Category Archives: Tips

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The days are getting longer and it is time to consider exterior remodeling ideas to increase the value of your Kansas City area home.

This may be the year to create a sun room on your front porch or deck. Add screening or windows to allow fresh air and sunlight to enter while keeping out pesky bugs. This gives your house friendly curb appeal.

You can still enjoy your garden while you modernize your yard. A rebuilt and extended back patio or wood deck can offer additional room for plants, hanging pots and bird feeders.

A built-in brick or stone barbecue with a food preparation area or a copper cooking pit can add a new dimension to your patio by turning it into an outdoor kitchen.  This can be a natural extension of your dinning room or family room with the addition of a pass-through window or sliding door.

Think about adding an attractive, garden tool shed to your backyard or side yard. You may even have room for a romantic gazebo or a hot tub enclosure suitable for use all year.

No matter what plans you have for styling and designing your home’s back yard, Outdoor Environments are the experts in the Kansas City area, so contact us today if you want a perfectly-designed backyard experience

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Those who are lucky enough to have decks in Kansas City are also able to create natural beauty and enhance their diet by growing their favorite herbs on their deck. Many herbs and veggies grow best when they are placed in containers as opposed to being placed in the ground.

Consider growing garlic, parsley, sage and even tomatoes on your deck. You will be able to move the containers around so that the plants are able to get the proper amount of sunlight or shade that they need. Container gardens are a great way to spruce of the decks in Kansas City with color and detail.

Growing herb gardens on your deck is the perfect solution if you have limited backyard space in which to grow you plant in the ground. You may find that it also makes caring for the plants easier on you when you have them on your deck.

All of the decks in Kansas CIty can be filled with everyone’s favorite herbs and vegetable that they want to enjoy freshly picked right there out their own door. You’ll love the benefits of gardening on your deck. So contact Outdoor Environments today if you want to have the most beautiful deck on your block.

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.

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.

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.

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

Image via Outdoor Storage

Remodeling can be exciting, but just like all wonderful things, you have to do your homework and brace yourself for the process that leads to your oasis.

Here are a few steps you can take to get yourself and your mind ready for your deck remodeling project:

• Finances. Assess your finances to make sure you are financially ready to make changes to your home without causing strain on your living or your savings.
• Have an idea of what work you want done. By looking through magazines and websites, get an idea of what you want your finished deck or patio to look like, then refer back to your finances and create your budget.
• Allow time for your remodel. Perfection can’t be rushed, and when you add the possibilities of unforeseen problems to the mix, patience is a necessary factor. Just now, at the end of it all, your Outdoor Environments customized deck will totally be worth it.
• Enjoy. Take a moment to realize you’re actually doing it. You’re finally actualizing your dream of building your own private deck or patio that’s built to your liking and your family’s usage. You did it!

To get the process of building your Kansas City deck started, contact us today.

Continuing our previous post on Keeping Your Deck Private, these are other great easy and attainable suggestions on keeping your deck private and serene:

• Plants.  Plants are the most beautiful, as well as the easiest way to add privacy to your deck or patio. We recommend decorating your deck with beautiful plants anyway, so why not use them as a source for additional privacy? Line the side that faces the most open spaces with tall, lush plants.
• Canopy. In the summer times, you’ll appreciate this addition more than ever, but it can add much desired privacy all year around. Awnings, canopies and sails are offered in a multitude of styles, some even retractable.
• Trees. Planting trees doesn’t just make you seem more caring of the environment, but it brings a sweet reminder of childhood, too. (The largest tree was always “base” in tag games.)  Trees aren’t just aesthetically and environmentally pleasing, but they create shade to keep you cool in the summer months as well as a barrier to keep away the nosy neighbors.