4 Reasons to Invest in a Covered Outdoor Living Area

As you design your ideal backyard, you’re probably considering several different ways to decorate. For plenty of Houston homeowners, a covered outdoor living area provides both practicality and comfort for a comfortable hangout spot. What can a covered space do for your backyard?

Does your dream backyard have a covered living area? It should! Find out why here. Share on X

Why a Covered Area is Part of the Perfect Backyard

A patio cover, cabana, or pergola adds a shady spot to your backyard and can complete an already accessorized outdoor living space. If you’re not sure your backyard needs one, consider what you might be getting by adding a covered area:

  1. Protection from the weather
  2. A comfy dining area or kitchen
  3. A more appealing pool
  4. An extension of your home or patio

1) Protection from the Weather

Houstonians are painfully aware of the constant heat and heavy rain that the summer brings. Don’t let the heat keep you from enjoying your backyard! A patio cover or similar structure lets you construct an outdoor living room to relax and enjoy the weather without enduring the sun or rain.

2) A Comfy Dining Area or Kitchen

Constructing your outdoor kitchen or dining room under a cover does more than let you use both during inclement weather. It also keeps both areas reasonably protected from falling leaves and twigs, protecting your food. Your family and guests will appreciate the outdoor atmosphere with the comfort of shade and protection.

3) A More Appealing Pool

If your backyard includes a swimming pool, a cover will help keep leaves and twigs out of your pool. But why stop with an arbor over your pool? Take the covering a step further with a pool house to partially or entirely enclose your pool, all but guaranteeing no debris can get in and providing you with a climate-controlled swimming area.

Pro Tip: Your pool house can be fully furnished to become an awesome guest house, or just enclose your pool and protect it from the elements.

4) An Extension of Your Home or Patio

Your covered patio or living space should reflect the rest of your house. Expert designers will ensure the colors and structures match or complement your home and other backyard decor for a truly seamless transition. Once construction is complete, your new outdoor room will feel like an extension of your house that just happens to be outside.

Attractive Patio Design

A covered outdoor living area can make your backyard feel complete and add an additional appeal. Whether you’re perfecting a dining area or just want a small cover for your hangout spot, the possibilities are endless.

Connect with us to see completed outdoor coverings and brainstorm your own ideas!

Transform Your Backyard Into the Go-To Hangout Spot

Ready to host summer parties for your friends and family? Why not have those parties in your newly redone backyard? Turn the yard into an outdoor living space with everything you need for a great hangout!

With a little preparation and redecoration, your backyard will have all the custom features and supplies for some great outdoor hangouts this summer. Get ready to make the neighborhood jealous!

With a few new luxury features, your backyard will be ready to host memorable summer parties. How will you redecorate? Share on X

Water Features

If you don’t have a swimming pool in your backyard, why wait? If you already have one, considering adding a few unique features to catch your guests’ eyes. A few popular choices include:

  • Waterfalls
  • Bubblers
  • Underwater lights  

Fire and Lighting

Keep the mosquitos away and light up the night with an open flame! Add a firepit or bowl of fire to provide an extra bit of glamor and provide the chance to cook over an open fire. You can also opt to add electric lights if the fire isn’t quite enough. Your choices include:

Outdoor Cooking Space

Why not cook a nice dinner for your guests outside? A fully customizable outdoor kitchen will have all the functionality and features of your indoor kitchen! Choose from a variety of appliances and decor options:

Pro Tip: Don’t make your guests stand up to eat! Provide outdoor dining tables or stylish pool furniture for your backyard summer parties.

Structures

Stay safe from the Houston sun with a patio cover, pool house, or another source of shade. Your guests will appreciate the chance to enjoy the fresh air with a little less heat! Consider one of these customized features for your backyard:

Create a Backyard Paradise

A perfect backyard design looks different for everyone. Before you settle on any features, decide how many guests you’re likely to have and which features will get used most often. Make sure your backyard appeals equally to you and to your friends and family.

Looking for more inspiration for your new backyard? Join the conversation and browse photos of completed backyard makeovers!

6 Outdoor Features for a Living Space You’ll Use All Year

Why not revamp your backyard this summer and build a paradise you can enjoy any time of year? A trustworthy design service can help you create and build your new outdoor living space with a fireplace, pool, outdoor kitchen, patio cover, and more. Your new hangout spot can be as creative or as standard as you’d like–customize it to your preferences!

Start planning your next backyard party with these awesome features you’ll enjoy all year! Share on X

Designing Your Dream Backyard

Before you start building, consider how often you’ll use the backyard and how many people will be joining you. If you regularly have parties, your backyard should have an open, modern look to accommodate all your guests. If you tend to hang out with just a few other people, consider scaling down the designs to your tastes. Whichever style you choose, you can’t go wrong with these popular outdoor features:

  1. Swimming pool
  2. Pool house
  3. Patio cover/cabana
  4. Outdoor kitchen
  5. Pergola/arbor
  6. Fireplace or fire pit

1) Consider a Swimming Pool

Indulge in the classic summertime activity of swimming with your own custom pool! Work with our professional designers to create a swimming pool perfectly tailored to your backyard and personal preferences. A swimming pool is a crowd-pleaser–your backyard parties just got a lot more fun!

2) Construct a Pool House

If you’re planning to use your swimming pool a lot, a pool house might be a great choice to add on to your project. A typical pool house provides a private spot to change and store towels and supplies right next to your pool. Some models will even encompass the entire pool for an indoor swimming experience. To go the extra mile, add a bathroom and pull-out couch to make the ultimate guest house!

3) Add a Patio Cover or Cabana

For the homeowner who wants a pool cover without the total enclosure a pool house offers, a patio cover or cabana is an excellent choice. A covered patio will keep out the Texas sun, as well as most leaves and bugs. Our designers can create a patio cover that matches your home or one that stands out for a truly unique look.

Pro Tip: Customize your patio and poolside lounge with classy pool furniture! It’s easy to find a balance of style, function, and comfort.

4) Outdoor Kitchen

How else will you feed all your hungry party guests? Design your own outdoor kitchen with all the same style and functionality as your indoor kitchen! You can even connect it to your patio so you don’t have to carry food too far. Ready to start planning your next picnic?

5) Design a Pergola or Arbor

If you can’t afford a full patio cover or just aren’t a fan of the design, consider a pergola or arbor instead. They can provide the same shade and protection as a typical cabana, with different styles available and a lower price tag. This is also a great choice for designing a slightly lower-key backyard. Get the same appealing look for less money and effort.

6) Design Your Outdoor Living Space with a Fireplace or Fire Pit

An outdoor living space with a fireplace comes with a rustic, old-fashioned feel perfect for evening backyard hangouts. Roast marshmallows, grill over an open flame, or just let the smoke keep the mosquitoes away while you relax by the fire pit.

You have several unique options for fire features. Some homeowners add a wood-burning fireplace to an outdoor kitchen or seating area, where it can double as a pizza oven. Others will add “bowls of fire” around the edges of a swimming pool for a magical effect at night. What’s your ideal fire feature?

Outdoor Living Areas for Friends and Family

Your backyard should reflect your hobbies and make your lounging and parties as fun as possible. Not all of these features will appeal to you, and that’s okay. The best backyard is one that you and your loved ones will enjoy and take advantage of no matter the time of year.

Curious about how other homeowners decorated their outdoor living rooms? Connect with us to see photos of completed projects!

5 Essential Backyard Design Ideas Near Your Houston Pool

A new swimming pool certainly adds a lot of pizzazz to your backyard. But don’t let that be the only new feature for your outdoor space! There’s a variety of ways you can add more creative designs to your yard. Whether it’s just buying furniture or remodeling more of the yard, you can make your backyard into your own personal paradise. Let’s look at a few trending backyard design ideas you can customize into your dream hangout spot.

Decorate that space around your pool with these elegant design ideas! Make your backyard your own! Share on X

Popular Backyard Designs for 2019

Depending on how often you use the backyard and how many people use it, not all of these ideas will appeal to you. The most important thing is what complements your pool and provides a pleasant experience for you and anyone else in the yard. Some of the most popular outdoor decorating trends for Houston homeowners include:

  1. Outdoor lighting
  2. Fire pits
  3. Stylish pool furniture
  4. Pool house
  5. Outdoor kitchen

1) Outdoor Lighting

Decorative lights can provide a festive atmosphere and help you see in those after-dark pool parties. Wind string lights around a pillar for an enchanted look, or install lanterns for a more rustic appearance. Lighting is a truly universal design choice. The only limits are your own preferences!

2) Fire Pits

Speaking of lighting, why not go back to the source and light up your backyard with an open flame? A fire pit or fireplace adds an exotic appeal and helps chase away mosquitoes. Best of all, it’s a perfect place for the kids to roast marshmallows!

3) Stylish Pool Furniture

For anyone spending more than a few minutes outside, pool furniture is a must. Give yourself and your guests a comfy seating area to sunbathe, chat, have dinner, and just spend time in the sun. There’s plenty of elegant pool furniture on the market that will complement your backyard and your pool while withstanding the Houston weather. Explore your options!

4) Pool House

For a family with a new swimming pool, a pool house is a fantastic option. The conveniently located structure provides quick storage for towels and pool toys, as well as a place to change. Some Houston families take things a step further by adding a fridge for snacks and drinks, or even a restroom and small bed so guests can sleep there overnight. Use your backyard space to its full advantage with a pool house!

5) Outdoor Kitchen

Take things further than just a grill with a fully furnished outdoor kitchen. This provides the perfect chance to host outdoor dinners or cook fresh food for your pool party guests. With a variety of accessories and styles to choose from, your outdoor kitchen is sure to be an elegant addition to complement your pool.

Pro Tip: Don’t waste time hauling food or supplies from the house to your outdoor kitchen! Add customized cupboards and drawers to keep your cooking utensils handy.

Personalizing Your Outdoor Space

Adding a pool to your backyard represents a significant amount of dedication to improving your home value. But don’t stop there! There’s so much you can do even in a small yard. By researching trends and deciding on your own preferences, you can make your backyard design ideas come to life!

Looking for more design ideas? Join the conversation to see how other Houston homeowners decorate their backyards.

6 Functioning Outdoor Design Ideas to Complement Your Houston Swimming Pool

For a Houston home, an outdoor swimming pool is a fantastic addition. But don’t forget to add complementing designs to the rest of your backyard! Fortunately, you have a wide variety of choices to make your backyard a custom oasis. Get ready to make the neighborhood jealous!

That new swimming pool needs some complementing decor! Check out these outdoor design ideas to help you get started. Share on X

Custom Features for Your Backyard

Depending on how often you’ll use your new Houston pool and how many people you’ll be sharing it with, you may not want to add all of these features. However, a couple of favorites from this list could give you the elegant outdoor area you’ve always wanted! How would your pool look next to one of these?

  1. Outdoor kitchen
  2. Fire pit
  3. Pool house
  4. Patio cover
  5. Pool furniture
  6. Backyard lights

1) Outdoor Kitchen

Do you host a lot of parties or just enjoy cooking? Either way, an outdoor kitchen could be a perfect addition to your backyard patio! Enjoy all the functionality and atmosphere of cooking under the stars. Best of all, serve your pool party guests right next to the pool in an outdoor dining area.

2) Fire Pit

Open flames may seem unnecessary in the Houston warmth, but a fire pit by your pool could increase your atmosphere. Imagine an open fire illuminating your backyard at night! Plus, an outdoor fireplace will give you and your friends a chance to roast marshmallows and reminisce around the fire.

Pro Tip: If you get a fire pit for your backyard, make sure any furniture and accessories nearby are fireproof.

3) Pool House

For a family who spends a lot of time in the pool or frequently hosts overnight guests, a pool house could be an invaluable addition to your home. You and your guests will have a convenient place to change, use the restroom, or store snacks before swimming. Take the design a step further with a bed or fold-out couch, and you have the perfect guest house overlooking your pool! The additional time spent on the pool house will be worth it.

4) Patio Cover

A patio cover can cover just your patio or your pool. For a Houston homeowner, investing in a patio cover for the pool is a great idea. Not only will the cover provide shade and keep out the heat, but it will also prevent common debris like bugs or leaves from collecting in your pool. See if a cover is the right choice for your backyard.

5) Pool Furniture

Whether for your dining area or poolside lounging, your outdoor paradise should include comfy outdoor furniture and seating areas. Just make sure it can withstand the Houston weather! Find designs and styles that appeal to your personal tastes while also being practical for their setting.

6) Backyard Lights

Do your pool parties regularly last past sundown? Why not add some outdoor lights to keep the party going after dark? String lighting on a patio cover or wound around a pillar can create a festive atmosphere. Meanwhile, LED lights inside your swimming pool can make the water look magical and appealing. What atmosphere will you create with your lights?

Designing the Perfect Backyard

Whatever you choose, your backyard design should reflect your personality and give you and your loved ones a great place to spend time together. Your outdoor space will be part of your house for a long time and provide plenty of entertainment. Make sure you design the right one for you.

Looking for more pool design inspiration and ideas? Join the conversation to see what other people chose!