10 Modern Landscaping Ideas for a Fresh and Stylish Yard (2024)

A striking architectural silhouette, well-painted siding, and details like shutters or windows all play a huge part in your home’s curb appeal. Excellent landscaping also helps tell a story and isn't to be underestimated. Whether your home is a new build or has some stories to tell, opting for a modern landscaping approach can help tie everything together in a way that feels fresh, refined, and inviting.

The key to modern landscaping is balancing simplicity and functionality while also infusing some character via careful contrast and special details. Modern landscape design often employs the use of clean lines and edges as well as an overall orderly aesthetic—often with a lot of geometry in play. You're also likely to see minimalistic features like concrete paths and patios paired with metal accents. What you won't see in a modern landscape is wildly wandering vines, exuberant flowering shrubs, or a large hodge-podge of plants—these all skew a bit too traditional.

To help inspire your own yard makeover, we’re showcasing beautiful examples of modern landscaping ranging from minimalist to sustainable.

6 Garden Ideas That Will Boost the Value of Your Home

01of 10

Concrete Block Pavers and Grass

10 Modern Landscaping Ideas for a Fresh and Stylish Yard (1)

This ultra-modern, minimalist home features clean lines all around. In the yard, which was designed by Nievera Williams, the bright green, perfectly manicured lawn serves as a striking contrast against the home's white exterior. Meanwhile, large rectangular blocks of concrete create both a sense of artistic creativity and functionality.

02of 10

Rustic Modern Landscaping

10 Modern Landscaping Ideas for a Fresh and Stylish Yard (2)

Modern landscaping isn't just for modern architecture, as seen at this rustic home by Michael O’Brien of Hommes + Gardens, where beautiful clay pots filled with lush greenery line the exterior walls. Here, spherical shrubs, tiered topiaries, and slender evergreens all borrow from the modern playbook for a dynamic, symmetrical look.

03of 10

Korean Grass Alternative Lawn

10 Modern Landscaping Ideas for a Fresh and Stylish Yard (3)

After dealing with a fussy front yard that required lots of water and routine mowing, Ben Fredrickson of Fredrickson Landscape, Inc. decided to abandon traditional lawns for something a bit more sustainable (and spectacular!). In this modern landscaping design, he opted for Korean grass (zoysia tenuifolia), which creates a wavy ground cover that resembles moss. It's paired with tall succulents, a simple wood fence, and a fire pit area for cozy congregating.

9 Succulent Garden Ideas That Will Add Sculptural Dimension to Your Landscape

04of 10

Modern Tropical Landscaping

10 Modern Landscaping Ideas for a Fresh and Stylish Yard (4)

Symmetry often comes into play when designing modern landscapes, which you can see in this beautiful display created by Cortney Bishop. A series of palm trees line the geometric walkway, while a peat carpet and green shrubs create some softness to contrast the hard edges.

13 Walkway Ideas That Will Complement Your Home and Yard

05of 10

Boulders and Gravel

10 Modern Landscaping Ideas for a Fresh and Stylish Yard (5)

Don't write off boulders as a special feature in a modern landscaping design. Here, Meredith Owen Interiors opted for rugged symmetry by placing two large rocks atop gravel near the sidewalk entrance.

06of 10

Water Fountain and Lush Greenery

10 Modern Landscaping Ideas for a Fresh and Stylish Yard (6)

Water fountains are another feature that often find their way into modern landscaping design. Here, Hommes + Gardens opted for a stone water feature with some European influence, offset by minimalist geometric swaths of grass, modern seating, and lush greenery that creates privacy for this inviting cove.

20 Landscape Lighting Ideas to Brighten Your Home's Exterior

07of 10

Metal Plant Boxes

10 Modern Landscaping Ideas for a Fresh and Stylish Yard (7)

Often, less is more when it comes to modern landscaping. In this design by Meredith Owen Interiors, a simple grass lawn is accentuated by large metal plant boxes that line the home's exterior. They're filled with beautiful plants in a spectrum of colors and textures to capitalize on visual intrigue.

08of 10

Natural Grass and Cozy Seating

10 Modern Landscaping Ideas for a Fresh and Stylish Yard (8)

This outdoor living space was landscaped and designed by Denise Davies, founder of D2 Interieurs, and features a geometric base with retro-modern furnishings."The tile is custom-poured concrete with river rocks in place of grout," she says."The cement gives the patio a very modern feel, and the river rocks balance the modern with nature." Surrounding the area are grasses and tropical plants.

8 Home Exterior Trends That Go Beyond a Fresh Coat of Paint

09of 10

Palm Trees and Large Planter

10 Modern Landscaping Ideas for a Fresh and Stylish Yard (9)

Here's another example of how to work palm trees into your modern landscaping design. Four sit on this lot, designed by Bishop, and surround a large concrete planter in the center filled with brightly colored flowers and tall foliage.

10 Beautiful Plants to Display on Your Porch for Enhanced Curb Appeal

10of 10

Solar Lights and Soft Grasses

10 Modern Landscaping Ideas for a Fresh and Stylish Yard (10)

This Spanish Colonial Revival home shows that modern landscaping truly can work for a variety of architectural designs. Lush green grass helps set the stage here, while large, off-set blocks of concrete with gravel between create a minimalist pathway. It's lined with soft grasses and solar lights for a cozy glow come dusk.

27 of the Most Creative Backyard Decorating Ideas

10 Modern Landscaping Ideas for a Fresh and Stylish Yard (2024)

FAQs

10 Modern Landscaping Ideas for a Fresh and Stylish Yard? ›

Modern landscaping is an approach to outdoor design that embraces contemporary aesthetics, clean lines, and functional elements to create visually appealing and practical outdoor spaces. It incorporates minimalist design principles, often characterized by simplicity, symmetry, and a limited color palette.

What is a modern landscape style? ›

Modern landscaping is an approach to outdoor design that embraces contemporary aesthetics, clean lines, and functional elements to create visually appealing and practical outdoor spaces. It incorporates minimalist design principles, often characterized by simplicity, symmetry, and a limited color palette.

How can I make my yard look amazing? ›

21 Easy Ideas to Beautify Your Yard
  1. 01 of 23. Integrate Your Plants. ...
  2. 02 of 23. Play Up Texture. ...
  3. 03 of 23. Put Trees and Shrubs in Pots. ...
  4. 04 of 23. Plan for a Grand Entrance. ...
  5. 05 of 23. Leave a Spot to Enjoy Your Garden. ...
  6. 06 of 23. Grow Fragrant Herbs. ...
  7. 07 of 23. Create Drama with Plants. ...
  8. 08 of 23. Let Nature Be Your Guide.
Aug 18, 2022

How do I make my backyard look professionally landscaped? ›

To make your backyard look professionally landscaped plan in a focal point, such as yard art or garden fountain ideas, or a series of them, as a garden designer would. This could also include a feature such as a pretty shed, or a living element, such as a tree or group of shrubs.

What are the 15 types of landscapes? ›

List of different types of landscape. Desert, Plain, Taiga, Tundra, Wetland, Mountain, Mountain range, Cliff, Coast, Littoral zone, Glacier, Polar regions of Earth, Shrubland, Forest, Rainforest, Woodland, Jungle, Moors, Steppe, Valley.

What landscaping adds most value? ›

10 Lawn, Landscape Features That Increase Home Value
  • A well-maintained lawn. Leading the way among exterior improvements is a well-kept lawn. ...
  • Shrubs and trees. ...
  • Tidy garden. ...
  • Landscaped pathway. ...
  • Lighting. ...
  • Fresh mulch. ...
  • All-season deck/outdoor kitchen. ...
  • Pop of color through container plants, garden bed.
Apr 19, 2024

What makes a landscape pretty? ›

By using a variety of colors, you can create a vibrant landscape, and planting informal gardens can be a great way to do this. Consider a mix of evergreens, deciduous trees, flowers and shrubs in your garden – together these can create a beautiful and colorful landscape all year round.

What is the cheapest type of landscaping? ›

If you are looking for cheap landscaping material, mulch would be one of them. Mulch is a combination of various organic materials such as grass clippings, leaves, bark nuggets, wood chips, and other organic matter. Mulch is typically used to keep the soil moist.

How can I make my garden look professional? ›

Tips For Professional Looking Garden Design
  1. Use a variety of flower types, for texture and visual interest. ...
  2. Always mix in Ornamental Grasses and Shrubs for structure, texture, and movement. ...
  3. Plant for long-lasting color. ...
  4. Always use each plant in odd-numbered groups (3, 5, 7, 9, and so on.)

What are the 3 major landscape types? ›

Mountains, hills, plateaus, and plains are the four major types of landforms. Minor landforms include buttes, canyons, valleys, and basins.

What is the difference between modern and contemporary landscape? ›

While modern landscapes are defined by their clean, hard-edged minimalism and use of materials such as concrete and metals, contemporary landscape design goes for a natural look with wood accents.

What is the difference between modern and traditional landscape design? ›

Typical features of a modern design are the use of modern industrial materials such as concrete for patios and glass and metal for structures. Greenery plays a more subdued role in the landscape's arrangement compared to more traditional designs, providing a contrast to the modern materials in form and color.

What is modern landscape painting? ›

Contemporary Landscape Painting is a genre in contemporary painting in which outdoor environments or natural scenery are depicted―think of mountains, fields, forests, rivers, or seas. The artist does not strive to obtain a pure naturalist depiction but rather to develop a contemporary perspective on the genre.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Jamar Nader

Last Updated:

Views: 6410

Rating: 4.4 / 5 (55 voted)

Reviews: 86% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Jamar Nader

Birthday: 1995-02-28

Address: Apt. 536 6162 Reichel Greens, Port Zackaryside, CT 22682-9804

Phone: +9958384818317

Job: IT Representative

Hobby: Scrapbooking, Hiking, Hunting, Kite flying, Blacksmithing, Video gaming, Foraging

Introduction: My name is Jamar Nader, I am a fine, shiny, colorful, bright, nice, perfect, curious person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.