Outdoor features are popular among home buyers or renters, and homeowners because of their seamless blending of charm and functionality. As winter wraps up and you begin daydreaming about jazzing up your outdoor space, here are 7 crowd pleasing features to keep in mind:
1. Outdoor Fire Pit or Fireplace
One of the most popular outdoor features is a fire pit. At its most basic level, a fire pit provides warmth to a chilly night or frosty day. Beyond that, fire pits bring people together. The low warm lighting creates a cozy ambiance beckoning people to gather around the fire. And as every child knows, a fire pit means S’mores! Whether you have a fire pit or a fireplace, any fire feature will be the focal point for your outdoor living.
2. Built-in Built-In Barbeque/Grill/Outdoor Kitchen
When it comes to outdoor living, just about everyone thinks of food. Whether its S’mores, wine, burgers and hotdogs, kabobs, or a charcuterie plate, outdoor living means outdoor eating. Plus, if you are able to cook outdoors during a party or BBQ, you’ll never miss out on the action! There are two main ways to make your outdoor living space chef-friendly: have a grill or BBQ built-into your hardscape or have a full kitchen designed into the space. Which option you choose is purely dependent on the type of cooking you’ll be doing, how much prep space will be needed, and how much space you have for your design. Either way, your guests will be thrilled with your outdoor living space’s easy access to food!
3. Outdoor Living Space
Now that we’ve covered food and fire, like the cavemen that we are, it’s time to move on to comfort and elegance! In recent years we’ve seen a growing trend towards blurring the lines between indoor and outdoor living. More and more people are requesting built-in seating, large comfy outdoor furniture, and all the fixings of a living room—but for outside. Functionally, an outdoor living space is a dream, providing seating and flat surfaces for all your friends and their food. In addition, outdoor living rooms make it easier and more comfortable to enjoy daily life outside. When you have two living rooms, and one of them is in the sunlight, you take your laptop and coffee outside! Pro tip: be sure to include electrical outlets in your living space design so that you’re never confined to the indoors by a power cord.
4. Outdoor TV
Seeing as your indoor living room likely has a TV, wouldn’t it be great if your outdoor living room did too? Sure it would! By including electrical wiring and hookups for a TV in your outdoor designs, you ensure that game day, Oscars night, HGTV, etc. are not limited to the indoors. With your comfy seating and outdoor TV, your parties, gatherings, and quiet nights are sure to be a smash hit.
5. Outdoor Speaker System
If you love music, you will definitely want to have an outdoor speaker system. Whether it’s one precisely placed speaker or an entire fleet of base-boosting surround sound mega-machines, bringing your music outdoors is a great way to jazz up your outdoor space. Now guests will be able to request songs, dance, and share their new finds with you all without leaving their spot by the fire.
6. Built-in Shade Structure
We’ve talked about combatting the cold, but what if its really really hot where you live? How do you make your outdoor space enjoyable? Simple: install a shade structure. This can be accomplished in several ways. (1) Extend your roof line to slope over your outdoor living space. (2) Build a pergola or permanent covering over the space. (3) Implement the use of awnings, shade canvases, or sails to combat the heat. Any of the options will help keep your guests protected from the blaze of the sun. You may even go a step further, adding fans or misters within your shade structure.
7. Privacy Structure
Imagine, you and your pals are enjoying a glass of wine in your cozy outdoor seating area when your neighbor decides to go nude sunbathing. You have two options: move homes immediately or find some way to separate your eyeballs from your neighbor’s activities. The latter seems more practical, so privacy here we come! One of the main concerns people have with a privacy structure is that it will be a big eye sore. But, with modern techniques and designs, that’s just simply not the case anymore. You can do wonders with bamboo, tall bushes, trellises, pre-cast concrete geometric blocks, decorative fencing and so much more! Using these options will give you the privacy you desire without compromising your sight line and openness.
Whether you’re looking to add all, a few, or just one of these outdoor ideas, our capable team is standing by to make your outdoor dreams into your outdoor reality. Give the All-Terrain Landscaping team a call at 970-304-1183 to talk more.
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