Outdoor Living
We’re lucky in northern Virginia – we get more outdoor time than our neighbours to the north, just because the climate is a bit milder for more months of the year. Despite sweltering July and August days when we’d rather be inside with the air conditioning running, summer evenings can be very pleasant and we can enjoy outdoor time until at least late October.
A recent issue of Realtor Magazine noted the upswing in outdoor living rooms, screened porches and outdoor kitchens. These trends are giving homeowners more space that functions like an indoor room but are actually outside. The spaces are using fire pits, furnishings and audio/video systems. Many of them also add high-efficiency glass windows and doors so they can be used year-round. They are rustic yet protected, and add a unique respite to the home.
Outdoor kitchen areas can range from simple to fully stocked with accoutrements. Many of them are enclosed courtyards and have cabinetry with stone countertops, sinks and ovens, in addition to grills. Add a refrigerator, beer tap and dining space, and you’ve got an elaborate outdoor entertainment area. Realtor Magazine sites landscape design trends that include a hybrid grill for cooking with gas and wood or charcoal. Landscape designers are also receiving requests to incorporate vegetable gardens into their designs so the foods cooked in the outdoor kitchens are fresh from the garden.
Make those warmer northern Virginia months outdoor living-friendly. Consult a custom builder now so that you can have a plan in place to enjoy an outdoor living area before the snow flies.
