Creating an Intimate Nook With Dimensional Design

By Christi Simoneaux, contributing
writer for Belgard Hardscapes

On this gently sloping landscape, the retaining wall was designed for erosion control, but also provides an element of privacy and a backdrop for a cozy outdoor living room. Wall sconces were affixed to the wall in a random pattern to soften the look of the stone and awash the conversation area in candlelight. Pavers mirror the modular effect of the retaining wall in complementary hues with a contrasting slate-like texture, creating a tailored, yet informal space.
Photos courtesy of Belgard Hardscapes

Whether working with a large open space or a diminutive courtyard, creating a sense of intimacy in outdoor design can often be illusive due to the inherent openness of the outdoors. However, through the use of dimensional design elements, an intimate outdoor nook can be merely a garden wall away.

Celtik® Wall provides the structure for this sunken kitchen that was installed below the water table of the adjacent in-ground swimming pool, creating a foundation for the arbor posts, kitchen appliances, stair treads, pool retaining wall, and outdoor fireplace, all as one continuous flowing design. Belgard Bergerac® pavers mimic the tone and texture of the pool coping to add to the coordinated look. The wooden arbor adds an organic feel, affording both shade for the sitting area and open venting for the fireplace and grill.
Photos courtesy of Belgard Hardscapes

Create a Feeling of Closeness
Adding walls to an outdoor design, whether an 18" seat wall or an 8' retaining wall, will help to develop a feeling of closeness, which is the first step to creating an intimate nook.

“It works well to design with walls around 18-20" in height,” says Al Pfannenstein, veteran NCMA Certified SRW Instructor. “This size wall offers multiple uses. It can define an area without creating a boxed-in feel, while at the same time offering additional seating for large gatherings. I typically suggest keeping the vertical wall mass to a minimum, unless the space is large enough to handle it or the situation specifically calls for it.”

A pattern of strategically placed granite stones visually leads the eye to this destination nook. The semi-circular tiered wall encloses the space to create a feeling of intimacy in the openness of the expansive yard, providing a structure for the water feature and built-in seat walls, and acting as a retaining wall for the sloping landscape. The additional dimension of the raised patio adds elegance and allows for a sunken fire pit. Low voltage lighting adds to the ambiance and provides both visual comfort and directional assistance on dark evenings.
Photos courtesy of Belgard Hardscapes

Shawn Kelly, landscape architect and horticulturist with Mirror Lake Designs in Spring, Tex., expands on this by describing how to create a flowing design of elements that are all created from the same wall material.

“The raised wall of a pool becomes a planter that leads to a garden wall, which flows down to a seat wall surrounding the sitting area with an end-cap that houses another planter,” he said. “Even though you’re somewhat enclosing the seating area to create a feeling of intimacy, it doesn’t look like each element is separate, but one continuous design.”

This homey and rustic outdoor living room was created with a circular enclosure of wall stone at seat-wall height to provide linear decorating space in addition to extra seating. End-caps with built-in decorative lighting create a welcoming entrance. Alternating circular patterns of Cambridge Cobble® create a faux-rug to add to the homey atmosphere. Natural stone incorporated into the design harmonizes with the surrounding landscape.
Photos courtesy of Belgard Hardscapes

The Organic Rule of Thumb
If an outdoor space looks cold and uninviting, odds are there are not enough organic materials mixed into the design. Elements like wooden arbors or various levels of vegetation can add texture, provide shade, soften the space, and add to the feeling of closeness.

“Always combine stone products with something that contrasts it sharply,” advises Pfannenstein. “Wood, either painted or natural, makes a space more inviting. Stone adds richness, but organic materials add comfort.”

The ultimate in organic design includes incorporating the elements of water or fire. “There’s nothing more intimate than a fire pit,” says Kelly. “It touches people of all ages. Place a 6-year-old girl, a teenage boy, and a 70-year-old man around a fire pit, and they’ll sit and tell stories to each other for hours. And in the summer, you can add a plastic liner, fill the pit with ice, and use it as a drink station. No matter what time of year, it will be everyone’s favorite spot.”

This courtyard emulates the feel of a hidden garden with lush greenery surrounded by a multi-dimensional privacy wall and an oversized decorative wooden gate. The natural stone texture of the garden wall leads the eye away from the lifeless brick to create an organic sense of vibrancy and warmth.
Photos courtesy of Belgard Hardscapes

Use Elevation and Dimension to Your Advantage
A sloping landscape, although attractive, can typically be unusable space.

“Belgard products can be used to create a terracing effect. By combining steps, pavers, planters, and retaining walls, you can create a series of planes at various elevations that now become areas of usable space with walls that can be used as a backdrop for an intimate nook. And, you can do all of this without concrete footers, which eliminates a lot of the costs, code issues, and headaches of masonry,” says Kelly.

Whether working with a sloping landscape or a small space or courtyard, it’s important to use every dimension. “By creating different planes at varying heights and using a variety of textures and patterns, you can create a series of focal points that trick the eye and create the illusion of a larger space,” says Kelly. “We’ve actually had neighbors of courtyard clients ask us if we moved walls to create extra space.”

Even consider how pattern integration in your paver design can complete the look. By varying color, texture, or pattern, pavers can further define the perimeter of the nook or create a rug-like design to add to the cozy feel.

A seat-wall enclosure tiers upward to provide visual impact for the corner fire pit of this quaint outdoor breakfast nook. The height of the corner wall offers a protective barrier for the fire, reflects the heat towards the sitting area, provides a snug enclosure for the open patio, and tiers down to a level low enough to allow for additional seating. The flagstone-like texture and appearance of the pavers add an organic quality that adds to the intimate feel. The ample size of the patio allows it to work equally well for either a private meal, group mingling, or marshmallow roast.
Photos courtesy of Belgard Hardscapes

Lighting is Key
Whether your intimate nook is next to the back door or at a destination location across the property, proper lighting is a key component to completing the design. Lighting should be bright enough to allow for visual comfort in the darkness without overpowering the space and ruining the mood.

“Texture creates intimacy, and proper lighting will enhance texture at night,” says Kelly. “If you uplight a stone wall, the texture is incredible. It gives a warm feel and draws you out into the space. But, even some low voltage lighting can be too intense if placed improperly. You want to bathe the space in gentle light without blowing it out."