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3 Features Every Outdoor Living Area Needs

Admin • February 18, 2020

There is a fire pit in the middle of the living room.

If you love hanging out in your backyard, but no one else does, it may be because your outdoor living area doesn't have a few must-have features. Outdoor living can become uncomfortable fast if it gets too hot,cold, or dark, but you can use some tricks to make your outdoor living area just as comfortable as the inside your home. Check out these three features every backyard hangout needs.

1. Shade and Light

The outdoors can become uncomfortable in the hot summer months, making it important to have plenty of shaded areas in your outdoor living areas. You should especially have places to sit in the shade, such as a covered lanai. There are other ways you can add shade to your backyard. For example, you can simply plant more trees to help block the sun.

Of course, planting trees can take time, so many homeowners prefer building a gazebo,awning, or pergola to add shade. If you don't spend a lot of time in your backyard but need occasional shade for events, you can include retractable canopies.

When night falls, it can create challenges such as making it hard to see where you are walking and enjoy outside activities. For this reason, you may need a lot of light. While you probably don't need floodlights in the backyard, you should install lights in the sitting areas so people can see each other. It is also a good idea to have lights along any path sand steps so people can see where they need to go.

2. Divided Areas

Inside your home, you have different rooms. A great outdoor living space typically should have clearly divided areas for eating,cooking, or chatting. Using pergola sand awnings is a really simple way to create a defined area, but many other option sexist.

Covered Lanai areas, Pool Decks and open patios areas are also excellent at creating a clearly defined space,and your own backyard decor such as a table, firepit, or BBQ will also help to better define spaces. If your yard is small, you may want to consider adding levels or a balcony to define different spaces.

When you craft your spaces,consider what you will do in each space. For example, if your BBQ is right next to the sitting area, it may cause the area to fill with smoke. Similarly, if you have kids who play in the yard and make a lot of noise, you may not want their play are aright next to the sitting area where people may just want to have a quiet chat.

3. A Focal Point

Finally,every great outdoor living area needs some kind of focal point to draw attention. This can be anything from a pool, water feature, or a firepit to a work of art. The focal point serves as the main attraction to attract visitors to your outdoor living space.

If your focal point is a work of art or beautiful plant, you can also use spotlights to better draw attention. Plus, the lights prevent the focal point from becoming lost when it gets dark. If the focal point is your firepit or outdoor kitchen, you don't need spotlights, but you may want to have some task lighting.

If you want your outdoor living space to be the best hangout on the block, you need lots of light and shade,clearly defined spaces,and something to draw attention. If you would like to know more, or if you are ready to upgrade or create your own special outdoor living space, contact us at Genuine Home Builders, Inc.

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