The Importance of Curves

When you visit someone's home or someone comes to visit your home there is a path that must be taken to get from the car to the door of the house.  Think of the current path at your home.

Think of a path at someone's house you have taken and you loved the experience of getting to the front door. 

Now compare the two experiences.

Maybe the path at your own home needs a bit of an upgrade.  A bit of a spiff up. Don't you want your visitors to feel like it is an effortless and enjoyable experience to see you?  One that flows easily?  One with curves?  

FLOW.  Flow is when something moves steadily and continuously in a current or stream.  That is what we prefer in the inside of our homes. A great floor plan allows for the flow of your family's movements throughout the day in your home.  It is also what we prefer on the outside of our homes, in our yards and gardens. Landscape architects ensure a good flow outside, but most of us don't have the resources to use landscape architects.  No big deal.  You can handle this.  

Look at the first picture.  This is a normal yard plan with a home, a driveway, a deck, a few shrubs and trees, sidewalks, and a pathway and patio in the backyard.   The angles are strong and straight.  Not very soft and not curvy at all.  The flow makes you feel like a marching soldier as you go the front door as well as out the back door from the deck to the backyard.

This second picture is the same normal yard but with just a few adjustments in the front sidewalk and the rear pathway from the deck to the patio and backyard.  The lines are curved, softened.

Just because the city or subdivision contractor poured the sidewalk in front of your house near the street perfectly straight, doesn't mean you have to continue with such a rigid feel. The FLOW moves steady and enjoyably with a few curves.

So you don't want to jack hammer up your front sidewalk and make a curving one?  That's understandable.  Just adding green foliage softens curves as well.  Now think about another path you can feasibly change in your yard. 

 How is the path that you and the other members of your family use to get from the front yard to the back or side yard?  Is it a good path with curves and a nice flow?  What about an area in your backyard that is worn down from kid, pet, or your own foot traffic? Adding a structured pathway with curves could really help the flow of your yard as well add an element of beauty and charm. Adding or revamping a path in either your front, back, or side yard is a great and simple way to help the flow and feel of your outside space and make it an enjoyable experience.

Brought to you by Heath Harvey @ HeathsHomes.com