blog

by Sejal Nagjee

 

A swimming pool is the ultimate backyard addition. With the right pool design in your backyard, your pool can become the center of family life.

 

Whether it’s a barbecue by water or your children spending their day splashing away the heat, a swimming pool is a stunning, fun addition to your backyard.

 

 

 

 

A stunning swimming pool is not only fun and functional but also a strong visual focal point for your landscape.

 

Additionally, when pools include unique lighting, water features, stone accents and other stunning design features, your swimming pool can create a powerful influence on your outdoor living space.

 

Here are a few tips to create the perfect pool design.

 

 

Create a Recessed Lounge Area

 

Talk about an attention-grabbing addition to your pool design! In fact, a recessed lounge area lets your guests sit in the pool without getting wet.

 

 

 

 

This unique pool design feature lets you add a recessed seating area “inside” the pool so your guests can enjoy their pool even if they don’t want to get wet.

 

 

Pool Design with a View

 

If you have an amazing view, you need to make the most of it. Whenever possible, your pool design should take advantage of your view.

 

Consider adding steps to a raised seating area to allow your friends and family to enjoy the stunning views.

 

Not only will your friends and family be able to enjoy the fresh water, but they will also thank you for the view.

 

 

 

 

Nighttime Appeal

 

There is nothing quite like swimming under a starry sky. With the proper lighting, you can create an entire ambience dedicated to your nighttime dinners and entertaining. LED multicolored lights add enhanced color to the nighttime feel.

 

 

 

 

Consider adding a stone fireplace or firewall next to your pool for an additional natural element to take your pool design to the next level.

 

 

 

 

Cascading Waterfalls and Water Features

 

Adding water features to your swimming pool adds both elegance and excitement to your custom pool. Your choices of water features are endless. In fact, your choices are limited only by your imagination.

 

 

 

 

 

Very few things enhance the fun and excitement of your pool design like a custom water feature. With the right water feature, you inject new sounds, sights and excitement to your pool design.

 

 

 

 

From cascading waterfalls and pool gushers to swimming pool scuppers, natural rock walls, and stunning grottos, a custom water feature will take your pool design to the next level.

 

 

Natural Surroundings

 

When planning your pool design, it’s important to consider all the factors that may impact how your pool interacts with the surrounding landscape. Additionally, natural plants and greenery will enhance your pool design.

 

 

 

 

Adding natural rocks, beautiful flowering plants, and lush greenery will enhance your pool design. These natural elements will also help your pool to seamlessly blend in with your landscape to create a stunning, fluid outdoor space.

 

 

Zero-Edge Infinity Pools

 

When you are inside an infinity pool, the water appears to go over the edge,  disappearing into the landscape. With an infinity pool, you don’t feel the traditional boundaries of a swimming pool.

 

 

 

 

 

You can even add custom glass tiles to surround the entire raised exterior of the pool. This added touch will enhance the visual effects of your zero-edge pool design. Not to mention, an infinity pool adds a dramatic element to any backyard.

 

 

 

 

 

When it comes to creating a custom pool design, the design experts at Milestone have the experience and professional design tools to create a one of a kind swimming pool to take your backyard to the next level.

 

 

Contact a member of our team to schedule your free design consultation.

 

blog

by Sejal Nagjee

 

Forget the clutter. Modern landscape design is known for a clean, minimalist look. A naturalistic landscape design emphasizes wavy borders and free-ranging plantlife.

 

 

 

 

In contrast, a modern landscape emphasizes geometric shapes and straight lines. Modern design elements are meant to reflect and relate to the surrounding architecture.

 

One of the key ways to know if your modern designs are successful is when every element in the landscape is imperative. Even so, when you get rid of the clutter, the simple beauty and sleek, sophisticated style of modern design shines through.

 

Here are a few tips to set you on the path to creating the sleek, clean, modern design landscape you have been dreaming of.

 

 

The Importance of Geometric Shapes in Modern Landscape Design

 

Let’s get geometric! When designing your modern landscape, think triangles, rectangles, squares, and circles. Not only are all of these shapes key pieces in modern landscape design, but they also look fantastic.

 

Aside from adding a clean-lined modern look, these geometric shapes allow you to create defined areas in your garden.

 

 

 

 

For example, a straight-lined stone path can lead you to an outdoor seating area. You can further define this area by adding a squared boxwood enclosure. Consider circular stepping stones leading to an outdoor pool area, or perfectly placed sculptural accents.

 

 

 

Geometry goes beyond ground cover and stones. You can also use it in the plants you add to your modern landscape design. Additionally, concrete and gravel are hallmarks of modern design.

 

Consider pavers with alternating lengths to create interesting movement within your space. The possibilities are endless.

 

 

Manicured Gardens

 

Inside a modern villa, everything has its place. Clean lines dominate, and clutter is strictly forbidden. These same design concepts should be applied to create a modern landscape design.

 

 

 

 

Unlike a traditional English garden, where it’s elegant to let plants roam free and wild, a modern landscape is very controlled. For example, the modern garden design includes clean lines, and minimal manicured plants, with every element distinctly placed.

 

 

 

Choosing the Right Plants

 

Plants in a modern landscape are manicured and clearly defined in tidy spaces to create the pristine look most other landscape designs fail to achieve. Additionally, modern landscape design uses symmetrical rows of grasses and shrubs to create a sleek appearance.

 

 

 

It’s best to choose plants that are open to pruning. Here are a few modern garden plants to consider:

 

• Ficus Bonsai, Boxwood and shaped plants
• Ground cover plants like Carissa, Rheo, Wadelia
• Hedges like Bamboo, Thivetia, Jetropha, Caecilpinia, Murraya jasmine
• Bushes like Sesevaria, Leucophyllum, Ixora, Jasmine sambac,
• Succulents and Cactus
• Reeds and grasses like Cyperus, Pennisetum Rubrum, Pandanus, Haemaenocalis

 

Japanese boxwood is a modern landscape design favorite because it can be clipped and manipulated into different shapes. However, soft-textured plants, spiky plants, and any plant with a bold visual impact can create the right effect for modern landscape.

 

 

Stone and Ground Cover to Shape Your Garden

 

Stone and ground cover are essential tools to create a modern landscape design. These items can be used to divide your landscape into areas. Additionally, they lead the eye from one section of your landscape to another.

 

Consider a low strip of planted ground cover Carissa to create a modern border around a garden pathway or pond. What’s more, concrete can be used to create a squared path to a pool. However, these accents don’t necessarily have to lead you somewhere.

 

 

 

 

Instead, you can use these elements as visual tools to pull your design elements together.

 

 

Add a Touch of Zen

 

Many modern landscape designs include zen elements. Including a square sand garden with a few well-placed rocks is the perfect modern element to enhance your landscape design.

 

Not to mention, it’s a unique focal point for your space. Rake lines into the sand garden, swirling them around your stones. This will create a soothing and modern landscape design element.

 

 

 

 

As you can see, a modern landscape design includes many distinct elements. If you remember to include clean lines, stone paths, lots of geometry, and distinct borders, you’ll be on the right path to creating a modern outdoor space.

 

 

 

 

 

Need a little help? Contact the design team at Milestone to schedule your free consultation.