Photo by All Oregon Landscaping

Any home, regardless of how many features it offers, can be upgraded and improved by adding a custom outdoor living space. Go beyond a deck, pool, or perhaps a spa, and turn your patio into an area with a few comforts for the home that your family and friends will appreciate.

Outdoor Fireplace

In some ways, outdoor fireplaces offer more variety and options than indoor fireplaces. They’ve come a long way from a recessed area in the wall where you just burn wood. And outdoor fireplaces aren’t just small, round pits anymore, either. Sure, those are still available. Fire pits come in a wide range of sizes, and may use wood or gas for fuel.

If you really want to go all out, consider having an outdoor fireplace built on your patio. The hearth and mantel can be constructed to match your patio surface, whether it’s concrete, stone, or tile. Glass doors will allow the warm glow to light your outdoor living area while keeping the fire contained, but they can be opened to expel more warmth on chilly nights. Like the fire pits, outdoor fireplaces can use either wood or gas. Most gas fireplaces are now built to mimic traditional wood burning fireplaces, right down to the crackling sound of the flames.

Patio Furniture

When putting together a comfortable, stylish outdoor living area, patio furniture is essential. The big box stores will have some available, if you don’t mind plastic and vinyl. To feel just as at home outside as you do in your house, leave the disposable pieces at the store and visit a specialty retailer to invest in a set you’ll be able to enjoy for years to come.

Wood furniture is stable, sturdy, and with thick cushions to complement it, comfortable. But not just any wood will do. For furniture to stay outside and not succumb to the elements, it needs to be durable and able to withstand all kinds of weather. Teak is the best way to go for beautiful, long lasting patio furniture. The wood is known for its durability and maintaining its beauty even after being exposed to sun, rain, and wind. A few other good choices are cedar, cypress, and alder.

Cushions also should be made of quality fabrics meant for outdoors. Most outdoor fabrics can withstand getting slightly wet, but ensure you dry them off afterwards. You’ll also want to store them properly over the winter or in extreme weather so they last several years.

Mosquito Control

There’s no point in setting up a beautiful outdoor living space if it’s going to be so overrun with mosquitoes and other pests that you, your family, and guests can’t enjoy it. Part of creating an inviting outdoor activity area is including plants and flowers that will provide color and be aesthetically pleasing. Try placing some potted plants and flowers around your patio that are known to repel insects naturally, such as marigolds and lemon grass.

Plants will only do so much to keep bugs and mosquitoes at bay, though. Don’t leave your enjoyment, and your health, to chance. A flying insect trap like the Mosquito Magnet is a surefire way to keep pests away from your outdoor living area, with no extra gardening required. If your patio or deck is large, or you plan to extend your activity area into the yard, two traps may be ideal. Learn how the Mosquito Magnet works to see how to set yours up, then enjoy your back yard, worry – and mosquito bite-free.

Gas Grill

It might be fun for the kids to roast marshmallows over the fire pit, or in the outdoor fireplace you set up, but to really enjoy an outdoor meal, you need a grill. Grills of all sizes are available, from tabletop hibachis to commercially rated built-in units. You haven’t gone to all the trouble of building a beautifully appointed outdoor area to enjoy it alone. You’ll no doubt want to entertain in the comfy space you’ve created, so you’ll need a grill that can accommodate enough food for groups of people.

If you opt to have an outdoor fireplace built to match your patio, consider taking it a step further and having a custom grill built in as well. It will save your having to store a portable grill, and will maintain the flow and ambiance you’re creating in this outdoor area. It will also free up more patio space for furniture, creating more seating and allowing you to accommodate more guests, or just leaving more space for your kids to play without worrying about them running into a hot grill.

When you invest in a few outdoor essentials, especially built in features, you’ll not only create a comfortable, beautiful space to enjoy, you’ll increase the value of your home.

Got a great message from one of our customers, Ms. Tina Christie, who loved her 11 Foot Collar Tilt Patio Umbrella. She had been looking for the perfect umbrella to put right by her view of a beautiful waterway, for her teak furniture. She picked a lovely Sand Finish and Pacific Blue to balance the wonderful teak color, and the green from around the area. The Pacific Blue brings in the color of her beautiful view right into her patio.

She wrote:

“We love the umbrella and will get lots of use from it, I’m sure. Thanks. -  Tina Christie”

Your welcome!