How to Blend Modern Design with Traditional Arabic Landscaping
Combining the old beauty of the Arabic garden with clean, modern style is the key to success in Dubai and the rest of the UAE today. Combining them makes the outside a serene, classy environment well-suited to the culture and climate of the area. Planning your home garden or your whole outdoor space using this combination of the old and the new is the best of both worlds.
If you hire a landscaping company in Dubai, it is prudent to understand how to blend these two landscapes nicely and seamlessly. Below is a guide on how to create a scenic landscape that honors the past but suits the present.
Learning Traditional Arabic Landscaping
Traditional Arabic gardens are a product of ancient designs going back centuries and seek peace, harmony, and seclusion. These landscapes can include:
- Water amenities like fountains and small pools
- Courtyards walled for privacy
- Symmetrical plant and geometric design
- Shade from palm trees or pergolas
- Aromatic plants like herbs and jasmine
The general intent of traditional Arabic landscaping is to create a place that is an airy shelter from heat and sounds.
What Is Modern Landscaping Different About?
Modern landscape design revolves around simplicity, clean lines, and functionality. Some of the most common features include:
- Open spaces and minimalism
- Use of straight lines and geometric shapes
- Low-water materials and plants
- Modern patio furniture and lighting
- Eco-friendly design choices like drip irrigation
Modern landscaping is also all about sustainability, using materials and plants that need less water and maintenance.
Mixing Both Types Successfully
1. Start with a Courtyard or Centerpiece
Old Arabic gardens are built around a central element or courtyard. Use this idea as your starting point. It could be a water feature, a seating area, or a patterned tile work that guides the eye towards the center.
Modern elements like sleek benches or a minimalist pergola can be added around it to give a clean and symmetrical look.
2. Use Old and New Materials
You can match natural stone and wood (used in traditional gardens) with modern materials like concrete, glass, and steel. For example, use stone tiles for paths and include a modern outdoor seating group made of metal or rattan.
Ask your landscaping company in Dubai to suggest weather-resistant materials that will tolerate the UAE heat but will have a traditional look.
3. Choose a Balanced Plant Palette
Arabic gardens feature greenery and the use of date palms, olive trees, and flowering shrubs. Modern gardens feature desert-friendly options like succulents and grass.
To combine the two styles, make layers by combining palm trees with modern low-maintenance plants. Include planters with geometric shapes to give it a hint of modernity.
4. Add Water Thoughtfully
Water is a key element in Arabic landscaping, used to create coolness and calmness. Rube-like fountains or slender strips of water can be revamped with the help of modern technology, including LED lights or recycled water systems.
This not only gives it a modern appearance but also supports green technology, which most landscaping companies in Dubai are now focusing on.
5. Utilize Lighting for Purpose and Mood
Modern outdoor lighting can be used to emphasize distinctive features in your garden during the evening, including trees, walkways, or water elements. Warm lighting suits classic themes, while cool white lights provide a modern touch.
Combine both approaches by installing lantern-style lights close to seating and streamlined ground lights along walkways.
6. Designate Zones for Various Experiences
Arabic gardens also feature small, hidden areas for prayer and relaxation. You can recreate these spaces in a modern way, such as an awning-covered reading nook, a yoga deck, or an evening firepit sitting area.
Use natural screens or green walls to separate these spaces, but keep the entire appearance open and uncluttered.
7. Use Patterns and Art Judiciously
Arabic design is known for its beautiful patterns—mosaics, carvings, and arches. Don't overdo it. Rather, offset one or two showstoppers, like a mosaic fountain or a patterned tile wall, with neutral-hued surroundings.
This keeps the room up-to-date but not lacking in cultural beauty.
Final Thoughts
Blending modern design with classic Arabic landscaping is all about balance. With proper planning, materials, and expert advice, you can design an outdoor area that will appear as if it has stood the test of time and feel cozy.
Transform Your Outdoor Space with Green Glades
At Green Glades, we are experts in outdoor space design with a sensitivity towards culture and a dash of modernity. We are among the best landscaping companies in Dubai, and we know exactly how to blend beauty, comfort, and functionality. Whether you are building a villa garden or a corporate outdoor area, our expert team will collaborate with you to design something remarkable and long-lasting.
Contact Green Glades today and let us design your vision landscape.