June 14, 2022

This paid piece is sponsored by Knife River Sioux Falls.

If you’re ready to upgrade your outdoor living space, you’ve picked an excellent time to do so.

“There are a number of new products and trends that are really exciting,” said Ray Landberg, who manages Hardscapes Outlet. “We’re fortunate to serve a number of businesses and individuals that are setting the standard for what’s new and appealing in the industry.”

Hardscapes Outlet is a division of Knife River South Dakota, which is probably best known for its quarry in northwest Sioux Falls that supports commercial construction.

But that same stone – and commitment to excellent work and customer service – can be put to work in your backyard, either as a DIYer visiting Hardscapes directly or as a customer of one of many area landscaping businesses.

One of those is Landscape Garden Centers, which sources about 90 percent of its hardscape products there.

“They do a great job and are very knowledgeable and responsive,” owner and president Erik Helland said.

This season “is going really well so far,” he continued. “People are very excited, and there are still a lot of people who want to stay home because things have become so expensive. So they’re working on their homes and yards and making their backyard their second home.”

Here’s a look at a few emerging products and trends homeowners are loving so far this season.

Larger pavers

One of the most prominent trends involves pavers.

“For years and years, it was your classic cobble,” Landberg said. “You see them absolutely everywhere, and it’s still a great product, but more and more we’re seeing homeowners looking for bigger and bigger pavers.”

The larger-format pavers sometimes can be installed more efficiently, and the look is large and contemporary.

“It’s reminiscent of California,” Landberg said. “And we can offer these at a range of price points, including for DIYers.”

The look of concrete pavers “has come a long way in the last 20 years,” Helland agreed. “We just put in our own huge paver patio on the north side of our new location where we’re going to have events, and we went with large slabs bordered in black.”

Customers also are using the larger paver systems in creating outdoor kitchens, fireplaces and fire pits, he said.

“It’s all about scale,” he said. “A larger paver also often equates to a larger patio because everything has to be in proportion.”

Going gray

Patios used to embrace shades of orange, tan, red and brown, but “now it’s going toward a gray, darker color,” Helland said. “I think it lasts longer and will be a little more timeless.”

There are many products in gray tones offering different textures and styles, Landberg added.

“Grays are becoming very prevalent in the market and very well rounded and versatile,” he said. “And we’re even seeing darker, almost black, with borders and edging and accents.”

The color also is being seen in decorative rock and walls, he said.

Plant lovers

Plants are definitely having a moment – and that’s as true outdoors as it is for the growing crowd of houseplant lovers.

“We’ve seen a huge uptick in planters, from very large backyard planters to smaller ones designed for the front of homes,” Landberg said. “And we have all sorts of material we can use for planters, boxes, beds: things out of natural stone and stackable natural stone.”

At Landscape Garden Centers, “we get a lot of raised planters from Hardscapes,” Helland said. “We have tons of large containers going out the door because it’s something that accents a patio.”

Darker mulch

It makes sense that if people are loving their plant life, they want to show it off to its optimal extent.

“So we are seeing black mulch become more popular,” Helland said. “We buy a lot of black mulch from Hardscapes, and customers are liking that it allows the green plants to pop and makes for a good contrast.”

New takes on walls

There are a number of newer wall systems in the market that are being used in all sorts of projects, Landberg said.

“We have a cool, modern, contemporary wall system that is being used in everything from outdoor kitchens to outdoor grill surrounds,” he said. “It’s being used as wainscoting on buildings and is an all-new style with awesome brilliant colors and really nice textures.”

Another wall line offers a 4-inch-tall wall “that makes a really nice seat wall to put around a fire pit or off a patio,” he said. “It’s really sharp and plays off a lot of different things and is easy to handle, including on the DIY side.”

For DIYers

If you’re ready to tackle a landscaping project yourself, Hardscapes Outlet can help.

There are two locations in Sioux Falls and one in Harrisburg. Click here to learn more.

“Everything we sell to contractors also is available to the general public,” Landberg said. “And our staff are friendly, available and there to answer questions, provide quotes and be as helpful as we can.”