Patio Design And Patio Furniture - The Use Of Focal Points

A focal point is an important design element; it is a place where the eye naturally comes to rest. In a well-designed patio there is always a planned focal point, such as a large dining set, perhaps with a well-selected umbrella. But a patio’s focal point could also be another interesting object or landscape feature.

Examples of landscape features that can be a patio’s focal point are an interesting pathway leading from the patio to an area beyond, a flower garden, a mature tree, or a dramatic view of the back lawn.

However, an outdoor dining table with chairs is often a natural focal point because of its size. If you intend to have a large outdoor dining set, there are several things to keep in mind.

Be conscious of the style of the table and chairs and try to keep styles the same. If you have a very rustic patio, then a contemporary table and chairs may not go well together. It is usually a good idea to maintain the same decor style.

Select the colors of the furniture and cushions with care. Visualize the furniture in the location where they will be used. The colors should be similar or complimentary to the surrounding area.

An umbrella is a good addition if it is appropriate. An umbrella in an area already covered may look odd. However, umbrellas usually work well in screened-in areas that are still exposed to direct sunlight. If you buy an umbrella separately from the table and chairs, make very sure the colors and patterns go well with each other as well as the surroundings.

A pair of chaise lounges with an umbrella could also be an interesting focal point. The umbrella would have its own stand. Of course, the cushions on the chaise lounges and the umbrella material would have to either match or be complimentary with each other.

A statue, fountain, or other ornament can be used as a focal point. However, several things should be kept in mind. If using a statue, the statue and its size must be in keeping with its surroundings, the style of the house, and the decor of the patio. A large statue of the god Jupiter would probably not look well on a patio with, for example, western decor. But a statue of Venus in a traditional English garden setting would be a pleasing addition. A graceful statue would bring an air of serenity.

Size is important as you would not want to overpower the surrounding garden features with a statue that is too large. One of the most agreeable placements for a nicely sized statue within a garden setting is placement by a wall, such as a red brick wall, especially where there are plants, including climbing plants. Never place a statue in isolation, but in an area where it can become part of its surroundings.

These are but a few examples of possible focal points in a patio or garden setting. There are many other possibilities. The important thing is to include the focal point naturally within the patio or garden environment so that it blends in and be in harmony with its surroundings.

How to Get Rid of a Leaky Door to Your Patio

Patio doors are the gates to a home's outdoor area during the most beautiful times of the year. But a home's doors may be underperforming, which means they are insufficiently insulated, possibly costing hundreds of dollars in unnecessarily leaked temperature-controlled air. An upgrade to a property's windows in doors is an investment that may be paid back in heating and cooling costs within a year or two, not to mention being gorgeous and complimenting the existing décor of your home.

Doors and windows are breaks in the continuity of a home's walls. Over time, important features such as weather stripping breaks down, which compromises the coveted airtight quality today's homeowners usually seek to acquire. While windows are an important consideration to stop any leakage from a home, doors are much larger. This means that if the weather stripping of a door is not functioning, more air can be lost here than in a window.

There are three general types of doors leading a homeowner to his or her patio or outside area. They are sliding doors, French doors and high performance doors. There are many features in a new door that a homeowner will likely appreciate. Quad seal weather stripping is an ideal feature in today's sliding doors that is necessary for saving money in the reduction of leaked air. This quad seal feature maximizes resistance to air and water infiltration.

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the equivalent of nearly 200 gallons of gasoline may be saved with the replacement of old doors and windows. ENERGY STAR rated goods can help homes conserve that energy, thereby saving folks hundreds of dollars throughout the year. Additionally, tax credits and rebates (some of which are $1,500) are available through the government.

It is not only the leakage of costly interior air to consider, but also the leakage of rainwater and melted snow that may infiltrate portions of the home. This could mean significant trouble for the well-being of property and that of the occupants in a home. Fungal growth such as mold and mildew can get a foothold if water is allowed to settle in the interior. Microscopic spores are typically floating inside most buildings. If one lands in a puddle, this can be the beginning of allergic reactions, and even viral infections for the vulnerable.

New energy efficient doors also tend to feature advanced locks for security, too. There are many advantages in new patio doors.

How to Care for a Flagstone Patio

Adding a flogstone patio to your home will provide your household with a whole new living area and come in very handy when you want to entertain your friends or family. This type of backyard accent will boost the value of your home and at the same time provide an area for you and your family to enjoy.

Patios are normally built with pavers, concrete, or flagstone. Patios constructed with flagstone offer up a product that will hold for decades as long as the stones are well taken care of. Because flagstone is porous, it's susceptible to staining and breakage. Fortunately, flagstone is very easy to care for and maintain.

If you are going to invest in a patio, then there are certain maintenance steps you should take to protect your investment and help your patio hold up as the years go on. Without any type of protection, flagstone can begin to shed and the surface can stain and discolor giving it a dull and dingy look.

Flagstone is usually made from layers of sandstone that have bonded together to form rock. Over time, a shedding process begins. Spalling is the name given to this shedding process. The higher quality flagstones shed slower because the stone is harder and denser. The shedding is worse when the stone changes levels. Water can then work its way below the top layer. Then in the colder months, the water freezes and can cause pieces of stone to fall off.

SEALING A Patio:

You can add a sealer that is specifically made for any natural stone to help prevent the water from getting under the stone surface. If your patio has already started to shed, you should remove any weak pieces that are already beginning to break off. Remove the damaged stone first. If you need to, replace broken stone before adding the sealant.

Be sure the surface is clean and free of loose debris. Similar to waxing a floor, you always want to add the protective sealant to a clean floor.

CLEANING A Flagstone Patio:

You'll need a flagstone cleaner, an outdoor broom made with synthetic bristles, a bucket and a pressure washer.

It is recommended that you clean your flagstone patio twice a year but most people just give their patio an annual spring cleaning. Your local hardware store will sell cleaners specifically made for cleaning flagstone. You'll use the bucket for mixing the solution.

Using the bristle push broom, apply the cleaning mixture making sure you cover and brush the solution onto every stone surface and all of the connecting mortar. You may need to apply an extra amount to any areas that are stained. Then let the solution soak in for 5-10 minutes. If there are still some stubborn stains remaining, give them a second application.

Finally, use your garden hose or pressure washer to rinse off the cleaner. Once the area is dry, you are ready to put your furniture back.

Once you've invested in a flagstone patio, it's a good idea to take these easy steps to keep it looking like new.

Patio Accessories Make A Patio Look Aesthetically Pleasing - So Choose With Care

Designing a patio area can be a fulfilling and exciting task for it is the place where the entire family can congregate to rest, relax and entertain themselves. Carefully selecting matching patio accessories for your outdoor garden is very important for only then will it be cohesive and aesthetically pleasing. Examine all the patio furniture and accessories that you will pick out and get the family involved in this, so that everyone will feel that they have been a part of the planning and designing and therefore enjoy the place more.

While some homeowners may entrust the entire task of relaying and decorating their patio in the hands of a professional landscape designer, others would prefer to use their own creative skills to decorate their patio. The former method will give a beautiful, yet formal appearance to the patio, while the latter will bring a more cozy and comfortable appearance. Each homeowner must make their choice depending on their budget and even those who choose to go with a landscape artist can work closely with them so that their personality will be stamped on the patio decor.

Here are some tips on decorating and choosing some simple accessories for the patio:

• Furniture ideas
• Landscaping ideas
• accessories

Before stepping out to choose your furniture, make sure how much space you have. Measure each area of the patio and make notes as to what furniture you want in each space and the size and number of pieces. Apart from home improvement stores, those on a tight budget can wait for discounts to buy their furniture.

Make sure you place the furniture at least 16 inches from the edge of the patio area. Make your choice of patio furniture material based on the climate in your area and the amount of protection your patio has. Those who have permanent concrete patio roofs or patio awnings can go in for wood or wrought iron furniture. Others who only have patio umbrellas for protection can choose aluminum, resin wicker or plastic furniture. Some people wish to enjoy the patio even during cool nights. They can opt for any kind of patio heater available.

If you prefer the traditional fire pit, you can go in for the four-seat patio table, which comes with a built in fireplace right in the center. On the other hand, if you do not want the hassle of starting and keeping a fire going, you can get a fire pit replica like the electric fireplace or go in for natural gas or propane patio heaters. All these will be functional and make the patio a cozy, warm place for cooler evenings and mornings. Get a beautiful water fountain that is available in hardware stores. This is easy to install and brings a certain charm and beauty to the patio.

What is more, listening to gurgling water is always a soothing and relaxing feeling. Those who have the space can create a small pond around the water fountain. This pond can be filled with ornamental fish or water plants like lilies. If you wish to create some privacy in your patio, get a readymade wooden fence that will look stylish and yet protect you from nosy neighbors. Get patio umbrellas or awnings in the right shade to match your patio furniture. Patio cushions and rugs are available in thousands of colors and patterns so coordinating them with the rest of the patio furniture will be very easy.

When landscaping the patio, you can choose the common square or rectangle shapes. Those who want a more chic appearance can add a slight curve that will give it a contemporary flair. Add shrubs and flowerbeds along the curve to make it stand out. The boundary can also have a border of big round pebbles or bricks to enhance the shape of the patio area. Choose your patio flooring carefully depending on the look you wish to give. E.g., terracotta is a Tuscan theme.

Apart from water fountains and fences, other patio accessories are available in plenty. Small garden gnomes standing around the shrubs look quaint. A chimenea is a freestanding terracotta fireplace used in Mexico that has become a popular garden accessory in the US. Those who want to add a dreamy, fairytale touch can go in for patio lights. These can be LED lights strung on the patio umbrella or solar-powered lamps that are energy efficient and available in many designs. Carefully matched patio accessories will make a patio look warm, inviting and stylish.

Caring Tips for Patio Furniture

Summer and spring time is when most people get their patio furniture and grills out of the dust so that they can put them to good use. patio furniture is now available in many forms and types, but most people have plastic and wood based furnishings. No matter the material, patio furnishings can be easily ruined if they are not properly taken care of. Knowing exactly how to care for your patio furniture is very important, since most models can easily, especially after exposed to more extreme weather. Keep reading and go through the basic steps on how to extend the life of your patio furniture!

Due to the nature of the material, wood furniture requires caring a bit more frequently than other types. The good thing is that the caring process only takes a couple of minutes and it is often times very rewarding in the end. Firstly, start by ensuring that the sealant is weather proof, you surely don't want the wood to soak up any water. Weather conditions are probably the dangerous enemies of patio furnishings! Cleaning your furniture is also extremely important and it should be done right before every season.

Start by looking for rough or damaged spots, sand them out and apply sealant again. This is a simple process and you can easily make use of fine sand paper to sand these spots and make them a lot smoother. Sanding is extremely important because it prepares the area for the sealant while it also protects the sitters by keeping the splinters off. You can easily tear your clothes if you sit on rough spots, especially when splinters are on. How you store your patio furniture is also very important since the winter season can really damage it.

Be sure to store your furniture inside a warm place if you don't want the wood to crack and break down. Properly storing your furnishings can also save you money since the sealant will last a lot longer. Resealing the furniture should be done every three years, while spot resealing should be done whenever required. Also, be sure to take the furniture inside every time it rains. Sometimes, applying sealant to wooden patio furniture that was made using logs might become difficult and require you to put covers over it instead. Simply follow these tips and your patio furniture will surely last for a good number of years!

Patio Slabs For Your Backyard Projects

I wanted to give you a few pointers if you're thinking about tackling a large remodel project out in your back yard. A truly beautiful back yard can help sell your home. When someone comes and sees all the hard work that went into maintaining it is a great selling point. When I started to remodel my back yard I did some research on what would be best for the patio. What I finally decided on was sandstone patio slabs. They were a little more costly than just your traditional concrete slab, but what you get out of the look out ways the cost by far.

They come in just about any color you could want, and you're able to cut them just like you would with tile. What I decided on was the main outer portion of the patio would have a nice wave-like flow to it, and made it the same color of the trim of the house. Then I purchased a hand full of different colors and broke them up into pieces and did a Mosaic design in the middle that flowed with the outer couture. It turned out beautiful, and for what I had in the cost of the stone was nowhere near what I was able to get out of it when I sold the home.

When you use sandstone patio slabs in your back yard and you decide to do any other projects back there, you will want to use the same thing to keep the feel the same. I decided I wanted a pop up gazebo as well in my back yard so I could have a place to go sit outback on a beautiful sunny day and just read next to the waterfall. I purchased the same color of sandstone as I used on the patio, and made sure the design closely matched it as well. After installing the sandstone patio slabs with the gazebo I felt the back yard was complete. Since then I have been looking at other area of the house where I could incorporate it in as well. I am looking at doing a project in the front yard with the walk way and driveway. I think the patio slabs would bring out the curb appeal, and also add more value to the home. Patio slabs are affordable but truly bring up the resale value in your home.

Patio Torches: Know the Basic Facts About These Tiki Torches

Lighted patio torches commonly grace the lawns of homeowners who are having night parties. You can see these torches along patios, passageways, pools or gardens as decorative lighting. These torches originated in the Tropics. In some five-star hotels, when they hold monthly Hawaiian or Caribbean themed parties, bamboo patio torches are used to enhance the landscape setting. torches made of bamboo poles exude a touch of exotic ambiance. Hotel guests truly enjoy their stay in a tropical atmosphere where they can have fun and relax in peace.

To give you an idea of how these bamboo torches look, they are made of bamboo stalk of about 1.5 meters high. It is hollow inside. A patio torch is commonly known as tiki torch. On top of the pole is a wick, small container for the fuel and cap. The cap is necessary for the protection of the wick from moisture and for putting out the flame. LPG gas or Propane and Citronella oil are used as fuel to ignite the bamboo patio torch. Nice thing about propane is you can adjust the flame height.

Patio torches have also evolved through the years. Modern technology enters the scene with solar lighted and metal type of patio torches. Solar patio torches provide eco-friendly lighting. They give out a subtle and radiant glow without the use of electricity or fuel. Solar powered torches are cost efficient and come in various shapes, sizes, colors and designs. It is powered by LED lights and has some features which are beneficial in this "love your environment" age. You can order a solar Hawaiian bamboo look tiki torch with a ground stake, 2 flicker amber LED bulbs, frosted lens and rechargeable NiCad batteries. In effect, the island atmosphere of fire flame powered torches is eliminated when you use solar lighted torches. If you still want to retain the tropical ambiance, the solution is to light up your festivities with a mix of bamboo oil or gas torch and the bamboo look solar lighted torches.

Recently, arising from the creativity and imagination of industry stakeholders, they came up with metal torches like the copper, aluminum, nickel and brass tiki torches. These torches come in different standing and wall mounted designs in unique shapes and sizes. One model is the beautiful long leaf copper patio torch with spiral wall bracket and torch lantern. You can choose the shiny brushed finish or the rough, rustic antique finish. Metal torches need special polishing to prevent tarnishing.

Safety at all times should be your priority. Proper maintenance should be done when you store these torches together with the fuels and other accessories. Regular periodic check up should be made to make sure these torches are in proper condition. Don't forget also to check up and maintain your fire safety and protection equipments. These equipments should always be ready for use whenever your patio torches are lighted up particularly the gas and oil kinds.

Ideas for a Patio: How About a Rough and Rustic Patio With a Fireplace?

If you want your backyard transformed into a plushy extension of your house, try building a patio. A patio can be paved, enclosed, outdoor space, garden backyard and seating areas. It can be your ideal sanctuary to relax, cook, enjoy, have fun and entertain. Patios have become very popular in this century because of the growing number of the senior members of society who adore these outdoor living spaces. Its growth is phenomenal that it is rapidly becoming the trend and may eventually be a standard feature to home design and architecture. What is beautiful about patios is the added value it gives to the property.

If your idea of a patio is an enclosed type, the patio's roof is attached to an adjacent home structure. You can have it with a screened opening. It is fully functional with wall framing, siding, interior wall coverings, windows and doors complete with amenities like coffee tables and chairs or if it is big enough to fit a dining. You can have built-in grills or BBQ grills, countertops, gas supply lines, sinks, plumbing, fireplaces, stoves and other appliances. Designing a patio to blend with your home is not difficult. There are so many design ideas you can get from the net and architectural books and magazines.

Depending on the architectural motif of your house and garden, you can blend it with the type of patio you can construct. If you want a natural look, how about a stone patio laid with mortar compound. Stone can be a blue or flagstone. For a classic and traditional look, your idea for a patio can be a brick style which is easy to install because of its standard size and shape. If you want something unique, the idea of a tile patio can appeal to you like the terra cotta tile and quarry tiles. The most cost effective type of patio is the concrete being the less expensive. You can create an authentic looking stone, cobblestone, brick or natural materials dyed and stamped with colored concrete mixture.

Basically, there are various styles, designs and layout for patios. When it comes to patio flooring, you can do it with concrete slabs and pavers or molded bricks. They come in many colors, textures, patterns and shapes. If you want a rough and rustic look, natural materials of fieldstone and weather woods can create that unique aesthetic look. The flooring sets the tone for the patio. Natural dyes can create a vivid and brilliant color of your choice be it faded hues, sun-washed blues, soft greens for a subtle background paving.

Play up whatever style of patio you choose with amenities that will blend to give it a touch of sophistication, elegance, simplicity and attractiveness. Your choice of antique or modern look will determine the kind of furnishings and fixtures. For accents, it can include arches, gazebos, twining grapevines, lamps, lighting effects, bar stools, baskets with flowers and whatever decors to create the mood and environment you desire. An outdoor fireplace is one idea for a patio that can make it your enjoyable and favorite outdoor space throughout the year and for years to come!

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