With the kids back in school, activities may have increased for parents at house. Tracking all the different after school and weekend activities from dance to soccer, from trumpet lessons to art classes, from math tutors to volunteer programs is hard for a parent to manage. Families with multiple children that have different activities and homework can also be challenging. Read More
Home Remodeling Tip: Home Office Furnishings
People are working from home more and more these days. This trend is from both large corporations who have work at home policies and remote employees to even small businesses and start-ups. The ability for people to be productive at home often depends on creating a dedicated work environment in a spare room in the home. Adding home office furnishings to a spare bedroom that will turn into an home office is a major part of effectively working from home. A desk that works for a computer and an office Read More
Innovations in Urban Architecture – Making Use of Small Spaces
Guest Blogger: Monica Gomez
As the world’s population continues to grow, the amount of space available for building home and office space is naturally set to decline. However, with a lot of imagination and a little bit of skill, we can see this not as a disadvantage, but rather as an opportunity to creatively design small, energy efficient yet comfortable housing and office space.
Getting Creative
As you can see from the images Read More
Greek Inspired Home Decor
When thinking about summer, the Greek Islands come to mind. The Greek Islands are surrounded by water, beach, ruins and beautiful sunsets. Some of the Greek homes are built into sides of mountains or along portions of the beach. Because these homes are surrounded by water, using what you have on the island to decorate a home is common. When Read More
10 Patio Upgrades for a Spectacular Property This Summer
If you’re embarrassed to be seen on your dingy patio, you’re not alone.
Unlike the carpet in your living room or the paint on your walls, patios are often a neglected extension of the home. A common misconception is that it costs a pretty penny to update it. But that’s simply not true. The key is making smart, low-cost improvements to create a space you’re proud to entertain in.
Have you fallen out of love with your patio? It’s OK. It happens to the best of us.
Even though the patio is an extension of the home, it’s usually not treated to the same upgrades and improvements as the interior. The result is a drab, neglected outdoor space that’s rarely used. But by making a few low-cost improvements, you can create an inviting outdoor area that’s perfect for entertaining. Here are 10 easy improvements you can make that will turn your vanilla veranda into an outdoor oasis of comfort and style:
- Surfaces: Updating the surface of your patio is a trendy way to redesign your outdoor space. Using multiple surfaces like pavers, stones, and decomposed granite allows you to define different areas for different activities: somewhere to cook, somewhere to play, and somewhere to sit. And it doesn’t have to be expensive! Try layering outdoor rugs for an instant spruce that adds an inviting splash of color and texture.
- Lighting: Treat your patio to some special outdoor lighting like a spotlight for a theatrical effect or colored lanterns for a warm Bohemian feel. This upgrade has the added value of increasing visibility and making your patio safer.
In this article, 10 patio upgrades are revealed that will enhance your property and provide you with a new outdoor retreat.
