Tag Archives: certified remodelers in Kansas City

exterior remodeling ideas

Create a Beautiful and Low-Maintenance Driveway With Pavers

With the summer in full swing, it is not unusual to consider exterior remodeling ideas to update the look of your home. You may even be wondering what you can use to increase the value of your home if you are thinking about moving elsewhere. Pavers can be exactly what you are looking for as they are both beautiful and extremely low-maintenance depending on your overall design.

exterior remodeling ideas

Source: Houzz

Paver driveways generally cost more up front, but because of their construction, these driveways are also extremely low in maintenance. Because pavers are interlocking, they are naturally better performers in more extreme weather conditions. If one of the pavers cracks or breaks, they are equally easy to replace as compared to concrete or asphalt.

Pavers are placed in bedding sand similar to cobblestone or brick, but because of their interlocking design, they are extremely stable.

With a variety of shapes, colors, designs, and textures, you have a lot to choose from. As you think about exterior modeling ideas, do not forget that pavers are also great for creating intricate designs if that is your desire.

rustic beams

Rustic Beams for the Room of Your Dreams

Image via Outdoor Environments Facebook

Image via Outdoor Environments Facebook

There is a special appeal found in old, rustic, rough-hewn beams, which were once only found in farmyard barns. They have personality that is missing from uniform sanded wood beams, and they add warmth and interest to any room.

Modern decor, whether indoors or out, an be easily enhanced with a few well-placed rustic beams, which offer a pleasant contrast to design style. Vaulted ceilings are excellent locations for reclaimed beams in a living room or an outdoor pavilion.

Don’t just consider ceilings for your rustic beams. Framing a doorway with antique wood will beautify any entryway and is simple to add to an already existing framework, which is a great way to liven up any doorway, wall, or gazebo with the pleasant ambiance of rustic beams.

At Outdoor Environments, we can help you add charm and architectural design to your interior or exterior renovation projects. Call us at 913-897-2706 to learn more.

home design improvement

Great Hardscaping Ideas for Improving the Curb Appeal of Your Kansas City Home

home design improvement

Image via Pinterest

If you’re looking to improve the curb appeal of your home and impress your friends and neighbors then you can’t go wrong with creating beautiful outdoor landscapes with hardscaping. Here are a few ways we can help you improve your house’s curb appeal.

  • Install a new walkway. The first thing visitors will see when they’re walking up to your house is the walkway. Rather than a slab of poured concrete, consider getting something with character, like a cobblestone or brick walkway.
  • Get a new fire pit. The fire pit can add a tasteful centerpiece to any patio, and it offers you another option for barbecues.
  • Add a courtyard. A courtyard acts as a beautiful frame for your garden or your patio.
  • Design terraces to create levels for the plants in your yard.  The terraces are a great architectural addition and they give you more space for beautiful flowers and greenery.

Inspired to improve your curb appeal? Contact Outdoor Environments by calling us at 913-897-2706!

Make a Small Yard Cozy, Not Cramped, with Smart Exterior Design

outdoor home design

Image via Pinterest

If you have a small yard surrounding your Kansas City home, it is important that the area becomes cozy and not cramped. While it can be challenging to make a small yard feel comfortable, there are some tricks to make the most of the small space. The following are a few exterior remodeling ideas to get your creative juices flowing and to help you design an outdoor area that works.

  • Use Warmth and Light – A fire pit adds instant coziness to an outdoor area, and good outdoor lighting can really open up the space.
  • Use Layers – Create layers in your area, such as a concrete patio layer that leads to a brick walkway layer, which leads to a green area. Use different levels and steps to make the spaces feel more expansive.
  • Double Duty – Some features can have more than one function. For example, use a small wall to divide the space as well as to provide a shelf for plants or seating for guests.
  • Create Curving Paths – Curving paths that connect different areas of your yard are not only functional, but their meandering nature can make the space feel larger as you stroll along them.

For more information about creating a cozy outdoor area for your home, contact Outdoor Environments at 913-897-2706.  We’ll be happy to help you make a small yard into a dream destination!

How About a Pretty Porch in 2013?

screened porch

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

Stay Warm Outside with a Fireplace or Fire Pit

outdoor fireplace

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

Improve Your Health with an Outdoor Hot Tub in Kansas City

hot tube

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

Planters for Kansas City Decks and Patios

The different seasons and architectural styles in Kansas City facilitate a variety of residential design styles. This diversity is evident in the stylish planters that look great in the City of Fountains.

  • Zinc. This stylish grey metal has been seen in French-inspired planters, such as this “Les Bac Á Oranger” from Authentic Provence.
Kansas City planter

Image via Authentic Provence.


  • Wood. The wood-and-iron Versailles Planter from Restoration Hardware is perfect for small shrubs such as boxwood.
Kansas City planter

Image via Restoration Hardware

  • Terracotta. Terracotta pots work well for any home, and there are many distinctive options on the market. For example, Treillage Ltd. has a pot with acanthus leaves.
Kansas City planter

Image via Treillage.

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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.

5 Easy Ways to Make Your Backyard Safer

If you’re an avid fan of do-it-yourself projects, small updates around the yard are no sweat for you. In keeping up with our Deck Safety Month theme, now is a good time to remember that your entire back yard should be a safe place to hang out – not just the deck. These simple projects might help:

  1. Power wash the patio, porch or deck to remove any and all outdoor debris that has collected over the past few seasons.
  2. Decks and railings can certainly benefit from a coat of paint or water-seal.
  3. Trim overgrown plants and grass around the patio.
  4. Chips or cracks in your driveway’s concrete can be easily filled or patched.
  5. Apply an anti-skid coating to any exterior steps.

Outdoor Environments is a certified remodeling company in the Kansas City area. For major projects – or even small ones that you can’t handle on your own – contact us today!

Royalty-free image by Olger Fallas Painting on Flickr

Go for a Safer Deck in May

The North American Deck and Railing Association officially recognize May as Deck Safety Month. It’s the best time of the year to have your deck inspected to ensure that it is a safe structure for the upcoming season.

Multi-level deck by Outdoor Environments

NADRA suggests that the following deck features should constitute a full and complete deck safety check:

  • Wood that shows signs of splitting or decaying – The section where the deck attaches to the house is known as the ledger board and is a common source of deck failure. Support posts, joists, damp areas and holes should also be checked.
  • Flashing  – This metal or plastic guard is supposed to keep moisture and debris from collecting in between the house and the deck’s ledger board.
  • Loose or corroded fasteners – This includes screws, anchors and nails that may be protruding or completely removed. Those that are rusted should also be replaced since they can eat away at the surrounding wood.
  • Railings and banisters – These features should be sturdy enough as not to move or sway when pushed. Rails should be close enough in proximity so that children and pets cannot easily slip through.
  • Stairs – Handrails should be firmly in place. Also, items like toys, plants and decor that can cause accidental falls should not be placed on the stairs.
  • Cleaning and maintenance – Wet leaves and debris can promote the growth of mildew, so the deck should be cleaned regularly as needed. This can even be done with a waterproof coating.
  • Grills, fire pits, chimneys, heaters and candles – These items should be placed far from anything that’s flammable. All manufacturers instructions should be followed for safe use.
  • Lighting and electrical – Fixtures should be operable, clean and located where they do not cause a tripping hazard. Childproof and waterproof features are always recommended.
  • Outdoor furniture and storage – Furnishings should never be placed near the edge of the deck. Storage boxes should have childproof latches for safe keeping.
  • Surrounding trees – Hanging branches and tree limbs should be trimmed to prevent them from falling onto the deck and near grilling areas.

Would your Kansas City deck pass an inspection? If not, let Outdoor Environments make your deck a safer and happier place to hang out. Call us at 913-897-2706 to discuss your deck needs.