Who did the yard renovation? ?

We overpaid for decorative elements that were barely noticeable. It would have been better to invest in the base and geometry.

If the design is not only functional but also reflective, how much does this impact the final budget? I'm currently at the stage where I want the yard to look more than just "neatly laid out," but designed to fit the house and lifestyle. On the other hand, I'm afraid of getting stuck with an overly expensive project with unnecessary details that could easily be done without later. For those of you who've completed a project from scratch, where you had to design a driveway, paths, and a backyard, tell me: where do people most often overspend unnecessarily? And conversely, where should you definitely not skimp? I like the idea of ??everything looking cohesive and consistent, but I'm still unsure how to put it all together effectively. I'd love to hear from anyone who's done a complete yard makeover.