It isn't surprising that the front yard is usually seen as a space for landscaping and outdoor decorations—along with a home’s front porch and front door, the yard is a great way to instill your property with eye-catching curb appeal. However, the front yard doesn’t just have to be for show. So often, homeowners relegate leisure activities to the backyard of a home when they could be utilizing the space on the other side of their house to create something beautiful yet functional. If the goal of a front façade is to have an entryway that catches the eye while maintaining functionality, why can’t the same philosophy be applied to a front yard?
In order to turn a yard into a space that draws attention and demands to be lived in, it must be well planned. This post will address that planning phase, as well as the different front yard ideas that’ll make the area beautiful and useful.
Assessing Your Space
When upgrading your front yard, the planning phase asks that you take stock of what you’re working with, what you don’t yet have, and what you should choose to do without.
The first feature to consider is the house itself. If your home isn’t very tall, use landscaping that features plants that grow low to the ground, such as some shrubbery, trees like dwarf trees, and other low-growing plants. When you’re purchasing plants, their tags should say how tall you can expect them to grow.
Cape Cod style homes will encourage more verticality, with the opportunity to grow garden flowers, incorporate plants into fencing, and more, while modern homes encourage a minimalistic approach that showcases thin, sculpture-like plant life. Last but not least, traditional style homes have striking features that borrow the statement pieces of a bunch of other architectural styles. Use landscaping to accentuate those features and take some liberties where you feel comfortable getting creative.
Existing Front Yard Features
A general version of these rules should be followed when choosing your front yard’s decorations, features and furniture, too—you’ll obviously want to stay away from something that’s comically large compared to your home or something that clashes with your front entryway and exterior door. You could also match your exterior door to your front yard if it’s due for a refresh.
For features that already exist in your front yard, consider if they’re adhering to the above suggestions or if they still match your vision for the yard. If trees aren’t the right size, don’t gel with your other chosen plant life, get in the way of livable space, or you simply don’t like them anymore, they need to be transplanted to another part of your property or removed entirely.
When it comes to walkways and paths, be sure they aren’t discolored or cracked, they match the intended aesthetic of your outdoor remodel, and they don’t get in the way of spaces you plan to create in the front yard. You’ll also want to check if these existing paths already reach the spots you need them to, or if you’ll have to add on to or alter the already placed walkways. Luckily, most existing walkways create short, logical paths between a home’s entryway and the sidewalk or driveway. If you choose to keep this path, you’ll just need to add another to reach your new front yard spaces.
Lighting on the front of the house and on existing pathways should be reassessed to ensure it’s still in working condition and adequately lights the intended spaces. Then, new options should be explored that’ll light your new front yard spaces. Outdoor lighting technology has become more advanced and more affordable, so you may want to upgrade outdated lighting to match the new fixtures and features that’ll help light the new space.
Finally, if there are circumstances that’ll impact your front yard refresh but have nothing to do with your home’s design or your existing front yard, don’t forget to take those into consideration. If there’s a particular sightline that allows you to get a good view of the street from inside your home, preserve it.
If there’s a busy or noisy feature on one side of your front yard, like a street or business, consider placing living spaces towards the other end of your property. Proper planning can keep away future trepidation and regret, so take your neighborhood and existing property into account before deciding on your new layout. And, if you aren’t a particular fan of that layout or this process has you wishing your home looked more than a little different, now may be a good time to explore a possible whole home remodel.
Creating a Functional Social Space in Your Front Yard
You probably have friends or family who create backyard areas that are relaxing and can host guests comfortably for hours at a time. There’s no reason why you can’t make your front yard look nice by replicating that same inviting look, just in a different spot that’s closer to the front door.
When choosing a spot, think about how you’re going to arrange your front yard for landscaping. Try to place any communal area far enough away from the home or walkways that any decorations or lighting you add doesn’t make the yard look too crowded. While deciding the proximity of your outdoor leisure space to your home, also keep your power and lighting needs in mind—especially if you intend for this space to be utilized during sundown. After settling on a location, it’s time to outfit your space.
Start by finding the right kind of seating for outdoor relaxation—no matter what sort of configuration you’re going for, seating will be an important feature. One of the hottest outdoor living options today is the Adirondak chair, which features an elongated bottom that acts as a sort of built-in ottoman. These chairs should be easy to find at any retailer that carries outdoor furniture and they come in a variety of different colors.
If you’re looking to serve meals in the area, you should probably go with one of the many viable table-and-chairs patio sets built for outdoor use. If you plan on using the space for anything other than eating, Adirondak chairs are the way to go.
Upgrade Your Curb Appeal
The front door and the entryway surrounding it is as much a feature of your yard as it is a feature of the home itself. That’s why when you’re talking about the curb appeal of your front yard, it’s logical to begin at the front of your home.
Begin by evaluating the condition of your front door and porch, as well as the walkways and driveway. If the driveway is cracked or has potholes, consider filling it in or replacing it with a new-look driveway that better meshes with your intended aesthetic. The same can be said for your walkway, too. When it comes to the porch, be sure it’s safe to use, looks newly finished and any decorations or lighting are unbroken or working. The door itself should be free of cracks, any glass should be unbroken, the door should shut and open without issue and shouldn’t let in a draft.
Repair your door if needed, but if the door needs to be replaced, consider a fiberglass door from Plastpro. If your porch is large enough to act as a social space, be sure it’s clean and any furniture is in working order.
Front Yard Ideas for Improving Your Spaces
If you already have spaces in your front yard that you use for leisure, improve them by upgrading furniture, improving lighting or choosing an option to put down as outdoor flooring. You may also add a canopy, an archway or another kind of decorative feature that also provides some privacy for the space.
When it comes to landscaping, consider adding depth and dimension to your front yard with raised garden beds and other kinds of tiered planters. This is also a great way to make your yard look expensive, as it’ll add the appearance of interesting topography to your property.
The importance of lighting in a space can’t be understated. Whether it’s highlighting unique architectural features of a home, making paths safe to walk on, or providing functional ambiance to a gathering, lighting is its own feature and can elevate a good space into something great.
Let Your Front Yard and Entryway Shine with Plastpro
Plastpro’s fiberglass doors can be purchased in a variety of sizes, architectural styles and colorways, making them the perfectly customizable door replacement option for your next home remodel or front yard redo. Plastpro also carries a variety of door accessories that add further personality to your front door, as well as doorlites that allow natural light into your home, while lending a touch of decorative flare.
Explore Plastpro options with a dealer near you and gain the curb appeal you’ve always wanted with a complementary welcoming entryway and beautiful front yard. With all of Plastpro’s customizable options, the only limit is your chosen project scope.
