By ddmg Construction • Design • News • Outdoor Kitchen • Tips and Tricks • • 0 Comments

5 Simple Ways to Improve Your Olathe Outdoor Kitchen

While wintertime may not be the ideal time to build an outdoor kitchen, there’s no reason you can’t improve the one you’ve got. With that in mind, we wanted to detail a few ways our clients have been adding, improving, and updating.

At Huston Contracting, we specialize in Olathe outdoor kitchens. We know how important an outdoor gathering space can be for families and friends. We also know a few minor tweaks can take your space from a place to cook to the premier gathering spot in the neighborhood.

5 Simple Ways to Improve Your Olathe Outdoor Kitchen

With that in mind, here are a few different ways you can improve your Olathe outdoor kitchen in the coming year:

  • Strip Lighting

One quick and simple way to add a ton of value to your outdoor kitchen? Strip lighting. Use strip lighting to highlight stairs, walkways, and so much more. You can even put lighting under fixed seating areas and storage units.

Strip lighting partially makes a space look great, but there’s another aspect to it. Strip lighting is a safety feature when it’s dark out.

  • Fire Pits For All

One way to add huge entertainment value to your outdoor kitchen area? Add a stunning fire pit that the whole family can sit around.

These days there’s a fire pit for every size and situation. They have some that can be moved around to different areas, while others are designed to stay in one place. They even have fire pits that can double as coffee tables.

  • Build the Bar

Often, a family builds an outdoor kitchen with cooking and socializing in mind. Building an outdoor bar is often an afterthought. But maybe it shouldn’t be.

Most Olathe outdoor kitchens would only need a few minor updates and additions from a professional, like our staff here at Huston Contracting, to turn your outdoor kitchen into a bar/kitchen combo space.

  • More Stone

At Huston Contracting, we’re a little partial to outdoor kitchens with natural stone. While you can build with any style you please, we’ve found natural stone truly compliments the outdoors better than almost any other material. If you’re looking for a quick improvement, add a little stone around the area.

  • Covered Porches

Ok, this is a little bit more than a quick and simple improvement. In fact, most will want to work with professionals to add a covered porch to their outdoor kitchen.

But, there’s no denying the benefits of adding covered space. Many families start to use their outdoor kitchen more and more each passing year. Instead of taking the food inside, they want to eat it in the great outdoors – where it was cooked.

That’s where a covered porch comes in. Instead of baking in the sun or worrying about the rain, you simply cook the meal outdoors and then eat it under the comforts of your covered porch. A true win-win!

 

 

By ddmg Do It Yourself • General Information • Landscape • News • Tips and Tricks • • • 0 Comments

How to Create Your Winter Wonderland with Unique Olathe Landscaping

How to Create Your Winter Wonderland with Unique Olathe Landscaping

It’s that time of year. While fall has been mild and November has seen a little sunshine, there’s no denying winter is around the corner. With the weather about to cool off, there’s a few fun ways to handle your unique Olathe landscaping.

At Huston Contracting, we know the grass isn’t green and the leaves are gone. That doesn’t mean your home can’t look fantastic in the winter months. With a few tweaks here and there, your yard can still be the talk of the town – even when many a conversation happens around the fireplace inside.

Creating a Winter Wonderland

So, how can you use your Olathe landscaping to create an exciting outdoor space in the winter? That’s easy. Just follow a few of the tips below and watch your space shine in the wintertime:

  • Tight & Tidy

First and foremost, you must keep everything tight and tidy in the winter. While the grass won’t be green and the flowers certainly aren’t blooming, you can still have a yard that looks pleasing to the eye.

How? By cleaning up every little thing. Rake debris and leaves up every month. Clean the gutters out. Trim the shrubbery before the first snow. By handling the little things on a consistent basis, you’ll prep your yard to look lavish come snowfall.

  • Always Evergreen

Speaking of snowfall, there’s no tree that looks better in the winter than an Evergreen. And if you’re concerned about having an amazing looking yard in the winter, you absolutely must have a few Evergreens around your property.

Luckily, it’s not too difficult to plant full-grown Evergreen trees throughout your landscaping before the first snow hits. There’s a little more to it, but the staff at Huston Contracting can certainly help you figure all that out.

  • Lovely Lighting

Of course, lighting is essential in the wintertime. Christmas lights are all around us and they can be quite stunning. However, there’s more to lighting than the bright lights around Christmas. In fact, that’s not even what we’re recommending here.

Strip lighting is what we’re talking about. If you have outdoor structures or walkways, which most of us do, then strip lighting is a great way to add to your Olathe landscaping during the winter months. Strip lighting especially looks great when placed under outdoor stairways.

  • Professional Snow Removal

Last, but not least – snow can look absolutely amazing covering your yard. However, it can be damaging when covering your concrete structures, like a driveway or walkway. Luckily, there’s a simple solution.

The Olathe landscaping pros we have on staff can help you get rid of it. Here at Huston Contracting, we offer professional snow removal services for any type of driveway or walkway. If it snows, we can clear it off.

Olathe Landscaping in the Winter

Don’t work hard all spring, summer, and fall only to let winter ruin your landscaping. Get in touch with us here at Huston Contracting and we’ll help turn your home into the talk of the town as the snow comes down!

By ddmg Do It Yourself • Landscape • Tips and Tricks • • • • 0 Comments

5 Hot Landscaping Trends to Follow in 2018

It’s happening. 2017 is winding down and 2018 is sure to be here soon. While many assume the winter weather means no landscaping news, that’s simply not true. At Huston Contracting, we truly believe you can improve your lawn at all times – no matter the season.

As such, we wanted to put together a list of all of us with green thumbs. If you’re looking to head into 2018 with a much improved landscape, then you’re in the right place.

Hot Landscaping Trends in 2018

At Huston Contracting, we know Olathe landscaping like the back of our hand. So here are a few unique trends we’ve seen in the area:

  • Adding Technology

From advanced Olathe outdoor kitchens to unique fire features, adding technology to landscaping is a trend that’s growing like crazy. And the craziest part? There’s no end in sight for the growth.

One easy way to add technology to your landscape? Try adding an automated fire pit or fireplace to your outdoor living areas. These unique pieces spark up with the press of a button and look stunning.

  • Lights Galore

Christmas lights aren’t the only type of lighting that can brighten up a landscape, especially in the cooler months. No, you can also incorporate a variety of lighting options into your home’s landscape.

One fun way to add lights to your landscape is to illuminate a walking path. Just add lights every 1-3 yards along the path. Use an autotimer to ensure the lights always turn on when it’s dark and you’re all set.

  • All Natural Everything

Natural materials that mimic the look of real stone or real wood have become all the rage. Why? Because these materials look amazing without any of the added hassle of taking care of the wood or stone.

As these materials are less susceptible to degrading or looking worn down, many homeowners have found the materials last significantly longer than their “real” counterparts.

  • Stained Concrete Patios

Many homeowners have been investing in stained concrete patios for their outdoor living spaces. The unique colorways and long-lasting design that concrete offers ensures an outdoor kitchen or living room looks ideal for years.

  • Drainage Solutions

Many homeowners have suffered from flooding or water pooling on their properties. As such, drainage solutions have become popular.

While each home is different, the experts at Huston Contracting have found simple solutions tend to offer huge benefits for many homeowners. Drains, re-routing, and irrigation systems have all proven beneficial.

The Landscaping You Want & Need!

No matter what landscaping trends you’re into, the professional landscapers at Huston Contracting are here to help. As Olathe landscapers, we’ve helped thousands of families create the landscape of their dreams.

We can’t wait to help you do the same. Get in touch today!

By ddmg Do It Yourself • General Information • Landscape • News • Tips and Tricks • • • 0 Comments

Going Green! 5 Ways to Conserve Energy Through Landscaping

Going green has become popular in nearly every industry. We’re all trying to be environmentally-friendly these days, and that’s a great thing. However, most industries have to make huge changes to help the environment while improving their operations.

With Olathe landscaping, things are a little different. See, by changing your landscape just a little bit, you can also help the environment. There’s tons of ways to do this. Why? Because your landscape is the environment.

A tweak here and a change there can mean hundreds in savings for homeowners. Plus, the environment wins, too. A true win-win situation!

5 Ways to Conserve Energy Through Landscaping

So without further ado, let’s dive into the five ways you can conserve energy with your Olathe landscaping:

  • Shade Over Everything

The easiest way to save money on your landscaping is to shade your home. When the sun beats down on your home, things heat up inside. In the summer months, this means your home continually gets hotter and hotter. A hotter home always equates to higher A/C bills.

By using leafy trees to shade your home, you can drastically lower your utility bills in the warmer summer months. At Huston Contracting, we believe this is the best way to go green. Add some large trees to your property.

  • Wild Wind

In the winter months, the cold wind actually does more damage to the inside temperature of your house than just the cold. As such, you’ll want to insulate your home from the wind as much as possible.

How do you do that? Simple, add some evergreen trees and shrubs around the sides of your home. These plants will take the brute force of the cold winds and keep your home as warm as can be. This will lower heating bills.

  • Landscape Design

One costly concern for landscapers around the world is water. In Olathe, there are many months that our lawns need water. As such, many Olathe residents spend hundreds of dollars a year watering their lawns.

There’s nothing wrong with this, but it’s certainly not a “green” principle. Luckily, there’s a simple solution. By working with a landscape design professional, you can incorporate drainage solutions and irrigation systems into your landscape.

By adding these two things to your landscape, you’ll be able to significantly lower your water bills in the hot months. We believe this is one of the more efficient ways for Olathe landscapers to truly go green.

Go Green Today!

If you’re looking to increase efficiency within your home through landscaping, get in touch today. At Huston Contracting, we have dozens of ways for specific homeowners to lower energy bills through their landscape.

We look forward to hearing from you!

By ddmg Do It Yourself • Landscape • Renovation • Tips and Tricks • • • 0 Comments

What Type of Olathe Winter Landscaping Can Be Done This Winter?

The first frost is right around the corner. The weather has took a turn. It’s getting colder. Fall is in full-swing, and winter isn’t far behind. For most people, this means hot chocolate and a little heat coming from the fireplace.

But you’re not most people. You’re a landscaper. You’re glistening green lawn is always on your mind. You want to have the best Olathe landscaping in the area. So you know that waiting until spring isn’t going to happen.

You need some winter landscaping tips to tide you over. Luckily, we’re Olathe landscaping addicts, too. It’s what we do best here at Huston Contracting.

What Type of Olathe Winter Landscaping Can Be Done This Winter? 5 Tips & Tricks

With that in mind, we’ve detailed a few Olathe landscaping tips and tricks for those with a “green thumb” that don’t mind a little cold weather.

Let’s dive in:

Keep Water Running

Your fountains, ponds, and waterfalls don’t have to go lifeless in the winter months. When the rest of your landscape is lifeless, your water fixtures can provide needed movement.

Just grab a de-icer, an aerator, and water heater. Your ponds and waterfalls will be able to keep running year around. The continuous moving water will be an eye-catcher in the winter months when other landscaping elements don’t draw much attention.

Winter Blooms

You can plant flowers and plants that bloom around the wintertime, too. Not every plant around your landscaping needs to bloom in the spring.

Add some Blue Holly, Winter Hazel, or Camellia to your landscaping. These plants will bloom in the winter months, which ensures a little color around your lawn while it’s cold outside. Certain red berries also bloom in the cold and can look stunning in the snow.

Your “Hardscaping”

What is hardscaping around your lawn? These are items like benches, chairs, garden fixtures, and outdoor kitchens. While plants often don’t grow in the winter, you can make any fixtures upgrades needed during this time.

Another benefit of upgrading fixtures in the winter? You can focus on focal points without all that lush greenery in the way. Many times, this will help homeowners find the ideal focal point for their landscape when the plants come back to life.

Use Lighting

There’s a reason Christmas lights have gained popularity over the years. Because lighting allows us to add beauty and coloring to the landscape in the winter time.

However, there are other ways to add lighting than Christmas lights. Think about using different lights around your lawn to highlight certain aspects of your landscaping. This can add an impressive focal point to your lawn when done properly.

Plan & Prepare

Finally, you can plan and prepare for the spring. There’s only so much you can do in the winter. As spring rolls around, you’ll have more landscaping opportunities. So take some time to think about your lawn and how you want it to look.

Next, get in touch with our team here at Huston Contracting. We’ll listen to your landscaping idea, offer suggestions, and see if we can help you create the Olathe landscape of your dreams in the coming months!

By ddmg Do It Yourself • Landscape • Renovation • Tips and Tricks 0 Comments

Designing the Olathe Landscape of Your Dreams: The Vision

It’s time. You’ve been an Olathe landscaper for years now. You invested in the outdoor kitchen. You built that stunning pond and had a professional install an ideal retaining wall. Now, it’s time to take things to the next level.

It’s time to design the Olathe landscape of your dreams. So, how do you start? Well, first you need a vision. You have to have a plan. You need to think long-term and possibly work with professionals.

The Beginning

At Huston Contracting, we know creating the perfect landscape takes a lot of thinking, effort, and energy. That’s where we come in. As professional Olathe landscapers, we’re here to help you design the ideal landscape.

Here’s how:

Make a Plan

First, you need to have a plan. You must think about the focal points of your landscape and how to design around them.

Ideally, you find two focal points. One in the front and one in the back. For many homeowners, a stunning outdoor kitchen or water fixture is ideal in the backyard. The front landscaping can be a little more difficult.

Many homeowners find working with a professional landscape designer can make things easier in the front of their landscape. A designer can help families design a unique plan that places their focal point at the forefront of their landscape.

Cover the Basics

Once your focal point is built into your long-term landscaping plan, you need to make sure your basics are covered. If you’re an Olathe landscaping addict like many of our clients, this shouldn’t be too much of an issue.

To begin, focus on the lawn. The greener, the better. Always with a fresh cut. Next, move to bushes and shrubbery. Keep things tidy and fresh looking. Once you have these basics covered, move on to plants and flowers.

Bring the Details

Once your focal point and basics are covered, your landscaping vision should be clear. So what’s next? The details. The details of a landscape are what can make or break things. If you pay attention to details, you could have the best landscaping in the city. Skip this step and your lawn won’t look lavish.

Every landscape has different details. Maybe it’s a bench here or a flower bed there. Maybe you keep plants so meticulous that every person in the neighborhood notices. Or you could have a unique water fixture that others simply can’t compete with.

Bring Your Dream to Life

No matter your Olathe landscaping dream, we can help you make it a reality. At Huston Contracting, we specialize in creating landscaping tailor-made to your exact your ideas and specifications.

Just get in touch today! Your landscaping vision is waiting on one phone call.

By ddmg General Information • Outdoor Kitchen • Tips and Tricks • • 0 Comments

6 Occasions You’ll Use Your Olathe Outdoor Kitchen

Fall is right around the corner and there has never been a better time for an Olathe outdoor kitchen installation. With all the exciting events coming up, you’ll have ample opportunity to gather friends and family for some good food and great company.

When You’ll Use Your Olathe Outdoor Kitchen

When exactly would you use your new Olathe outdoor kitchen? Well, let’s take a look. As part of your unique landscape design, these spaces offer endless entertainment opportunities. Some of our favorites include:

  • Birthdays

If you’re hosting a birthday party, then an outdoor kitchen offers the ideal place for you to host family and friends. You can cook, socialize, and host in the outdoors. No need for anyone to enter the house and make a huge mess.

Since birthdays can happen all year around, your outdoor kitchen may get a lot of action in the spring, summer, and fall. Hosting outdoors in the winter is never a great idea in Olathe, but you can use the grill to cook up some fresh meat.

  • Fourth of July

Nothing says America like a backyard BBQ on the Fourth of July. Talk about a great time! With your new Olathe outdoor kitchen, you’ll be able to invite over the whole neighborhood for a day of fun in the sun and delicious food.

  • Labor Day

In Olathe, we really love our summertime holidays. Labor Day is another great time to put your outdoor kitchen to use. Kick off fall by having a smorgasbord in your stunning outdoor abode. That is the perfect time to catch up with friends and show them your new home.

  • Cinco de Mayo

Who doesn’t like some grilled steak fajitas on Cinco de Mayo? Cinco de Mayo is the official start of summer when Olathe outdoor kitchens are of concern. This holiday offers the perfect time to begin the grilling season for good.

  • Memorial Day

Summer is truly here when Memorial Day rolls into Olathe. Invite all your pals over for an old fashioned BBQ at your outdoor kitchen. The sun will be shining and you can whip up a delicious meal while being outside.

  • Anytime & Every Time

You can use your outdoor kitchen to cook a great meal, enjoy the company of loved ones, or just relax whenever you want. You don’t need a special event or date to grill out or have friends over to your impressive area of landscape design.

The Ideal Olathe Outdoor Kitchen for You

If you’re ready to install an Olathe outdoor kitchen before winter rolls in, get in touch. Here at Huston Contracting, we can help you build the ideal landscape design throughout your property – including a unique outdoor grilling and seating area.

By ddmg Landscape • Renovation • Tips and Tricks • • 0 Comments

Finishing Before Fall: Seasonal Olathe Landscaping Ideas

Here in Olathe, we’ve had a pretty mild summer. Most grass stayed green and the heat was easily beat. We’ve been lucky. As fall rolls in, the prep and prepare work shouldn’t be too dubious this year. Still, there a few Olathe landscaping ideas to look at before the first freeze of the year.

At Huston Contracting, we know Olathe landscaping like the back of our hand. So, we wanted to detail a few things you should finish up before fall. 

Finishing Before Fall: Seasonal Olathe Landscaping Ideas

By getting these things done before it starts freezing, you’ll set your yard up for an ideal spring. Let’s dive in and look at a few seasonal Olathe landscape ideas:

  • Olathe Outdoor Kitchens

By installing your Olathe outdoor kitchen before it gets too cold, you’ll get to have a few grill outs and get togethers with the warmth. This is ideal because you’ll get a feel for the space and have all winter to think how you’ll use the space when it heats up, again.

  • Plant Some Trees

By planting trees in the early fall, you have one huge advantage over other times of the year: the soil is already warm. With warm soil, the trees roots grow faster and dig deeper. You get better overall root growth, which leads to a healthier tree. If you can plant a few trees before the first freeze, they’ll be prepped and prepared to bloom next spring.

  • New Patio Furniture

This one is a bit basic, but hear us out. As Olathe landscapers, we know that patio furniture can be costly. However, if you buy as the summer season winds down, you’ll find prices are significantly lower than before. In fact, many stores offer up to 75% to get rid of inventory before winter rolls in.

  • Olathe Retaining Wall Installation

Fall is a great time to hire a professional contractor to install an Olathe retaining wall. The soil is warm and the ground is ripe for moving. Fall is a great time to install a retaining wall.

  • Clean Up

If you only handle one fall landscaping item, cleaning up your yard should be it. Prune your plants and bushes. Focus on keeping everything tidy. Rake up leaves. This will make your spring landscape that much prettier when the time comes.

Olathe Landscaping Professionals For You

If you’re in the Olathe area and looking for landscaping services this fall, we hope you’ll reach out. At Huston Contracting, we offer a wide range of services sure to fit every one of your Olathe landscaping needs.

By ddmg Design • Do It Yourself • Landscape • News • Tips and Tricks 0 Comments

The Basics of Proper Landscape Design

Proper landscape design is art form. People go to college to learn how to design amazing landscapes for homes and commercial buildings alike. While things can get incredibly complex, they don’t have to – especially when taking Olathe landscape design into account. 

Instead of having you read books, take classes, and go overboard – at Huston Contracting, we wanted to break down the basics of proper landscape design. We’re going for simplicity here, so experts may roll your eyes. But if you’re new to landscaping, let’s dig in.

Proper Landscape Design 101

Now, landscaping can be different in every single climate. As such, we’ll be focusing on the great state of Kansas – specifically landscaping in Olathe. Here we go:

  • Plan for the Future

The first and most important aspect of proper landscape design – plan for the future. Plants grow, and not always where we want them to. As such, you need to plan growth into your design. Make sure no matter how a plant grows you’ll still have access to anywhere and everywhere you need to.

  • Focus on Focal Points

Now, when talking about Olathe landscape design, you must decide what the focal point of your yard will be. Is it the outdoor kitchen? The immaculate yard work? The huge tree with a swing attached to it?

Once you have the focal point (or two) of your Olathe landscaping, coming up with the rest of the design will be so much easier.

  • Accent Your Home

It’s much easier to change how your landscaping looks than to change how your home looks. As such, you should focus on cultivating a landscape that accents your home. Not vice versa. Our favorite way to do just that is by softening the edges of a home with pots and plants.

  • Start Small

If you’re new to landscaping projects and design, it’s absolutely important to start small and work your way into things. Make a small garden. Add some plants to the front patio. Trim the trees and bushes. Once the basics are handled and you feel comfortable, you can move onto other projects.

  • Mulch Matters

While this is a fairly basic tip, it’s also advanced. Mulch is a simple, yet effective way to add colors and layers to your landscaping. By keeping the mulch fresh each season, you’re sure to add visual appeal to your yard.

  • Change the Focal Point

When you’re ready to make a huge landscaping change, think about your focal point. You can change the whole landscape with a major project. Maybe you want to add a retaining wall, a small pond, or an outdoor kitchen. This could have a dramatic effect on the landscaping around your house.

The Olathe Landscapers You Need

As professional landscape designers, the staff at Huston Contracting is here to help you. If you have any Olathe landscaping needs, just give us a call today. We look forward to helping you design the yard of your dreams!

By ddmg Do It Yourself • General Information • Landscape • News • Tips and Tricks • • • 0 Comments

7 Fantastic Olathe Landscaping Ideas For Everybody

Landscaping ideas matter. It doesn’t matter what season it is. You want your Olathe landscape to look great whether it’s spring, summer, fall, or winter. Maybe we want to keep up with the neighbors. Or maybe you take pride in showcasing your stunning home in the best way you can.

No matter why your Olathe landscaping matters to you, we all know it’s important. As such, we wanted to throw together a quick list of simple ways to improve your landscape all year long. Sure, some ideas work better during different times of the year, but we’re going to keep things basic.

  • Front-Facing Flowers

One of the best ways to ensure your home is inviting and welcoming is to greet guests with flowers. A number of annuals and perennials look good nearly all year long. You can also add some flower pots inside your entryway when things get too cold.

  • Utilize Planters and Baskets

One unique way to make your landscape “pop” is to add planters and baskets. These tools ensure your garden grows in height. You bring the plants up to eye-level and create a stunning visual appeal.

  • Outdoor Kitchens Galore

You can grill a thick, juicy steak in your outdoor kitchen in the heart of winter. You just need an amazing outdoor kitchen to cook it in. Luckily, once you have the kitchen created, your landscape will look amazing all year.

  • Retaining Wall WOW

While certain plants and wildlife won’t grow during the winter months, your retaining wall can look ideal all year around. A well-made retaining wall adds a unique layering element to your yard that stands out year around.

  • Create a Surprise Area

One of the coolest ways to create a unique landscape is to add a surprise. This means you build a fun walkway to a “hidden” area, an oasis in your backyard. For some this is a hidden patio or gazebo, but others use the walkway idea to end up at a small pond. Where your path goes is up to you.

  • Timely Trimming

Make no mistake about it – a little timely trimming here and there can ensure your landscaping looks amazing all the time. Keep your trees and bushes in order, especially in the warmer months when evergreens grow like wildfire.

  • Mix and Match

One popular landscaping tip that’s become popular lately is mixing stone with wood. The combination adds an alluring rustic appeal while still staying modern. Try creating a stone path walkway with wood structures along the side for an impressive landscape.

Olathe Landscaping For YOU

If you have any landscaping you need done before the freezing winter months, get in touch. The pros at Huston Contracting are here to help prepare your home for the winter. We look forward to working with you.