Top 5 Outdoor Living Upgrades to Maximize Value & Enjoyment

If you are looking to enhance your curb appeal or outdoor living space in 2026 without a total revamp, here are the top 5 upgrades that will make a huge impact & change your outdoor space!

Use this guide & consider which upgrades you would enjoy the most. Each of these simple enhancements will increase the value & enjoyment you receive from your home!

1. Fire Pits

Fire pits create an experience in your outdoor space. They serve as the focal point, the spot where everyone wants to be. Priceless memories are made around the fire! Whether you are roasting marshmallows with your family or exchanging stories with friends, this is the place to be. With countless ways to customize fire features, they are an instant fun & value booster for your home!

We look at inspiration clients may have and collaborate with our expertise and skill to overcome design or terrain challenges and achieve the desired results regardless of the complexity of the property. Steep slopes, tight spaces, or a flat open canvas, we handle it all!

2. Patios

If you have a backyard where there is no place to set a table or even a few chairs, a small patio can totally change the exterior of your home, adding enjoyment & customization. Adding a patio creates a defined space to gather & enjoy the outdoors. Making this simple addition will leave you wondering how you lived without it! Building this space will create an extension of your home where outdoor living can be a dream come true, a simple space where priceless memories will be made & cherished!

3. Walkways

Walkways are great for enhancing your curb appeal or cohesively connecting key areas of your outdoor living space! Whether you need an intentional pathway leading guests to your front door or a discreet, turf-set stepping stone path leading to a secret garden retreat, this upgrade will make a huge difference. Investment levels are customizable with endless options ranging from custom pavers to timeless flagstone!

4. Landscaping

Installing a new landscape at your home is sure to turn heads! From subtle pops of perennial color to elegant evergreens & specimen flowering trees, a professionally designed landscape will create an environment that is warm, inviting, and unique to your style & vision. Incorporating seasonal interest will have guests & neighbors anxiously awaiting the next season to see what colors will pop at your home. Expertly installed landscapes bring your property to life and allow your home to stand out!

5. Landscape Lighting

Lighting is hands down the best way to improve the usability of your home after dark, capture its beauty all night, and even enhance your home’s security. Want to keep that backyard cookout going after the sun sets? Or impress your neighbors as your home glows through the night? Lighting is the answer! With color-changing options, the possibilities are endless with a custom outdoor lighting system!

Ready to Start Planning Your Outdoor Living Space?

If you’re considering a design-build outdoor project and want clarity on scope, timeline, budget, and next steps:

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Testimonials

Best landscaper I’ve ever used. Excellent and creative design work; began the project on time; finished on schedule. Was responsive throughout and accommodated last-minute change requests. Very professional, with high standards of excellence.

Dan King

Garnet Valley, PA
Greg was extremely prompt with all communications and gave us a great plan for our new flower beds. The team completed the job right on schedule – we love the new look!

Lou Camaratta

Wilmington, DE
Greg and crew were great. Very thorough and detail oriented, hard working, efficient, and constant communication. The family is excited to use the new patio for years to come. Highly recommended.

Brad Jones

Wilmington, DE
Arborvine Landscaping does great work. This fall Angel came to aerate and over-seed my property. He hand seeded around my gardens and made sure to hit every inch of the yard. It really boosted my lawn!

Gregory Vigloitta

Wilmington, DE
I used Arborvine Landscaping this past Spring for major landscaping around my house. They leveled my front lawn and added sod, cleaned up and lined our flower beds with stone edging and removed dead wood, poison ivy, overgrown brush in the far back of the property and replaced it with arborvitaes and other plants. They also added a row of rocks to improve the water runoff and drainage. We are very happy with the results and we are still using this company. We get a lot of compliments from our neighbors about how nice our house looks.

Mike Levithan

Wilmington, DE
Greg is very knowledgeable and professional. He cleaned our landscape beds and also added a stone border to a small bed at the back of the house. His crew was efficient and left everything immaculate!

Stephane & David Radin

Middletown, DE
I have nothing but good things to say about my experience with Arborvine! Everything went better than I could have asked for from the quote to the final touches. Kathy was so easy to work with, and the choices she made were exactly what I was looking for without really being able to fully explain what types of shrubs I wanted. She got it perfect on the first try! Even better was the fact that the crew that came out to work on our yard were such great people. They were so friendly at every interaction, and honestly, working with the team again, I’d be interested in specifically requesting that they be the ones to do the next phase!

We got quotes on three separate projects from Kathy, prices fit our budget nicely and it didn’t feel like we were skipping anything to save on cost. Overall, I’m feeling pretty excited for when we move on to the next project!

Kyle Hicks

Hockessin, DE
Great to work with and really captured the look we wanted. Reliable and always available for questions. Along with landscaping they installed pathway lighting and they did a great job.

Carol Aruffo

Chadds Ford, PA
We had a wonderful experience working with Arborvine Landscaping, and I can’t say enough good things about their team. Kathy, Angel, and Angel were absolutely wonderful, each professional, kind, and knowledgeable.

Kathy was very responsive and thoughtful, helping navigate design choices with ease and always keeping our vision and budget in mind. Angel and Angel (yes, two Angels—and they truly lived up to the name!) were meticulous, hardworking, and respectful of our space.

Our yard has been completely transformed, and we couldn’t be happier.

Brooke Wiley

Wilmington, DE
Love the workmanship, professionalism , design, and outcome of our outdoor project. Always on time, friendly, beautiful workmanship, cleaned up every day and on final day. Would highly recommend Arborvine for anyone. Thank you for an amazing outcome!

Karen Rockwell

Springfield, PA