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Outdoor Ideas

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10 Ways to Decorate an Outdoor Room

Use fun, playful and exciting textures, colors and patterns to make your outdoor room come alive! Not only will these fun decorating ideas make your outdoor room eye-catching, they will scream, "Relax, have fun, and stay for awhile!" to all those who enter the space.

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A PLACE IN THE SUNROOM

Instantly expand your living areas when you add a sunroom to your home. This article discusses how to seamlessly add this extra living area to your home so it can be enjoyed year-round and make sure it fits with the rest of your home as well as your outdoor surroundings.

Luxury Home Backyard Water Feature

Adding A Water Feature To Your Backyard

Hearing the sound of water is a tranquil feeling. So, it's no surprise that homeowners have been quickly drawn to the idea of adding some sort of water feature to their outdoor living spaces. This article discusses some of the terrific options available today.

House Plan Backyard

Backyard Outdoor Living AREAS

Backyards in recent years have truly become an extension of the interior living spaces of the home. Homeowners today are looking for more and more ways to create the perfect outdoor environment for spending time with family and friends. This article explores some of the creative spaces that can be incorporated into your backyard.

multi-sport sports court

BUILDING A BACKYARD SPORT COURT

Add instant fun to your backyard by building a backyard sport court, perfect for keeping the entire family active and healthy no matter what sport's in season. From tennis and basketball, to hockey and playground games, a sport court will be fun for all members of the family no matter what their age. Staying fit will be so easy and fun!

House Plan with Backyard Deck

CREATING A Backyard Paradise

You've got the grill, some furniture and a few semi-thriving plants around your patio, but your outdoor living area is just not up to par. If you're craving an outdoor living space that is packed with style, function and tranquility, then read this article. Here, you'll discover many of the things a homeowner can do to take their outdoor living area and turn it into an outdoor room where no one will ever want to leave.

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CREATING THE PERFECT fire pit

If you've always dreamed of having a cozy fire pit in your yard and you've decided this is the year to add one, read this article to get ideas on the best location, materials and other important factors before you start building this popular outdoor living feature.

Ranch House Outside Deck

Deck Materials

Explore the various options of materials available when building your deck. Whether you’re partial to natural wood or you're leaning towards vinyl, read about the benefits for all materials right here.

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DIVE IN: SWIMMING POOL STYLES & TRENDS

Limitless possibilities allow your swimming pool to be completely custom to your wants and needs, while creating a beautiful backyard environment. From waterfalls and natural stone, to carefully placed lighting or infinity edges, pool designers today explain the trends and styles to look for.

Country Outdoor Living Space

Eat, Play & Live: Using Your Outdoor Space

Outdoor living spaces are here to stay. With so many great decorative, yet functional accessories such as fireplaces, fountains and outdoor kitchen ideas available, it is easy to see why homeowners have gravitated towards making their outdoor spaces more livable all throughout the year. Take a look at some fantastic ways to liven up your outdoor spaces.

flowers with fall leaves

FALL GARDENING: PREPARING FOR WINTER AND SPRING

Take advantage of the beautiful weather to spruce up your gardens, clear our debris, and prepare your landscape for the colder months. Some simple and easy tasks will tidy things up for the colder months and will help create an even more beautiful garden in the spring.

House Plan Outdoor Kitchen

Fire It Up - BACKYARD GRILLING IDEAS

As American as apple pie, firing up the barbecue is a favorite pastime throughout the warmer months of the year for many homeowners. But, to become a grill master, it is important to understand the differences in grill types as well as understanding the proper tools for perfectly grilled food.

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Fire Pit Safety

When the air starts to cool down and the nights get longer, getting the chance to enjoy the outdoors a little longer is easier with a fire pit in your backyard. But, in order to enjoy to its fullest, read how to safely use your fire pit on all those crisp evenings.

blooming orange flower

Gardening Gear ESSENTIALS

Spring has finally sprung and you're itching to tackle your very own gardening project. This article outlines the most popular and necessary gardening tools for getting your project started and completing it successfully.

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Gardening Guidelines

Before planning a garden of any kind for your home, read this article for some quick tips. These simple and practical guidelines make sure your garden makes full use of its surroundings allowing it to thrive even easier than you could ever imagine.

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GAZEBOS: TIMELESS STYLES AND HISTORY

It's the perfect time to start thinking about adding a gazebo in your backyard or onto your home. This article takes you through the interesting history of the origin of gazebos and how to make them function perfectly with your lifestyle today.

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GLOBAL DECK GETAWAYS

See how to transport yourself a world away whether it's to the Caribbean, an African safari, or a tranquil Scandinavian seaport, these fun deck ideas will have you taking a vacation every time you step out onto your backyard's deck.

garden at night with festive lights

Great Tips For Modernizing Your Backyard

Looking for some easy and inexpensive ways to spruce up your garden? Here's some great tips on some small things that can be done that will make a big impact.

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GROWING "GREENER" GRASS: ORGANIC LAWN CARE

If you think that dousing the grass in your yard with lots of chemicals to make it greener and healthier is the way to go, you are mistaken. Growing greener and healthier grass is as simple as taking some household items and adjusting your lawn's pH level and treating it a bit more gently.

Designer Driveway

IMPORTANT ELEMENTS OF DRIVEWAY DESIGNS

Often overlooked, the driveway is the largest hardscaped feature in your yard. Be sure to read this great article on the most important things to consider when designing your driveway and how to make it fit seamlessly into your landscaping.

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In Hot Water: All About Hot Tubs

When the weather begins to shift from those hot summer afternoons to those crisp, breezy fall days, thoughts of adding a hot tub to your outdoor living area seem to creep back into your mind. Why not add a hot tub to enhance your outdoor living experience and bring a new dimension of relaxation into your home and life?

Country House Landscaping

Labors of Love: Landscaping BASICS

Some lucky homeowners are naturally born with a green thumb and their lawn, landscaping and flowers look close to perfection. Not all of us are so lucky, but learning to fake it can create results just as satisfying. This article discusses how to make the most with what you have and create that dream landscape that surrounds your home with beauty.

Country Landscape

Landscape Ideas To Complement Your Country Or Log Home

So, you've built your dream home in a rustic country or log style, but how do you make it fit perfectly into its surroundings so it feels like it's always been there? Use this article to determine some great ways to landscape your rustic country or log home so the outside fits the inside.

Ranch Home Landscaping Design

Landscaping With Local Plants

A practical and popular choice when trying to live green, landscaping with local plants seems like an obvious choice, but most often homeowners select plants for their color or overall size and not for what is best suited for their locale. Determining which plants naturally grow in your area and landscaping with them will save water while providing you with natural flora that will instantly thrive in your backyard.

rustic country home patio

Log And Rustic Home Landscape Basics

Make sure the beauty, charm and rugged appeal of your log or rustic home continues on the outside with these terrific basic landscape ideas. And, learn how to best utilize hardscaping to maximize the style of your yard.

pool with firepit

Out OF BOUNDS: TAKING LIVING OUTDOORS

Expand your living space instantly by adding luxury living space right in your own backyard. From swimming pools and water features to outdoor fireplaces and kitchens, the outdoors is gearing up to be "the place" to be whatever the season!

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Outdoor DINING STYLE

Set the stage for perfect outdoor dining style by incorporating many of the tips from this article. Whether you love cozy, intimate settings or space for large get-togethers, find ways to make your outdoor dining environment memorable!

Tudor Home Entertainment Area

Outdoor Entertainment IDEAS

Explore one of the latest outdoor trends – outdoor media. From high tech stereo systems to state-of-the-art outdoor televisions, media equipment has moved outdoors making family movie night even more interesting. Discover all the latest innovative ideas for creating thrilling entertainment options outdoors.

Outdoor Comfy Chairs

GREAT Outdoor Fabrics

Outdoor fabrics have really stepped it up and now there's many on the market that provide great protection from the elements while offering tremendous style for any backyard. Whether you live in a country style house plan or Mediterranean style house design, fabric companies have listened to their customers and now offer a wide array of fabrics with great textures and patterns plus top-notch protection from the elements.

Victorian Home Outdoor Lighting

Outdoor Lighting CONCEPTS

Illuminating your home adds instant curb appeal appeal to the front exterior and the addition of light to the rear exterior often adds a whole new living area to your home.

beautiful outdoor living area

Outdoor Living Trends

From simple things like comfortable outdoor furniture to more involved decorating such as a built-in gourmet outdoor kitchen, the outdoor living space is the place where homeowners are spending their time these days. Here are the most current trends on what's stylish and patio perfect.

Outdoor Storage For Tools

Outdoor Storage TIPS

This article touches on a variety of different outdoor storage ideas. Keep your outdoor living areas from becoming cluttered by reading some of these fantastic ideas.

Outdoor Fireplace

Outdoor Trends & MORE

Outdoor living space has really become an important oasis that homeowners seek out after a long, hectic day. These spaces provide shelter from the stresses of their everyday lives and help a homeowner maintain a sense of balance from day to day. Whether your ideal oasis includes a water feature or an outdoor fireplace, this article touches on several outdoor trends that add that special touch.

stylish patio with stone floor

Patio Materials

This article explains all the great material options available when building or remodeling an outdoor patio. Whether you like natural wood, brick or stone, this article explains the good and the bad in popular material choices.

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Planning AND PLANTING A BUTTERFLY GARDEN

Adding a brilliantly colored garden to your home's landscape is already a plus, but think of how wonderful it would be to suddenly draw more butterflies to your outdoor area. That is exactly what a proper butterfly garden can do. Learn how to add one to your home's surroundings in this article.

Colorful Flowers for Backyard Landscape

Planning YOUR LANDSCAPING Outdoors

Sorting out how to begin a landscaping project or determining if it's perennials or annuals you should be planting may seem overwhelming for the novice landscaper. Read this article and get the basics on beginning a landscaping project and making the right selections when you begin purchasing your flowers and plants.

thumbnail of craftsman home with new tree

PLANTING A NEW TREE

You've moved into your new home and now comes the fun part; planting new trees, shrubs and other plants. Take cues from this article and learn how to properly plant a new tree so that it thrives all year long.

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PROPERLY CLOSING AN OUTDOOR SWIMMING POOL

It's that time of the year again and the summer season is winding down which means it's time to close up the pool for the season. See how to properly close both an in-ground swimming pool as well as an above-ground swimming pool with this great article.

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REVIVE YOUR DECK

It's the perfect time to bring life back to your existing deck and make it look just like new again. Read through these easy tips and get your deck back up in tip-top shape!

Garden Vegetables

Seeds of Success - GARDENING TIPS

As people begin to live greener lives, homeowners are looking to grow their own food in a more organic and natural way than grocery stores can deliver it. This article points out some great tips for starting your very own edible garden. From site selection to soil conditions, this article will have you well on your way to producing plentiful produce all summer long.

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Selecting a garden location

Before you run to the nursery and buy all your favorite plants, vegetables and flowers, decide where your garden will be located. This will determine how successful the end result of your garden will be.

shady front yard with landscaping

Shady Plants and Gardens

Just because your yard is mostly shaded doesn't mean you can't have beautifully landscaped surroundings. Learn the types and varieties of plants that actually thrive in shaded places and soon you will have a shade garden that is green, lush and gorgeous.

Craftsman Home Outdoor Living Space

Special Touches: Amenities That Make The Space

So you've determined what you want your outdoor living areas to include, now here's the fun part – add all those extras that make this one-of-a-kind exterior space just what you've always wanted. From ceiling fans and fire pits to swimming pools and fountains, this space should draw you to enjoy its beauty.

Quaint and cozy patio with candlelight

Stylish Patio DesignS

Although the trend is large, luxurious outdoor living spaces filled with every amenity, not everyone has the space or finances to make such a luxurious outdoor space happen. This article touches on some great and inexpensive patio materials, decorating and landscaping ideas that will being even the smallest patio to life and full of personality.

Ranch Home With Swimming Pool

Swimming Pools

Having a swimming pool in your very own backyard is a dream to many. This article shows some spectacular examples of some of the most beautiful swimming pool styles available today. Definitely a must-read if a backyard swimming pool is in your future.

luxury swimming pool

Swimming Pool Safety

Splashing around in your own swimming pool can only bring a smile to your family's faces, but the danger of a backyard swimming pool is no joke. This article discusses some terrific tips for great swimming pool safety.

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THINK SPRING FOR FALL FLOWER GARDENS

Are you always upset each Fall when everyone's richly colored flowers start blooming? Well, get a jump start on your fantastic Fall landscaping by getting ready in the Spring. See how to use the springtime to transform your Fall garden into something truly amazing.

Contemporary House Plan Water Garden

Water Gardens

Water gardens are fast becoming a staple to a well-landscaped backyard. They add that special something with the sound of trickling water that allows homeowners to really escape from it all and feel relaxed. This article pinpoints the various water garden styles and how they may suit your backyard.

Spanish Home Inground Pool

What Type Of Pool Is Right For You?

How do you select a swimming pool style that best suits the architecture of your home while giving you every thing you want? Read this article and determine what type of swimming pool will give you everything you need.