6 Uses for Low Walls in Westerville, OH, Patios

You have probably seen amazing pictures of beautifully terraced hillsides, and regal homes with walls that signal, “you’ve arrived.” But what if your landscape is completely flat? What if you don’t need a retaining wall? The good news is that walls are versatile hardscape elements that let you make the most of your space. Here are 6 uses for low walls in Westerville, OH, patios. Related: How to Make an Existing Landscape Design More Modern While Retaining its Character in Powell, OH

Define Outdoor Rooms

You don’t have to turn a patio into a fortress or divide it up cubicle-style, but you can add a low wall at transitional areas to define spaces. A great example is moving from a patio to a walkway. 

Enhance Gathering Areas

A common problem with patios is where to seat everyone during a big party. Dragging more chairs onto the patio only creates a cluttered place where nobody wants to hang out. Low walls can be the answer to clutter. Fire pit or outdoor fireplace areas also benefit from being partially enclosed by low walls. Walls make the space feel cozy, and they help minimize patio clutter by offering guests a place to sit. Seating can be incorporated into taller walls to offer a comfortable backrest. Or, a low wall itself can serve as overflow seating.Walls also make a grill island feel like it’s part of the patio instead of the only permanent vertical element. Give guests a place to sit and socialize while you cook. Or, when the walls aren’t used as seating, add potted herbs for a convenient culinary garden!

Create a Welcoming Entryway

A low wall that guides visitors to the front door makes for a warm welcome, almost an embrace, if you will. Pillars on either end of the wall can house attractive lighting and even a built-in seat at the gathering spot in front of the entryway.

More Usable Space

A low wall is an opportunity to create vertical interest in your outdoor living area. Give your knees and back a break while tending your flowers or vegetables in a raised bed planter. Give your home’s foundation plant bed a clean and finished look. Add a wall along your driveway as an attractive place to house outdoor light fixtures. Give your home a historic touch with a wall made of attractive limestone, sandstone, flagstone, or slate veneer. Highlight a beautiful tree by encircling it with a low wall - a perfect spot for a shady afternoon of conversation.

Optical Illusions

Walls are an opportunity to unleash your artistic side to make a small patio feel larger. A curved retaining wall guides the eye in a slow and meandering fashion and gives a softer definition to a hardscape. The result is an illusion of more space. This illusion is also enhanced because the patio is clutter-free thanks to a wall that doubles as seating.

Create a Focal Point

A low wall can serve as a focal point. But it can also help create one. Place a low wall on a side where anyone taking a seat will enjoy the best view - a view that may not have been enjoyed in the past because of the placement of chairs.Whether you want to define a space, add coziness or elegance, or design an elegant way to house outdoor light fixtures, the pros at ARJ can help you design and build attractive walls that give your landscape a fresh look. Related: Incorporating the Reusing and Recycling of Materials Into Your Eco-Conscious Upper Arlington, OH, Landscaping