The possibilities are endless with Outdoor Home Design. What is your checklist for the outdoor design features you want in your next home? Space to garden, a pool, a big backyard for playing and sports?
Or, just a balcony with a breeze and a comfortable chair?
Some of the types of items you might want to consider are:
- What is the right amount of yard space in the front and back?
- Who will take care of the outside of your house including any landscaping and how much will that cost?
- What is the climate in your home location?
- What type of weather is typical and what are the weather patterns at different times of the year?
- What size and style of pool will work best for your family and the activities you plan to do in the pool and the surrounding area?
- Do you want an integrated spa with your pool? and if so, what type of heating method is most efficient?
- Do you want to cook outside on a grill? What type of grill do you have?
- Will there be room to place your grill in the outdoor space or patio?
- What about the practical parts of the outdoor home design like rain gutters and downspouts?
- Does the home you are considering have these and if not, what impact does that have on the landscaping?
- Where will you store your trash cans and recycle bins, outdoor toys and other items you might own?
- Where is their room to store shovels, tools and other maintenance items?
- Where are the location to connect a water hose and how far will a hose reach?
Outdoor features can contribute to enjoyable views, increased exercise possibilities and stress reduction, but you must consider the all of the maintenance requirements, and upkeep costs. More yard space requires more maintenance in time, water and money unless you carefully select your grass, plants, water features and ground cover based on the area of the country you live.
One example of tip of a bad outdoor home design choice we made a few years ago is - Don't install a white ceiling fan on an outdoor patio! It might look great for a while, but they get dusty and dirty really fast, especially if you cook on your grill outside. Yes, I had to get out a ladder every time I needed to clean it. If we have an outdoor patio in the next house, I'll install a dark gray, brown or black fan. (Yes, this is on my "Don't do this again" list)
What are your favorite outdoor home design features? Please add your comments and suggestions for articles in this area!