Tag Archives: outdoor living

outdoor living

5 Ideas for Outdoor Living Spaces Perfect for Those Chicago Summers

With summer just around the corner, many Chicagoans are thinking about barbeques, fire pits, and enjoying the night sky from their backyards. Below are five creative ideas for outdoor living spaces that are sure to make those Chicago summers more enjoyable.

Outdoor Kitchen

Kitchens are some of the most popular outdoor living spaces, and they continue to grow more sophisticated with every passing year. You might opt for a fully functional outdoor stove and oven, but even a simple firepit with a grilling grate can serve this purpose. For the best results, focus most of your efforts on creating a comfortable dining space and ensuring that you have plenty of space for storing and serving food.

Firepit & Seating Area

The classic fire pit is a welcome accessory in every yard. It can serve as a gathering place for families to roast marshmallows and tell ghost stories, or it can keep you warm as you curl up in a comfortable chair with a delightful book. Fire pits come in all shapes, sizes, and finishes, so there is something for everyone, whether you prefer a sleek industrial design or something a little more rustic. Choose a location for your firepit, install some outdoor seating, and you will have an instant outdoor living space that you are sure to love.

Garden Nook

While it is true that most outdoor living spaces exist close to the main structure of the home, there is no rule that says you can’t create a garden nook several yards away from your back door. You can place a beautiful gazebo in your yard, then add comfortable seating. You can use a walkway that opens into a clearing, then hang a romantic swing from a strong tree branch. You can even create a hardscaped patio in an area surrounded by shrubs, flowers, and trees, then use lounge chairs to create a spa-like getaway. The possibilities are endless.

A Relaxing Pool

While pools are not as popular now as they were 10 or 20 years ago, the demand is on the rise once again. In-ground pools are some of the most desirable, but an above-ground pool can be just as exciting. Most pool areas are surrounded by concrete, but in recent years, homeowners have been opting to recreate a spa-like experience by surrounding their pools with plants and rocks rather than obviously manmade concrete. You can even put a fire pit in the same area so that you can get out of the pool and warm yourself by the fire on those chilly Chicago nights.

Outdoor Family Room

Finally, an outdoor family room gives you the opportunity to relax outdoors with your whole family. Outdoor-safe furniture like sofas, chairs, and tables provide a place to play games, talk about your day, and just enjoy each other’s company. The most popular outdoor family rooms are set up like traditional living rooms, with furniture that faces an outdoor fireplace. It is cozy, warm, and highly enjoyable, and it can improve your home’s resale value, too.

From pools and family rooms to secluded garden nooks, there is no shortage of opportunity to create beautiful outdoor living spaces. Whether you have a sprawling lawn or a tiny urban lawn, there are plenty of ways to maximize your space and make it functional for your family’s needs.

 

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Popular Outdoor Living Space Trends Happening Right Now

Are you ready to transform your plain and ordinary backyard into an entertainment oasis that your friends and the whole family will be able to enjoy? If so, you may be feeling overwhelmed at the sheer number of options that are available regarding furniture, décor, appliances, and other accessories.

Take a look at some of the trends that are currently happening in outdoor living spaces around the country:

Welcoming the Gnomes

If you’ve been looking for something fun that will add a little magic to your outdoor living area, garden gnomes may be the answer. Get the whole family involved in choosing a gnome and deciding where to place it in the yard – several different and exciting accessories are now available as well, such as miniature bridges, towers, gates, and stone pathways to make these fellas feel more at home.

Incorporating a Vertical Garden

With properties becoming smaller and smaller, it makes perfect sense for homeowners to maximize every inch of space they have – especially where gardening is concerned. Gardens that grow upwards instead of outwards not only save a ton of space; they add a lovely aesthetic to a home’s outdoor living area as well. Be sure to choose plant varieties that are best suited to the hardiness zone you live in, as this will ensure that they thrive once established.

Including Concrete Furniture

Concrete bench seating, tables, and fire pits have become more popular than ever because they are naturally weather-resistant and easy to keep clean – meaning that they will last a long time. Outdoor cushions can always be provided to add a little extra seating comfort.

Don’t Forget the Outdoor Kitchen

Nothing says summer like being able to prepare as many of your meals as possible out in the fresh air – and having an outdoor kitchen installed will allow you to do just this. When designing your outdoor kitchen, choose finishes and appliances that will handle the local climate and that you know you’ll use regularly.

Take your Office Outside

With the working from home trend looking set to continue indefinitely for many individuals, it makes sense to transform a part of a patio, terrace, or balcony area into an outdoor office. This area can be fitted out with weatherproof furniture and even an outside umbrella if there’s no roof over your outdoor living space. A quiet water feature can be added to provide a sense of relaxation that will help you focus on your work.

Now is the perfect time to start getting your outdoor living space prepared for the summer, which is just around the corner. If you would like to learn more about updating this area of your home, contact our team today.

7 Things You Can Start Doing Right Now To Get Your Outdoor Living Space Ready For Summer

Has your home’s outdoor living space seen better days or are you wanting to simply give it a facelift before summer arrives? Chances are that you may not know where to start – especially with summer arriving in just a few weeks.

Here are seven ways in which you can update your outdoor living space:

Install New Lighting

This is by far the easiest way to enhance the appearance of your outdoor living area and several weatherproof fixtures are available nowadays. If your patio area is small, a simple set of string lights will work wonders. A larger area can be lit up with slightly bigger fittings – and in many cases, solar options are now available.

New Accents Make a Difference

Is your budget super tight at the moment? If so, replacing accents such as seat cushions and throws can make a huge difference in improving the appearance and vibe of your patio area – without breaking the bank. Ensure that waterproof fabrics are chosen, as this will help them last longer.

Add Some Shade and Privacy

If you are looking for a way to bring some shade to your patio or deck but still want to see the stars at night, consider adding a pergola.  Adding a pergola also makes it easy to add curtains to any side of your outdoor space to provide more privacy when needed.

Add an Area Rug

Adding an area rug to your outdoor living space will help give it a brand-new look at a cost-effective price. If money is tight, purchasing a cheap stencil and some spray paint will give even the plainest rug a fabulous facelift.

Decorate your Deck

Has your deck surface seen better days? Instead of replacing it or covering it with a boring coat of plain varnish, why not stencil a design on it and paint it with weatherproof paint instead? Your imagination is the limit here and it’s a project that you can allow the kids to help with as well.

Create a Cool Fire Pit Cover

Virtually no one will want to sit around a fire pit on a scorching summer day – unless, of course, you have the grate do double duty by painting a board game surface on the top side of it. Family and friends will still be able to gather around the fire pit and spend quality time together this way.

Clear Away Clutter

Before inviting guests over, ensure that all clutter such as garden tools, unused outdoor toys, and anything else that doesn’t belong in your yard is packed away. If you don’t have a garage, consider using seating that doubles up as storage space for this purpose.

Preparing your outdoor living area for the upcoming summer season need not cost a lot. In fact, some of the more affordable updates will often provide the most visual appeal. If you’re looking to expand your outdoor living space and aren’t sure how to get started, get in touch with us today.