Feb. 23, 2023

This paid piece is sponsored by Knife River South Dakota.

If the Sioux Empire Home Show is on your calendar, you’re likely in the mood to start thinking about home improvements.

And it’s not too soon to do so.

“This is a good time to be planning,” said Ray Landberg, who manages Hardscapes Outlet. “This time of year, it’s tough to be convinced spring is near, but it could just be a matter of weeks before everyone is really ready to go, so it’s good to start preparing now.”

Hardscapes Outlet is a division of Knife River South Dakota that offers products for residential and commercial landscaping projects.

We caught up with Landberg ahead of the Sioux Empire Home Show for a look at the landscape for outdoor living this year.

First, what are the benefits to planning ahead for a project this season?

My stance is always the earlier the better. We have two locations out of three open year-round, and we’ve had contractors bringing homeowners in all winter. They can look at color samples and textures, and make sure things are available for when spring allows work to begin. It’s a great time to come in and have conversations. It’s a slower time for us, and yet we’re still staffed. The other day, a couple came in that had just bought a cabin and want to do a patio. That’s a perfect example of something you can be planning now so you can enjoy it much of the summer. You’re welcome even if you’re in the earliest of stages, and we can be as much or as little help as you need.

For those headed to the Sioux Empire Home Show, what do you suggest to make the most of it?

I’m a big list guy. You’re likely not going just for a place the kids can run around – normally, there’s something you’re after. Maybe you just are thinking about putting rock around the house or need black dirt to fill in holes the dog dug up. Maybe it’s mulching or small grass seed. Or it could be you’re planning a full-on patio or outdoor kitchen. But make a list of what you’re looking for and what questions you have. Scratch out a general idea. We can run off anything, but this gives us a start and makes sure you don’t forget anything when you’re faced with the volume of the show. There are so many lines of material and vendors and manufacturers and suppliers, which is great, and I think it’s upped the standard in landscaping and hardscapes, but it can come with a lot of confusion.

It’s easy to browse online first and get inspiration via social media. Can that lead to actual finds at the Home Show?

We generally can help. It may not be the specific brand you saw on a website or online ad or Pinterest, but bring us the picture. Bring us the concept. We can look at that and help you find it – or at least get very close. We’re here to help, and while we do our best to source sustainably and locally, some things do come from a distance, and we can help with that too. But bring us the vision for the house or the lake cabin, show us the dream, and hopefully we can get close to making it a reality.

What are homeowners asking you about this year? What are some of the emerging trends?

We continue to see a lot of bigger, expanded outdoor living areas. We saw a good uptick in bigger fire pits last year, likely our biggest year ever in that. It reiterated that people want to spend time outside and enjoy it. We’ve seen a real increase in big, vertical statement pieces that really put together a backyard. White rock and black rock are extremely popular tones that have fit in well in this market, and a lot of it is how it plays off some of the newer homes. You see white limestone with black trim or shutters, and it really pops, so we’re constantly sourcing different shades. Rubber mulch is another one we’re seeing a lot. It has maybe a little longer shelf life than standard and has been popular in schools and playgrounds.

Does Hardscapes have new product offerings this year?

We’re getting into a couple different styles of wall. Natural stone stack walls are really trendy. The classic 6-inch concrete piece is not the most popular thing anymore. We’re expanding with a variety of natural stones, pieces large and small for walkways and patios. That’s a big trend. Natural stone is a little easier to work with on pathways – it’s very DIY-friendly – and same with stacking some of the walls. You have a little more room to play.

What will people find at the Hardscapes Home Show booth?

We’re partnering with Oakridge Nursery this year, so we’re excited about that. We’ll still have signage, but we’re right next to Oakridge, and there’s no separation between the two, so we think it will be very hands-on and DIY-friendly.

We’ll have some lighting shown, updated catalogs for paver patios, mulches, decorative rock and team members who can help answer questions. We’re also excited about what we can offer for paver restoration, so if Mother Nature has been hard on your pavers, we have a group we work with that does a great job giving older patios a fresh, revived look.

To learn more about Hardscapes Outlet, click here.

Sioux Empire Home Show

Visit Hardscapes at the Home Show:

When: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday (Note: The time has been adjusted to start at 1 p.m. Friday)

Where: Sioux Falls Arena and Convention Center

To learn more about the Sioux Empire Home Show, click here.