Outdoor Environments Blog

At Outdoor Environments, we have been creating outdoor living rooms for Kansas City homeowners since 1991! We often add entirely new decks, sunrooms, screened in patios, and gazebos for our customers, but we also perform another vital service- remodeling or replacing old or badly designed decks to better suit the architecture and flow of the house. There are plenty of less-than-desirable decks out there, but you don’t have to resign yourself to living with a badly designed outdoor living area!

Take a look at one of our deck remodeling projects, below.

Before

This was a beautiful, spacious house and yard, but the deck seemed like a last-minute addition that did not relate to the scale or materials of the house at all. In fact, the tiny deck was basically just a landing for the strangely large and prominent staircase. There were not many entertaining or leisure opportunities on that staircase, to be sure!

After

As you can see in the “after” photo, Outdoor Environments created a deck that relates to the architecture of the home and simultaneously creates much more space for outdoor dining and relaxing. The homeowners now have the perfect party deck, and the back of the home looks much more intentional and complete.

If you would like to add or remodel a deck on your Kansas City area home, contact Outdoor Environments today!

Sunrooms are the perfect year-round living space, and here at Outdoor Environments, we have been designing and building high-quality outdoor living spaces for Kansas City homeowners since 1991. With hundreds of projects under our belt, as well as membership in the Kansas City chapter of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry and the Home Builders’ Association of Greater Kansas City, we have the experience necessary to create a sunroom, deck, patio, or porch that will dramatically expand the living space in your home.

There are endless options for customizing your sunroom to fit your style and personality. Check out a few tips for creating a casually elegant sunroom, from Better Homes and Gardens.

• Exposed beams on the ceiling will add architectural interest to the space, as well as a laid-back, cabin-like atmosphere. Wall-mounted lanterns add to the summer cabin ambiance.
• A vaulted ceiling painted in a subtle yet vibrant color gives the space an airy feel and makes the space feel more personalized.
• Layered rugs and a variety of patterns give this room an eclectic, quirky feel that is both welcoming and fun.

photo via BHG

There’s one sure fire way to punch up your patio style this summer and that’s by adding color. Lots of color.

• Treat your patio like you treat the inside of your home. Just like colorful pillows, fabrics, patterns, cushions, and area rugs decorate your common rooms, the same can be done outside!
• Old patio furniture can be renewed with just a bottle or two of spray paint. You can literally choose any color or finish and make your outdoor pieces look brand new.
• A great way to truly enjoy your outdoor space is to choose summer colors that speak to you. Whether you like calming lavender or bright oranges, set the mood any way you wish!

Have you visited our Facebook page yet? You can see tons of examples of our work in the Overland Park and Kansas City areas. Check out our page today!

Image from BHG

Sunrooms were made for this kind of weather. It’s the best of both worlds because you get to enjoy the warmth of the outdoors under the comfortable shade of a protected exterior room. If you’re in the mood for a new sunroom look this season, we’ve got plenty of ideas for you to try out.

• Maintain a similar color and design scheme to your home’s interior. A bright and sunny outdoor room followed by a dark home interior creates a confusing contrast.
• Outdoor furniture can always be transformed with slipcovers. Guests will think you’ve updated your pieces each time they arrive!
• Never underestimate the power of colorful and floral patterns. Plush throw pillows and outdoor rugs are great ways to create a summery theme.
• Not sure what colors to choose? Use your window frames or your area rug to start. Use those colors as a foundation for all of your sunroom’s furniture, décor and accessories.

For sunroom building and remodeling around Overland Park and Kansas City, call Outdoor Environments at 913-897-2706.

Image from Decor Pad

Did you know that CNN Money named Overland Park as one of America’s best places to live? It’s true, thanks to a number of matchless attributes, particularly an outstanding school system.

If you agree that Overland Park is a great place to live, then why not make a worthwhile investment in your home? After all, it is National Homeownership Month. Outdoor Environments offers a number of exterior building and remodeling services that’ll add value to your home.

• Outdoor kitchens and grill enclosures
• Three- and four-season rooms
• Patios, walls and water features
• Detached and screened porches
• Fire pits and fireplaces
• Decks – stucco, tile, upper level, low-profile, spa, and more
• Gazebos, pergolas and shade arbors

Call us at 913-897-2706 to find out how we can render our services to improve your Overland Park home this summer!

Image from Creative Commons

One way to take pride in your home for National Homeownership Month is to consider adding a porch. It’s a place for privacy, entertaining, relaxing and everything in between. If you’re not quite sure how to use a porch or how to bring it to life, these tips might help!

1. Coziness for everyone – A good porch will achieve two important things. First, it will be spacious enough to accommodate guests for tea, coffee, brunch, and/or pleasant conversation. Secondly, it will also be stunning enough to wow the owner and family. Dining space and plenty of seating is the key.
2. A fierce fire – Fireplaces are not confined to just family rooms and backyards. They can also be incorporated into outdoor rooms and utilized all year long and especially when days and nights get a little cool.
3. Wonderful windows – The great thing about porches is that they let you enjoy the outdoors without actually being outside. Windows are key in making this a reality. And with all of the energy-efficient options out there, you can have beautiful windows that add to your porch design while incorporating an eco-friendly touch.
4. Make it a room – Many people fail to realize that outdoor rooms are spaces just like any other room in the home. Therefore, it can be decorated as such. Since porches are often used for relaxing, bookshelves and other storage units are great for storing books, magazines, and hobby accessories.

Porches are a wonderful home addition that you should certainly consider to add value and exclusivity to your home. Call Outdoor Environments in Kansas at 913-897-2706 to find out more about our outdoor room building capabilities. We serve the Kansas City and Overland Park areas.

Information and image from BHG

Are you stuck trying to figure out the perfect give for your dad or husband for Father’s Day? You’ve only a got about a week left to figure it out. Father’s Day is on June 19^th. But Outdoor Environments is here to help speed up the process. Why not get dad a brand new barbecue grill for his big day?

Grills are great not only for dads, but for the entire family. Not only is grilling one of the healthiest ways to prepare food, but it provides an opportunity for the entire family to gather and have fun in the summer sun. And if dad is a true grill master, it’ll give mom a break from cooking dinner for a change. What mom doesn’t want that?

Of course, you can always take your barbecue grill a step further by letting Outdoor Environments plan a whole outdoor kitchen around it. For more information about how we can do this for you, call us at 913-897-2706.

Image from Creative Commons

There are so many ways to incorporate a pergola into your outdoor space that we don’t even know where to begin! So, let’s just dive on in. Here are a few ideas to integrate, decorate and jazz up a pergola outside your home.

1. For garden lovers, pergolas provide the perfect structure for vines and other vertically-grown greenery to flourish. As it surrounds the pergola’s poles and beams, it’ll create a natural, vineyard type of atmosphere.
2. Pergolas are your space to make all your own. Decorate if however you’d like with colorful accessories, seat cushions, flowers, outdoor curtains and other elements.
3. If you’ve already got a patio, a pergola is the perfect way to transform it into a covered, more private outdoor room.
4. Guests can make a grand entrance with a pergola constructed directly over your home’s entry doors.
5. Although we’re accustomed to seeing pergolas with square and rectangular shapes, keep in mind that you can create more visual interest with other shapes, sizes and architectural details.

Are you ready for your pergola? If so, call Outdoor Environments in Kansas City at 913-897-2706 today!

Information and images from BHG

The month of June is recognized as National Homeownership Month. Put in place by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), this month is dedicated to teaching homeowners all about the ins and outs of the American home – how to buy one, maintain it and add value. Outdoor Environments knows all about adding value to homes all around the Kansas City area.

According to the NAHB, landscaping your yard is one of the best ways to increase your home’s value.

Along the same lines of thinking as the roof, landscaping can give a great – or not so great – first impression. Backyard landscaping can transform ordinary spaces into incredible entertaining areas by including elegant water features and lush plants. Consider your area’s climate. If you live in an area that receives temperate weather year-round, you’ll find that your new landscaped yard adds value to your home and increases your living space.

Of course, landscaping can include much more than just gardening and planting pretty flowers. Backyard decks, patios, sun rooms, porches, gazebos, pergolas and shade arbors are all great additions to a home’s landscape that will also add to the value of your home.

Call Outdoor Environments at 913-897-2706 to discuss how we can help to make your home even more valuable for you!

Image from Houzz

Centuries ago, wicker was the primary material used to craft various items in ancient Egypt and China. But it wasn’t until the 1800s that woven-rattan became a mainstay in the United States. The Victorian motif that wicker often personifies has made it a stylish addition to both indoor and outdoor rooms.

Wicker is timeless and can be mixed with many different materials, finishes and colors. It’s also very durable although it does need to be sheltered from natural outdoor elements. These days, many furniture manufacturers are giving wicker a more diverse, modern twist which makes it even more appealing to the average consumer. It’s also a great furniture choice no matter what outdoor seating trends are hot right now.

If you need some wicker inspiration, take a look at these modern twists on an old time favorite!

Outdoor Environments wants to know: Do you own wicker furniture? Leave a comment below!

Images and information from Elle Decor