Neal's Home Remodeling and Design Blog

Though gardens are primarily composed of plants, they can be enhanced with additional features like pathways, retaining wall or structures. Non-plant landscaping elements are referred to as hardscaping, since most of these features are composed of hard materials such as stone or concrete. Hardscaping serves as a framework around which gardens can be arranged, separating planting areas, offering connections between different garden plots, or helping to pull an all-over yard landscape together. Though a hardscape isn't necessary for a beautiful garden, it may be worth considering.  See how different hardscape design ideas were used in our outdoor living projects to inspire using the additional elements in your landscape to help your yard feel more put together and usable. 

Family rooms have evolved over the years. The concept was first introduced in the 40's, but didn't really come into vogue until dens were included in home designs along with the wider-spread ownership of television sets which homeowners didn't want in their formal sitting rooms. In the 1990s, family rooms were included in many new home designs as a "great room" that combined the kitchen, dining room and family room as one open space- a home design style that's still being used in newly built homes. Today's family rooms are designed according to the lifestyle needs of modern homeowners. A family room can be located in a central area of a house but also on a second story or basement, ideal for homes in which there is limited space for a family room on the main floor. Homeowners are also building home additions to provide space for new dens or family rooms. Often a family room addition will be built off a kitchen to create an open and functional space for the family and guests.