Spring is an ideal time to plan for enjoying the outdoors and increasing your living space at the same time. You may have never thought of it but having a deck, patio, porch or sunroom enlarges your home for a lot less than indoor space and adds value.
Here are five tips on getting the most out of your outdoor living space:
1. Think about the activities you’ll want to pursue in your outdoor living space. Try to visualize the way you’ll arrange and use the space. Perhaps your outdoor room is subdivided for cooking, entertaining and relaxing.
2. Try to have the outdoor space as close as possible to the indoor spaces. Easy connections between the indoor and outdoor rooms are important. French doors linking the two spaces are ideal.
3. Even though you will want a feel of openness, strive to create forms of enclosure in your outdoor room. Enclosure options include lattice, railings, pitched roofs as well as trellis walls and ceilings that help to define the space and give it character. Screen walls are another way of enclosing outdoor rooms and make so much sense in our area to avoid annoying insects.
4. Select materials that require minimal maintenance and can withstand the ever changing Connecticut weather. Using composite products for decking, benches and railings allow you to enjoy your space more and spend less time caring for it. Composite products have the best characteristics of both wood and plastic plus don’t rot nor require staining or sealing.
5. Don’t forget lighting the outdoor room so you can enjoy it in the evening. Think task, general and accent lighting to achieve desired results.
Best of luck enjoying your outdoor living spaces!
