Outdoor Environments Blog

Being immersed in the dead of winter makes homeowners long for the days of sitting outdoors in the with a cold drink and a delicious meal fresh off the grill. A popular trend moving its way into 2013 is adding outdoor living rooms and kitchens to a backyard space. Planning that remodel to your home make take a few months, which is why now is the perfect time to prepare for the summer.

Image via Outdoor Environments

Outdoor kitchens are the perfect addition to a backyard space because it allows the entertaining to occur outdoors. Clean-up and storage is made easy with smart design, allowing for less back and forth trips between the home’s kitchen and the outdoor area. Additionally, pests are kept at bay as homeowners do not need to keep opening their screen doors to go in and out of the house. The food is hot and fresh, and the cook can be a part of the backyard party.

Combine an outdoor kitchen with with an outdoor living space complete with couches, chairs and a fire pit for a backyard that will be the premier hosting spot of the neighborhood.  You can add awnings and fans in order to enjoy the room in all weather.

For help designing and building a gorgeous outdoor space before warm weather returns to Kansas City, contact Outdoor Environments at 913-897-2706.

Screened in porch by Outdoor Environments

If you’re looking for remodeling ideas for your home, then consider a porch. A porch is the perfect way to enjoy the outdoors in a comfortable and inviting area of the home. Right now is the perfect time to plan out a porch with Kansas City contractors so that you’ll be able to enjoy it once summer comes around! The following are a few ideas that you can implement into the design of your porch.

• Enclose your porch and set it up like an extension of your living room. Add a table, chairs and even a sofa to the porch. You can even put down an area rug to give guests an inviting feeling when they step onto your porch.
• Add a brick floor to the porch. This provides a rustic feeling that helps define the area being between indoors and outdoors.
• Instead of using standard warm colors, go with snowy white colors. This actually helps bring the colors of the outdoors in, and helps to reflect sunlight throughout the area.

These are just a few ideas that you can use when designing your porch. Remember, it doesn’t have to be bare. It’s an extension of your home after all.

image via Outdoor Environments

Image via Outdoor Environments

Creating a relaxing outdoor space not only adds beauty to the outside of your home but also helps to extend your living space. One important decision to make in the design process of your outdoor living space is the appearance of the paving for your patio, porch, or outdoor living room. Pavers come in a variety of styles, colors, and sizes and are a great way to define the space.

Concrete
Concrete is a popular choice because it comes in a variety of patterns, finishes, and colors. It has a long lifespan and is relatively inexpensive. Concrete pavers offer quick installation and are popular in DIY projects.

Bricks
Bricks are used as pavers in many outdoor projects because they hold up well under heavy foot traffic and come in several colors, shapes, and sizes. They can have a higher installation cost than concrete.

Natural Materials
Items such as granite, sandstone, and slate have increased in popularity. They can be slightly more costly than brick or concrete, but you can save money by using materials from local quarries.

For assistance with choosing the right paver to create the outdoor space of your dreams, contact Outdoor Environments at 913-897-2706.

Outdoor fireplace made by Outdoor Environments

Winter is here. Have you already staring out the window wishing you had great exterior remodeling ideas to bring your backyard to life? Why not consider an outdoor fireplace or fire pit ? We have many options that can extend your living space in to the outdoors.

Here are just some of the firepit styles that can add instant warmth to your gathering.

• Raised stone fire pits are a perfect option for a large patio or deck. You can add different types of seating and extend your indoor living space into the outdoors.
• Fire Pit Tables – One of the simplest options, find a perfect corner and turn it into a backyard hot spot.
• Modern Fire Pits – Sculpturally inspired and made to complement your existing landscaping.

If you are thinking on a grander scale, why not have an outdoor fireplace built? Imagine spending quality time with your family outdoors all year round. Outdoor fireplaces are the perfect piece to add more useable space to your yard.

Grab your s’mores ,your family and a new outdoor fireplace, and enjoy the warmth and living that this piece can bring to your home. Contact us at Outdoor Environment for more exterior remodeling ideas. Bring your dreams to life!

image via Outdoor Environments

Outdoor Environments deck and hot tub

If you’re looking for a way that you can remodel your home, why not have Kansas City contractors Outdoor Environments add a hot tub? Not only can a hot tub add a pleasant and entertaining facet to your house, but it provides several health benefits as well!

• Believe it or not, sitting in a hot tub not only relieves stress, it can also provide better sleep. It does this with its massaging jets and soothing heat. The buoyancy of the water also produces a weightless effect that is relaxing.

• The heat and pressure of the water of the jets help relax your muscles. The buoyancy created by the water will reduce your body weight by 90%, which helps take pressure off of your joints, thereby relieving joint pain.

• Your blood pressure can decrease due to the water’s heat. This is caused by the fact that the heat will open up your blood vessels, allowing better blood flow and circulation.

• Sitting in a hot tub can also benefit the health of those who suffer from chronic pain and fatigue.

Not only can a hot tub provide comfort and entertainment in the colder months, it can also provide these health benefits.  Contact Kansas City contractors Outdoor Environments today to make plans for a hot tub installation in your own home!  Be sure to take a look at our portfolio of work as well.

image via: Outdoor Environments

We know you’re busy even when it’s not the holiday season but you enjoy our posts and hate missing them. So why not take a minute and subscribe to our blog so you can get our informative, educational and fun posts just by checking your email?

Here at Outdoor Environments we keep you up-to-date on the latest trends in outdoor entertaining including outdoor kitchens and patio furniture, post great tips on deck maintenance and outdoor decorating ideas, along with fun things to do in and around the Kansas City area.

So that you don’t miss any of these super helpful posts please following the instructions listed below.

• Enter the email address of your choice in the “Email Sign Up” box.
• Click subscribe and follow the prompts.
• Check your corresponding inbox for confirmation and click the verification link.
• Read and enjoy! It’s that simple!

Everyone at Outdoor Environments wants to thank all our customers and clients for a wonderful 2012 and we forward to assisting you in the coming New Year!

photo: www.outdoorenviroments.com

Take the time to prepare your deck or patio for winter.

The days are short, the temps are coming down and it’s time to prepare that patio or deck for the winter months coming. Outdoor Environments wants you to get the most from your deck in Kansas City so follow these tips and make the spring thaw easier.

Prepare outdoor plants
It will be pretty sad to go out on your patio on the first warm day next spring and see dead plants, especially when with preparation now, you can save those plants through the winter.

Clean and cover
Take care of your furniture by cleaning and covering it up. Your furniture will last longer and stay much cleaner when protected from the harsh winter elements.

Clean your grill and spray metal parts with vegetable oil. This keeps moisture off of them, preventing rust. You can buy grill and furniture covers at Lowes or Wal-Mart. A nice grill is worth the effort, right?

Sweep and spray
Sweeping away the summer dirt will give you a clean patio next spring with much less effort. Sweep away the dirt and then rinse it off while before the freeze sets in.

Doing some pre-winter cleaning won’t stop the cold from coming, but it will help you bring your deck or patio back to life much quicker next spring. The experts at Outdoor Environments can help you design, build and maintain the deck of your of your dreams. Call 913-897-2706.

Photo by Olger Fallas on Flickr.

The warm weather seems to be hanging on in Kansas City and if you’re still thinking about your patio furniture, you will want to know what’s hot for next spring.

Gray is taking over

Neutral colors don’t always inspire enthusiasm, but this year’s furniture designs using gray are startlingly crisp. You can tone down those harsh blacks and still give your patio a clean look.

Love those curves
This year, patio furniture makers have loosened up their lines, and the results vary from sensual to elegant to pleasantly relaxed.

Surfaces
Patio tables and dining sets featuring concrete, mosaic and distressed surfaces are lending visual texture. You should also look at durable, low-maintenance resin wicker (both natural and glass-topped)

Mixed Media
The creative use of mixed media is a breakout trend that deserves attention. Table and chair combinations such as wrought iron and wicker, concrete and metal, or trios such as aluminum, wicker, and faux stone or aluminum, wicker, and faux wood bring sophistication to outdoor decorating.

Now that you have put together your outdoor décor, wouldn’t it look better on a custom deck from Outdoor Environment s. Call us at 913-897-2706 or visit www.outdoorenvironments.com.

Photo by osseous on Flickr.

After going through the process of getting the wooden deck of your dreams, the last thing you want is harsh winter weather to leave it damaged.

The biggest enemy to your wooden deck is water. You’ll want to protect your Kansas City custom-built deck this winter from all the moisture blankets of snow and ice bring.

Water Resistance. Wood retains water. It’s just what it does. However, long exposure to water, like from a decent coverage of snow, will cause wood to warp, splinter, grow bacteria or fungus which can even eventually cause it to rot. As a part of your deck protection, thoroughly clean your deck. Freeing it from debris and dirt will help it dry quicker and more efficiently when it does air dry. Also, coat your deck with a water resistant sealant which will protect your wood from soaking in the moisture.

For more advice on how to winterize your beautiful Outdoor Environment deck, call us at 913-897-2706 or visit us at www.outdoorenvironments.com

Image via builddirect.com

Winterizing your outdoor kitchen not only keeps it looking new and beautiful, but it will also save you money in the long run.  Here’s a quick guide to getting your outdoor kitchen winter-ready:

1. Deep clean. Before sealing up your outdoor kitchen, you’ll want to make sure it’s clean inside and out. Take a few hours to clean out your fridge, dishwasher, sink and even the cabinets. If able to, consider pulling out the appliances and vacuuming anything that has accumulated behind there.
2. Drain it. Turn off the water supply to your sink and ice maker, if applicable, and let any water in the pipes drain out. If water freezes in the pipes, you take the chance of bursted  pipes, which takes both time and money to fix.
3. Cut off power. If you’re able to, pull the plug on your outdoor appliances. In addition, turn off the breaker switch that supplies power to your outdoor kitchen.
4. Add shine. Polish your outdoor kitchen’s stainless steel appliances, cabinets and even counters. The moisture from the polish will serve to protect these surfaces from unsightly cracks and stress from the dry cold.
5. Cover it up. Buy appropriate covers for your kitchen that won’t hold moisture but will still stand up to winter winds and temperatures.

For more advice on how to protect your outdoor Kansas City space this winter, contact us at 913-897-2706 or visit us at www.outdoorenvironments.com

Image via bkshowplace.com