Your outdoor living space can be anything from a small patio to a multi-level deck perfect for relaxing, reading, dining, or a special event with friends and family. Options you can add include elegant lighting, a screened porch, outdoor kitchen, fireplace or a fire pit. An outdoor living upgrade can be very affordable per square foot and it adds a whole new dimension to the enjoyment you get from your home.
Your Outdoor Lifestyle
The highest priority is to create just the right outdoor living space for your family and lifestyle. Do you want to entertain friends with some impressive gourmet grilling, gather the neighborhood kids for s’mores and ghost stories, or just relax with your feet up and a tall, cold drink?
Decks: Decks can be custom-designed in many shapes and sizes. A deck can be a simple single-level rectangle or a multi-level feature that wraps around the home. Having a roof or awning over at least a portion of the deck is a great way to enjoy it even when the weather isn’t cooperating. There are several composite or engineered building materials to choose from that offer longer life and require little-to-no maintenance.
Patios: Ground level patios are perfect for integrating your home with your landscaping, which can provide shade and privacy to your time outdoors. There are lots of man-made and natural building material choices for patios. You may like the variety, color predictability and cost that man-made products like brick, pavers, and stamped concrete surfaces offer. For a more organic approach, you may prefer the warmth and blending of colors and textures of natural materials, like slate or flagstone.
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 large gas grill, prep sink, refrigerator, icemaker, counter space for food prep and serving, storage cabinets, and more.
Lighting: The thing that lets you really expand the hours of enjoyment your outdoor living space affords is lighting. While it’s important to factor in the safety that deck or patio lighting provides, creative lighting can do much more than keep you from tripping over the cat in the dark. Exterior illumination sets the mood and can provide drama by highlighting architectural and garden features.
Photo courtesy Kichler Lighting
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 a freestanding market umbrella to provide spot shade. Or if your neighborhood allows, you may like the flexibility of a retractable awning or sunshade. For a more permanent solution, cover part of the space with a roof, pergola or gazebo.
Accessibility/Universal Design: When designing an outdoor living space, you should 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 of enjoyment from your investment in outdoor living space if you take the time to plan it out, and have it designed and built 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 home.