We know you want to spend more time admiring your backyard and less time manicuring it. While you might enjoy working in your garden, rather than spend your free time mowing and weeding, why not spend it relaxing and enjoying your yard. Reduce your yard work by turning some of it into an outdoor living space to create more room to relax and entertain.
An outdoor living space can be as simple as creating a comfortable deck to an outdoor kitchen, a screened-in porch or a sun room.
In New England, a deck or screened-in porch is an economical way to enlarge your outdoor living space for three seasons of the year. And the good news is that doing so will also give you a good return on your investment. According to Bankrate.com, decks bring a 76% return on investment. Adding a new deck is one of the top 5 for highest return on home remodeling projects.
When you are planning to expand your outdoor living space through a deck, patio or screened-in porch, consider the following tips:
Build to last
Protect your investment by using materials that stand up to the elements. Woods that are rot resistant like cedar or pressure treated pine are still the most popular and economical. But without proper maintenance, you will be replacing them sooner than you would prefer.
Recycled wood/plastic composite materials have become more popular. These composites can be twice as expensive as pressure treated woods, but last longer. These composites are not as expensive as high end hardwoods like teak or mahogany.
Consider ease of maintenance
Choose low maintenance materials when constructing a deck or porch. These products reduce maintenance like power washing, staining or painting. This is an important criterion if you want to spend more time relaxing and enjoying their yards.
Complement the appearance of your home
Bigger isn’t always better. Proportion the deck to your home. To ensure your deck looks like a continuation of your home, consider a variety of railing and baluster options. Portions the railings may be stained the color of your house. Also consider using decorative caps.
Consider the flow
- Integrate the deck with your home and yard. Consider French doors instead of sliders for fluidity.
- Decks are primarily used for socializing, barbecuing and eating. Create a distinct area for each. This will help determine size.
- Stepping down to a patio is becoming more popular for these reasons and is visually appealing. Place the steps so that people don’t have to cross the entertaining area to go down to the yard or patio.
Keep it classic
Use outdoor furnishings to create your individual style rather than build in features that may go out of style or be unappealing to a future buyer. This also allows you to easily change the ambiance of the deck.
Spring is here and as the nice weather approaches, entertaining begins to move outside. Extend your interior by adding an outdoor living space in your backyard, and be ready to relax and entertain surrounded by nature.