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Adding Color to your Outdoor Environment

We love the photo collage Shelter Pop has created to add some extra pop to your outdoor living space. The hanging flower pots and lanterns are my favorite items.

For more on products that make dining outdoors more enjoyable visit Shelterpop.com.

Photo by Shelterpop

Photo by Shelterpop

Photo by Shelterpop

Go Play Outside!

When we were younger kids actually played outdoors. They didn’t have a video game that simulated tennis or football; we actually went outside and tossed a football around or hit the courts for a singles game.

In an effort to reinstate playing outside we are dedicating our post to some of our favorite vintage outdoor games courtesy of Country Living magazine.

Country Living. Miniature Golf

Country Living. Horseshoes

Country Living. Krokay

Country Living. Lawn Bowling

Country Living says Bing-It is "a Ping-Pong/badminton hybrid that uses tambourines as paddles (and doesn't require a table or net)".

Tips on How to Purchase a Hot Tub

Hot tubs are gaining popularity. Unlike the pool, a hot tub can stay open year round. But before you purchase your hot tub, there are a couple of things you need to consider.  Let our list below help you make a more informed decision on buying a hot tub.

  1. Make sure you properly measure the space available for the hot tub to determine the size you need. Whether you are looking to accommodate 2 or 10 people, you need to calculate the area first.
  2. Contact your insurer to find out how much space you need between the hot tub and the home as well as the edge of the property.
  3. The shell of the hot tub, usually made of acrylic, fiberglass and resin, must be at least 5 millimeters thick. Microban technology is used in certain finishes to prevent the spread of bacteria.
  4. Make sure all four panels of the hot tub are well insulated.
  5. Choose which type of skirt, a wooden structure surrounding the hot tub, you’d like for the hot tub. The skirt is usually made of cedar or resin. You’ll need to preserve the skirt with a water-repellent treatment. You’ll want to make sure that parts of the skirt can be removed in case you need to get to a part in the hot tub.
  6. Choose a pump that best suits your needs. If you want a more therapeutic massage two pumps might be necessary. The more jets in a hot tub, the more powerful the pump needs to be.
  7. You’ll want to make sure the light and control panel for the hot tub are within easy access once you are sitting in the tub.
  8. The cover of the hot tub must be at strong enough to support the weight of a small child and we recommend getting one with a lock.
  9. The filtration system should be closely monitored and we recommend purchasing two filters so you can rotate them during cleaning.
  10. The water heater must have an output of at least 5.5 kilowatts.

Below are some of our hot tub enclosures, please feel free to contact us if you have any questions.

Dress Up the Night with these Outdoor Essentials

We came across these outdoor entertaining must-haves on My Home Ideas and we wanted to share with you some of our favorites! These items are the perfect pick me up for your outdoor dining experience.

Make sure you set the table with these biodegradable bamboo plates.

Bamboo Veneerware Plates from Re:Modern

Toast an evening under the stars with these indestructible wine glasses.

Permaglass Wine Glasses by Smith & Hawken

Light up the way with these polished nickel glass hurricane candle holders.

Santorini Round Lanterns Polished Nickel by Restoration Hardware

This rattan flatware organizer is ideal for carrying the silverware to the table.

Vintage Rattan Kitchen Organizer by Smith & Hawken

Outdoor rugs have come a long way and will sure to dress up any deck they touch.

Outdoor Kilim Rug from Pottery Barn

Bon appetit!

How to Arrange your Porch Seating

Rocking chairs, porch swings, tables and recliners, Southern Living shows you how to arrange your porch seating to make the most of the space allotted.  Jennifer Kopf, Home Editor at Southern Living, walks you through the different types of porches and suggests the best layout for the best views.  Whether you are looking for a place to entertain or a quiet place to read a book, your porch can accommodate whatever mood you are in!

Inspiring Outdoor Spaces

Always one to help out when we can, we’ve decided to assist you in jump starting your creative juices.  And what better way to get inspired than by Lonny, one of our favorite design resource sites.

Take a look at these inspiring spaces that will make you want to head outdoors.

Lonny Magazine

This space above is one of my favorites, I love how the  mounted shovel brings the whole room together.

Lonny Magazine

This above room doesn’t even look like it belongs outdoors.  It reminds me of something you’d see at a resort in South Beach.

Lonny Magazine

The mixed use of style of furniture in this above photo caught my eye.  I love the look of the wooden bench with these garden chairs.

Lonny Magazine

This is the perfect table setting for eating outdoors, the tray allows for easy transferring of drinks and dishes.

Tips on Beating the Summer Heat

We are definitely advocates of spending time outdoors at Outdoor Environments, but with the summer heat reaching high numbers we want you to take certain precautions.  Below are some tips on how to stay safe and cool this summer season from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

  1. You need to regulate your time spent outdoors, especially for infants, young children and people over the age of 65.  Try avoid being outside during the extreme high temperatures of the day.
  2. Constantly stay hydrated with proper liquids, this does not include soda or alcohol.
  3. Take precautions when exercising or working outdoors in extreme heat.  You are more likely to experience heat sickness.

Don’t forget to wear sunscreen when outdoors!  Visit the CDC website for more tips on having a healthy outdoor lifestyle this summer.

The Maritime Look of Manor 12

We love to share with you the latest outdoor trends hitting the market.  This week we are highlighting a company that is well known to our neighbors to the north.  No not Iowa, think farther north, our friends in Canada.  We are in love with these pillows from the Canadian company Manor12.  The fabrics definitely have a coastal feel that reminds me of summers spent on the shore.

Manor 12

With names like Drift, Cabana and Barnacle its easy to see their maritime influence.

Manor 12

We also love their napkins.  They are perfect complement for those summer al fresco dinners.

Manor 12

If you want to add some nautical design to your outdoor environment, you can purchase these products on the Canadian store Modern Karibou, and yes they do ship to the States.

A New Deck complete with a Flat Screen TV

We love creating innovative outdoor spaces for our clients that exceeds their expectations.  Currently we are working on constructing a deck that when completed will be the perfect outdoor living space for our clients.  Below is a photo of the original deck.

Homeowner's Original Deck

The below photo is the removal of the original deck.  As you can see nothing remains of the original structure.

Removal of Old Deck

The below photo shows the new lower deck and the framing for the upper deck.

Building of new lower deck

The photo below shows the concrete board underlayment for tile floor.  We made the upper deck tile flooring waterproof to protect the dry deck below.

Floor of Upper Deck

The photo below lets you see the installation of the spiral staircase .  Yes, we added a spiral staircase to allow the homeowners easier access to the lower deck from their master bedroom.

Installation of spiral staircase

The lower level dry deck will be equipped with can lighting, an overhand fan and a flat screen TV.  The columns and the outdoor cooking area will be dressed with stone.  Overlooking the deck from the front will be a full patio, water feature, sitting wall and firepit that will be accessed from the wide open front staircase.

Take a look at the below rendering of the final project.

Final Rendering of project

Celebrate July 4th in Stilwell, Kansas!

We are proud to support our local Stilwell 4th of July parade.  Can you think of anything more American that a parade?  The parade is from 6pm to 7pm followed by a pot luck dinner and the grand finale will be the fireworks at 9pm.  Please join us in celebrating July 4th!

Below are some photos from last year’s parade.

The fun doesn’t end after the fireworks, later we head over to a friend’s house where we partake in a good old fashioned bonfire.