We all know the winters in Boone, IA can be long. This makes the warmer months incredibly precious. We want to squeeze every ounce of enjoyment out of our patios and backyards before the snow flies. However, limiting your outdoor time to just the daylight hours of June, July, and August is a missed opportunity. By integrating fire features and outdoor lighting into your landscape design, you can extend your outdoor season by months. You can start using your patio in the early spring thaw and keep enjoying it well into the crisp evenings of late autumn.
The Fire Pit: A Backyard Magnet
There is something primal about gathering around a fire. It draws people together. A fire pit becomes the focal point of the backyard, a place to roast marshmallows, share stories, or just stare into the flames and decompress. In Boone, IA, homeowners have two main choices:
1. Wood Burning: For the traditionalist who loves the smell of smoke and the crackle of logs. We build custom masonry pits with fire-brick interiors and stone veneers that match your home.
2. Gas (Propane or Natural): For the busy family. With a push-button ignition, you have instant warmth and ambiance without the smoke or ash cleanup. It’s perfect for a quick 30-minute relaxation session after work.
Seat Walls: Blocking the Wind
To make a fire pit area truly functional in Boone, IA, we often install “seat walls.” These are low, semi-circular retaining walls that surround the fire pit. They serve two purposes:
· Seating: They provide permanent seating for large gatherings, so you don’t have to drag plastic chairs out of the garage.
· Windbreak: On breezy Iowa nights, the wall blocks the wind, keeping the heat contained and the guests comfortable.
Landscape Lighting: Safety and Drama
When the sun goes down, your beautiful landscape shouldn’t disappear. Landscape lighting brings it to life in a whole new way.
· Safety: The primary goal is to prevent trips and falls. We install path lights along walkways and step lights on stairs. This is crucial for liability when hosting guests in Boone, IA.
· Security: A well-lit home is a deterrent to intruders. Uplighting trees and washing the house facade with light removes dark corners where people could hide.
· Ambiance: “Moonlighting” involves mounting lights high in trees to cast dappled shadows on the patio. It creates a magical, resort-like atmosphere that makes you want to stay outside longer.
LED Technology
Modern landscape lighting is highly efficient. We use low-voltage LED fixtures that consume a fraction of the power of old halogen bulbs. For the tech-savvy Boone, IA homeowner, these systems can be automated. They turn on at sunset and off at a designated time. You can even control them from your smartphone, dimming the lights for a romantic dinner or brightening them for cleanup.
Creating an Outdoor Room
When you combine a paver patio, a warm fire pit, and soft lighting, you are essentially adding a room to your house. It becomes a destination. It’s where you drink your morning coffee in April wrapped in a blanket. It’s where you host the Halloween party in October. It transforms your yard from a piece of grass into a lifestyle asset.
Conclusion
Don’t let the calendar dictate when you can enjoy your home. With the right design elements, you can push back the darkness and the chill. For residents of Boone, IA, Larkin Landscape & Design offers the expertise to create cozy, illuminated outdoor spaces that maximize your enjoyment of the Iowa seasons. Let us help you light up the night and warm up the fall.
