St. Charles Deck Project Comes To A Close

Do you remember this old concrete patio in St. Charles?  This is what the patio area looked like just eight weeks ago.  By this time, we had already replaced the patio door and cut-in two new Pella windows to overlook the new deck.  You can see the door and windows in the upper left corner of this photo.  Since this time we have been busy with backhoes, bobcats, saws, shovels, concrete trucks and landscapers to get the project to its completed state.

 

The new deck has Azek composite decking making up the floor, skirts and benches.  The new rails are constructed of stainless steel posts with stainless steel cables for balusters.  It’s a very cool look that goes great with this contemporary home!

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can see in the photos the new concrete storage shed that we constructed underneath this deck.  The shed is 8 feet by 14 feet and has fiberglass doors to keep out the weather (and critters).  Check out the great stone wall constructed by Western DuPage Landscaping.  The two walls together hold back about seven feet of earth and make for some great planting beds.  In the next couple of years once the plantings fill in this will be a great space.

Landscaping Increases Curb Appeal and Value

Is your home’s curb-appeal starting to look a bit drab or dated? The first impression of your home is a critical component to its appeal and value. When considering a landscape project, improving the front yard has the biggest impact in the perception of a home.

In any economy, but especially in the current economy, landscape improvements have a big impact on a home’s value. A study done by theUniversity of Clemson and theUniversity of Michigan found that consumers value a nicely landscaped home up to 11.3 percent higher than a home with basic landscaping.

When creating a new look for a home it is important to consider removing overgrown plantings, adding new plantings, reworking walkways, and adding lighting. All elements have a great impact individually. Together they completely transform the look and character of a home.

Plantings provide scale to the front of a home. Plantings also are important for vertical elements to frame views to a home or providing screening. Front plantings used in larger masses create more impact from a distance. Usually people view a front landscape from the street, or along the public walkway, so having fewer varieties and larger groupings looks much nicer. Seasonal interest is another important element in the front yard. A balance of plantings with interest in all seasons will make the front of the home much more appealing.

It is also important to think about what the front landscape will look like from inside the home.

Often the landscape is pressed up against the foundation of the home and doesn’t take advantage of views from front rooms looking out into the front landscape. Capitalizing on such opportunities can make the front yard equally enjoyable from inside the home.

A new walkway can dramatically improve the appearance of any home.Extending the walkway out into the yard away from the home can make for a nice design element and create a more interesting entry.New paver and stone materials used in walkways or even driveways add a lot of interest to a home and can compliment the architecture.

Along with new plantings and stone work, landscape lighting is another element to consider adding to your landscape. The finishing touch of lighting makes a dramatic difference in the curb appeal of a home and extends the interest of the landscape into the evening.

According to The Wall Street Journal’s Smart Money Magazine a well designed, installed, and maintained landscape can add up to 15% to your home’s value. Feel free to contact Western DuPage Landscaping, Inc at 630-416-0072 for a free consultation to see how they can increase the value of your home by improving your landscape. In the meanwhile you can view photos of their projects at www.westerndupagelandscaping.com. Crimson and WDL can also work together on any remodeling/landscape project to make your life easier.

Enjoy,

Matt Haber, Western DuPage Landscaping