Take It Outside
Turn Plain patios into plush outdoor living spaces.
Story by Jill Becker
It's Sunday and the gang is over for dinner
and a movie. Your husband is grabbing a bunch of
burgers out of the fridge to fire up on the grill
as you whip up some frothy adult beverages in the
blender. Meanwhile, a ceiling fan is spinning slowly
overhead, keeping everyone cool on this sultry summer
day. Sounds ideal, right? It is, indeed, but it's
even more ideal when you learn that this little party
is being held outdoors.
Yes, everything from big-screen TVs to full-service
kitchens are making their way to the suburban patio
these days, as the backyard becomes more of an extension
of the house itself rather than just a place to let
the dogs run loose.
"People are spending as much money on the
outside of their homes as they are on the inside," says
Bob Maples, the owner of a Mr.
Electric franchise in northwest Arkansas that services mostly new home
construction. "They're creating outdoor
living areas, and when it comes to things like lighting
those areas, they don't want the inexpensive
plastic pathway lights. They want something distinct
and elegant. They're going high-end."
Homeowners aren't scrimping on the quantity
of outdoor amenities, either. Witness the influx
of former indoor-only luxuries like refrigerators,
fireplaces, and carpets finding their way to the
new decked-out deck. Take, for instance, one of the
newest and most popular sensations to hit the market—the
outdoor, all-weather TV. Yep, you heard us right,
it's weatherproof. SunBrite's new 20-
and 32-inch models can withstand rain and snow, not
to mention temperatures of 122 or -24 degrees, and
still deliver your favorite shows 24/7. The 32-inch
model, just introduced in March, is even HDTV compatible.
Of course, if you have a TV, you've got to
have a stereo, and thus contractors are seeing a
rise in the number of requests for outdoor speakers.
Whether customers opt for the standard wall-mount
variety or those clever little units that look like
your ordinary garden-variety rocks, it's all
part of bringing the indoors out. Continuing the
outdoor party is the rash of full-service kitchens,
complete with built-in sinks, refrigerators, cooktops,
cutting boards…the whole nine yards, which
are becoming more common on patios and decks across
the country. Of course, the centerpiece of any decadent
deck—kitchen or not—is the grill. Gone,
however, are the days of messy charcoal and lighter
fluid. Today's homeowners are opting for opulent,
oversized stainless-steel contraptions, featuring
gadgetry like infrared burners and warming drawers.
Things are heating up with the addition of backyard
fireplaces as well. In places like New York, where
the weather isn't as accommodating year-round,
fireplaces are becoming a regular fixture in what
David Godin, owner of the Mr.
Electric franchise of Syracuse, New York, calls three-season rooms. "Many
of our customers are enclosing their decks to make
them more like outdoor sitting rooms for reading
and such," says Godin. "And one of the
things we're seeing is the addition of electric
fireplaces." A fairly simple unit that plugs
into a standard 120V outlet but still includes features
like screens, doors, and mantels, an electric fireplace
can create both ambience and as much as 5,000 BTUs
of heat at the mere push of a button. Cranking that
concept up a notch, a company called Heat & Glo
has created what it claims is the world's first
indoor/outdoor see-through fireplace. The unit is
built into the exterior of your home and heats both
your indoor and outdoor living spaces at the same
time.
Patio furniture is, perhaps, the biggest factor
in making your backyard feel more like home. In fact,
it's a $2.2 million business. And as the popularity
of outdoor rooms grows, so too does the selection
of outdoor furniture. Where people were once limited
to plain metal or plastic tables and chairs, they
now can arrange their backyard spaces with everything
from plush, deep-seated sofas constructed of the
latest weather-resistant fabrics to hand-crafted
teak dining tables that seat up to 14. A few companies,
Smith & Hawken among them, have even introduced
a line of table and floor lamps that are designed
to not only complement your alfresco decor, but withstand
the elements as well. Outdoor carpet has come a long
way, too, since the days of that cheesy, green Astroturf-type
flooring. For instance, Stanton Carpet's new
Anywhere collection boasts a selection of beautiful
shades and designs that look just like the carpets
you'd proudly put down in your den or dining
room.
There's no limit to the options for outdoor
living. So at the end of a stressful day, slip off
your shoes, pop open a soda, plop down in front of
the tube, and relax. But now you can do it outside.
Beef Up Your Backyard
Here are a few fun and functional items to add to
your own outdoor oasis:
- Shelf Life They look just like
the cabinets holding your spices and silverware
inside, but In & Out's
outdoor cabinets are made from a sturdy polymer
board that won't crack, rot, or swell come rain
or come shine. Call for prices; www.outdoorcabinetry.com
- Mood Lighting Choose either a hurricane or accordion
design for these flickering candles that give off
a pleasant vanilla aroma. They run on batteries,
so you don't have to worry if you forget to
blow them out before you head back inside. $22.95;
www.firststreetonline.com
- The Meat of the Matter Take care that your T-bones
don't get burned with the Grill Alert Talking
Remote Meat Thermometer. This wireless unit, complete
with a belt-clip receiver, signals you when your
steaks are done. $75; www.brookstone.com
- Best Seat in the House Frank Gehry's clever
easy chair, part of his four-piece outdoor collection,
is as much sculpture as it is seating. $700; www.designwithinreach.com
- Time and Temperature What's old is new again
with this vintage stand-alone weather station and
clock that, come midday or midnight, lets you know
what old Mother Nature is up to. $100; www.target.com