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It’s Time for a Four-Season Room

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

Fall Deck Prep

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

Fall for Outdoor Fireplaces and Fire Pits

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

 

Keep Summer Alive with Outdoor Lighting

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.

Our Most Popular Summer Blog Posts

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

When the Porch Meets the Sun

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

Fall for Outdoor Hot Tubs

The fall season is the perfect time to enjoy a hot tub out on your deck. It’s not too cold, but it also isn’t uncomfortably hot. Hot tubs, unlike swimming pools, can be used year-round. But how do you even go about shopping for a hot tub? What features and benefits should you be looking for? Our list should lead you in the right direction.

  1. Always measure the space where you think the hot tub will be installed. Proper dimensions are the most important step in making sure you choose a hot tub that will actually fit.
  2. Speak with your home insurance agent. There are rules and regulations regarding how close your hot tub should be to your house.
  3. Research jets and pumps. The more jets you have, the more powerful your pumps will need to be.
  4. The cover you choose for your hot tub should be very thick and sturdy. Many come with locks.
  5. Not only should you closely monitor your hot tub’s filtration system, but you should also consider buying two. This way you can easily rotate when one needs to be cleaned.

Outdoor Environments has plenty of experience installing hot tubs in Kansas City and Overland Park. Call us at 913-897-2706 to speak with us about your outdoor hot tub needs.

Image from Houzz

Cleaning and Storing Teak Furniture

Of all the outdoor furniture materials out there, teak is one of the most popular. In fact, it’s used more often than any other wood for outdoor furniture. Teak will last a lifetime, but you’ve got to maintain it properly. But how? Here are a few tips to get your teak cleaned and stored for the end of the season.

  1. Clean – Scrub with warm water, a light detergent and a soft bristle brush.
  2. Sand – Using a medium grit sanding block, sand the teak to even out the top layer of wood. Make sure that the color is even throughout.
  3. Dry – Allow teak to completely dry for a few days.
  4. Oil – In a well-ventilated area and using rubber gloves, lightly brush teak oil all over furniture. About three or four layers should do. Keep applying oil until you achieve the darkness and color you are going for.
  5. Seal – Apply a few coats of polyurethane to seal the oil. Let it dry for a few days.
  6. Store – Cover furniture and place it in an unheated garage or shed for the winter.

 

 

 

 

 

Image and information from Apartment Therapy

3 Useful Grill Cleaning Tips

Now that Labor Day weekend is over and the summer is finally coming to a close, it’s time to clean up your grill and store it until next spring. Proper cleaning will help to keep your grill in tip top shape for many seasons to come.

  1. Clean grill racks with solid wire brush, preferably while the grill is still warm. The temperature will help to remove hardened food residue.
  2. Dump all ashes from your charcoal grill. Be sure to clean all of the debris that’s left over.
  3. For gas grill cleaning, be sure to disconnect the gas. Clean all hidden nooks and crannies. And don’t forget to check all the burners to make sure the gas is distributed properly and evenly.

We hope you’ve enjoyed your summer grilling!

Image from Tip Junkie

Deck and Patio Inspiration

Are you in need of some outdoor design inspiration? Here are some beautiful ideas that you can use for your current or future deck and patio projects! Just because the fall is near doesn’t mean it’s too early to think about spring. Early planning is key!

Contact Outdoor Environments for your patio and deck needs in Kansas City and Overland Park!

Images from BHG