Is Your Yard Ready For Entertaining?
Check out tips and inspiration for a backyard sure to please all summer long.
A glance at the forecast tells us that the temperature will top out in the low 90s this weekend—and stay in the 80s for most of the upcoming week. After the cool spring and a rainy Memorial Day, that news has us ready to break out into “Here Comes the Sun.”
As the season finally kicks into gear, you’re likely gathering people around the grill, the pool or the firepit. Looking for a way to take that entertaining space the extra step and put it over the top? We have you covered.
Check out these beautiful local spaces, each featured in our NEW June issue, and some inspiration pulled from each:
Light your fire
Photo by DSAL Productions
A home in Alpine already had an in-ground, saltwater pool, but SJ Pools & Landscaping in Oradell gave it a makeover worthy of a paradise, adding palm trees, an upgraded outdoor kitchen and a graveled firepit area.
Fire features are cozy, great for ambiance and even better for s’mores—not to mention they create an ideal focal point. The light and warmth draw people toward it in the evenings, be that your partner with a glass of wine or the kids with a bag of marshmallows.
Get cooking
Photo by Adam Pass Photography
When revamping a backyard in Ho-Ho-Kus, Waldwick’s Thomas Flint Landscape Design & Custom Pools faced the challenge of a narrow, sloping space—but he met that challenge, creating the entertaining space of the family’s dreams, including a full cabana with a wet bar.
Outdoor kitchens and bars keep the good times close at hand always—no need to duck inside to grab that extra drink, a little more ice or to store something that might spoil. No wonder that the most common thing to include in one, other than a grill, is a refrigerator.
Plant smart
Photo by Jaye Avery Photography
When a pro interior designer visualized her backyard in Franklin Lakes, she knew exactly what she wanted—and she knew Exclusive Stoneworks/Unique Pools & Spas in Lyndhurst could help her bring it to life. The yard is now a vision is marble and done to perfection in modern aesthetics.
How to keep the design from seeming too harsh for an outdoor space? Smart plant choices, for one. The right flowers and greenery can completely change the feel and function of your yard. Here, for example, boxwoods and hydrangeas frame the house, softening the hardscape.
Want to see even more outdoor inspiration? Make sure you check out our NEW June issue!
