The arrival of spring means that summer is fast on its way, and everyone will be looking for great ways to enjoy the warmer weather. With that in mind, designing a usable outdoor space will not only increase your chances of selling your home if you ever decide to put it on the market, it is also a fabulous way to enjoy the summer months and entertain friends and family. Fortunately, there are inexpensive methods of creating just such a space.
*MAKE A PLAN
When it comes to home improvement, always, always make a plan before beginning any work. For example, you need to figure out what areas will be allotted for cooking, recreation and relaxing. Once you plan out your space, you can move on to the next phase.
*SET UP YOUR COOKING STATION
Perhaps the most important aspect of any outdoor living space is the cooking station. After all, you can’t create an outdoor oasis without having the ability to feed your guests. Therefore, setting up an open-aired summer kitchen should be at the top of every kitchen guru’s list. These areas typically include
BBQ grills, cooktops and
small wet bars for hosting buffets, grilling and serving cocktails.
Having a sink of some sort and a food preparation or serving area is another important aspect of any outdoor kitchen. You can look through your local surplus stores for your cabinetry, sink and facet. In addition to searching for deals at stores, you could also look for cabinetry at yards sales. When people update their kitchens, they often sell their old cabinetry for next to nothing. If you want to get really creative you can
convert a sink to an outdoor bar or food prep station.
Also, the addition of a small, inexpensive refrigerator is the perfect way to keep drinks and food without taking up tons of room or demanding a huge monetary investment.
*SHELTERS & STRUCTURES
You will want to have some type of structure such as a pergola and gazebo that provides protection from the elements. Of course, a cheaper alternative for a roof could be a large patio umbrella or an awning. The idea is creating an area in which your guests can get out of the sun and adds character to your deck.
In addition, you can purchase pavers or concrete for this portion of the project and lay the deck yourself to save money. There are easy to follow instructions online on how to lay a patio floor.
*JUST ADD FURNITURE
Cast-off furniture is great for use outdoors, don’t worry about a few dents or scratches, they add to the furniture’s charm. Also, you can use plump fabrics and pillows outside but you may want to consider taking your furniture in at night or covering it with water-resistant fabrics if you do. Purchasing new furniture is possible. However, you can often find furniture very cheap at yard sales in your local area. Finally, there is always the option of
creating your own outdoor furniture which can be a fun family project in itself.
About the author
Alexander (Alex) Goodwin is a writer, husband, father and aspiring novelist. When he isn’t writing for
HomeDaddys or completing chores from his “honey- do” list, he’s most likely spending quality time with his wife and kids or working on his novel.
