Springtime is here and with the warmer weather most people will be eating, visiting, and generally doing more activities outdoors. Outdoor entertainment areas become important extensions of the home during these months. These spaces can be simple or elaborate, small and intimate or areas meant to entertain large numbers of visitors. They can be woven into landscape designs or be eye catching stand-alone features.
How elaborate a person wants to be with these custom outdoor living designs is the first thing to consider. How much money can be spent? How often will this area be used and by what size a group? Is it going to be sheltered or open to the weather? What kind of entertainment will it be used for? Will it be for cooking and visiting only or is it going to be an outdoor spot to watch sports events?
There are a few universal design elements that can be used. The first design essential, and one that will affect many of the other choices within a new entertainment landscape, is what type of shelter it will be under. With a permanent roof there is less worry about inclement weather, while no roof or a structure like a pergola allows the choice of letting in the sun on nicer days. Tables and seating will probably be a part of all outdoor entertainment areas, though the choice of size, material, and style are endless. Also, some type of fire source will, most likely, be present. An outdoor fireplace or fire pit, be it a simple pit, a pizza oven, or an elegant stone wall-recessed fireplace, will be a focal point of an entertainment landscape and allow the space to be used even during cooler seasons. More elaborate elements of custom outdoor living designs might include a full kitchen with decorative counter tops, a full refrigerator, and full cooking amenities or even creating a living room outdoors with plush seating and a big screen TV for sporting event entertainment. All of these options can be structured to sit on a custom designed stoned patio floor. If the base of an outdoor entertainment area is classy, elaborate and structured well with stones, the whole area can be brought together and give a more finished look to your patio space.
Most home owners consider outdoor entertainment areas as a luxury, but so do most home buyers, which in turn suggests that these outdoor spaces will increases property value. So, whether the goal is to make a flowing transition from outdoor landscape designs to indoor living areas or to have all the indoor comforts in a pleasant outdoor environment, there is little downside to creating an area outside for entertainment and personal enjoyment. If an outdoor entertainment area is an amenity you would like to add to your current home’s landscape design, give the guys at Sunflower Landscapes a call today!
