Outdoor Living Design in Malvern, PA | JHL Landscape Design

A new construction lot in Malvern is a blank canvas, and blank canvases require more design thought, not less. When no existing hardscape dictates the position of the patio, and no aging pool constrains where the new one goes, every decision is made deliberately. Our outdoor living design process for Malvern new-construction properties creates the entire outdoor program from scratch, with each element positioned and designed in relationship to every other.

The patio is not placed by default behind the back door. Its position is determined by how it relates to the interior, which rooms it connects to, where the grade change creates an opportunity for a step detail, how the sight lines from the interior are affected by where the outdoor gathering space sits. Its size is determined by the intended use: dining, lounging, gathering around a fire feature, or all three. The material selection is made in the context of the house architecture.

The fire feature's position relative to the pool matters. A fire feature that is too close to the pool competes with it spatially and creates a safety consideration. One that is too far becomes a disconnected element. The design resolution, where exactly these two centers of activity sit, what separates them, and how someone moves between them,is a primary design question that shapes the whole rear yard composition.

The outdoor kitchen placement is determined by its relationship to the interior kitchen, by its proximity to the primary entertaining area, and by prevailing wind direction relative to the seating area. These are not afterthought decisions. They determine whether an outdoor kitchen gets used or becomes a stainless steel appliance collection that guests walk past.

Planting enclosure is designed as part of the outdoor living program from the beginning. On a new construction lot, the planting structure that will eventually create privacy, define the outdoor rooms, and give the property its visual character needs to be established in the first season. We design the patio design and hardscape design as part of this integrated composition so that hardscape and planting work together from day one.

Phasing is common on new construction projects. The hardscape and primary outdoor living elements are typically installed in the first phase, with pool, additional planting, and lighting completed in subsequent phases. We design with the full vision in mind so phased additions are extensions of the plan, not departures from it.

Licensed and Insured | 20+ Years Experience | Chester County and the Main Line

Contact us to begin designing your Malvern outdoor program at /contact.

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JHL Landscape Design 701 S Franklin St, Suite #101 West Chester, PA 19382 (610) 356-4104 jhllandscapedesign.com