18 MARCH 18, 2021 RIDGEWOOD TIMES WWW.QNS.COM
Last year, many people took a fresh
look at their outdoor living spaces,
as life outdoors became of renewed
importance as spaces to gather
together. Backyards transformed
into stay-cation retreats, and front
entries were revamped into spaces
for social distancing reminiscent of
old-fashioned porches.
No matter where you live, your
outdoor space can be enjoyed all
season with simple upgrades using
hardscapes, such as adding a fi re pit
for warm gatherings or an outdoor
kitchen for the taste of summer all year.
Whether you do it yourself or hire a
landscape professional, hardscaping
materials - including natural stone,
interlocking concrete pavers and retaining
wall systems - can add value to
your home and help set the stage for a
heated hot tub, cozy seating around a
fi re, wood-fi red ovens for pizza parties
and more.
ADD A FIRE FEATURE FOR
CHILLY DAYS AND NIGHTS
A fireplace, fire table, fire pit,
chiminea or patio heater will enhance
any outdoor space with warmth and
ambiance. “One of our most popular
hardscape installations features a fi re
ring surrounded by a seat wall,” said
Scott Arnold, manager of Villa Landscapes
in St. Paul, Minnesota. “A fi re
feature is a useful and beautiful addition
to any outdoor space that you can
enjoy all year.” Fire pits and fi replaces
also are available in kits including all
materials that are popular with do-ityourselfers.
A DEDICATED OUTDOOR
COOKING SPACE LETS YOU
GRILL IN ANY SEASON
Along with multifunction grills,
compact wood-fired outdoor ovens
are popular choices, and hardscape designs
can make the perfect countertop
or grill island. “Cooking outside isn’t
just for summer,” Arnold says. “Easily
accessible grills, wood-fi red ovens or
outdoor kitchens built with hardscapes
are essential in outdoor spaces.”
CREATE EASY ACCESS
FROM INDOORS TO
OUTDOORS
A raised patio, built with retaining
wall units and pavers, is a lowmaintenance
solution as compared to
a deck. Its surface absorbs heat and
may help keep ice at bay. Pavers come
in many styles, textures and colors,
and require little to no maintenance
if properly installed. “We oft en vary
paver shapes, colors and textures to
defi ne space and create distinct outdoor
rooms,” says Arnold.
CONSIDER YEAR-ROUND
SEATING, SUCH AS SEAT
WALLS CREATED WITH
SEGMENTAL RETAINING
WALL UNITS
“VERSA-LOK is the one block I do
90% of my projects with; it can do it
all,” says Stan Genadek, owner of
Genadek Excavating and Landscaping
in Mendota Heights, Minnesota, and
creator and host of a YouTube channel
on landscaping, “Dirt Monkey
University.” Says Genadek: “Because
of its versatility and ease of installation,
VERSA-LOK is the gold standard
in retaining wall systems.” Use it for
retaining walls, freestanding and
seat walls, couches, tiers with bermed
seating, planters, columns, curves
and more.
ACCESSORIZE WITH
FUNCTIONALITY IN MIND
Lighting, pergolas, shades, awnings,
screens and year-round furniture
should be considered in an outdoor
space all-season refresh. Low-voltage
LED lighting can be installed between
courses of retaining wall units, under
capstones and along paving stone
patios and paths. Look for furniture,
such as Comfort Craft Outdoor Furniture,
that’s durable against the
elements and doesn’t need storage or
maintenance other than cleaning.
Outdoor living is an essential part
of everyone’s health and well-being,
and hardscaping materials help you
create an outdoor space that adds
value to your property and keeps
you outside longer into the night,
earlier in the spring and later into
the season.
— Courtesy of BPT
AT HOME
Five reasons to refresh your outdoor living space for all seasons
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