Front Yard Ideas
Probably being one of the grander versions of a picket fence I've seen to date, this tall row of slats fits the scale of the home behind it. This is a nice break from the privacy fences typical of a structure this height. Tip: Think about the size of your home if you are considering a picket fence. Can you get away with something as majestic as this one?
Whatever color we pick for trim and door color, we could paint a picket fence... The outside your home is often the best place to look for color cues. An instant connection between the landscape and the exterior is formed here with the same bright and energized periwinkle from the trim reflected onto the fence.
I really like this gate for the west side Bungalow gate. This arbor-topped Western red cedar gate is a charming match for a bungalow or cottage-style home. Boost the charm even more by growing fragrant climbing roses over the arbor. A solid wood gate like this is a good choice when you want to keep pets in (or out of) the yard.
Paint your gate, Nicole! Bold color. There are no rules that say your gate has to be plain wood or monochrome metal. In fact, a vibrant dash of an exterior hue will lift your garden all year round, even in the winter. This vivid cobalt blue gate is a winner. The trick is to keep the structure and framework as simple and clean-lined as possible and let the color do the talking.
Low profile. The cute and unassuming picket gate and fence here are ideal for such an enviable seaside spot. The midheight gate doesn’t obscure the glorious view, and it’s a good choice weatherwise, too, as taller panels would be more likely to get swept away by strong sea gusts. The pale, natural wood melds harmoniously with the oak pathway, leading the eye to the turquoise water beyond.
Clever upcycling. Some of the best creations start life as something different altogether. This rustic gate, for example, was made from the back of an old truck found on the property when the owners moved in. And the creativity doesn’t stop there. The rusty metal handle was fashioned from a horseshoe. It might only be a garden gate, but it’s filled with history, integrity and character — and you can’t buy that in a shop.
I love this for the west-side gate, in particular, but would be ok with it on both sides Practical fantasy. This is my sort of garden gate. It’s sturdy and pretty, with a pleasing arch and fretwork panel, yes, but it also promises magical things to come once you open the latch and step through into the walled garden beyond. Living in a fantasy world, moi?
The split rail fence is the rustic cousin of the board fence. Most likely found in rural areas to define a property edge and where forming a garden space is the desire. Made of hand-hewn timber and left to weather naturally, split rail fences have a back-to-nature appeal that machined materials don't possess. A favorite type of split rail fence is found in many rural areas, with the fence laid out in a chevron pattern, as here in Conner Prairie, Indiana.
Wonderful ideas for the front yard!
If you want to get a water feature that's even more understated, this is about the most subtle fountain you can get. It looks like a puddle after a rainstorm until you get close and notice the slight movement underneath the surface.
This little bowl fountain has a subtle bubbler, which eliminates the need for a pool underneath. I love how it's so understated, yet unexpected. Sitting on this bench on a warm night and listening to the soft murmur of the fountain sounds like heaven!
Fountains. Water features create a sensory experience for you and your visitors that is difficult to create in any other way: the sound of trickling or splashing, the movement of falling water and the visual coolness that water provides on a hot day. Fountains can be grand "look at me" features or out-of-the-way accents tucked into a garden, waiting to be discovered. Be sure your fountain is the correct size and proportion to your home and front yard. I've seen many postage-stamp yards dwarfed by huge three-tiered fountains. If your yard and house are on the smaller side, make sure your fountain is small as well.
IF i put a little, low fence in the front yard... Gates. Gates can be built into a fence to signal your visitors where to enter, or they can be added to an arbor for a charming effect. A well-placed and thoughtfully constructed gate sets off the entry while creating a bit of separation from the rest of the world. While not a necessity in most cases, gates provide a thoughtful transition from one space to another. Tip: Choose your gate hardware wisely — gate latches that are too difficult for visitors to easily open are frustrating, and leave family and friends waiting awkwardly on the sidewalk until you come to rescue them.
A pretty, little , low fence might be ok in the front yard The picket fence is the one we associate with small-town America and our colonial roots. It's the fence most at home in front of Cape Cod and colonial-style homes. Because a picket fence isn't meant to be tall and visually opaque, it's more often than not used to define an edge or a corner as well as to create a backdrop. As such, a picket fence is more appropriate for a front yard, where it can enhance curb appeal, forming the backdrop for all those wonderful summertime blooms. Fences. Not every front yard needs a fence, but sometimes it helps to create a separation between the sidewalk and the garden. Front-yard fences should not be the same type of privacy fence as in a backyard; they should be more open and friendlier, setting off your garden rather than sealing it off. Keep the fencing low, about 3 to 4 feet tall. This way your neighbors can see in without feeling like they can just walk onto your property. Aim for a slightly open and friendly feel, as tall fences say, "Keep out." Choose classic white pickets, rustic split-rail fencing or contemporary horizontal board fencing — just make sure to choose a style that s...
String lights illuminate a front-yard patio in Mill Valley, California. More tips: Make sure your lights fit the style of your home. Use a variety of lighting for the best effect. Don't forget small light sources, like candles and lamps — these are particularly great for intimate porch spaces. Low-voltage landscape lights are a great option for front yards. Solar lights vary widely in their effectiveness and quality. Don't use them for security purposes, as the amount of light offered is not adequate. Avoid spacing lights too closely together — your lighting professional should be able to space them out to give you the light you need without going overboard. LED lighting, rope lights and Christmas lights can all create more special, subtle effects for your front yard.
This is too much light! But I might be ok with some Security lights. Houses that are well lit make it more difficult for unwanted visitors to hide. This house has not only entryway lights, but also a variety of other lighting around the house and property that banish the shadows. A figure moving in front of that kind of lighting would be immediately noticeable. Some lights can be motion activated for those areas where you may not want illumination at all times, like a utility area, a carport and an outlying yard.
House number lighting. It's frustrating if people can't see your house numbers, especially at night. Whether your address numbers are on a front fence, columns or the front door, use adequate lighting to make them visible. Be sure, though, that the angle of your lights does not create a shadow effect, which could further confuse your visitors by obscuring the numbers. You want your address to be clearly lit, not overdramatized with special effects.
Garden lights. While you may shine lights specially on your prized plants, the rest of your front yard needs a little love, too. Soft lighting to show off foliage and create a welcoming nighttime ambience is a thoughtful touch for people visiting your house, but it's also a great feature in case you want to walk through your own garden at night without a flashlight.
Dutch doors — those doors that are divided horizontally, with separate panels for the top and bottom — originated in the Netherlands in the 17th century and were designed to keep animals out of farmhouse entries, while allowing light and air to filter through the open top. They eventually became common in both farmhouse and non-farmhouse kitchens. Popularity waned for several decades, but the style has seen a resurgence, as they are quite useful today! In additional to entries and kitchens, Dutch doors are great for offices, nurseries, play rooms — and in workshops, where customers can get close to enough to talk to people working without actually gaining access to the work area. They are great for keeping pets and kids inside without sacrificing light and airflow. And they have certainly grown out of their country associations; now they coordinate well with most home styles. (For those concerned about bug management, roll-down/retractable screens are available for Dutch doors from most screen manufacturers.) Traditional Entry by Soorikian Architecture Soorikian Architecture A regular doorknob is often installed on the bottom half of Dutch doors in residential applications. For ba...
If you have more of a modern bungalow thing going on, you're in luck. The four-over-one top door speaks to bungalows and carriage houses of decades past while the solid single panel bottom, simple hardware and high-gloss black paint say modern. The contrast with the white casings and bright plantings make for a lovely composition. Victorian Entry by Deer Creek Studio Deer Creek Studio Here's another example of high contrast paint making a splash. I love the chartreuse Dutch door as it pairs with the French gray shingles and bright white casings. The unexpected color makes the already-interesting door design even more special. Naturally, with such an atypical door, unique hardware is in order. Dutch doors require additional hinges, although they can be regular hinges — nothing fancy needed here, unless you're so inclined. A vertical bolt or latch installed on the top door connects the upper and lower portions, allowing them to be opened as a single door when desired. Check out Baldwin Hardware for some good options. While a standard slide bolt will work, a quadrant latch made specifically for Dutch doors is most appropriate. E.R. Butler in New York has some of the most beautiful h...
If you have more of a modern bungalow thing going on, you're in luck. The four-over-one top door speaks to bungalows and carriage houses of decades past while the solid single panel bottom, simple hardware and high-gloss black paint say modern. The contrast with the white casings and bright plantings make for a lovely composition. Victorian Entry by Deer Creek Studio Deer Creek Studio Here's another example of high contrast paint making a splash. I love the chartreuse Dutch door as it pairs with the French gray shingles and bright white casings. The unexpected color makes the already-interesting door design even more special. Naturally, with such an atypical door, unique hardware is in order. Dutch doors require additional hinges, although they can be regular hinges — nothing fancy needed here, unless you're so inclined. A vertical bolt or latch installed on the top door connects the upper and lower portions, allowing them to be opened as a single door when desired. Check out Baldwin Hardware for some good options. While a standard slide bolt will work, a quadrant latch made specifically for Dutch doors is most appropriate. E.R. Butler in New York has some of the most beautiful h...
LOVE the color of this door! Similarly, a Dutch door enhances this beach house with good old-fashioned nostalgia. I can almost see my grandmother Mimi passing a homemade apple pie through the top portion. Door color: Blue Echo, AF-505, Benjamin Moore; door: 144-4 Lite Dutch, T.M. Cobb
Punch up a portico. Those large stone columns, that gracefully curved roofline — this portico is welcoming and offers shelter from bad weather to anyone fumbling for keys or waiting to be ushered inside. Adding a portico is a great way to dramatically change the look of your house without breaking the bank. There are so many design opportunities with this one move — rooflines, columns, the material underfoot. Use the ceiling to hang a light fixture, or paint it an accent color like haint blue.
Cool Green Door With a Stone Exterior Houses with neutral-colored stone siding can sport pretty much any color on the front door. But again, keep in mind that if you want the door to take center stage, you’ll want to paint it a color across the color wheel from the color of the stone. In this example, the stone has both warm and cool tones, so the charming arch-top door with its cool green stands out while also picking up on some of the stone’s cooler hues. by Jennifer Ott Design Jennifer Ott Design Example palette: If you like the look of this blue-green door but don't have stone siding, you could try this example palette (clockwise from top left, all from Martha Stewart Living): Hummingbird Blue MSL135, Bedford Gray MSL246 and Magnetite MSL278.
Green. Play off your surrounding landscape or introduce a new, refreshing color by painting your front door green. Whether olive, mint or lime, there's bound to be a shade of green that can fit into your exterior palette.
Blue. Although it’s often seen indoors, more vibrant shades of blue rarely make an appearance on exteriors. Shake things up by pairing a bright blue with a natural or neutral exterior for an unexpected welcome to your home.
Add a bold color. On this 8-foot-deep porch, there’s ample room for Adirondack chairs and two buckets of potted flowers. Note that matching the buckets to the door reinforces the design moment. This is one of the cheapest and easiest ways to transform a home’s facade. At the same time, it makes your home feel more welcoming and personable. Door paint: Agave, Benjamin Moore; door: Therma Tru; lights: Sausalito, Forecast Lighting
Set the fence back. Placing a low fence or wall back a few feet from the edge of the sidewalk allows room for planting, and plants provide visual interest for pedestrians. In addition to cheerful daisies like these, velvety plants such as lamb’s ear (Stachys byzantina) would work well.
Coastal cottage garden. Embrace the seaside spirit with a front yard of crushed gravel or shells, and beds full of casual plants like lavender, sage and California poppy. In a large yard, the gravel might feel like too much — but in a pocket-size space like this one, it looks just right.
Tall grasses. Lush, tall grasses planted in front of a low fence can give a home that sits near the street a more protected feeling, without blocking views or light. Fill the area inside the fence line with grass, or with a small tree and perennial beds.
A mascot. This charming sculpture made of found objects welcomes all those who approach this northern Virginia lake house. The bird serves as a whimsical mascot for the contemporary home.
Veggie-filled containers and a moss-covered birdbath. Curb alert! These edibles are growing in the parking strip between the sidewalk and the street. Raised beds protect crops like lettuce, tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, carrots, onions, kale and parsley from dogs. Adjacent pollinator beds attract the insects and birds the plants need for help with pollination, and the basalt dish rock provides water for the critters.
A kitchen garden. More often seen at the rear of a house, a kitchen garden here is proudly displayed in front. While the picket fence is an expected touch in this Cape Cod’s front yard, raised planters add a more contemporary twist.
A wildlife habitat. This Houston front yard doesn’t contain a blade of lawn grass. Instead, trees, shrubs, ground covers, perennials and evergreens make up this bungalow’s lush and fragrant front yard. A path and gathering area are also part of the plan. Owner and ardent gardener David Morello changes the color palette in the garden with annuals that he plants seasonally.
A lot of shade around the drive - at least in summer Informal meadow garden. Bordering a gravel driveway in Vancouver, this meadow-like planting of ornamental grasses and pollinator-attracting flowers forms a natural, informal entrance. To mimic this look, choose billowing grasses, like ‘Blonde Ambition’ blue grama grass (Bouteloua gracilis ‘Blonde Ambition’), and mixed flowering perennials, such as coneflower (Echinacea spp.), black-eyed Susan (Rudbekia hirta) and ‘Autumn Joy’ stonecrop (Sedum spectabile ‘Autumn Joy’). Plant them in a free-form arrangement, some inside defined planting beds, some outside and allowed to spill over the driveway edge.
Short but sweet. Even postage-stamp-size driveways provide the opportunity to make a design statement with plantings. If there’s little room for border plantings, swap out some of the paved areas with walkable ground covers, leaving the load-bearing wheel tracks as hardscape. A few ground covers to consider: creeping thyme (Thymus serpyllum), Jenny’s stonecrop (Sedum reflexum) and silver carpet (Dymondia margaretae).
Minimalist. Keep things simple with a single variety of plant — this could be an evergreen shrub, an ornamental grass or a striking cactus, depending on your climate and preference — planted en masse along the length of the driveway. Reducing the range of color highlights the plant’s form as an architectural landscape feature. This can work well with clean-lined, contemporary architectural styles as well as more traditional homes.
Colorful cottage garden. For driveways that take up a good-size chunk of the front yard, consider paving materials that feel less like a means from getting from here to there and more like a part of the landscape. Similarly, plantings alongside the driveway should be chosen to look less utilitarian and more like a garden. For example, this gravel driveway in New England doubles as an entry courtyard and provides an attractive complement to overflowing cottage-style beds. Bursting with colorful roses, purple-flowering catmint (Nepeta sp.), chartreuse lady’s mantle (Alchemilla mollis) and spikes of delphinium, this planting falls squarely into the category of romantic cottage garden rather than being simply a driveway border.
Stairs. If you update the stairs leading up to your front door, it’s amazing how much of a statement you can make. To beef up the entrance without building a whole new porch, consider a tiered stair design like this one in Boston to give your entrance more presence.
Soft and hard landscaping. If you want to take on a bigger project, adding soft and hard landscaping is one of the most effective ways to transform the front of your home. It’s best if you work with a landscape designer to come up with a cohesive plan for your walkway, stairs, plants and flowers. This takes some planning and it can be costly, but it’s satisfying to witness the transformation.
Paint. A simple paint job for the front of your home can work wonders. There are a lot of computer programs that let you see the exterior of your house in various color combinations. Find the combo you love most and go for it. If you grow tired of it, you can always change it.
House numbers. Adding new house numbers is a simple way to make an instant impact on the exterior of your home. Besides just picking out new numbers, consider where they will work and look the best. It might be a different location than your current house numbers.
Front doors. If your budget lets you update just one thing at a time, you may want to start with your front door. Consider choosing something that lets light into the interior of your house. That serves dual purposes, by changing the feel of the outside of your home and altering the inside too.
Lighting. It’s amazing how much lighting can transform a space, even on the outside. Consider wall sconces, overhead lighting and path lights for maximum impact.
This will need to be done. Pathways. You don’t need to spend a fortune on all new landscaping. Start with an interesting walkway to your house and slowly work on the surrounding landscape to get it to where you want it to be.
Love this color palette
The contrast in grass color with the lavender is wonderful
Q