Bringing the Indoors Out

After a particularly brutal February, I don’t know about you, but I’m anxiously waiting for spring! That seemed to be the general feeling at the Home and Garden Show this past week too.

As the weather continues to warm up and the days get longer, we all tend to spend more and more time outdoors. After enduring months of snow and cold, we’re craving those good old fashioned get-togethers in the warm, fresh air. These days, the trend for homeowners is to enjoy some of the typical indoor amenities outdoors – fireplaces, built-in grill designs, comfortable reading and lounging areas and seating for dining.

Some of these trends have been around for a few years, but they’re sticking, I think, because people enjoy doing the things they love in a comfortable, homey environment. All the better if it’s outside!

Covered front porches, for example, were a popular necessity back in the days before air-conditioning and when the sidewalks were often filled with people traveling to and from school, work; and just for recreation. With a nice welcoming front porch people are rediscovering that those precious moments of tranquility and neighborliness go a long way toward their quality of life.

A covered back porch, on the other hand, is like creating an extension of the kitchen and family room; grill outs aren’t just for the weekend anymore, they’re becoming a year round way for families to enjoy a meal and time together, any day and in any weather.

Other things we’re seeing include patios with built-in seating, user-friendly gardens and fire-pits fast becoming a favorite place to relax after a long workweek. Add an inviting arbor and a cute puppy bouncing around in the yard and you have a story-book backyard of your very own!