More often than not, individuals cough up a lot of money just to getaway from the hurly-burley of the city life. Their destination, a Caribbean Cruise? An Orient Escape perhaps? But let’s face it, not all of us possess the amount of money needed for an extravagant coast-to-coast island hopping---or in our case, interstate hopping. Honestly, I need not book for a cruise to getaway for there exists a piece of paradise in my lot---my beloved yard. Outlined by a variety of flora and cobblestone walks, visitors will be guided by the same towards the front door where an inviting bench and rocking chair awaits. For me, the back and forth motion of the latter, ’chillin’ in my custom-made porch and deck design has been a daily routine for me. This is relaxation---sheer relaxation

Ok, I’m not here to boast my striking yard (that’s another story). Dolling up your deck----this is the topic at hand. Let’s assume that you’re planning to hire a contractor that will do fence building, deck construction and whatnot. You review the profile of the prospective contractor, you deemed the same commendable. Stop there! Before you hire anyone, note these items. The profile alone will not suffice. You should do a little checking---background checking that is. From the BBB to the referrals as presented by the contractor---remember to C-H-E-C-K. Business dealings must be precise, especially with projects like the one at hand. You don’t want to have a bench, wood or otherwise, sitting in the middle of the yard without any shade. Imagine sitting on that particular bench in broad daylight---plain torture, isn’t it? A good contractor understands the natural positioning of things. From the rocks to the trees and everything in between, all of these will be developed to create a landscape close to being called paradise. Be very keen when selecting your contractor. When you feel that this is the contractor for you---haggle---then bag him. Don’t be embarrassed to haggle. Everybody’s doing it, they just don’t want other people to know it. Moving on…

Flowers---simplicity and elegance in a pot. No one can go wrong with flowers in their yard. Flora bearing cool color like purple, green, gray, silver and blue are beautiful when viewed closely. Warm colors like red, orange and yellow are better viewed from afar. Remember, cool colors tend to recede while its counterpart tends to advance in space. Make use of the color wheel, one may opt to plant flowers bearing complementary colors (these are the colors that appear opposite each other in the color wheel). This will certainly dress up your yard. Another option is to plant monochromatic flowers or those that have the same primary color but of different shade. Just make sure that your custom decks or porch designs allow that these flowers be accommodated.

Accessorize. You may prefer to add a dab of lighting beside the bench or a small table beside the rocking chair. A little bling won’t hurt anyone. If you have kids, a swing is a must---be it installed in the yard or in the deck----this must be present. Another is a hammock. With the summer breeze embracing your body and the wind cradling you to sleep---(deep sigh). With this item, the good ole days are here to stay. Don’t forget to note the materials that you’ll be using. If the accessories will be installed where it’ll be exposed in heat and rain, make sure these things won’t rust or rot when confronted by the elements. Ok? Ok.

There are a lot more add-ons that may be installed from wind chimes to elaborate water works (bird bath, anyone?). It’s your choice (and your front yard), to install or not to install. Just make sure that you’ll not over crowd one space and leave the other bare. Balance. This applies to the landscape and the environment as well. Remember, b-a-l-a-n-c-e. Sometimes the minimalist approach is the ideal choice. There is beauty in simplicity. A wind chime and a hammock may be the pair that’ll give your deck the uumph that it needs.

Be it an ornate display of woodworks or a straightforward, laid back set-up. Whatever you choose----remember this is your personal piece of paradise where you can momentarily hide from reality and getaway from the busy life that the city brings----make it real.