Home Plans and Design

The intent of home exterior design is two-fold. On the level of aesthetics, home exterior design provides an external and sophisticated compliment to the architecture of a house. By integrating Nature and man-made structures, the home interior designer creates a framework into the usefulness of the home interior can be expanded into the world beyond without compromising the beauty of the landscape. This is very important, because the functional elements of the outcome must blend effectively with indigenous vegetation, manicured lawns, outdoor decorations, and fountains in order to create an environment that is suitable and comfortable for quality outdoor family time and home entertainment functions. Only a few companies in the world of landscaping, such as Houston’s Exterior Worlds, provide this sophisticated blend of natural harmony and human creature comforts for the discriminating homeowner who is seeking a living experience beyond the norm.

Home exterior elements vary widely based on several important factors. The lifestyle of the homeowner is first among these. At the end of the day, what the resident plans to do outdoors provides our team with a great deal of information on what we can build for them. Careful analysis of the house and surrounding landscapes also plays a key role in helping us shape the specifics of a home exterior design plan. Landscaping itself forms the foundation of this plan, and acts as a framework where structures and activity centers can be blended with pockets of indigenous vegetation, gardens and manicured lawns, and large, stately trees that rise prominently in various locations within the yard.

Some of our most popular home exterior designs include, but are not limited, to the following elements

Screened-in rooms

These are ideal for parties, family gatherings, and even important, formal events. They can be equipped with anything from fine furnishings to extend a living room outdoors, or be outfitted with an entertainment system and an outdoor bar as an open entertainment area that provides convenient exposure from insects and other pests during outdoor events.

Outdoor kitchens with garden elements included

People that enjoy grilling for large groups love these open-air structures that can include everything from smokers to refrigerators. There are a number of ways that they can be designed, as well. Some can be built out of hedges, while others can be simple gravel areas open to the elements.

Pools and Patios

Many people fail to realize that pools and patios are actually exterior design elements just as much as they are home entertainment areas. Many also realize after the fact that it is much easier to have a pool installed or a patio built as part of a larger, more comprehensive design plan than it is to attempt working directly with a pool specialist or carpenter. These professionals are more used to working with general landscape contractors like Exterior Worlds and can much better serve the resident when a well-developed schematic is shown to them by an expert who speaks their language.

Arbors, Gardens, and Shade Structures

Much can be done with the simplicity of a group of trees or an ornamental garden with a fountain. Outdoor tables and benches can be placed around these areas to create gathering spaces for mingling guests. Landscape path lighting can be installed that creates walkways for people to takes short walks along winding trails that increase an illusion that the property is much bigger than it really is.

Indeed, almost all elements of a home exterior design will create a feeling of freedom and expansiveness by strategically positioning a variety of structures and conveniences in convenient locations around the property. When done correctly, it can make a property to look as large as 2 ½ to 3 times its normal size-much the way adding furniture to a room makes it look larger. The amazing range of options that this science offers to the homeowner makes it one of the most customizable design disciplines practiced. With so many natural and structural elements to work with, virtually anything can be created within the boundaries of safety, comfort, and proportional harmony that will provide lifestyle and entertainment to today’s eclectic homeowner.

Home Landscaping Design – Planning a Home Landscape Garden

Planning is an essential part of any activity. From the smallest task to the largest one planning can make your life easier and get the desired results faster.

Home landscaping design is not an exception to this. If planned with definite guidelines landscaping can be a fun activity. Here are some important points that can help you to plan out the landscape activity for faster results.

1) The first step is to get a clear idea about the purpose of your home garden. The purpose of a landscaping garden can be different for everyone. Some of the possible causes to grow a garden around home can be

a) Adding value to your home.
b) For maintenance purpose.
c) For yourself so that you can enjoy quality time with your family.

2) Write down your requirements or the elements that would like to see in your garden. This may include

a) Outdoor Patio
b) Fishponds / Rock gardens / Fountains
c) Statues
d) Walkways
e) Sandpits for kids to play

3) Once the purpose is finalized it’s time to make observations about your home yard. This required writing down all the existing elements already present in and around your home. Here is a sample list of existing landscaping elements for your reference.

a) Existing big tree and their positions from home building
b) Sunlight directions and their intensity
c) Wind flow and it’s direction
d) Presence of tall buildings around your home building (because they will obstruct sunlight)
e) Presence of street traffic/railway lines etc.
f) Presence of Lake/seashore/flowing River etc.

4) Once these simple observations are done it becomes easier to draft out a simple plan or layout using the requirements and the existing elements. You have a choice to completely remove some of the existing elements or even use them in the new design. You can create a number of alternatives or design options and then finalize one.

5) There are number of ways to execute your home landsaping design on ground. The first method is to simply hire a landscaping contactor to do this job and pay him for that or you can even do it yourself using some simple methods.