Outdoor Environments Blog

Photo: Amy Neunsinger

Beautiful decks aren’t just for the warmer seasons anymore. Easily make your patio or deck a warm and cozy oasis for entertaining guests or a soothing space to enjoy yourself.

• Lighting is an important element. With cooler months bringing us less light, it’s important to have an adequate amount of lighting. Set the mood with soft yellow) for an intimate feel, or use white solar lights provide a brighter, high-energy vibe.

• Candles easily add ambience and decor with lanterns or hurricanes. Also use different height candles to add visual depth and color.

• Baskets are a perfect (and versatile) way to accent your room. Coat your basket with either acrylic or outdoor paint and fill it with magazines or throws.

• Plants bring life to any deck. Surround yourself with fall-friendly plants such as Plentifall pansies, bluestars, and mums.

• Firepits are a great addition to any patio to celebrate cold weather.

Want an amazing deck or patio of your very own? For the Kansas City deck or patio to enhance your home, contact Outdoor Environments, a certified contractor in Overland Park. Visit us online at www.outdoorenvironments.com or call 913-897-2706.

Photo Credit: http://amyneunsinger.com/

Photo Courtesy of: www.cabinstain.com

Your entire backyard is a work of art, landscaped and decorated just the way you have always imagined. And you have a schedule for keeping it that way. You regularly clean your outside furniture, repot your plants and reseed your lawn, well what about the deck? Don’t forget it also needs maintenance. A good seasonal cleaning and re-sealing will go a long way in insuring your deck will last for many years to come.

• Sweep the deck thoroughly and then use a putty knife to clean the dirt out from the spaces between the boards. If not removed, leaves and pine needles will rot in between the boards, eventually affecting the boards themselves.
• Either purchase a deck cleaning product or use a mixture of half bleach and half warm water to scrub the deck. This will kill any algae or mildew. If your deck is oversized you might want to consider using a pressure washer for this step. Any vegetation surrounding the deck needs to be covered before applying the bleach mixture.
• Rinse thoroughly to remove all remaining debris and bleach. Wait several days for the deck to completely dry then apply a stain or waterproof sealer. This can be done with either a foam roller, brush or stain pad.
• Let the deck dry completely before replacing furniture, planters and grills.

Now that your deck is cleaned and sealed, add deck maintenance to your schedule to be done at least twice a year.

Photo: http://www.cabotstain.com/

The temperature has started to drop but that doesn’t mean you have to move all your entertaining indoors. Many backyard patios now have a built-in fire pit or a portable chiminia making outdoor gatherings possible right up until that first snow fall. But nothing is more frustrating than a fire that just won’t light. Listed below are some helpful tips to get that fire roaring in no time!

Image Courtesy of : www.thisoldhouse.com

• While it’s important to clean your pit out after every use, always leave about ½ inch of ash in the bottom. This old ash acts as insulation and helps capture the heat pushing it back to the top.
• Small pieces of dry wood called kindling is the first step. Place the first layer of kindling all going in the same direction and then stack several additional layers in alternating directions.
• For best results insert a fire starter into the center of the stack. You can purchase logs of compressed sawdust or make your own out of newspaper rolls.
• Light the starter which will then start the kindling burning. Normally a fire with just kindling will last about 15-30 minutes.
• For a longer lasting fire, after the kindling is totally engaged place larger logs on in the same pattern as the kindling. Continue to add larger pieces through-out the evening as needed.

Remember that safety is paramount. Don’t leave the fire unattended anytime during the evening and make sure it’s completely out before retiring for the night.

Photo: http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/how-to/intro/0,,1636191,00.html

Yes, it’s getting chilly and soon the Kansas City area will be seeing its first snow fall of the season but it’s not too early to start designing your outdoor space to enjoy in the spring.

Outdoor Environments working hand in hand with their clients have designed and constructed hundreds of outdoor living spaces since 1991. We believe that exceeding client expectations is the norm and work hard to achieve this during each and every project.

Charter members of the Kansas City National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) and members of the Home Builder’s Association of Greater Kansas City, we have many local and national awards to our credit, showcasing both our commitment to our customers and our outstanding industry wide reputation.

Outdoor Environments provide innovative and creative solutions to your high-end custom outside living needs. Tell us what you are looking to achieve and through our years of experience, we will work to make your ideas a reality. From decks to full outdoor kitchens, duel use outdoor rooms to fire pits, if you can dream it, we can create it!

Ready to get started? Call us today at 913-897-2706 and let’s schedule an appointment!

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Photo: http://outdoorenvironments.com/

Fall is here and that means those cold winter days are right around the corner. And now is the time to get your outdoor patio or room ready for the harsher weather.

• Don’t leave your outdoor furniture exposed to the elements. If you don’t have an enclosed space like a basement where it can be stored then you may want to consider fitted covers to help extend your furniture’s life. Scrub each piece with warm soapy water. Dry thoroughly and tie the cover to each leg securely.
• Follow the same procedure when storing the grill. Thoroughly clean both inside and out. If the grill is gas and you plan on leaving it inside an enclosed space it is important to remove the propane tank.
• If you have an outdoor kitchen bring all kitchen and dining utensils and equipment inside. Disconnect and clean out the refrigerator. Turn off all outside water sources to sinks, icemakers and dishwashers.
• Store all bags of potting soil and gardening tools in an enclosed area. Turn all unused pots upside down so they can’t fill with rainwater or snow. Disconnect and drain hoses, coil neatly and put in a covered space so they won’t freeze and crack.

Photo: http://patiodesigndepot.com/outdoor-patio-furniture-cover-set/

If the turning of the seasons is inspiring you to make a little change around your sunroom, consider home accessories for autumn.

• Fresh oranges. The pillows and tangerine statuettes in the image below show that orange is not always pumpkin-ish.

• Floral. A spice-colored selection of flowers is creatively arranged in an artichoke.

• Candles. For festive light, make you own branch candle arrangement with floating tea lights or obtain a pumpkin chai candle from Nest.

• Wreath. Grains wreath by Williams-Sonoma looks great through fall and winter.

A picture is worth a thousand words. Follow Outdoor Environments on Facebook to see more informative before and after shots like these!

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AFTER OUTDOOR ENVIRONMENTS

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Since 1991, Outdoor Environments has designed and constructed hundreds of decks and outdoor living projects in the Kansas City area. We are charter members of the Kansas City National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) as well as the Home Builder’s Association of Greater Kansas City.

According to the most recent Home Design Trends Survey from the American Institute of Architects (AIA), outdoor living areas/outdoor rooms are some of the more popular special function spaces. This reflects a growing emphasis on active, practical family lifestyles.

In the backyard, the water reclamation trend has grown in the past year. Low-maintenance, low-irrigation landscaping continues to be important as well. Perhaps this trend is informed by the creative and amenity-filled outdoor living spaces seen in leading magazines.

Architectural Digest featured an outdoor fireplace, ample seating, and waterfall in a Santa Monica, California home.

Image via Architectural Digest. Architect: Marc Appleton and associate Paul Williger

While Elle Decor shows a Santa Barbara, CA pool area that feels like a water park.

Image via Elle Decor. Photo: Jim Bartsch. Credit: Courtesy of ORO Editions

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For ideas regarding outdoor rooms in Kansas City, click here to view Outdoor Environments’ Portfolio!

Many of the nation’s leading design magazines and websites are featuring wooden barrels this season as planters and other decorative objects. Using a vintage barrel is eco-friendly and adds character. Let’s have a look at inspirational images:

•  Barrel water garden. Country Living magazine featured a “Whiskey-Barrel Water Garden,” which is sealed on the inside.

Image via Country Living

• Barrel tables. Affordable and fun, barrels can be used as either side tables or something large. The popular website My Sweet and Saucey even showed a banquet being given on a long whiskey barrel dining table.

Image via My Sweet and Saucy

•  Barrel planters. A creative arrangement atop a barrel makes for an impressive statement, as the chic blog 100 Layer Cake demonstrates.

Image via 100 Layer Cake

As the leaves drop and a chill enters the air, homeowners are giving their decks and patios an autumnal feel with decorations. Here are some that inspire:

• Planter. Pumpkins and gourds transform a planter. Pottery Barn takes the concept to new heights with its Bicycle Planter.

Image via Pottery Barn

• Wreath. For exterior doors, a wreath in earth tones and spice tones conveys the flavor of fall. The Pumpkin Patch Wreath by Williams-Sonoma is a fine example.

Image via Williams-Sonoma

• Natural. Bales of hay and other beautifully humble natural items make for a warm and friendly outdoor gathering, as this image from Country Living demonstrates.

Image via Country Living