Blooming On Kauai

Families that get away to Kauai for vacations look forward to island, resort living during their stays here. The lush scenery of our “garden isle” is a tropical backdrop for a dream vacation—and the beach views with intoxicating sunsets are postcard perfect.

So, how do you make the most of the beautiful setting that already exists on Kauai while adding landscape amenities that attract families and entertain kids during their time at your resort?

Fire pits add ambiance to your commercial property and allow guests to relax, gather and enjoy the great Kauai outdoors. They’re functional, providing warmth. And, they’re just fun. People are drawn to the dancing flames, which become a focal point in an outdoor living space.

We point to Sheraton Kauai Resort as a fine example of how a fire pit can enhance a commercial property. Property managers wanted to renovate its RumFire Courtyard so visitors could unwind by the fire’s glow while enjoying beach views and cocktails. (If this sounds like paradise—well, it is.)

As you consider enhancement projects for 2016 and earmark budget dollars to improve your Kauai commercial property, think about adding a fire pit. The cost of a fire pit will depend on the materials you select, its size and what’s currently in the space where you plan to build. (In other words, how much demolition and prep work will be involved?) You can go simple or extravagant. Both ways, you’ll enjoy the benefits of this popular “extra.”

As you plan a fire pit project, talk to your professional landscape contractor about these five factors that will impact the price.

A talented, dependable team is the secret to our success at No Ka Oi. People make it happen here, whether we’re starting a new commercial landscaping project from the ground up, updating an older property to bring it into modern times, or enhancing the landscape that is already there.

Our crews are everyday heroes. They work around challenges and help bring landscape plans to life.

Now with the No Ka Oi Enhancements Division, our landscape architect Roland Breclau is leading a team that’s dedicated to beautifying spaces — adding that fire pit, changing the plant palette — for our existing commercial maintenance clients.

When we’re planning a landscape, we always consider what it will take to keep that property looking perfect in the long-term. This means careful plant selection and understanding how a property’s location on Kauai impacts the soil, wind and temperature.

Here, we’d like to highlight five commercial landscaping projects on Kauai we completed in 2015. These are just a sampling of the design and installation work we do.

What’s always “in” on Kauai: lush landscaping and outdoor spaces where guests can soak in the garden isle environment. Anything commercial property owners do to enhance their landscaping and make it safer, healthier, more sustainable and visually appealing is not just a trend—but a must, if you ask us.

It’s a matter of reinvesting in your Kauai property to increase its value and improve the experience for guests.

That’s why we love when landscape upgrades work double-time, improving a commercial property’s visual appeal and function. For example:

• fire pits that create ambiance plus more seating
• grass that’s more sustainable and healthy
• irrigation systems that are safer for pedestrians and more efficient to run

It’s all about maximizing your budget while improving your property each season. Even the minor landscape upgrades can make a big impact, like changing out tired plants or reinventing an entryway bed.

With Kauai tourism on the incline and the island’s positive economy, now’s the time to explore what’s new for your commercial landscape so you can attract (and entertain) visitors. Here are the top five commercial landscaping trends on Kauai that will help achieve those goals in 2016.

The entrance to your Kauai building has persuasive potential—it can draw visitors inside or send them on their way to another establishment. It’s a powerful first-impression builder. A building entrance sets the tone for the experience guests will have once they enter, and it speaks volumes about how you care for your property.

The good news is, with some minor, budget-friendly tweaks and basic maintenance, you can spruce up your building entrance. You’ll be amazed at how some extra attention to your entrance will improve the look of your entire Kauai commercial property.

Without spending a lot of money or time, here are three simple and affordable commercial landscape enhancements to improve the entrance of your Kauai building.  

Maintaining your commercial property’s landscape is a critical part of creating a great lasting impression for visitors, who will return to your site if they enjoy the experience.

So mowing, edging, pruning, cleaning up rubbish and overall upkeep is job one. But “extras” add a layer of luxury: a fire pit gathering space, a warm and colorful entryway, walkways that improve access.

Landscape enhancements are items that go above and beyond the maintenance contract. They can include design-build projects such as adding a hardscaped space (patio, walkways); or infrastructural improvements to your Kauai property, such as an updated irrigation system that takes into account water conservation.

Landscape enhancements are not included in your service contract, but as you think ahead to 2016, now is the time to consider some of the landscape projects that could improve your commercial property and figure those into the budget.

Here are three commercial landscape enhancements to consider for next year along with some budgeting tips so you can make these projects a reality.  

Creating seating areas and gathering spaces where visitors can relax and take in the scenery on your Kauai property does not always mean just add patio furniture. In fact, we find that the most effective, visually appealing site furnishings blend into the landscape and become a part of the outdoor environment.

That’s why at No Ka Oi, we focus on building visitor conveniences into the landscape design. We’re talking about retaining walls that double as rock wall benches for resting or focal-point planters with smooth surfaces so visitors can perch and catch a view or just take a break.

We often go a step further for the resort and retail landscapes on Kauai that we maintain, installing popular and elaborate fire pits and hula mounds, which act as grassy stages for performances and ceremonies.

The emphasis on Kauai is always to let the island’s stunning views serve as the backdrop for the landscape design, and we always want to provide site furnishings that work in harmony with your property’s’ greatest asset: location.

With all of this in mind, here are four visitor-friendly site amenities for Kauai commercial properties that will improve your guests’ experiences.