Look to the Moon

For a naturalist lighting design, blend a number of light sources to emulate the effect of moonlight. Drape lights along pathways and low-level plantings. Mount luminaries in trees that point both up and down. "The effect is as if the area were being illuminated by a full moon," Whitehead says.

Make a Plan

Will the back porch double as an eating spot? Is the front walkway just to welcome visitors? "The lighting should relate to the way the outdoor spaces are going to be used," Whitehead explains. Knowing how the areas will function will help you think through switching and transformer locations, power lines, conduit, and outlets.

Assemble a Team

Make the most of your investment in a beautiful landscape by assembling a lighting team that includes a designer, landscaper, and contractor. Gather all the players to ensure a cohesive design.

Keep It Simple

Pick one style of adjustable, shielding exterior fixtures for downlighting, accent lighting, and wall-wash lighting. "Don't mix fixture types," Whitehead says. "It draws too much attention to the fixtures themselves."

Include the Basics

Always start with the basics -- entry and garage lights -- and install additional lighting later. "You'll keep your windows from becoming nighttime black mirrors, and you'll also make your interior spaces appear larger," Whitehead says.

Ditch the Dimmers

If an incandescent light is dimmed, it becomes amber and casts a sickly pall on green plants. Instead, use a daylight -- a blue color-correcting filter on outdoor lights -- which eliminates the yellow tones. "The whiter the light, the more healthy the plants look," he says.

Plan for Switches

Think about how you enter your home -- through the front door, through the garage, or through the mudroom -- and include a set of switches at those entry points. Also, include a switch in the master bedroom for convenience and safety so you don't have to run downstairs to turn off outdoor lights.

Space It Out

Whitehead's rules of thumb on spacing:

1. Space lights far enough apart to provide safety without overkill.
2. Light paths with luminaries under 2 feet in height that project downward.
3. Use spotlights judiciously. Be sure to shield any in direct view to avoid glare.

Add Layers

A good outdoor-lighting design should consider two layers of lighting: one for when you are inside looking out and one for when you are outside.

Birds love bird baths, and watching birds bathe brings quality entertainment. There is just something humorous about watching a bird splash around in the water. Even funnier is when a group forms in the bird bath and different individuals jockey around for what apparently must be the best spot in the bird bath. Just about any shallow water feature functions as a bird bath, and setting one up can be very simple. Some of the different designs are described below.

3. The Recirculating Fountain

View Full-Size The bird bath at my house is a fountain with a recirculating pump. This model features a remote control so it can be turned on from inside the house. Like the lid design and the pedestal design, it requires manual refilling every 2-3 days, depending upon the weather. Because the water is circulating, cleaning is less frequent compared to the lid and pedestal designs. The manufacturer probably markets this model as a garden fountain, not as a bird bath, but the birds don’t seem to mind the oversight. Recirculating fountains are about twice as costly as the pedestal models.

We have a small, square, wooden deck that is in the full sun during summer and provides no privacy. I would like to make it an inviting space. What can I do besides the traditional outdoor table/chairs and some potted plants? It looks so plain.


I have a small outdoor terrace, too, but I wanted a family gathering place where we could hang out in the morning drinking coffee and juice, sip wine and lemonade in the evening, and do messy art projects in between. For me, the answer was an old round table, which I covered with a bright floral plastic oilcloth (www.oilcloth.com) surrounded by a collection of mismatched chairs. Ask yourself what activities you will do on your deck. Once you figure that out, you'll be able to plan your space to suit your needs.

More and more, decks are becoming outdoor living rooms. Double lounge chairs, gliders, sectional seating -- even bar units -- are all available at various prices. Target (www.target.com) and Kmart (www.kmart.com) both sell weather-resistant cottage wicker in natural and white, as well as more streamlined cast aluminum varieties. Restoration Hardware (www.restorationhardware.com) has a new group of outdoor wicker that comes with Sunbrella cushions in colors like Kiwi and Cornflower. This collection is pricier but sturdy. I also love shopping at HomeGoods (www.homegoods.com) because I never know what I might find. On my last visit I recall some interesting outdoor pieces plus a whole range of cushions in bright patterns that would really spice up a vintage wrought iron sofa or bench.

Consider customizing your desk with color on the floor as well. Several coats of porch and floor paint will instantly give your space some unique character. At Home Depot, Behr (www.behr.com) offers a range of prep products, primers and paint colors. Capel (www.capelrugs.com) has several styles of oval and round braid rugs made of highly durable polypropylene. Plastic woven floorcloths from Mad Mats (www.sweepdreams.com), Koko (www.kokocompany.com) and Soft Surroundings (www.softsurroundings.com) are colorful and reversible.

As for the privacy and shade issues, you might be able to solve both problems at once (barring the heat of the noonday sun). Target's Blue Villa collection touts a three-panel woven "privacy screen" that can also shield you from morning or afternoon light. Its Monico Manor Collection includes a sturdy baker's rack ($199) that, when piled with plants, could also act like a 6' x 36" wall. At Loose Ends (www.looseends.com), a company known for its exotic, island flair, I found screens in bamboo and other natural materials suitable for outdoor use. If you are handy at carpentry, or willing to hire a contractor, consider a pergola overhead or simple privacy wall made from cedar lumber with panels of cabana-striped canvas.

As you can see, your problem won't be finding good stuff, it will be putting it together in a style that works for you.

 

Why stay cooped up inside when you can extend the livable portion of your property by creating outdoor living spaces? It certainly isn't difficult to build outdoor living spaces. But it does take an appreciation for the "divide and conquer" approach.

We take it for granted that our houses are divided into rooms, but the concept of having similar "outdoor living spaces" may sound odd, at first. Indeed, the biggest obstacle standing in most people's way is that it just doesn't occur to them to divide up a yard so as to maximize their enjoyment of it. Not consciously, at least. Yet the more conscious we become of outdoor living spaces, the more we can tailor them to suit our needs.

Outdoor Living Spaces: Design Considerations

Part of the beauty behind the concept of separate "rooms" in a house is that each unit is unique unto itself.

Consequently, you can install a component in the kitchen that looks great there, without worrying that it would look out of place if viewed from the bedroom. The same is true for outdoor living spaces.

Having separate outdoor living spaces allows you to create mini-landscape designs (each somewhat different from the rest) for each of them. Not that you shouldn't still strive for unity across your landscape design, as a whole. But the more successful you are in physically separating one outdoor living space from another, the more flexibility you have to diversify without creating a hodgepodge.

For instance, you may wish to include a storage bin for towels in the pool area. Such an element would be functional and would look fine there. But the problem is, you might not wish to view it from another part of the yard dedicated, say, to meditating in naturalistic surroundings. The answer: screen off the pool area with a tall hedge or fence, effectively creating a "room" separate from the rest of the yard.

Outdoor Living Spaces: Setting the Mood With Color

Just as you can paint or wallpaper an indoor room using a color scheme unique to that room, so you can use color to make individualized statements for each of your outdoor living spaces. But here, instead of paint or wallpaper, you determine your color scheme when you select the plants you'll be using for the area.

Proper application of color theory in landscape design can even influence mood and perception. For instance, the flower colors to employ for a relaxing nook intended for meditation would be different from the colors used for play areas. You can also make small spaces seem larger (and vice versa) depending on the colors you use. I discuss these ideas further in my article on applying color theory to landscape design.

Outdoor Living Spaces: The "Building Blocks"

Think of the structural components of outdoor living spaces in terms of their counterparts in indoor rooms: floor, walls and ceiling. Only for outdoor living spaces, the term, "structural" is used metaphorically. So much the better for you, as the "builder," since it means there's a lot less to worry about. Taking out a "wall" because you don't like your initial choice won't cause the "ceiling" to come crashing down on your head!

Furthermore, think of the materials you need to assemble the floor, wall or ceiling of an outdoor living space as the "building blocks." Here are some examples:

For "floors":

·         Grass

·         An alternative ground cover, such as clover

·         Mulch

·         Patios

·         Decks

For "walls":

·         Formal hedges

·         Lattice screens

·         Fences

·         Informal hedges

For "ceilings":

·         Arbors and pergolas

·         The canopies of shade trees

·         Decorative canvas canopies

·         awnings

·         lawn umbrellas

You have a lot of leeway in your use of these building blocks. For example, the building blocks for a "wall" (hedges, fences, etc.) are interchangeable parts that you can mix and match with, depending on your needs, budget and personality. Hedges may form two of your four walls, fencing the other two. If complete screening isn't required, you can also define outdoor living spaces with lower vertical elements that may be more attractive/functional. For instance, raised beds, container gardens and furniture. Creating outdoor living spaces isn’t a one-size-fits-all project.

A "ceiling" is optional for many outdoor living spaces, although it does create an added sense of enclosure that you may crave. Ceilings are necessary only for areas where staying dry/cool is a must.

By default, all projected outdoor living spaces already have "floors." The only question will be, "Does the current floor do the best job of meeting my needs?" For example, maintenance is always a consideration, and you may decide, upon further reflection, that a grassy area you've been treading upon for years isn't worth the upkeep (mowing).

The grilling season is heating up and regardless of whether you’re crazy about charcoal or are gaga over gas grills, you need to make sure your grill is in good working order before heading out to the patio with the brats, burgers and buns.

Don’t treat your grill like a second-class culinary citizen. It’s an appliance just like your stove or refrigerator and with proper maintenance and care, it can give you decades of great use.

While emergency calls can be made, it’s best to have a yearly service call to ensure your grill is in good shape.

The lifespan of a grill varies greatly, depending on how well-constructed it is. Typically, you get what you pay for. Regardless of price, replacement parts are available for most grills. It’s time to replace your grill when its casting (the lid and bowl) is rusted.

Angie surveyed dozens of highly-rated grill experts to help make sure your barbecue bash doesn’t flame out.

• Clean and spider free: Before you fire it up for the season, give your grill a good scrub to get rid of food, grease and – spider webs. Spiders are attracted to the smell of propane and they can take up residence in the venturi tubes and valve openings, blocking air and gas flow and leading to uneven cooking and possible safety hazards.
• Annual checkup: Just like your car, annual service checks on your grill are a good idea and most warranties require them.
• Test drive: Give your grill a test run a week or two before the day of the big barbecue to make sure everything is in good working order. That way, if it does need a new part or repair, you’ll have it working in time for the big cookout.
• Fuel check: Check that you have enough gas or coals for your grill before you fire it up. You can add a gauge to your propane tank to help detect levels. For charcoal users, generally use about 30 coals per pound of meat, with the charcoal extending about one inch beyond the area where the food is.
• Low salt diet: Avoid seasoning while grilling. Salt acts as a corrosive and can help contribute to rust.
• Keep it clean. Once you’ve pulled the food from the grill, allow any excess food to burn off and then clean the grill with a brass bristle brush. Avoid using a stainless steel brush on a porcelain-enamel finish. Clean the grill while it’s still warm. It’s far easier to clean than waiting until food and grease settles and hardens. Clean the drip pan regularly.
• Protect your grill with a water-resistant cover when not in use. During colder months, store it out of the elements.

Interested in creating a spa retreat in your backyard? Here are some tips from the National Spa & Pool Institute.

The Right Site:
Always consider accessibility. You’re more likely to use a spa — especially in cold weather — if it’s easily accessible from the house. Aesthetics are important too. Consider how the placement of the spa will affect the look of your landscape.

A Good Foundation:
Whether you set up your spa on an existing patio or deck or want to conquer unexplored terrain, you’ll need a firm, level surface that supports a minimum of 90 pounds per square foot. The size of your spa will dictate the exact amount of space needed. Drainage is also important. Water needs to flow away from your house and any other structures, including your spa.

Landscaping:
Landscaping around your spa can complete the transformation of your backyard into a permanent retreat. Choosing the right plants is important. Be aware that the fragrance of some flowers can attract insects. Some plants that tolerate a water environment but don’t attract bugs are ornamental grasses, daylilies, coleus, and caladiums.

Hardscaping:
When landscaping is not practical, structures such as gazebos, arbors, and built-in planter boxes can help create an inviting atmosphere. Potted plants, hanging baskets, and supplemental water features, such as fountains and waterfalls, can also make the atmosphere around a spa inviting.

Privacy:
Enclosing your spa with a decorative gazebo is a great way to enhance the sense of a getaway, increase privacy, and block wind. Another idea is to use tall evergreens, such as cypress or juniper, to block views toward the spa. Finally, you might simply set the spa where it’s hidden by a structure.

All Decked Out for Birds (from Backyard Magazine)

If you spend any time on your deck or patio and also enjoy watching birds, there's an easy way to combine both interests. Invite the birds to join you! Doing so makes outdoor living more enjoyable. Just imagine...beautiful wild birds singing and flitting from railing to post, up close and personal.

This can happen if you deck your deck (or patio) with a few simple items: specifically, three ingredients most all life needs—shelter, food and water. Supply those, and the birds will most definitely come!

Give 'Em Shelter

If trees, shrubs and ground cover don't already surround your deck or patio, it's easy to create natural shelter that birds can retreat into if threatened by predators or foul weather. Potted evergreens placed in the corners of your outdoor living space create the kind of instant cover that make birds feel safe when visiting...plus, they're pretty to boot!

Another trick is to plant vines beneath deck railings, allowing them to grow up. This provides more natural cover, as well as food (depending on the type of vine you plant), for the birds.

Potted flowers placed on the railing and around the deck or patio give birds another place to hide—and, for some birds, nectar to eat.

Set the Table

Putting out potted plants that sport red blooms, such as geranium, fuchsia and petunia, will attract hummingbirds if they reside in your area. Just imagine being rewarded with the sight of these flying jewels sipping nectar from blossoms a few feet away from you.

Once you woo them with flowers, keep them coming back by setting out sugar-water feeders. By mixing one part sugar to four parts warm water, you will have the perfect nectar food for both hummingbirds and orioles. Both of these species will eat sugar water from May through August, and sometimes into September. Just be sure to hang the feeders on rods or hooks out from the railing so that the sugar water doesn't drip onto the deck.

For seed-eating birds, like northern cardinals, rose-breasted grosbeaks, finches, chickadees and titmice, tube feeders, filled with sunflower or safflower seeds, keep the birds coming every few minutes. A couple of tray feeders filled with wild birdseed mix and mounted on the railing attract other birds, such as sparrows, doves and finches. And suet cakes, placed inside a laminated cage-like feeder and hung from a railing or post, will bring in as many as four different kinds of woodpeckers, nuthatches and, perhaps, a brown creeper. All of these feeders and foods are available from local bird stores or garden centers or on-line.

Offer a Drink

Any kind of water feature adds beauty to the deck or patio, even if it doesn't attract birds. But the good news is that most will. The best water feature is one that moves the water to several levels with a pump, making a splashing noise that birds can hear at some distance.

Be sure that the pools have shallow areas, only an inch or two in depth, so that birds can stand in the water to bathe. If it's any deeper than that, provide a rock or two that they can rest on. If it's hummingbirds you're after, include a spray in the water feature. These winged beauties are apt to fly through it to bathe.

Get Cozy with Firepits (from Backyard Magazine)

Fire pits—they've been around since fire.

But they've evolved. Once holes in the ground, they're now decorative backyard accessories—attractive centerpieces that "spark" long evenings of conversation between friends and family gathering 'round their warm glow. If you have a large yard, and the town you live in permits it, the ancient campfire design—a shallow, in-ground hole surrounded by stones—is still the simplest and cheapest fire pit. But you don't have to live in wide, open spaces to enjoy the beauty of an outdoor fire. There are many ways to invite the warming glow of firelight into your backyard.

Mull Over Metal

You've seen them at most home and garden centers—metal fire pits that start at about $50. The basic model is a large steel ring with decorative cutouts for ventilation and flame viewing. The ring contains the fire and is set on the ground or on a bed of sand or stone.

Want a step up? Look at metal bowls on legs. Here, the fire is contained in a 2- to 3-foot bowl or kettle fashioned from copper, steel or aluminum. They range from $100 to $500 and can be set anywhere on the lawn or patio. Metal bowls can get extremely hot, and models with short legs may scorch the grass below. Set on a surface that withstands intense heat (never on a wood deck). And hands off when a fire is burning! Some metal models are available with grills for cooking or with wire mesh screens to keep embers and ash from escaping.

Formal Stone and Masonry

More formal, permanent fire pits can be made from stone or masonry mortared together. They can be as large or small as you want, but the fires that burn inside them should never be more than 3 feet in diameter and 2 feet high. It's a good idea to consult your local building department before constructing a permanent fire pit. To prevent the walls from settling or being damaged by frost heave, local officials may suggest building them on footings or a concrete slab.

You may also want to line the inside of masonry fire pits with a layer of firebrick, or make the pit large enough so that fires burn several feet away from the masonry. Porous materials like brick, concrete block, slate or sandstone can get hot enough for the expanding moisture within the material to cause them to crack...or even explode! Likewise, use granite or other non-porous rock to construct stone fire pits, or make an inner ring of firebrick.

Consider Gas

Gas fire pits, like gas grills, run on propane or natural gas. Most kits use faux logs, lava rocks and even decorative colored glass, though inexpensive models are available that consist of nothing more than metal tubes with holes. These should be avoided, however, as they're not UL-approved.

The main advantage of gas fire pits is that they don't need as much clearance from flammable surfaces and can be used in suburban or urban areas where wood fires are restricted. They also turn on and off instantly—some are even operated via remote control. And because they don't produce embers and ash, cleanup is minimal. Plus, with all the decorative surrounds and accessories available, you can surely find one that complements your outdoor style. There are some disadvantages to gas: they're not suitable for cooking, you need to use quite a bit of gas to get the appearance of a wood fire and they're generally more expensive—from several hundred to several thousand dollars. And, of course, the aroma of burning gas isn't quite the same.

Regardless of the type of fire pit you choose, there's no denying the soothing effect of a crackling fire in the great outdoors. It's not only beautiful, but there's no better way to wind down from a long day than by gazing into a pile of glowing embers, cozy within the warmth of a backyard flame.

Improve Your Outdoor Space

Comfortable furniture and flooring choices are just two easy ways to spruce up outdoor spaces

Create an outdoor room: Whether your home is blessed with a generous wraparound or a small front porch just big enough for a chair or two, this is important emotional real estate. It's a place to unwind in the fresh air after a long day, an area that allows you to extend a summer evening outdoors with friends and neighbors. Should you call it a porch, a portico, or a veranda, this space is a significant element of American architecture, especially in the South, where wide, deep front porches are common. Treat your porch as you would the rest of your home, outfitting it with all-weather rugs and furniture, and other decorative touches.

Comfortable furniture covered in weather-resistant fabric makes this wide front porch feel like an extension of the living room. Mirrors on the wall reflect the trees in the yard, while pale blue paint on the ceiling mimics a fair-weather sky.

Choices for flooring: Pressure-treated Southern Pine tongue-and-groove flooring offers a traditional choice for porch floors. Composites, such as TenduraPlank Weathered Wood Gray, offer easy-care maintenance. Made of recycled wood fiber and polypropylene, it doesn't need painting.

Paint the porch: Paint adds color and protects your floor from the elements. For bare wood, use a primer. If it's been painted, lightly sand the surface to improve adhesion, making sure to scrape and spot-prime peeling areas. Apply one to two coats of paint made for high-traffic areas, or choose a deck stain to let the wood's beauty show through.

Select an outdoor rug: Pick one that will stand up to inclement weather and constant foot traffic.

Light it up: Is your porch hard-wired? Then you can choose from a variety of overhead lights, such as Sea Gull Lighting's aged brass Outdoor Pendant lantern. If not, make use of electrical outlets with whimsical string lights. Light candles and hurricane lamps for extra glow at night.

A mood room: If you use your porch to entertain or simply to read and relax, creating the proper ambience is a key concern. Be sure to install the right lighting for evening hours, and put up curtains or blinds to help filter the daytime sun. A comfy hammock tucked away in the porch corner makes a cozy spot for an afternoon nap after a day of gardening.

About the hammock: Before installing a hammock, make certain that the wall and the post you want to hang it between are sturdy enough to handle the weight. Consult the hammock manufacturer for specific guidelines and hardware suggestions for your home.