Masonry That Pairs Well With Natural Landscapes in the Green and Blairstown, NJ, Areas
Inspired masonry features that blend into their surroundings can transform your Green and Blairstown, NJ, landscape into a functional, visually pleasing work of art. Here’s how to add character, dimensional interest, beauty, and practicality to your outdoor space with masonry that pairs well with natural landscapes.
Fire Features, Like a Fire Pit or Outdoor Fireplace
A fire feature entices people to spend even more time outside, enjoying the sounds and sights of nature, plus conversation. For example, a fire pit becomes a go-to gathering spot for creating memories under the open sky, surrounded by the tranquility of your natural landscape and unobstructed views. For a more prominent focal point, an outdoor fireplace could also incite intimate conversations by the warmth of the flames while adding a hefty, vertical element to the landscape design.
Going for a drive through a local historic area or looking at pictures of old houses could be a great place to gather ideas for how your ideal fireplace could take shape. And of course, we can provide you with ideas as well. Consider how historic homes were built using whatever materials were handy. The result was a structure that fit perfectly into its surroundings: the colors and textures belong, and it shows.
An outdoor fireplace built with natural stone will give your outdoor living space a welcoming rustic look and the historic appeal of locally sourced stone. This fire feature could be built the time-honored way: one stone at a time for a natural and spontaneous appeal.
Stone Walls and Steps
Masonry walls and steps can be built using stone that is sourced locally. Retaining walls are wonderfully versatile structures that serve a utilitarian purpose of holding back soil. They are also an attractive backdrop for the kind of outdoor living spaces that look like they have always been a part of the scenery.
Low walls can create the effect of separated spaces for different purposes, such as contemplating your surroundings or gardening. One “outdoor room” could host a dramatic focal point—perhaps a pergola-covered dining space. Or decorative boulders and eye-catching vegetation could serve as one of the main attractions of this backyard area. Stone walls can offer a similar purpose in sloped lots by establishing a collection of intimate gathering spaces on different levels. Each level could be separated by sedum-draped retaining walls and joined by generous stone steps.
Masonry in Outdoor Kitchens
It’s a well-known fact that food tends to taste better outdoors. Whether your outdoor cooking needs include a simple grill station or a gourmet kitchen, the contrast between sleek stainless steel appliances and the more random shapes and textures of natural stone walls—tied together with a beautiful countertop—makes for a place you’ll truly enjoy spending time and serving up culinary delights.
Natural Stone Patios and Walkways
The informal feel of irregular flagstone or textured bluestone could give your patio and walkway a “been there forever” feel and one-of-a-kind character that can’t be matched by manufactured materials. Natural stone has stood the test of time and, when chosen with care, stone features can become perfectly suited, both visually and functionally, to your backyard.
Related: 4 Ways a Landscape Designer Can Add Color to Outdoor Living Spaces in the Sparta, NJ, Area