5 Landscaping Oversights That Date Your Home

Your landscape (specifically, the front yard) is what gives visitors and neighbors a first impression of your home. The inside of your house may be trendy, casual, or eclectic, but curb appeal is crucial when it comes to the overall appeal of your property—especially if you’re planning to sell.

That being said, you don’t need to wait until you’re selling your home to give it a makeover. With a few quick fixes, you can give your home a fresh new look. Is your home looking outdated? Read on to learn about some common landscaping oversights that may date your home, and consider whether your design could use a refresh.

Boulders

Large boulders have been used as a trendy, low-maintenance addition to yards in order to add dimension and a personalized touch. However, you don’t just want to choose a random rock and plop it anywhere in your yard.

Choose a boulder (or cluster of boulders) that fit in naturally with the topography of your landscape. Strategically consider color, size, placement, and usage so you don’t have to worry about removing or re-positioning an incredibly heavy design feature in the future.

Overgrown Plants

Unpruned shrubs can easily make a landscape look messy; similarly, any plants that have overstayed their welcome are a telltale sign of age. For example: if what was once a cute little accent shrub near your front steps is now several feet tall and growing against your house, it’s likely in need of some serious pruning—or it may need to be replaced altogether.

The lifespan of landscape greenery is directly related to maintenance. Over time, trees, shrubs, and roots can become overgrown, filled with insects and weeds, and damaged from weather and wildlife. Some plants can be rejuvenated and restored with enough time and effort; in other instances, complete removal and starting again from scratch is the way to go. If you’re not sure how to move forward with your foliage, a professional will be able to offer valuable insight.

Plants can be used as landscape accents or as highlights. If your goal is to showcase your house instead of your shrubs, add smaller plants in the front yard, and larger ones in the backyard or at the corners of the house. In other instances, varying color foliage or interesting plant shapes and structures can be used as a landscape focal point.

Excessive Yard Décor

Too many yard statues can make a yard look cluttered (here’s looking at you, garden gnomes). Carefully placed embellishments can work well as accent pieces, but overdoing it can quickly take away from the house, plants, and other carefully-designed landscaping elements.

In many cases, less is more when it comes to yard design. For example, some homeowners prefer a three-tiered water fountain, while others find that a low-maintenance, simply designed bubbler is a more suitable water feature for their yard. Every landscape should have an individualized balance of softscape and hardscape, so it’s important to be intentional about every design feature that you add to your yard, regardless of size.

Brassy, Bulky Lighting

If your porch still has large, pointy lighting fixtures, it may be time for an upgrade—especially if those lights are dim or flickering. While you don’t necessarily want something that was trending 30 years ago, vintage looks such as Edison bulbs can be a timeless option. Generally, though, the goal should be to highlight the light, rather than the fixture itself. Switch out your brassy, bulky lighting fixtures for more subtle, sleek options.

Speaking of lighting: doors with sidelights, as practical as they may be when it comes to natural light, tend to be reminiscent of the 80’s and 90’s. If you want that extra indoor lighting, consider opting for a big picture window instead.

Bright Paint Colors

If the outside of your home is painted in a bright, formerly trendy color, you may want to make a change. When it comes to exterior paint colors, you’ll want to stick with timeless, classic, neutral colors.

Of course, this doesn’t mean your entire landscape has to be drab. Add a pop of color by painting your door or using colorful pots and planters as an accent.

When it comes to dyed mulch, try looking for products that are environmentally friendly. Natural mulch comes in a variety of shades, so you certainly don’t have to skip out on that crisp, freshly mulched look with a personalized touch.

There’s no “one size fits all” template when it comes to landscape design. It’s your property, which means you get full creative freedom—we’re just here to help your landscaping vision come to life. With that in mind, we do want to advise our clients to make design choices that are both practical and aesthetically pleasing.

Want More Landscaping Ideas?

Meet with an expert Landscape Designer at your home to discuss your dreams and visions for your property. Contact us to learn more about our creative landscaping solutions that stand the test of time.