Looking for a new wood floors? This 20-page guide can help you explore flooring styles and options as you narrow down your favorite floors.
Simple Ways to Upgrade Your Outdoor Space for Summer
Summer is just a few weeks away. Depending on where you are located you have probably focused most of your attention on the interior of your home — cleaning your hardwood floors, spring cleaning of closets and mudrooms, packing away skis and snowshoes.
But, if you have any kind of exterior space to work with, get it ready for summer and create that backyard oasis you have always wanted. It is time to enjoy the outside of your home as much as you enjoy the inside of your home.
Upgrading Your Exterior
Upgrading your exterior space may be as simple as investing in new patio furniture and outdoor décor. Lay out a new outdoor rug, add colorful accent pillows to your outdoor sofa, or invest in some seasonal décor like plants and seashells. These kind of accents are an effective and economical way to personalize the space to make it fit in with the style of your space, your personality and how you entertain. Look for ideas on luxedecor.com.
For some, it could be an investment in a complete outdoor kitchen — a trend that has been on the rise as people look to extend their living areas and create entertainment spaces in and outside their home. It’s estimated that an outdoor kitchen can add as much as 130% of their cost to the purchase price of a home, according to the National Association of Home Builders, so it is a smart investment if you are planning to sell your home in the next couple years — “just be sure to put it on the market at the start of summer, when people will be looking for that kind of amenity in a home” says Sally Slater, in the NY Times Market Ready interview.
A pergola is a great addition to an outdoor space. They are particularly helpful if you live in an area with intense heat. For added privacy, or to create a more luxurious feel incorporate some custom curtain panels, above or around the pergola that you can adjust as desired.
You can also enclose the pergola, so the area is accessible rain or shine. If you don’t want to permanently enclose the pergola you can install a retractable canopy.
Once you are done considering what to do with your furniture and above you, also consider what you are walking on underfoot. Normally, you wouldn’t install traditional wide plank flooring outdoors, but you can get beautiful wood floor decking. It is available in durable species like Mahogany, Ipe or Teak. You may also want to consider brick or stone pavers. They can be found in patterns and colors that emulate Mediterranean, Spanish, contemporary or traditional styles.
One investment you can make in your outdoor space is building or installing a fire pit. Whether you are a kid at heart or have kids to entertain, there is nothing as relaxing as sitting by a warm fire on a cool summer night — roasting smores are an added bonus!
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