no maintenance. Neither pests, rot, moulds nor natural elements can break down stone. And with new retaining walls and multi-level systems, stone patios can handle any change in front or backyard grade.
Rather than going it alone on that planning, early in the process find a landscaper with design experience and engage them in plenty of time (late this fall, for example, to have everything designed and ready to build next spring; you would be lucky to find a good company with openings left this summer).
And next May 24 weekend, when all your neighbours are loading up their cars for the Friday-night-flight out of town, you can sit out back with a cold one and dream up some oneliners to hurl across the driveway at them when they return frazzled from their relaxing weekend.