The Great Outdoors
in Your Own Backyard
After a long, cold winter and a wet spring, you've probably had enough of being indoors with cabin fever and are ready to enjoy being outdoors again. But is your home ready for warm weather activities? Or is it in need of some improvement?
Outdoor living space can be as simple as a small deck or patio or can be a multi-level, multi-function space perfect for relaxing, reading, dining, or a special event for friends and family with elegant lighting, a screened porch, outdoor kitchen, spa, fire pit and more.
Add Space for Less
Assuming your exterior upgrades are consistent with the level of design and features of your home, an outdoor living area can be less expensive per square foot than indoor space. It also adds a whole new dimension to your at-home experience.
Options and Ideas for Outdoor Living Spaces
Decks: They can be simple – one level and rectangular – or they can be multi-level with custom shapes. They can be with or without a roof or awning, and made of one of several composite or engineered building materials that offer longer life and require little to no maintenance.
Patios: Being at ground level, patios are perfect for integrating your home with your landscaping, which can offer shade, privacy, fragrance and beauty to your time outdoors. There are a tremendous number of building material choices – man-made and natural – for patios. You may like the variety, color predictability and cost that man-made products like brick, pavers, and poured surfaces offer or you may prefer the warmth and blending of colors and textures of natural stone.
Lighting: What lets you really expand the hours of enjoyment your outdoor living space affords is lighting. But it can do much more than keep you from tripping over the cat in the dark. Exterior illumination can be done in a creative way, as dim or bright as you want, that sets a mood and adds drama to your home. It pays to consider the lighting design as carefully as you consider the design of your deck or patio.
Cooking: If you are not doing at least some cooking outside, you are really missing out! Your options range from the purist's favorite charcoal grill to a gourmet cook's dream outdoor kitchen with a mega gas grill, sink, refrigerator, icemaker, counter space for food prep and serving, storage cabinets, a fireplace or fire pit, and more.
Shade: Whether you love to bask in the sun or would just prefer to sit in the shade, you have options...lots of them! At one end of the spectrum, you might opt for just a freestanding umbrella to provide spot shade, or you may like the flexibility of a retractable awning or sunshade. For a more permanent solution, you may wish to have part of the space under a roof, pergola or gazebo (or even screened in).
Accessibility/Universal Design: When designing an outdoor living space, consider building in some universal design features for maximum accessibility for all. Always provide secure hand rails for stairs and consider low-rise steps. Low-threshold doorways and levers instead of doorknobs are excellent options.
You will get years and years of enjoyment from your investment in your outdoor living space if you take the time to plan it out, design it right and build it for low maintenance and long life. Call us if you have any questions or if you are ready to add some outdoor living space to your life.
Maintenance Tip: Storing Pool and Lawn Supplies Safely
Swimming pool and lawn chemicals can be dangerous if not handled properly. Store the chemicals in their original labeled containers in a cool, dry, well-ventilated place, preferably in a covered area to avoid exposure to storm water or runoff. Keep different chemicals separated and in undamaged containers to prevent leaks and spills, and out of the reach of children and pets. Always dispose of deteriorating, unwanted or unlabeled pool and lawn chemicals safely, as you would any hazardous waste.
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See you next month!
Mike Winn |
