Search

Leave a Message

Thank you for your message. I will be in touch with you shortly.

Explore My Properties

Landscape and Real Estate

Beyond the Walls

Understanding Outdoor Design as a Driver of Lifestyle and Value

By Chris Holthouser
Licensed Landscape Architect | Real Estate Advisor

Default Image

Introduction

Great design doesn’t end at the walls.

In high-end Colorado real estate, the outdoor environment is a defining element of both lifestyle and property value. It frames the arrival, directs the experience, and often becomes the most emotionally resonant part of a home.

As a licensed landscape architect and real estate advisor, I’ve spent the past 15+ years helping clients create remarkable outdoor spaces—and understand the true value they bring. From Boulder to Fort Collins and across the foothills, I’ve seen how a well-designed landscape not only enhances daily life but also becomes a powerful asset when it's time to sell.

Whether you’re exploring your home’s market potential or planning your next outdoor investment, this guide offers a lens into how landscape and lifestyle combine to elevate what your property is truly worth.

This is more than a trend. This is the new standard.

The Roi of Landscape — A Data-Driven Look

Outdoor design is more than aesthetic—it’s strategic. In Colorado’s luxury markets, thoughtful landscape investment consistently enhances both perceived and actual home value.
The data below reflects both national studies and local insights relevant to Colorado’s high-end neighborhoods.

Project ROI Range Estimated Value Add (on $2M home) Source
Lawn & Landscape Maintenance 104–217% ROI $208K–$434K NALP/NAR; BHG
Mature Trees / Tree Care ~3–27% uplift $60K–$540K BHG; NALP
Full Landscape Overhaul 100–200% ROI $200K–$400K Remodeling Magazine
Outdoor Living (Kitchen / Fire / Patio) 80–150% ROI $160K–$300K NAR
Landscape Lighting 59–125% ROI $118K–$250K Cost vs. Value; BHG
Native / Low-Water Planting 60–120% ROI $120K–$240K NALP/NAR; Houselogic
Water Features (Ponds/Streams) 80–150% ROI $160K–$300K NAR & contractor ROI studies
Optimal Investment Range 10–20% of home value Money Magazine; Bankrate

Landscape Trends in Colorado’s Upscale Markets

Today’s luxury buyers are drawn to landscapes that feel rooted, intentional, and architecturally aligned with the home. The following trends are defining the outdoor expectations of high-end homeowners across Boulder, Fort Collins, Denver, and surrounding foothill communities:

Think clean lines and organic material palettes—slab stone steps, corten steel planters, meadow grasses, and minimalist hardscape. This style draws from the natural rhythm of the Colorado terrain while offering structure and elegance.

Sustainability and beauty are no longer separate. Thoughtfully designed xeric landscapes that include species like Penstemon, Fernbush, and Agastache are replacing turf. These plantings reduce maintenance and water usage while delivering layered color and textural movement.

Today’s most compelling outdoor spaces are designed as true extensions of the architecture. Porcelain pavers, board-formed concrete, floating steps, and intentional sightlines blur the lines between indoor and outdoor living.

Lighting isn’t just functional—it’s atmospheric. Professionally designed lighting plans reveal shadow, texture, and focal points that transform the experience of the space at dusk. For real estate, it elevates photography, twilight showings, and buyer memory.

Controlled wildness is replacing conventional beds and over-irrigated turf. In foothill and mountain communities, wildflower meadows, dry creek beds, and habitat-friendly plantings deliver aesthetic richness with ecological integrity.

Design-Led Property Evaluation

As a licensed landscape architect, I don’t evaluate property the same way most agents do. I see land through the lens of design, usability, and emotional response.

When assessing a home’s value—or its opportunity for improvement—I consider:

Insight: When outdoor space is treated as part of the home’s architecture, its value is not just additive—it’s exponential. It becomes part of the narrative. And in luxury real estate, narrative matters.

Follow Us On Instagram