Hardscaping is adding non-living elements like walls, arbors, bricks, ponds, or fountains to your landscape to enhance your property and give it definition. Hardscaping commonly utilizes materials like stone, wood, metal, and brick, and are a great way to define and separate your soft scape (living) features like grass, flowers, bushes, and trees.
Hardscaping can be as simple as adding a stone walkway, and as intricate as a brick backyard kitchen. It is all up to your budget, needs and imagination to come up with gorgeous backyard hardscape ideas on a budget. Below are some great examples of backyard and front yard hardscape ideas.
Backyard Hardscape Ideas
Outdoor Daybed
A great way to enjoy your backyard is to give yourself a comfortable space to sit and read, play games, talk with friends and family, or just relax with a cup of coffee. A great piece of modular outdoor furniture that not only will look great in your backyard but also is comfortable and can seat from one to multiple people is a daybed. A good outdoor daybed can fit in with any landscaping you have and can work in both small and large spaces. An outdoor sectional daybed is extremely versatile and can be utilized all year long.
English Garden
An elegant way to hardscape your backyard is to create an English Garden. Backyard hardscape designs often include English gardens since they can work in any size space you have, and by adding comfortable seating you to create a warm and relaxing environment to entertain friends or just relax after a long day at work. You can design your English garden any way you like from geometrical hedges, colorful flowers, pavers, moss, and stone planters or statures whatever suits your design aesthetic.
Pergola
A great way to entertain friends and family while creating a stunning backyard space is with a pergola. Pergolas easily made their way into our list of backyard hardscape ideas. Pergolas are structures that have a roof consisting of beams and/or rafters that are supported by pillars, creating a covered area where you can be sheltered from the elements. Pergolas come in different sizes, shapes, and colors which go well with any landscape. Pergolas also allowed you to add lights, curtains, and hanging flowers to create a calming relaxing space. Add some comfortable seating and you have the perfect outdoor place to relax or chat with friends and family.
Outdoor Kitchen
A great addition to any backyard landscape is an outdoor kitchen. Outdoor kitchens are a great way to entertain friends and family as well as just eat and relax in your backyard. Outdoor kitchens can be custom built to suit your needs and have great features like built-in grills, refrigerators, pizza ovens, fireplace, and prep stations and can be built to match your backyard décor. You can add an outdoor dining room table to create an excellent place to eat and entertain that the whole family can enjoy.
Fire Pit
A great addition to your backyard landscape that can be used all year long is a fire pit. Fire pits are a great way to entertain and chat with your friends and family while at the same time you can create smores or roast hot dogs with the kids to create memories to last a lifetime. Fire pits can be used all year long regardless of the climate you live in and you can custom build them to the size and shape you wish to blend in with the rest of your backyard. You can add comfortable outdoor club chairs placed around the fire it to create an area where you can sit and relax and enjoy your backyard.
Pool Paradise
Level up your backyard hardscape design with a pool paradise! Do you have a backyard pool or are planning on adding one? Creating the perfect pool paradise is as easy as adding umbrellas, tables, and outdoor lounge chairs where friends and family can soak up the rays, or take a break after swimming. By creating your own pool paradise you can not only have a great looking backyard, but you can give yourself a space to relax after a long day at the office or taking care of the kids. Your pool paradise can be whatever your imagination can dream up and custom designed to suit your aesthetic.
Small Backyard Hardscape Ideas
If you work from home, you know it’s important to create a space that gives you the ability to concentrate without normal household distractions. Hardscaping a backyard office is a perfect way to do that. If you work from home (or bring home work to do), it can often become hard to separate the needs of your family and normal household duties from the time you need to spend working.
It is important to make sure you have a defined space dedicated solely to work. A small backyard office could be perfect because it is separated from the rest of the household without having to leave your property so you can still be there for your family. These small backyard hardscape ideas, and specifically, backyard offices can be as simple or intricate as you like and can be built to suit your style as well as work needs. You can also add a porch or defined area outside of your backyard office and put a comfortable lounge chair so you have the ability to step away from work and take a needed break.
Front Yard Hardscape Ideas
Many people struggle to come up with hardscape ideas for the front of their house. A great addition to any hardscape is a Koi pond. Putting one in the front yard along with two outdoor club chairs will give your front yard hardscape some inviting curb appeal. Koi ponds can be in the ground or above ground, depending on your space and design aesthetic. You can add great features to your Koi pond like waterfalls, bridges, or a deck. Whether you add some chairs or an outdoor sectional, add some seating so you can sit, relax and enjoy the tranquil sounds of your Koi pond.
Conclusion
Regardless of how you choose to hardscape your backyard, it is important to do some research and plan carefully to ensure you create a practical environment. With proper planning and preparation, you can create a backyard hardscape feature that is as simple as a stone wall to an intricate English garden that you can enjoy for years to come.