Landscape Effects
Long gone are the days backyards were simple spaces, filled only with grass, some shrubbery, and perhaps a pool. Today, homeowners are excited about the prospect of bringing the inside out – from kitchens to billiard rooms to gyms, the outdoor space is now as versatile as any empty room inside the home.
“People have really gone further down the line with the whole outdoor dining, outdoor kitchen idea,” says Paul St. Pierre, owner of Landscape Effects. “Long gone are the days of standard kitchens – today, people are asking for fully custom-built, custom-designed outdoor kitchens, complete with barbeque areas, sink, storage areas and doors.
“Basically, you’re taking everything that’s inside and bringing it outside.” St. Pierre says that Windsor-Essex homeowners have to be more particular about product choices than those who live in climates that boast warmth and sunshine yearround. “For appliances, stainless steel is the way to go.
“For the rest of the design, the fit and finish of the work itself is important too. For example, if we use stoning that matches the rest of the house, not only will it look good, it will stand the test of weather.”
St. Pierre says that regardless of backyard size or budget, it’s possible to create a luxurious oasis, one which might feature multiple seating areas, custom fire features outdoor pool houses, cigar rooms, poker rooms and private reading spaces. “With everyone wanting to stay closer to home instead of spending all their money traveling, the days of just having a three foot patio around a pool are gone,” he says. “Now it’s about extending the architecture… it’s the idea generation that’s really exciting.”
The one thing St. Paul suggests is for homeowners to consider designing their outdoor spaces while the idea for the home itself is still being conceived. “Some think it’s better to involve us after the fact, because there’s already so much to consider and think about during (home) construction,” he says. “But while it’s very possible to create an outdoor space after the fact, there are definitely cost savings when planning ahead.
“That said, it doesn’t mean you rush into a full backyard,” he adds. “The nice thing about landscaping and outdoor living is it can be done in stages, in phases. When a client comes to us, we have a full questionnaire – we ask about the dynamics of the family, because there are so many different ways to do things, and it has to suit the people living in the home.
“It’s really in design that we as a company – and the house we’re working on – will shine.”