When we bought our house, I knew that one thing it desperately needed was an outdoor living space. I love being outside, and having a nice outdoor space to relax and entertain is a must-have. 

We’ll be in our house for 2 years this November, and I’m finally sitting down to plan out the outdoor space of my dreams. It wasn’t something we chose to do right away because other house projects took precedence, but it almost worked out better that way because I’ve had time to reflect on what I really want out of an outdoor space and what I want to do myself versus what I want to hire someone for. 

Patio

There are some things you do on your own, and there are some things you hire a professional for. Patios are one of them. Onorato Landscaping is a leading patio builder in Bergen County. Marc Onorato will help you design the perfect patio that creates a buzz.  He listens to you, notes your likes and dislikes, and helps you crystallize your thoughts, desires and dreams. Next, he designs your patio, shares the whys and wherefores of his composition, includes your final thoughts and begins construction on the patio of your dreams. Onorato Lanscaping also does commercial landscaping! If you’re looking for commercial landscaping in Bergen County, Onorato Landscaping are your people!

I love the look of pavers. They’re in between the price point of natural stone and brick. Made from concrete, they’re durable and easy to work with. I know I definitely want 

Pergola

I love the was pergola’s level up the ambiance of an outdoor space. I also love the idea of adding market lights to give the space a warm and cozy feel. 

Finding My Style: Bohemian Farmhouse

I’m glad that we waited on doing anything major in my house because we could really feel out what our style was. I noticed that the spaces I feel good in have a mix of both traditional farmhouse and bohemian styles and textures. I love fresh wild flowers in woven baskets and jute rugs. 

I think it takes time to develop your personal style. It’s always easy to pin a bunch of stuff you like on Pinterest but then making those into a reality in your home is a whole different story. I have a lot of rooms with blank walls inside our house because sometimes I’m just not sure how to decorate!

Timing

Summer is coming to an end here in New Jersey and the fall and winter months are ahead. I feel like fall is a great time to start planning for next year's backyard because the weather is typically easier to work in and the ground is drier. It’s funny, before having a baby I feel like I was spontaneous with things to a fault. 

I feel like with house projects, the 7 P’s of planning really do apply: “Proper Prior Planning Prevents Pitifully Poor Performance”. There have been many times that I’ve embarked on a spontaneous house project to have it blow up in my face. I noticed that every time I take the proper care in planning a project before I start it, my project always comes out great. House and yard projects aren’t one of those things that you can just spur of the moment decide to do as I feel like it always takes longer than we imagine to do it. 

I’m going to do some of the prep work now and even call some landscaping companies like Onorato’s Landscaping to get some quotes for work next Spring!