Outdoor Environments Blog

A grand way to welcome your guests this season is with an entryway arbor! A custom arbor can be added to most pathways, door ways and other areas that lead guests right into your home.

• Arbors can easily be decorated with greenery, roses and even mistletoe to create a true holiday spirit.
• For a really charming arbor entry, a gate or fence may be added as well.
• A nicely decorate arbor is a unique way to decorate outdoor for neighbors to see.

Here are some examples of beautiful entryway arbors from Better Homes & Gardens :

Although arbors are available in boxed kits, it’s definitely worth it to invest in a custom built arbor just for your home. Call Outdoor Environments at 913-897-2706 to discuss the possibilities of building an entryway arbor for your home today!

We’ve written before about the advantages of using fireplaces and fire pits to heat your outdoor living areas as the weather gets colder. No matter which one you choose, they both offer a number of benefits. But let’s not forget that there are certain safety precautions that should be taken to keep your loved ones and your property safe. Here are some tips from the Journal Sentinel:

1. Follow all directions when setting up your fireplace or firepit.
2. Don’t place the firepit within 10 feet of a structure or under low-hanging tree limbs.
3. Don’t have a fire on a windy night.
4. Use a spark screen if possible.
5. Never leave a fire unattended. When calling it a night, make sure the fire is out.
6. Make sure you have a fire extinguisher on hand and a garden hose nearby before you light the fire.
7. Don’t let children run or play near the fire or heat source.
8. Make sure you have a first aid kit on hand and read up ahead of time about how to treat burns.
9. Don’t place a firepit on a wooden deck without proper precautions.

Outdoor Environments can help you to figure out what outdoor heating features would be ideal for your deck or patio. Contact us today to learn more!

Image from Decor Pad

Fall is a season of preparation. There are many things that need to be done before the frosty cold winter sets in. If you’re a homeowner with a patio, now is the time to start getting things in order before it’s too late. Taking certain precautions now will help to make things easier when the warm spring rolls around again. Here are some tips from Houzz on fall chores that’ll help to winterize your patio.

1. Clean and store patio furniture.
2. Scrub patio cushions.
3. Clean off the grill.
4. Store garden tools and accessories.
5. Clean off hammocks.
6. Clean and store umbrellas.
7. Freshen up the base of your patio by power washing it.
8. Continue to enjoy your patio!

In what other ways do you prepare your patio for the winter season?

Image from BHG

You might already have a deck or patio attached to your home. If you need a new addition to your home’s exterior, a shade arbor might be the perfect choice for you.

Unlike most decks and patios, shade arbors are covered and cozy spaces that are perfect for the fall season.

What can you use a shade arbor for?

• Simple fall outdoor dining
• Adding a touch of privacy from neighbors
• Add as an extra feature to your current deck or patio
• Use it as a display area for greenery, flowers and flower pots
• Create a comfy sitting or reading area with a bench or cushioned seating
• Makes a great nook to sit and relax while children and pets play in the yard

Pictured below are examples of our shade arbors:

There are so many ways to add personality to your outdoor space this fall. Outdoor Environments would love to start planning a shade arbor addition for your home. Visit our Facebook photo gallery to see more photos of shade arbors we have built.

To enjoy Mother Nature and all her beauty, a four-season room is a good home addition to make. While decks, patios and gazebos are great for spring and summer enjoyment, a four-season room doesn’t have any time restraints.

A four-season room is beneficial for a number of reasons:

• It can be enjoyed 365 days a year, regardless of the weather.
• Just like the rest of the home, it can be heated or cooled for your comfort.
• These rooms are perfect for storing outdoor furniture during the winter. You can also furnish a four-season room with high-quality furniture that isn’t fit for the outdoors.
• The room can serve as an extra living space if guests are plentiful during the holiday season.
• Many times, custom features like a fireplace or floor-to-ceiling windows can be incorporated.

If you’d like to learn more about the possibilities of a four-season room for your Kansas City home, call Outdoor Environments at 913-897-2706.

Image from Houzz

Even though the weather is cooling down, that doesn’t mean the exterior home improvement season is over. Chances are the blazing summer sun did a number on your patio, deck, outdoor furniture and other backyard features. Now is the time to start preparing your outdoor living area for the brisk winter weather this is on the horizon.

Let’s start with the deck. Cleaning and protecting it are the best steps you can take to keep it sustained over the winter.

• Clean your deck by power washing it to remove all dirt, sand and dust particles.
• Be sure to check for any damage, splits, loose nails, rotting, etc.
• If you plan to stain your deck, be sure to wait at least 24 hours after it has been cleaned or power washed.
• Pay attention to weather reports. Cleaning and staining should not be done when rain is expected.
• Set aside enough time get your deck maintenance done. The larger the deck, the more time it will take. A weekend is usually enough time.

Do you need help preparing your deck for the winter season? Contact Outdoor Environments in Kansas City at 913-897-2706 for more information.

Image from PP

One of the most creative ways to light up your outdoor space this fall is with fire. Outdoor fireplaces and fire pits, that is. As the weather begins to cool off, these warming outdoor features can provide a lot of benefits. Once its installed, you can enjoy it year-round! What other outdoor feature allows such flexibility?

Fireplaces and fire pits are great for…

• Creating a soothing and warming atmosphere outside
• Being the centerpiece in the midst of a beautiful autumn outdoor setting
• Patios, decks and other outdoor areas
• Quickly creating an outdoor gathering space for unexpected guests

Outdoor fireplaces and fire pits are the perfect addition to homes all over Kansas City and Overland Park. To speak with Outdoor Environments about your outdoor fire options, contact us today!

Image from iVillage

Just because the summer is over doesn’t mean you have to shut down your outdoor living. Lighting is the key to extending the summer and keeping the party going throughout the cool fall season.

This lower level spa, bar and sitting nook is a perfect example of how lighting can set the mood outside.

This is exactly why landscape lighting is the key to adding value at home. In the past, outdoor lighting was seen merely as a safety feature. It helped (and still does help) to ward off intruders and avoid trips and falls. Now, in addition to safety, it’s all about creating a certain ambiance and atmosphere.

But adding a meaningful landscape lighting scheme to your home’s exterior takes a lot more than buying a lighting kit and sticking fixtures into the dirt that surrounds your home. Outdoor lighting should be an investment that takes careful planning. Some lighting effects can be added to trees, shrubs, gardens, fountains and pathways. There is also the option of layered lighting.

From outdoor chandeliers to wall sconces, there are many looks that can be created. Just like with interior design, exterior design needs a theme. Traditional, country, Tuscan and modern are all very possible styles to consider with outdoor lighting.

If your outdoor space in Kansas needs to be brightened up for fall, Outdoor Environments can help. Call us at 913-897-2706. We serve areas in and around Kansas City and Overland Park.

It’s official. Today is the last day of summer. Tomorrow we’ll enter a season full of falling leaves and cool breezes. But before we go, let’s take a look back at the blog posts that got the most attention this summer.

1. Make your deck or patio more private
2. Privacy please!
3. 6 Tips to cleaning your grill
4. Screened-in porches
5. The benefits of a four-season room by Outdoor Environments
6. Great outdoor rooms: Three-season vs. Four-season
7. Seasonal rooms 101
8. Deck makeover: Before and after
9. Great porches for entertaining
10. Gazebos, pergolas and shade arbors… Oh My!
11. Stylish outdoor furniture by Sutherland

We hope you enjoyed reading all of our ideas and trends for summer outdoor living. Get ready for even more great tips this fall!

Image from La Belle Mariee

Screened in porches can be tricky to design. That’s because they walk a fine line between interior and exterior. Not only do these outdoor rooms expose themselves to nature’s fury, they are expected to be just as cozy and inviting as a living room. Not only are porches supposed to protect you from insects, heat and cold, it should also keep you warm when it’s cool and cool when it’s warm. As contradictory as it may sound, porches are the only types of rooms that can achieve these conflicting results.

Many factors must be considered before the perfect porch can be added onto a home. Topography, existing vegetation, layout and proximity to roadways are some of the first issues that must be tackled. Then, the porch must be positioned in such a way that the rising and setting of the sun hits at just the right angle. Some porches can even be detached. Either way, porch building and designing takes much planning. According to Qualified Remodeler,

The sun travels in predictable paths throughout the day and, in turn, the seasons. Given this predictability, a design can be achieved to bring in or protect from the sun, depending on the desired outcome. Sunlight early or late in the day is low, whatever the season, while the angles of the sun at midday vary dramatically during the course of the year. In latitudes away from the equator, winter sun comes in low at noon, whereas summer sun is nearly directly overhead. With attention to roof overhangs, the midday sun can be blocked or allowed in as desired. Morning and afternoon sun can be blocked, as well, with solid or movable means. The dependability of the sun’s movement is relatively easy to accommodate with considerate design.

If you’d like a sunroom added to your home but you don’t know exactly where to begin, Outdoor Environments can handle to job. Call us in Kansas City/Overland Park at 913-897-2706.

Image from Vintage Ginger Peaches