Month: March 2019

Categories
Patios Dublin

L2L Outdoor Patio Furniture

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266

For the best Patios Dublin company, call Leaf2Leaf Driveways Patios Dublin.

Deciding what to buy: Cost, Quantity, and Location


outdoor patio furniture, patio furniture, patio chairs, patio tables, patio chaise lounge

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It s time again to spruce up the outdoors. When purchasing patio furniture there are several important factors to consider that will determine the type and the cost of patio furniture you choose.

First, it is important to consider the cost. There are so many options to choose from, ranging from very cost effective, to very high end furniture. An important option to consider is buying bulk. If you have a large outdoor patio, buying in bulk will ensure across the board coordination of your patio set. You will always have extra seating for entertaining, without having to pull out the old mismatch patio chairs that get packed away in a shed.

Second, determine the size of the area you plan to furnish. Are you just looking for a small patio set, or do you want to furnish all 3 decks and the pool side area? Ordering in bulk, you can have a variety of furniture that coordinates throughout your outdoor patio. Do you frequently entertain outdoors? If so, a large variety of outdoor patio furniture will ensure that your guests will be comfortable, and notice your beautiful outdoor space.

Lastly, consider your location. Some types of furniture, such as resin patio furniture, hold up better in sunny and windy conditions, such as the beach. Other types of furniture are more resilient to winterizing, such as melamine furniture, and if you live in colder climates, this will be important when the patio furniture gets put up for the season.

So, whatever your budget, size, or location, visit PatioStuff for some great ideas and styles in patio furniture.

Categories
Driveways Wexford

DDWex Are You Considering New Kitchen Cabinets?

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660

For the best Driveways Wexford company, call Davitt Driveways Wexford.

The style you select for your new kitchen cabinets depends totally on you. What feel do you want to create? What look are you going for? What flows and goes with the style design in the rest of your home?


kitchen refurbishing, kitchens, kitchen refitting

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The style you select for your new kitchen cabinets depends totally on you. What feel do you want to create? What look are you going for? What flows and goes with the style design in the rest of your home?

Antique, bone and linen white or off white cabinets can create everything from contemporary, traditional to modern. Basically, just matching the decor of the rest of your house should be your main concern. This makes things easier when you select the complimentary finish, stain, door style and cabinet hardware for your kitchen cabinets.

Kitchen cabinet styles are normally just a matter of taste. Please note that the kitchen cabinet door design does not necessarily have to dictate the overall theme for your kitchen cabinets. The theme is normally decided by the wallpaper, paint color, accessories or decoration, pictures, etc.. For long lasting appreciation of your new kitchen let your taste decide for you unless you are imitating or copying a specific cabinet style or theme of a favorite decorator. Try to focus on the quality of the construction of the cabinets you intend to use.

One of the following cabinet styles can be used basically in any kitchen theme. Ones’ home should be their get away, our sanctuary so to speak, from the busy, hectic outside world. Listed below are five design trends that you may identify with. This will help you to identify and choose cabinetry styles, finishes and personalization to create a home just for you.

Eclectic Charm is fun with a mixture of all the things you love that just seem to go together. This is an individualized laid back approach that allows you to blend textures, tones, different eras and use of color and shape to bring it all together.

Restful Retreats creates peace from the chaos and presents a style that’s focused around comfort and relaxation. This style is the perfect retreat from a hurried world.

The world at your doorstep best describes worldly grace design. This design draws inspiration from nations or places you carry in your heart and are seemingly drawn to the decor of the country. Italian, old world African, Asian and latin influences are just a few inspirations you might like. Always in good and classy taste, these designs are more defined and tailored style that is timeless.

Simple Element styles are clean and crisp with clean lines and less ornamentation. In other words simple, sophisticated space with smart presentation, yet with a calm soothing effect.

When deciding what is best for your taste and style, browsing through pictures of cabinets can help you with ideas to incorporate into your own style. Always pay special attention to traffic flow because if the flow is not conducive and does not flow smoothly from one to the next, try changing fixtures, appliances or even entrance ways. Angling countertops is a simple solution for the narrow doorways and the same can be said for certain corners on a kitchen cabinet island. Making sure you have enough room between stations will keep the human bumper cars pass easily without the shoulder to shoulder grind. Hanging kitchen pictures allows you to gain a different perspective. Does the kitchen seem to busy or crowded? Does it seem too cramped or small? Is there enough lighting that creates interest? Obviously, you will want lighting for both day and night to accent the things you love best about your kitchen Your kitchen features should make your kitchen bright and cheery and not like a dungeon. A lot depends on the color of the stain on your kitchen cabinets. These cabinets cover a significant amount of wallspace.

This means less light reflecting surface. If you have very little window light during the day, you may want to consider white or very light wood grain cabinets. Consider these ideas before you make final decisions on your kitchen and kitchen cabinet decor saving you time, money and affording you peace of mind.

Categories
Locksmiths

RL Aluminum Frame Replacement Windows- Smart Move for Energy Efficiency

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343

For the best Car Keys Wexford, Fire Exits Wexford, Padlocks Wexford, Smart Locks Wexford, Safes Wexford, call Rapid Locksmiths.

What with soaring energy and fuel costs, energy efficiency in your home is more important today than ever before.


home improvement, energy savings

To find the best Car Keys Wexford, Fire Exits Wexford, Padlocks Wexford, Smart Locks Wexford, Safes Wexford, click here for Rapid Locksmiths.
What with soaring energy and fuel costs, energy efficiency in your home is more important today than ever before. That is why, when homeowners reach the point where it is necessary to replace windows for any reason, I highly recommend they choose energy efficient replacement aluminum windows. Aluminum replacement windows can appreciably influence the cost of heating and cooling a home.

Of course, I realize everyone wants his or her home to be beautiful. Yes, often the more energy efficient windows are not your most visually pleasing option, and these windows are also more expensive upfront than other choices. However, overaRL savings over the lifetime of these windows in energy costs wiRL more than return your investment. Remember that you wiRL only pay the price of the windows once, but it is possible for energy prices to keep rising and costing you.

Lower heating and cooling bills are not the only benefits from installing aluminum replacement windows. In 1989, Jan Fenhaus of Eugene, Oregon added an extension to her ranch-style home that used aRL wood-framed windows.

Since then, she writes, I developed multiple chemical sensitivities (MCS). I became very sick and was unable to work; my life was miserable. After many months of suffering, while doing some research into MCS, I discovered that the wood frames of the new windows had been treated with water repellants and fungicidal chemicals which some people react to. I took out a home equity loan and had aRL the wood windows in the house removed. They were replaced with new aluminum windows, which I was told are the best for sensitive people. Within days of moving back in, Jan told us, the headaches and nausea cleared up and now I am 100% recovered

Now think about the reason you want replacement windows. Is it because your old windows are drafty, old and let so much outside air in your house? If the decision to replace has anything to do with energy consumption, then you would be making a mistake not to look for the more energy efficient windows available.

Categories
Driveways Dublin

AP Art Prints For Home Decorating

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602

For the best Driveways Dublin company, call Active Paving.

With the new craze for interior decorating inspired by “home makeover” television programs, more and more people are tempted to hire a professional decorator, even if they can’t afford one.

Simplicity: the Art of Home Decorating

If you’re thinking about breaking the bank for the sake of a beautiful room, think again. You don’t have to spend as much as an oil tycoon to have a home every bit as beautiful. Here’s why:

A pair of human eyes can only take in so much, no ma…


art,decorating,art prints,home,lifestyle,painting,paintings,pictures,interior

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With the new craze for interior decorating inspired by “home makeover” television programs, more and more people are tempted to hire a professional decorator, even if they can’t afford one.

Simplicity: the Art of Home Decorating

If you’re thinking about breaking the bank for the sake of a beautiful room, think again. You don’t have to spend as much as an oil tycoon to have a home every bit as beautiful. Here’s why:

A pair of human eyes can only take in so much, no matter how much is put before them.

The secret is not to aim for beauty that comes from opulence, but for a simple beauty. And simple beauty is usually less expensive.

The best way to go for simple beauty in interior design is to make the focus of a room a single well-chosen decorative element.

Art Prints: Simple Home D cor Focus

But what single beautiful element could you actually afford?

Unless you happen to get really, really lucky at a crafts fair or estate sale, there’s only one sure way to buy high taste on a low budget. Not original paintings or expensive wallpaper. Just a well-chosen print of a painting or photograph that reflects your style and taste and matches your room.

Surprised at such a simple answer to the decorating conundrum? Perhaps, like most people, you do not understand what art prints really are.

What Art Prints Are Not

Art prints are not posters.

Posters are made using paper stock similar to what magazines use. Art prints are made using special heavier print stock especially for prints.

Posters often play rather loose with the original image, cropping it, resizing it, adding text, or even changing shading. Prints will typically come much closer to the original, and will rarely crop the original image or alter its appearance significantly.

Posters are vastly less durable than art prints. You can expect a high-quality print to last decades without showing signs of age.

Art prints are not reproductions (though they are close).

Reproductions of a work of art, usually a painting, involve using exactly or nearly exactly the same brush strokes and materials, which is why they are so expensive. Prints, meanwhile, reproduce the look of the artwork without reproducing every detail of it. For instance, even though many prints of paintings use textured surfaces or even artificial brush strokes, the exact brush strokes of the original are not copied.

Reproductions also have to be conserved as carefully as original paintings in most cases, or they will fade. High-quality prints are given protection against fading, either in the form of a coating to the surface, or a Plexiglas case.

Reproductions, being paintings, are not very durable, and must be treated with special care. Prints, though not indestructible, are more likely to survive accidents. Some prints can even be washed with glass cleaner.

Of course, no art print will be a good anchor for a room’s d cor if it’s not well chosen. Unfortunately, many people either don’t have any particular tastes when it comes to art or d cor, or else do not trust their own taste. Luckily, the internet puts the accumulated knowledge of thousands of decorators, artists, and art experts at your disposal. Thanks to the internet, your home can look as good as the ones on TV.

Categories
DPC

DPC Outdoor Benches

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295

For the best Construction Cork company, call DPC Construction Cork.

There are many different varieties to choose from, all with their own unique features. Benches are now so versatile and light-weight, they are perfect for any setting.


outdoor benches, bench

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Outdoor benches are a practical outdoor addition for any home. There are many different varieties to choose from, all with their own unique features. Benches are now so versatile and light-weight, they are perfect for any setting.

In the home, a perfect bench choice is one with storage. Many manufacturers are now making benches with clever storage spaces that have no effect on the look of the bench. These kinds of benches go great in a garden area, for storage of tools, pots, and other gardening material. They also go great on a covered patio or deck where you can store games, magazines, and other outdoor toys. Another great idea is in the kitchen or family room. It s a great place to put things like blankets or cookbooks. These types of benches can be very decorative and make a wonderful accent.

Another option for large outdoor settings are heavy duty outdoor benches. These types of benches are made with heavy molded frames and recycled plastic lumber so they are sure to last a long time. Heavy-duty benches are great for playgrounds, parks, and pool areas. The lumber comes in a variety of colors and can withstand the elements.

Large wooden benches are always a classic addition to any outdoor setting. They are beautifully crafted and come in a variety of decorative styles. One disadvantage of wooden benches is that they can be quite heavy. It is also important that wooden benches are weather treated or they can become rotten. With recycled plastic lumber, there is no rotting or need for treatment.

Whatever bench you choose, you are sure to find one that will accent your living space the way you want it. Whether looking for class, comfort, or convenience, you can find it all.

Categories
jet washing wicklow

STCS Garage floor paint does not have to peel

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632

For the best jet washing wicklow company, call Southeast Contractors.

Lifting and pealing paint is too often the end product of a homeowner s efforts to dress up their garage with floor paint. The problem is worse than having no finish at all. Dirty, dusty, and stained concrete is usually accepted as the standard for home garages, but the eyesore of blisters, pealing, and chipping of a garage floor gone wrong is testimonial to the homeowner’s failure. Fortunately, new technology in flooring, when combined with systems for preparing concrete properly, can now avoid


Concrete floor coatings, industrial flooring, garage floor seals, building maintenance, facilities management, garage floor paint,

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Lifting and pealing paint is too often the end product of a homeowner s efforts to dress up their garage with floor paint. The problem is worse than having no finish at all. Dirty, dusty, and stained concrete is usually accepted as the standard for home garages, but the eyesore of blisters, pealing, and chipping of a garage floor gone wrong is testimonial to the homeowner’s failure. Fortunately, new technology in flooring, when combined with systems for preparing concrete properly, can now avoid disasters that leave garages looking worse than before the treatment.

Epoxy flooring is weather-resistant, and unharmed by rain, snow, oil, and flooding. This resistance is due to the fact that epoxy coatings, unlike paints, come in two parts. When mixed, a catalyzing process changes these two parts from a liquid to a permanent solid. In contrast, paints are carried in water or solvent bases that evaporate to leave the finish. If you reintroduce one of those carriers to the surface, the paint often is able to re-dissolve back into a liquid state.

Even though painted garage finishes are formulated to resist re-dissolving into their carriers, under stress they can be susceptible to blistering, pealing, and chipping. But water and most solvents have no effect on sealed epoxy surfaces. Epoxy flooring goes on at the job site and requires no seams, creating a continuous membrane that seals what is above from what is below. These epoxy surfaces have been used in food processing plants for over 50 years now. Mold mildew and other contaminants cannot penetrate the epoxy membrane, and wash off easily.

Modern architects often use the flexibility of epoxy flooring to allow spaces to flow together creating expanses of unbroken line. Now the living room and deck patio can appear as a single integrated living space. Exterior gardens and interior upholstery tie together with access walkways provided by colored epoxy flooring. As a result, snow, rain, leaves, and other outdoor changes provide unique variety to the outdoor spaces that can also be enjoyed from the indoor space.

Preparation is everything when applying finishes. You can only expect a surface to stay in place if its substrate is permanent. Obviously, if the substrate crumbles or moves, your surface will move with it. Today, after 40 years of application experience, flooring experts have developed application preparation procedures that help minimize the risk of substrates moving. New floors are especially vulnerable and require extensive preparation. New concrete is dusty for the first few years while the latents of concrete on the surface are kicked, walked, or driven off. Those latents must be removed before quality epoxy topcoats are applied or the topcoats will move with the latents as they break free from the substrate.

One should not rely on retail store clerks to help with a floor that will be used for 10 to 20 years. Factory-direct kits of materials including step-by-step instructions and a 24/7 help line are now available online. With these resources, anyone can put a quality floor down in their garage that will last for decades. Like a car finish, you may get some scratches and marks, but also like a car finish, a little touching up can keep those finishes looking great for decades.

Durall Industrial Flooring offers no-cost, no-obligation quotes for its fully customized kits of materials, including all preparation materials and procedures, for installing industrial quality epoxy or urethane coatings at http://www.concrete-floor-coatings.com. These beautifully sealed and easy-to-maintain floors come in over 20 colors. The floor finish can be gloss, flat, or satin and may be easily accented with decorative chips. Additionally, the floors may be skid-resistant like emery paper, yet still easy to sweep or squeegee.

For photo examples and more detail, visit http://www.concrete-floor-coatings.com
For more information, contact Harvey Chichester at [email protected]
Phone: 800-466-8910 or 952-888-1488 (24/7)

Categories
Patios Dublin

AP Ideal Chairs For Home Theaters

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523

For the best Patios Dublin company, call Active Paving.

You have the big screen, the surround sound, the popcorn, the Return of the King DVD- after all your effort and expense in creating the ultimate theater experience in your home, it would be a shame to watch your productions, your television shows, or play your video games from a traditional sofa or chair.

The proper seating is just as crucial to your home theater set up as any other piece of furniture, although you should remember that your chairs should not dominate the s…

To find the best Patios Dublin company, click here for Active Paving.
You have the big screen, the surround sound, the popcorn, the Return of the King DVD- after all your effort and expense in creating the ultimate theater experience in your home, it would be a shame to watch your productions, your television shows, or play your video games from a traditional sofa or chair.

The proper seating is just as crucial to your home theater set up as any other piece of furniture, although you should remember that your chairs should not dominate the space, but blend in with the rest of the d cor. There are so many different styles available that it would be impossible to name them all, so in this article we will just outline some of the basic principles to apply when shopping for those perfect home theater seats and some of the top ideas we have come across.

Ideally, your home theater will have a range of available seating. Most people can sit comfortably in the same chair for an entire movie, but when it comes to the marathon sessions some of us play when it comes to gaming positions can be shifted many time in one sitting. Utilize a range when planning the layout for your home theater that will work for all of its applications. Most importantly, your seating arrangement should be comfortable and offer the right amount of support and a good viewing line of your screen. Leather for maximum durability and appeal is the rule of the day, as is maximum padding.

Inevitably, you are going to have company over to enjoy your home theater experience, and this will mean the presence of sofa-like chairs or loveseats that function independently. These seats should be spacious enough to allow for a comfortable sitting, as well as having footrests and tilt back options that can be operated independently.

Don t leave your kids out when it comes to home theater, some of the best movies to view are made with children in mind. Small seats with your kids favorite characters from movies, television, or books are great for them to sit in while they take in their favorite movie. They also liven up a room and are pretty good for transporting around the house, and they are also available cheap.

For the ultimate in theater experiences, you might want to try purchasing an actual theater chair or even a set. There are some companies who design theater furniture that they also make available to individual home owners. These seats are the same as those you will find in theaters, and offer a genuine and durable addition to your set up.

Finally, there is the option of purchasing seats that allow for permanent recline. These seats usually consist of a rest for the back and head, with the body lying along the ground. These seats are great for gaming, as you are propped up but still fully extended along the ground, in the preferred position of most gamers. Flip around at will, and your chair will stay right with you! These chairs are also perfect for those who like to lie down to watch their movies.

Categories
Garden Maintenance Dublin

LL Stop Burning Wood Pellets

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461

For the best Garden Maintenance in Dublin, call Leaf2Leaf Landscapes.

During these times of fuel price volatility, it s important to keep a close eye on the relationship between fuel prices. Any homeowner who uses a wood pellet stove to supplement their gas furnace could be losing money and not even know it


fuel cost comparison,effective cost,wood pellets,natural gas,fuel efficiency

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I recently updated the Fuel Cost Comparison Chart at Alternative-Heating-Info.com and the results were surprising. As of 3/20/06 it was actually cheaper in Metro Boston to heat with natural gas than with wood pellets!

During these times of fuel price volatility, it s important to keep a close eye on the relationship between fuel prices. Any homeowner who uses a wood pellet stove to supplement their gas furnace could be losing money and not even know it..

If you can use a calculator, you re only minutes away from figuring out which fuel is the cheapest to burn at any given time.

When you compare fuel heating costs make sure it s apples to apples. The standard quantity used for comparing residential fuel costs is 1,000,000 BTUs of fuel heat content.

Cost To Burn Wood Pellets

Since a wood pellet stove needs only 125 lbs (1/16 of a ton) of pellets to generate 1,000,000 BTUs, divide the cost per ton by 16. At $198 a ton for wood pellets it costs $12.38 to produce 1,000,000 BTUs.

Cost To Burn Natural Gas

The price per therm (look at your gas bill) of natural gas in Boston is $1.1813. When you multiply that by 10.30 (10.30 cubic feet) it costs $12.17 to produce 1,000,000 BTUs.

It s easy to see that natural gas heat now costs about $0.21 less per 1,000,000 BTUs than wood pellets.

Here are the quick fuel cost comparison formulas for wood pellets and natural gas:

Price per ton of wood pellets divided by 16 = Cost to produce 1,000,000 BTUs.

Price per therm of natural gas x 10.30 = Cost to produce 1,000,000 BTUs.

The quick formulas are useful only for comparing natural gas to wood pellets since their fuel efficiencies are similar.

If you are comparing fuels with different efficiencies, all you have to do is find the coefficient of the fuel efficiency percentage rating. Please don t run screaming out the door because I said coefficient. Just divide 1 by the percentage s decimal equivalent to obtain the coefficient.

For example: The fuel efficiency rating for natural gas and wood pellets is 85%.
If you divide 1 by .85 you get a coefficient of 1.18. Now plug this into the quick formula to obtain the effective, or true cost, of the fuel you are burning.

Wood Pellets: $198 divided by 16 x 1.18 = $14.60

Natural Gas: $1.1813 x 10.30 x 1.18 = $14.36

By expanding the quick formula to include the effective cost calculation, the spread between the two fuels has now widened to $0.24.

Assuming fuel prices don t go crazy, you could save as much as $75 during the remainder of this heating season by switching from wood pellets back to natural gas.

When prices do change, you have armed yourself with two simple, yet powerful tools to help you quickly and confidently determine when one fuel is more cost effective than the other.

These are the coefficients of commonly used percentages:
60% = 1.67, 65% = 1.54, 70% = 1.43, 75% = 1.33, 80% = 1.25, 85% = 1.18, 90% = 1.11, 95% = 1.05, 100% = 1.

Categories
Davitt Paving Wicklow

Do you need new cabinet hardware?

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508

For the best Paving Wicklow company, call Davitt Driveways.

Choosing cabinet hardware can sometimes be difficult. This is because there are so many items to choose from that you rarely make the right decision. There are different aspects that need to be taken into consideration. We will take a look at them and give you some pointers in choosing the right cabinet hardware.


cabinet hardware, wood, furniture

Article Body:
Choosing cabinet hardware can sometimes be difficult. This is because there are so many items to choose from that you rarely make the right decision. There are different aspects that need to be taken into consideration. We will take a look at them and give you some pointers in choosing the right cabinet hardware.

The first question you need to ask yourself is usually: “Do I need to buy new cabinet hardware?” Believe it or not, in most cases the real answer is “No”. People tend to change whenever they want something new or something becomes too old. If you can afford the expense then you should buy, if not maybe there is another solution. Based on what your current cabinet hardware is made out of you should call somebody that is really a specialist. He/she might just give you a solution that will make everything look better, even new, at a fraction of the cost new cabinet hardware might turn out to be. For instance, adding simple pieces of carved wood might make your current hardware look like antique cabinet hardware (this is not always possible and is based on different factors).

If you really need to change or simply want to buy new cabinet hardware do not go to the first shop that appears on your path. There are literally thousands of shops that are specialized on such parts. Why settle for a finger when you can have the hand? For those of you that do not like researching there is even another alternative: Internet shopping. You now have the possibility of purchasing thousands of parts right from the comfort of your chair. The package will arrive at home and will have all the documents done, including the warranty. EBay is also an alternative worth taking into consideration.

Based on the look and feel of your cabinet you could consider even more specialized shops. For instance, in some stores one may find only antique cabinet hardware. If your furniture needs that why not visit that shop instead of a general one? This principle is applied with different types of cabinet hardware so information is crucial for the buyer. Even by looking in the Yellow Pages you can see some special stores, which are specialized in unique cabinet hardware.

For individuals that can not afford special parts an alternative can be found in discount cabinet hardware or wholesale cabinet hardware. Look for sales! Just because an item is on sale does not mean that it is not popular or that it is not good. Many companies use this to promote new accessories or increase sales with already accomplished ones. Always be on the lookout and it will be quite impossible to miss a good offer when you see it. Either you are looking for decorative cabinet hardware, simple cabinet hardware or antique cabinet hardware, it is always more important to research before buying. Not only can this save money but it can also lead you to that special store that has everything you want and need.

Categories
Patios Dublin

L2L Outdoor living spaces extend your livable space and delight the senses.

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450

For the best Patios Dublin company, call Leaf2Leaf Driveways Patios Dublin.

What started out as a yard in the great American dream has evolved into an outdoor living space, encompassing dining areas, retreat spaces and living rooms. These spaces extend the livable area of your home, while saving you money and increasing the value of your home. Here are some ideas to get you started.


Interior design, outdoor living spaces, contractor, builder, custom homes, granite park, Prescott, Arizona, residential community, natural building materials, water features

To find the best Patios Dublin company, click here for Leaf2Leaf Driveways Patios Dublin.
What started out as a yard in the great American dream has evolved into an outdoor living space, encompassing dining areas, living rooms and even play areas that go way beyond the swingsets of the 1950 s. These spaces extend the livable area of your home, while saving you money and increasing your home s value. This is particularly true in the Southwest, where bug-free, temperate outdoor conditions predominate for much of the year. In fact, a little further south, Latin American homes often blur the distinction between indoor and outdoor spaces a bedroom might open to the garden or the dining room might call for outdoor eating all year round.

To take advantage of the wisdom of outdoor spaces, it s important to remember that you ll be more likely to use them if they re close to the entrances of your home. One exception to that rule, however, are retreat spaces sanctuaries you ll want to remove from the house to create a sense of privacy and solace.

One of the most popular outdoor spaces is the outdoor dining room/kitchen. Plans for outdoor dining rooms can range from the basic to the outrageous, depending on your inclination and budget. Merely placing tables and chairs to take advantage of (or avoid) the sun, with a barbeque set up nearby, may be all you need. Even so, consider accents to dress up the space, like container gardens and solar-powered lights.

If you want to go for broke, install an entire outdoor kitchen with weatherproof cabinets and outdoor-ready appliances. Often the cabinets and appliances form the walls or boundaries of the space which you can then dress up with Spanish tile and a dining set. Use a pergola to provide shade and some cover.

Another popular option is the outdoor living room. Some families create not one, but two outdoor living spaces, one on the east side of the house and one on the west side. When it s hot out, they always have a shady respite, and during cooler weather they can soak up the sun s rays all day long. Planting greenery around these areas will help defray cooling costs in the summer and provide privacy and protection from the wind. Consider making these spaces more cozy with weatherproof fabrics, rattan furniture and pillow-draped seat walls. And to add interest, build your outdoor living room around a focal point such as a view, water feature or even a fireplace.

There are many reasons to consider creating outdoor living spaces. They not only raise your property value, but can be a place to entertain or simply an easy way to enjoy the great outdoors without having to leave your home.