Home Remodeling Fort Collins Ideas Inspired by Gardens – Tubac Presidio State History and Tech Blog

If you love gardens and you live in Fort Collins, the simplest answer is yes, your garden can guide your remodel. You can look at colors, textures, light, and the way you move through your yard, then bring those same ideas indoors. That is really the core of garden inspired home remodeling Fort Collins homeowners are starting to ask for. If you work with a local team, like a trusted company that focuses on home remodeling Fort Collins residents already use, you can actually build rooms that feel like an extension of your favorite outdoor spots.

Once you see your house and your garden as one space, a lot of new ideas open up. Some are simple, like adding better views of your trees. Others are bigger, like reworking an entire ground floor so it feels more like a garden path than a box of rooms.

Let me walk through what that can look like in real life, without turning it into some glossy magazine fantasy. Just real projects, real tradeoffs, and a few small stories from people who care about plants as much as floor plans.

Let your garden set the “floor plan mood”

Many remodels start with interior needs. You want more storage, or an extra bedroom, or maybe your kitchen feels cramped.

If you start instead with your garden, the questions feel a bit different.

You might ask:

Where do I like to sit outside the most?
Which views do I keep walking back to?
At what time of day does the yard feel calm?
Where does the wind hit hardest?
Which parts of the yard do I almost never use?

Once you answer these, try mapping them roughly onto your house. It does not need to be perfect. A sketch on a piece of paper is fine.

If a room is important to your daily life, it usually deserves a good view, good light, and a direct or easy path to a green space.

This sounds obvious, but many older Fort Collins homes were built before that way of thinking was common. Kitchens face alleys. Living rooms stare at fences. The best part of the yard sits behind a storage shed.

Example: shifting the “heart” of the house

I spoke with a neighbor who loves her perennial garden on the south side of her lot. For years, her main living space was in the front of the house, facing the street. She hardly noticed her own flowers except on the way to the car.

During her remodel, she did something simple but bold. She moved the main sitting area to the back of the house and added larger windows toward the garden. The old living room became a quiet office.

Now her day follows her plants. She drinks coffee watching the light shift across the flower beds. Afternoon reading happens with a view of the vegetable patch.

The remodel itself was not huge. Walls stayed mostly in place. What changed was which space got the prime garden view.

That is one of the basic ideas here: let your favorite outdoor spots pick your most used rooms.

Use garden patterns to guide indoor circulation

Most gardens do not have straight, rigid paths from point A to B. You turn a bit. You pause at a corner. You might pass a shady spot on the way to a sunny one.

Indoor floor plans can learn a lot from that.

If walking through your house feels like walking down a narrow hallway in a hotel, your floor plan is probably fighting your natural habits instead of supporting them.

Think about how you move in the yard:

You step off the patio to check a tomato plant.
You glance at a birdbath on the way to the compost.
You cut across the lawn instead of using the paved path.

This small wandering is not random. It is guided by interest points. Plants, benches, a water feature, a shade tree.

Indoors, you can do a softer version of that with:

Bookcases or plant stands that mark small pauses in a hallway
Built in seating next to a window that looks onto a tree or flower bed
Short “view corridors” from one room to a garden focal point

None of this means your house turns into a maze. It just means that walking from the kitchen to the bedroom might include one or two visual stops, not endless drywall.

Simple layout changes inspired by garden paths

Here are a few layout tweaks that borrow from the way we move in gardens:

Garden Pattern	Indoor Version	Effect on Daily Life
Curved path around a planting bed	Offset doorway that opens to a view, not a wall	Walks through the house feel more open and less cramped
Central seating area with paths branching out	Open living space with short hallways to other rooms	Family time in one spot, with easy access to bedrooms and kitchen
Small rest points like benches or stones	Window seats or small nooks in high traffic areas	More chances to pause, read, or watch the weather
Framed view through an arbor	Interior doorway lined up with a garden window	A feeling of depth and connection with the yard

You do not need to copy every garden trick. That would feel forced. Picking one or two ideas that match how you live is usually enough.

Light, shade, and the Fort Collins sun

If you garden in Fort Collins, you already think about sun a lot. Which plants can handle afternoon sun. Where the snow melts first. How strong the western light feels in July.

Indoors, that same sun can be both a friend and a problem. Strong light is great in winter, less great when you are heating up the house in late afternoon.

Your remodel should treat sunlight like water in a garden: something to guide, slow, and place where it helps instead of where it overwhelms.

North, south, east, west: plant thinking for rooms

Gardeners learn that:

South exposure gives the most light
West exposure can be harsh in late day
East exposure is softer and often gentle on plants
North exposure can be cooler and shadier

You can use a similar view for rooms:

House Side	Garden Perspective	Good Uses Indoors
South	Best for sun loving plants	Living rooms, sunrooms, or dining areas
West	Hard light, hot in afternoon	Spaces with shading like decks, pergolas, or deeper overhangs
East	Gentle morning light	Bedrooms, breakfast nooks, reading areas
North	Cooler, often shaded	Storage, bathrooms, or media rooms that do not need strong sun

I sometimes see remodel plans that ignore this. A large west facing glass wall with no shade in a house that already gets very hot. Or a tiny north window in the room where the family spends most of its time.

If you already track sun patterns in your beds and borders, you are halfway to being very good at planning windows.

Borrowing shade strategies from the yard

Gardeners do not just block sun; they filter it. You might plant a tree that throws dappled shade, or use a trellis with a vine.

At home scale, that can look like:

A covered porch with climbing plants near a west facing sliding door
Exterior shades that sit outside the glass instead of heavy interior drapes
A small roof overhang that blocks high summer sun but allows low winter sun

These are not only for comfort. They protect furniture and floors, and in some cases lower energy costs. I am not going to pretend they magically fix everything, but they help.

Natural materials that age like a garden

If you enjoy gardens, you probably like things that change with time. Bark fades, stone darkens after rain, wood grays a little.

Indoor finishes can echo that. Some people want surfaces that never change. If that is you, this part might not fully fit your taste, and that is fine. I think many garden lovers enjoy surfaces that pick up a bit of story.

Materials that accept small marks and color shifts often feel calmer than materials that fight every scratch.

Flooring choices with a garden mindset

Here are options that make sense in a house where dirt, pets, and wet boots are normal:

Tile that has slight variation in tone, like stone or muted porcelain
Wood floors with visible grain instead of flat very dark stains
Concrete with a light, warm tint and a practical sealer

Perfection can be stressful. A friend of mine installed bright white glossy tile near her back door. It looked amazing for about three days. Then every footprint became a tiny irritation.

She later said she wished she had picked something closer to river stone, with specks and subtle color changes, like a garden path.

Walls, trims, and peaceful colors

Garden inspired color does not have to mean green walls everywhere. Sometimes it is more about how colors sit next to each other.

You might:

Pick wall colors that match the trunks, soil, and stone in your yard
Save stronger plant colors, like deep greens, for small areas such as built ins or bathroom cabinets
Repeat one or two tones from your favorite outdoor view on fabrics or rugs

If you stand at a window and look outside, then turn around and look at the room, the shift should feel easy, not jarring. If the room ignores the garden completely, you feel it, even if you cannot explain why.

Indoor plants as part of the remodel, not an afterthought

Most people who like gardens also like houseplants, or at least try them. Many remodels, though, treat plants like decorations dropped in at the end.

It can work better if you plan for plants from the start.

Built in spots for greenery

Here are some ways to give plants a real place in the house:

Deep window sills for small pots
A built in shelf near a south or east window for herbs
A narrow planter at the edge of a kitchen island
Wall recesses with grow lights for shade loving plants

This is not about turning your home into a greenhouse. It just respects that plants need light, space, and easy watering. It also prevents the classic problem of random plant stands blocking outlets or traffic areas.

Connecting outdoor beds and indoor pots

One quiet pleasure is to echo your outdoor plants with indoor versions. If you grow lavender by the front walk, a small potted lavender near the entry bench creates a tiny link.

Some gardeners in Fort Collins bring in potted citrus or rosemary in winter. If you plan a sunny, protected spot near a patio door, that seasonal shuffle becomes easier.

In my view, the best remodels for plant lovers make it simple to carry a pot from outside to inside without bumping into furniture or steps every few feet.

Kitchen ideas drawn from edible gardens

The kitchen is where garden life and home life overlap the most. You harvest tomatoes, rinse them, chop them, and put the scraps in compost. That loop can be smooth or painful.

If you grow food, or even if you only dream of it a little, you can let those routines shape your kitchen remodel.

Think through the garden to plate path

Ask yourself:

Where do you usually enter with garden produce?
Where do you set a basket while you wash or prep?
Where does compost go?
Do you preserve food, like canning or freezing?

Then match that with real features:

Garden Habit	Kitchen Feature
Carrying bowls of vegetables from yard	Landing counter right inside the garden facing door
Rinsing dirty produce	Deep sink with pull down faucet and a side drying area
Collecting scraps for compost	Pull out compost bin next to prep area
Storing jars and canned goods	Pantry with strong shelves and some cooler, darker space

I have seen kitchens where the compost bucket lives in a corner across the room from the cutting board. After a week, people stop using it because it is annoying. A small layout change can fix that.

Herb gardens as part of the design

Not everyone wants a big herb garden inside. The smells can be strong, and not every plant loves indoor air. Still, having a few fresh things near where you cook feels good.

You might:

Place a long, narrow window behind the sink with a ledge for a few small pots
Use a wall mounted shelf near a bright window for herbs
Create a small “garden porch” off the kitchen for potted herbs you can reach year round

Here I will slightly contradict myself. I said earlier you do not need lots of indoor plants. For herbs, I think more is often nicer, within reason. Even if half of them fail, the half that succeed pay you back every time you cook.

Indoor outdoor rooms for Fort Collins seasons

Fort Collins weather can swing pretty hard. Hot days, cool nights, sudden summer storms. But there are many mornings and evenings when it feels perfect to sit halfway between inside and out.

Remodels that treat this as a real way of living can create spaces that are used more than a plain patio or a closed off family room.

Types of in between spaces

Some ideas that work well here:

Three season rooms with large windows that open wide
Covered patios with heaters and simple wind blocks
Decks that step down gently into the yard instead of dropping off
Sliding or folding doors that open a wall between living room and garden

These do not all cost the same or fit every lot. In smaller yards, even a 6 foot deep covered area outside a back door can change how often you sit outside.

Making these spaces feel like part of the garden

If your audience is gardeners and park fans, this is probably where your interest spikes a bit.

You can:

Run the same pavers or deck boards from the inside area out to the garden zone
Place beds or planters close enough that you can touch plants from your chair
Use simple, durable furniture that can handle a bit of dirt and pollen

Lighting matters too. Yard lighting does not need to be bright. Soft, low fixtures that wash light over a path or plant grouping make evenings outside calmer. Inside, that reduces the harsh contrast between a lit room and a blacked out yard.

Entryways that respect dirt, boots, and tools

Gardeners track dirt. There is no way around it. You come in with a trowel in your hand, shoes caked from a wet bed, maybe arms full of cuttings.

If your entry has no place to drop all of that, the whole house feels cluttered.

The garden friendly mudroom

This can be a separate room or just a smart area near a door. The key parts are:

Durable flooring that can handle water and grit
Hooks at different heights for coats, hats, and tools
A bench or sturdy stool for changing shoes
Storage for gloves, small tools, and seed packets

Some people add a small sink. I think that makes sense if you do a lot of heavy gardening, or if you have kids who come in very muddy.

If space is tight, a tall cabinet with open shelves on the bottom for boots, and closed space above, can mimic a mudroom without building a full new room.

Bathrooms that borrow from outdoor calm

Garden inspired bathrooms can easily slide into cliché if you are not careful. Pebble floors everywhere, fake plants, printed leaves on tiles. That might not age well.

You can still bring a garden feeling in, but in a calmer way.

Simple ways to echo gardens in bathrooms

Think in terms of:

Views: a high window toward a treetop, or a frosted window that still lets in sky light
Materials: stone like tile, wood stools, linen shower curtains
Plants: one or two real plants that like humidity

If you have a ground floor bath near the yard, consider a door directly outside. That turns it into a place to wash up after gardening without walking through the house. Not every layout allows this, but when it does, it is surprisingly helpful.

I talked with someone who set a small shower near a back door mostly for rinsing off dogs and kids after yard time. Over time, they started using it themselves after mowing, weeding, or just sitting in the grass.

Bedrooms with views instead of screens

It sounds a bit idealistic, but if you can, place bedroom windows where they look into trees or quiet beds, not directly into neighbors or parking.

You might have to accept that the “logical” front facing window is not the one that makes you happiest. That is where garden thinking helps. Plants do not care about street order. They care about light, wind, and comfort.

Garden facing beds and morning light

If you like waking with the sun, an east facing window toward a garden corner works well. If you prefer darker mornings, a north or shaded side might suit you.

Again, this is like placing plants.

Morning person: bed near east facing glass, maybe lighter shades
Late sleeper: deeper colors, good shades, maybe view to a shaded part of the yard

Some people place a reading chair by the best window and leave the bed slightly away. That way, the first thing you see on sitting up is plants, not furniture.

Storage that respects garden gear

Elevating garden life in your remodel also means accepting that you own stuff related to it. Tools, pots, soil bags, hoses, netting. If there is no sane storage, it spills into garages, closets, and porches.

Planning storage with your yard in mind

Questions to ask:

Where do you usually enter when working in the yard?
Where would you naturally hang tools if you had a hook?
Do you start seeds indoors? Where would trays sit?

Good answers might lead you to:

A narrow tool cabinet near the back door
Wall shelving in the garage aligned with the garden gate
A low cabinet in a sunny room for seed trays and small supplies

Many people remodel and give every hobby a closet except gardening. Then they wonder why hoses are always in the way.

Working with Fort Collins climate instead of fighting it

Gardens in Fort Collins deal with altitude, hail, quick temperature swings, and sometimes dry spells. Houses deal with those too.

Garden inspired remodel choices can support both.

Material choices for local weather

For exterior parts of your remodel, it often makes sense to pick:

Siding that handles sun exposure without fading quickly
Deck boards that do not splinter easily after freeze thaw cycles
Roof and gutters that can deal with sudden heavy rain and snow

This is not very romantic, I know, but a garden aware homeowner understands weather. If you spend time watching what hail does to plants, you understand what it might do to roofing and railings.

Sometimes that awareness leads you to more practical decisions. Slightly more modest finishes that last longer. Less painted surfaces outside, more natural textures that age gracefully.

Blending public and private like in a park

Parks have open lawns, then tucked away benches. Your home can do a similar thing on a smaller scale.

For example:

A front room with views to the street and front garden for more social life
A rear sitting area or small courtyard for private quiet time
Small transitional spots, like side yards with narrow paths

If your remodel includes bigger changes, think of where you want “park lawn” energy and where you want “hidden bench” energy. Bedrooms and certain garden corners are usually the second. Kitchens and main decks are usually the first.

Common mistakes when trying to copy gardens indoors

It might help to point out a few things that, in my view, do not work as well, even though they sound garden inspired.

Going heavy on theme, light on function

Covering a room in leaf patterns, fake vines, or bright floral prints might feel like the quick path to a nature vibe. Often it feels more like a set than a home.

Function, like storage, walking paths, and light, should still be solid. Plants and patterns can come after.

Ignoring maintenance

Some garden inspired materials need care. Wood beams, certain stones, real copper. If you enjoy tending your yard, you might enjoy tending these. Or you might already be tired after dealing with plants.

Be honest with yourself. If sanding and oiling wood yearly is not your idea of a nice weekend, it might not be the right material for large surfaces in your house.

Forcing views where the garden is not ready

If part of your yard is still a mess, aiming a huge window at it may not feel good. You could either invest in that garden area, or choose a more modest opening until the plants catch up.

Sometimes, the right move is to frame a smaller, already calm corner instead of the whole yard at once.

Small garden inspired upgrades that do not need a full remodel

Not everyone is ready for walls coming down. That does not mean you have to wait years to let your garden affect your home.

A few smaller shifts might include:

Swapping one small window for a larger one facing your nicest bed
Adding a covered step and bench outside a back door
Building a simple built in shelf under an existing window for plants
Rearranging furniture so seats face the yard rather than the television

These changes cost less but still respect the idea that your garden and house exist together.

Question and answer: Is garden inspired remodeling in Fort Collins worth the effort?

Q: I like the idea of garden inspired home changes, but it sounds like a lot. Is it really worth reshaping a remodel around my yard?

A: I think it is, if you already care about plants and outdoor spaces. Your garden is one of the few things on your property that grows and changes with you year after year. If your remodel ignores it, you end up with two separate lives: one inside, one outside, both competing for your time.

When you let the garden guide even a few key choices, your daily routines start to link up. You cook with fresh herbs you can reach. You sit in rooms that notice the seasons. You come inside with muddy boots and feel like the house expected that.

Not every idea here will fit your budget or layout, and that is fine. Maybe you start with one window, or a small porch, or better storage for tools. The point is not to create a picture perfect home. The point is to let the place where you grow things quietly shape the place where you live.