Three Essential Questions for Design

In what space or environment do you feel most alive?

My son played AAA hockey for a number of years and this provided us with many opportunities to experience new towns, cities, restaurants and cafés.

Tournaments meant overnight stays and the opportunity to dine at local restaurants and rate which ones we liked best. But here’s the thing: the best restaurant wasn’t simply about the quality of the food - it was the whole experience that led to the choice of our favourite destination of the weekend.

This is why “that restaurant ” is your favourite spot to hang out with close friends to watch the game, or to spend an intimate evening with your lover, or simply a place to be on your own. Yes, your favourite spot is about the menu, but it’s also about the music, the seating, the lighting, the architecture, and the overall energy of the space.

You know this to be true and it’s because the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

The same is also true for your backyard.

When you’re looking to landscape your backyard, I invite you to ask three essential questions.

1. How do I want to feel in my backyard?

Think about your favourite restaurant, cafe or bistro and ask yourself, “How does being in this space make me feel?” Do I feel connected, grounded, at ease, joyful, energized, at peace? I encourage you to sit with this question until you can describe how you want to feel in your backyard and why this matters.

2. What could this give me?

Your favourite place gives you something, or, maybe better stated, it helps you connect with emotions and a state of mind that makes you feel alive and well. Therefore when planning and designing your backyard landscape, you want your renovated space to connect you with a state of wellbeing.

For example, maybe you desire a pool and spa to be integrated into your landscape design. But this pool and spa are not simply individual elements in your landscape, there's a reason you want them and it's because of what they could give you. Perhaps it's building connections and shared memories with family and friends, or a space to relax and rejuvenate. Whatever the reason, becoming clear on what your backyard landscape could give you is essential to creating the best possible design for you.

3. How much is this worth to me?

Landscape design and construction is an investment and that's why it's essential that you know what you want. A well thought out landscape design that is constructed with care, precision and artistry will not only be a long term investment that increases the value of your property, it's also about you and how this space makes you feel. Therefore your landscape design needs to align with what truly matters in your life, and, like most good things, there’s a cost. So be clear on what you're looking for, what this landscape design will give you, and what this is worth to you.

Until next time...

Thrive in harmony.