Category Archives: Events and Happenings

The National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) has named their top 12 remodeling trends for 2011 and we are happy to see outdoor living spaces as number 4. It doesn’t come as a surprise to us here at Outdoor Environments that homeowners are looking for more ways to enjoy their backyards.

Outdoor Environments

Whether you are looking for a new deck, gazebo, arbor, hot tub and spa enclosure, a screened patio or a 4-season room we can help fulfill your outdoor living needs for 2011.

Give Outdoor Environments a call at 913.897.2706 for more information.

We were recently honored to have won the 2010 Deckorators Best Deck Contest. According to Deckorators^®, a leading manufacturer of products to enhance your outdoor living space, “the amazingly versatile deck from Richard DeVuyst of Overland Park, Kansas separated itself from the rest by showcasing a depth of pre-planning and innovation to create a series of decks that integrate flawlessly.”

Our multi-level, composite wood deck featured a firepit, outdoor kitchen, fourseason room, ceramic tile bar rail, sunken hot tub and built in planters. Our stained wood railing with Deckorators balusters surrounded this award-winning deck. See the photos below of our entry.

Outdoor Environments' Award-Winning Deck

Outdoor Environments' Award-Winning Deck

Outdoor Environments' Award-Winning Deck

A special thank you to Deckorators for awarding us the Grand Prize in your Best Deck Contest!

For more information on Outdoor Environments please visit us online at Outdoorenvironments.com or give us a call at 913-897-2706.

Holiday season is upon us and at Outdoor Environments we wanted to make sure that you will have not only a Happy Thanksgiving, but a safe one. With all the cooking being done on Thursday for your Thanksgiving Day feast we wanted to give you some tips on how to avoid indoor and outdoor kitchen fires.

When frying a turkey please make sure that you cook it outdoors for safety purposes. Below is a short clip from KCTV 5 featuring our friends at Overland Park Fire Station 1. For more tips please visit KCTV5.com.

Outdoor Environments’ own Dick DeVuyst was recently interviewed for the November issue of Kansas City Homes and Gardens’ article titled All Aglow. In it Dick talks about extending the outdoor living season well into fall by creating a fire element. Whether you decide to use a chiminea, outdoor fireplace, fire pit or outdoor kitchen a fire can help keep you warm on those cold Kansas City nights.

Dick tells KCH&G that “Fire and human beings are attracted to each other. It automatically gets people out of the house.” Let Outdoor Environments help you spend more time outdoors this holiday season by “adding the warm glow of a fire.”

For more information please give us a call at 913-897-2706.

Outdoor Environments

A special thank you to Veronica Toney with Kansas City Homes and Gardens.

As you can see we have made some changes to the look of our blog. And we want to know what you think. The new layout allows us to engage more with our readers and lets you see more of our posts on the home page.

Some of the changes include:

1. A new flash box at the top of our blog that previews our featured posts.

2. We have provided you with an excerpt of each post so that we can feature more content on our home page.

3. Easier social networking buttons for Facebook “like” and Twitter “tweet”.

Leave us a comment and let us know if you “like” the changes.

Halloween is ten days away and we wanted to help you get your outdoor living environment ready for the big night! From the sophisticated to the spooky the front entry is where all the action happens on Halloween night. See some of our favorite outdoor décor ideas to make your Halloween a memorable one.

From My Home Ideas

We love how the homeowners numbered the pumpkins to display their address.

From Better Homes and Gardens

Go ahead and hang a Halloween inspired wreath on your front door. This orange wreath from My Home Ideas is not only perfect for Halloween, but will look great for the rest of the fall season.

From My Home Ideas

Wheel out the pumpkins and gourds this Halloween.

From Better Homes and Gardens

This cutout of a witch stirring her witches’ brew will create some fright in your front yard.

From My Home Ideas

How do you decorate your outdoors for Halloween?

The Kansas City Parade of Homes begins this weekend, Saturday, October 2^nd and will run through Sunday, October 17^th.  The Parade of Homes has been providing the metropolitan Kansas City area with the latest in homes for the last six decades. Homes featured on the Parade of Homes have been divided into four markets to satisfy any home buyer- Urban, Kansas, Missouri North and Missouri South. There are 199 homes on this year’s Parade of Homes so visit KCParadeofhomes.com for the latest information such as price, location, builder, floor plan and subdivision. Below is some information from the Home Builders Association of Greater Kansas City about the Parade of Homes.

Features:

• 199 brand new homes ranging from single-family homes, townhomes, and condominiums throughout the Greater Kansas City metropolitan area.

• Homes are open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. during this two-week event and admission to all homes on the tour is free.

• Free copies of the Parade Guide are available at each home on the Parade and at the Home Builders Association (after Sept. 30) office located at the northwest corner of Interstate 435 and Holmes Road on 103^rd Street.

• Look for the red and white directional arrows leading to each participating new-home community.

Schools are starting back this month and summer break is beginning to wind down in Kansas. We might have a couple of months left of warm weather before fall sets in, but with school in session, our outdoor living will be reduced to a couple of hours on the weekend.

Outdoor Kitchen by Outdoor Environments

Make the most of summer by hosting a back-to-school barbecue and fire up the grill with this delicious recipe from the Food Network.

The Neely’s Kansas City Style Pork Ribs
Ingredients

• 2 slabs pork spare ribs, 3 pounds each
• Kansas City Barbeque Sauce, recipe follows

Dry Rub:

• 2 cups brown sugar
• 1/2 cup dry mustard
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Remove the thin white membrane off of the bone-side of the ribs. Mix together the brown sugar, dry mustard, cayenne, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Massage the rub into the ribs and let sit for 1 hour or up to overnight.If cooking on the grill, place the ribs meat-side down next to medium-hot coals that are about 225° F. The indirect heat will cook them slower, making them tender. Allow to cook for 1 hour. Turn ribs every half hour and baste with the Kansas City Barbeque Sauce. Cook until the ribs are tender, about 3 to 4 hours.  

If cooking indoors, place in a roasting pan with a rack. Slather the ribs with the Kansas City Barbeque Sauce and tent a piece of aluminum foil over them. In a preheated 350° F. oven, place the ribs, basting with the sauce every 30 minutes and removing the foil for the last 30 minutes and cooking until fork tender, about 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

Kansas City Barbeque Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 (about 2/3 cup)small onion, finely diced
• 3 cups water
• 1 cup (2 (6-ounce) cans) tomato paste
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2/3 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

In a small sauce pot on medium-high heat, heat the oil and add the onion, cooking until translucent.

Add the remaining ingredients in a large bowl and mix together. Add to sauce pan and let simmer for 30 to 45 minutes. Use to baste the pork spare ribs.

Yield: 3 cups

We are proud to support our local Stilwell 4^th of July parade.  Can you think of anything more American that a parade?  The parade is from 6pm to 7pm followed by a pot luck dinner and the grand finale will be the fireworks at 9pm.  Please join us in celebrating July 4^th!

Below are some photos from last year’s parade.

The fun doesn’t end after the fireworks, later we head over to a friend’s house where we partake in a good old fashioned bonfire.

Today, June 21st, officially kicks off the first day of summer, which is also known as Summer Solstice.  Summer Solstice is the longest day and the shortest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.  Our daylight hours will be getting shorter and shorter, so make sure you spend some quality time outdoors tonight!

See below how others are celebrating the first day of summer.  New Yorkers practiced some yoga moves in Times Square as they celebrated Summer Solstice with the eighth annual “Solstice in Times Square”.

How will you be celebrating Summer?