3 Essential Elements to Incorporate Into Your Outdoor Space
Outdoor living that incorporates indoor comfort is all the rage this season-and it’s no question as to why. Homeowners across the United States are getting ready for summer by turning their outdoor spaces into extensions of their homes; they intend to blend the best of the great outdoors with the most comfortable aspects of their interior space.
Fortunately, it’s easy to capitalize on this trend. Make the most of your summer by reading the tips listed in the rest of this blog, and then get in touch with home improvement specialists in the area to make your dreams for cozy outdoor living a reality.
- Cooking Appliances
If you plan to entertain in your outdoor space, you can simplify your life by adding a kitchen and cooking area. You won’t have to run back and forth between your indoor kitchen and your backyard patio-instead, stay outside with your guests or enjoy the ambiance of cooking outdoors.
Adding a cooking appliance can be as simple as purchasing a portable barbecue. If you rent your home or apartment, a portable appliance will let you create a comfortable outdoor space without making permanent changes to your rented property.
If you own your home, you can make more extensive changes that both fit your needs and increase your home’s resale value. For instance, along with setting up a space for your portable barbecue, you can add an outdoor fire pit to roast hot dogs and s’mores or to stay cozy on summer nights.
If you plan to spend a lot of time cooking in your outdoor space, go a step further and build an outdoor kitchen complete with islands and countertops. Consider a built-in grill, an outdoor refrigerator, and a stainless-steel outdoor sink. You can even add luxurious elements like built-in wine coolers or ice machines.
You’ll have to take good care of these appliances if you live in Utah or any place with a cold, snowy winter. Either learn how to clean and store these appliances for the winter, or enclose and heat your deck or patio so you can enjoy outdoor cooking year-round.
- Furniture
As you choose deck, patio, or lawn furniture, consider your outdoor space’s purpose. If you have an outdoor kitchen or barbecue, you’ll certainly need a table and chairs. If you want to use your outdoor space primarily to relax, you might want one or two comfortable chairs or a hammock to swing back and forth on. If you want to host cocktail parties, you’ll need several small tables more than you’ll need one large dining table.
When you’re choosing outdoor furniture, you should privilege three things: comfort, durability, and style. With indoor furniture, you don’t have to worry about the fabric or frame being damaged by the elements. Outdoor furniture needs to combine strong, stain-resistant materials with a beautiful look.
Before you purchase your furniture, take a seat-depending on the material you choose, you could end up investing a lot of money in your outdoor space. You don’t want to be saddled with uncomfortable furniture that disrupts your relaxation.
If you want your outdoor furniture to last for a long time, choose strong materials like cedar, wicker, teak, and metal. You can always invest in a cheap, easy-to-maintain material like plastic, but this furniture will likely fade and crack after a year or two.
Don’t forget to consider where and how you’ll store your furniture for the winter. Don’t buy more furniture than you have space to store.
- Heating Elements
Even during hot Utah summers, the nights get chilly. If you want to extend the amount of time you can spend outdoors, add a fire pit or outdoor fireplace. You’ll be able to enjoy your outdoor space well into fall, early in the spring, and later at night than you would otherwise. Fireplaces also work well if your backyard has a pool-they make it easy to warm up after a twilight swim.
You have several choices when it comes to outdoor heating elements:
- Fireplaces. Most homeowners choose gas fireplaces, but you can also choose electric or even pellet-burning fireplaces to warm up your outdoor space.
- Fire pits. Fireplaces often look more traditional than fire pits, but fire pits can look as traditional or as unique and contemporary as you want.
- Patio heaters. These more portable options work well for renters. If you want a more permanent option, choose a wall-mounted heater.
Remember that when you design your outdoor space, you don’t want to simply design for summer. You might not use your deck in the dead of winter, but you’ll definitely see your outdoor space-even if it’s just a glimpse out the window-all year long. Place your fireplace or fire pit in a central location, and choose a material that stands out against bright green foliage and deep, white snow.
Beautify Your Space
When you incorporate these three elements into your outdoor space, you can make your backyard, patio, or deck just as luxurious and comfortable as your indoor space. Talk to local home improvement, interior design, and fireplace companies to get started on your perfect backyard today.