Bringing The Indoors to Your Outdoors – Outdoor Living Rooms and Beautiful Backyard Retreats
Article by Karen Creason
Photography by Provided
Originally published in Franklin Lifestyle
HOW CAN YOU GET A BEAUTIFUL INVITING AND FUNCTIONAL BACKYARD RETREAT?
Franklin Lifestyle spoke with Willow Branch Landscapes’ COO, Aaron Gunter, and Residential and Custom Home General Manager, Landon Chambers, about trends in outdoor living rooms.
ARE OUTDOOR LIVING ROOMS GAINING POPULARITY?
Yes! Homeowners are extending their living rooms outdoors through the use of softscapes, hardscapes, irrigation, lighting, and audio. This additional entertainment space enhances property values. When properly executed, outdoor living rooms can correct grading and drainage issues and provide landscape buffers to create privacy that pulls you outside to enjoy your property.
WHAT ARE THE MOST DESIRED OUTDOOR SPACES?
Many homeowners are looking to expand their kitchen space by incorporating outdoor culinary appliances such as grills, pizza ovens, wine fridges, and kegerators. Covered living areas (pergolas and porches) with outdoor TVs are also big now. Many homeowners are adding fire pits, stone or paver patio spaces, hardscape seating walls and play areas.
Lighting and audio options provide a subtle and calming ambiance. We are also helping homeowners update antiquated outdoor living rooms to fit their current needs. When it comes to outdoor living rooms, the possibilities are
endless. And that is exciting to us!
WHAT IS YOUR PROCESS?
Our process is customer-driven. We partner with our clients from start to finish with design, construction, installation and maintenance. We listen to how our client plans to use the space. Having seen a lot of designs in our almost 20 years in business, we are uniquely positioned to present our clients with ideas they may not have considered. From the initial consultation to the final walkthrough, all outdoor living rooms start with design. Armed with our client’s list of “needs and wants,” our in-house design team creates detailed 3D designs highlighting locations for irrigation, lighting, audio systems, water features, pavers and stone surfaces, masonry work, landscape, hardscape and more. Because all the work is done in-house, the client’s vision is never lost in translation. Additionally, we facilitate and oversee every aspect of the project so our clients can relax knowing they do not have to deal with multiple contractors.
ANY ADVICE TO HOMEOWNERS LOOKING TO CONTRACT AN OUTDOOR LIVING ROOM?
Make sure the contractor has the right credentials to be working on your property. At Willow Branch Landscapes, each of our 80 dedicated team members is vetted, bonded and insured. In this business, your name and reputation are everything. We do what we say we are going to do and provide top-notch service at a fair price.
willowbranchlandscapes.com
