Brick is one of the most common choices for many homes not just because of its aesthetic rawness but also its ability to sturdiness. Georgian home’s exterior with its brick lines and massive scale has been called as a great American dream for its magnificence. While Georgian Homes typically use a lot of boxwood plantation, this article is anything but typical.
Our lives these days are so hectic that in our own little ways we seek peace by whichever means possible. Most of this is possible by providing a cohesive design between your home and garden. Regardless of the materials that being used for your homes from brick to stucco to stone, these design ideas and tips will help you get an idea about how to bind your landscapes with your home’s exterior so that it looks like one large extension.
Complement the dominant colour of the brick with the landscape
[Image: Earth Development, Inc.]
Before you choose the perfect landscaping for your garden, take the dominant colour of your exteriors into account. When your exteriors are made of brick, there are many colours and hues that are at play with one another. The idea behind binding the two is to isolate the main hues of the exterior and plan a landscape design on the basis of that shade.
In this house, the brick colour is predominantly pink, which goes well with the pink begonias that have been installed near the entrance to create a harmonious look. Additionally, the horizontal white stripes of hosta blooms echo with the white porch columns of the same colour.
[Image: Kate Benjamin Photography LLC]
Green is the shade that provides neutral ground to the outdoor space. When the sound foundation of the exterior has been created, the garden can then be embellished accordingly with matching colours, textures and shapes. Green acts like a binding agent, which pulls all the items of the décor together. Calm, neutral shade is not just easy to play with but also offers a resting place for the vision. However, hold off on overuse of green as it can appear redundant.
In this image, the neutral green contains hues of gray, which complements the gray coloration of the bricks in the garden. The darker green on the ground is ideal for a contrasting foundation for the colour palette. The pink tones of the bricks are replicated by the hydrangea planted next to the bench, which offers uniformity in the design. You can also take into account seasonal interest, which bridges the gap between home and garden.
Play the secondary colours
[Image: The Artist Garden]
In this house, the colour of the brick is mostly pink with dark red highlights. This secondary shade of dark red is accentuated by burgundy coleus planted in the garden. Without using this plant, the red in the building will become dormant and become unnoticeable. An element of depth and dimension is added to the garden by playing the secondary shade.
Furthermore, the columnar sweet gum trees highlight the length of the building and add to the urbanity of the space. Weeping Cherry does a wonderful job in reinforcing the heaping silhouette of the container plantations. When the colour and shapes are mixed with one another, they can together give a designer feel to the space.
[Image: Terra Firma Design]
One of the stunning is to incorporate the patio furniture to attract the hues from your brick wall into the garden. Instead of overplaying the predominant orange colour of the bricks, the designer has taken black from the brick wall and complemented the entire look by giving it a contemporary feel.
Change the colour of your brick wall
[Image: Design Focus Int’l Landscape Architecture & Build]
If you are not sure how to work the colour of your bricks with the design of your landscape, then you can consider colouring the exterior wall. It may seem an added expense at first but is a completely viable option nevertheless.
In this image, the wall has been painted a clean white that looks classic and inviting. The design of the brick wall has been harmonized with white roses that add not just familiarity but also elegance and the third dimension to this elegant home. The theme has been continued throughout the garden to bind the landscape completely with the home design.
[Image: MODERNBACKYARD- online landscape design studio]
This home has a monochrome hue, which has been incorporated in the garden at many levels. The zigzag sidewalk works wonders in pulling the attention of the onlooker towards the front door of the house. The garden has been done in ornamental grass, which adds to the same tone used around the house. The seed heads on the grass match the colour of the front door and provide an interesting texture. The only burst of colour in this otherwise monochromatic garden comes from the aqua chairs on the porch. The whole look of this space can be changed by simply colouring the front door to match with the chairs.
Use balancing shades of colour
[Image: Richard Wintersole Architect]
So far, the idea has been to take shade cues from the colour of the bricks on the exterior wall, which is also a safer approach. However, you can also experiment a bit by mixing colours off a colouring wheel and look for complementary shades that are opposite each other. For instance, you can use orange and blue that can set off each other in a harmonious way. In this image, ornamental blue fescue balances the orange brick and makes a statement. It is important to note that the base hue of both the grass and the brick is gray, which ties the two opposing colours with one another.
Garden is an extension of your home and it must feel the same way. While not many people pay too much thought when designing their landscapes, these simple design ideas and tips can a go a long way in harmonizing the whole look and make your indoors and outdoors look like one large space.
