Stately Scapes

http://www.daveramsey.com/blog/boost-home-value-outdoor-living


Boost Your Home’s Value With an Outdoor Living Space

from daveramsey.com  
An outdoor living space is not only a great feature to enjoy while you live in your home, it will also attract buyers when you’re ready to sell. A National Association of Realtors survey shows more than half of surveyed buyers would pay a premium for a home with an outdoor living space.
According to a recent article in REALTORMag, these outdoor living spaces go beyond the traditional patio or deck and function more like indoor rooms with more comfortable and durable furnishings, fire pits, curtains, even televisions and audio systems. Screened porches are also increasingly popular since they can be used nearly year-round.
Outdoor kitchens are also big hits, with amenities ranging from a simple grill to a cook’s station with sink, refrigerator, countertops and storage space.
 
Go for Real Value
Creating or upgrading your outdoor living space can be a pricey project, and it may not add real value to your home if it’s not done correctly. Here are a few points to keep in mind as you plan your space:
Fit your neighborhood. As with any home renovation, you have to keep your neighborhood in mind. If yours is the only home with high-end features like a pizza oven, outdoor fireplace or professional landscaping, you probably won’t get much return for your investment. Stick with functional items you’ll actually use.
Too much patio or not enough? Don’t make your new space so large that it takes over your yard. On the other hand, a large yard with a tiny patio won’t feel right either. Keep your plans proportional.
Privacy’s a priority. No matter how nice you make your outdoor space, you’ll never use it if you feel like your neighbors are watching your every move. Your renovation should include a budget for nice fencing for your yard. Bonus? The fencing itself will add value to your home.
Great Advice for Home Buyers or Sellers
As the housing market has picked up steam in the last few months, homeowners are finding that these new spaces grab buyers’ attention. And as we mentioned above, buyers are willing to pay more for a home with a well-done outdoor living area.
 

If you’re considering a paver project, check out today’s trends in hardscape design below for project inspiration and to help you stay in the know for cutting edge paver fashions.

Grander Scale Pavers
We’re seeing a trend towards grander scale pavers and slabs such as the Lafitt™ Patio Slab which we introduced last year. Slabs create a more contemporary look and feel, which is increasing in demand, and they tend to install quicker giving homeowners their dream patio in less time. Expect to see more large pavers and slabs introduced in 2012.

Lafitt Patio Slab features the look and texture of cut slate combined with the lasting strength and staying power that’s a hallmark of Belgard pavers. Three shapes allow for a wide variety of design options, giving homeowners the ability to create eye-catching patios, walkways and more, with a natural slate appearance.



Lafitt Patio Slab features the look and texture of cut slate combined with the lasting strength and staying power that’s a hallmark of Belgard pavers. Three shapes allow for a wide variety of design options, giving homeowners the ability to create eye-catching patios, walkways and more, with a natural slate appearance.

Incorporating Fire
There also is a continuing trend to incorporate fire into outdoor patios through fire pits, fire tables and fireplaces. Adding a fire element extends your outdoor season allowing you to stay warm through chilly evenings. Not only do fire features provide warmth and the perfect spot for making s’mores, they look beautiful and light up the night.




Water Elements
We’re starting to see a growing interest in water elements such as fountains. Water features can provide relaxation and flair when incorporated into pools, ponds and even fireplaces.

Starting with a clean slate when planning an outdoor living project can be intimidating – Where do I start? What do I want? How do I make this a space I want to be in? The planning process can be even more intimidating when you have a large outdoor space but want a modest, intimate patio. To design a warm, welcoming outdoor space focus on choosing the right colors, creating a focal point, and adding personal touches with accessories.

Paver Colors Make All the Difference
The best advice to follow when selecting patio pavers is to choose colors that work in harmony with your home environment. To make your space feel more intimate, choose darker tones which absorb light and make areas appear smaller.

Create a Focal Point
The problem with large, unorganized outdoor spaces is that your eye doesn’t know where to look first. Creating a seating area welcomes guests in and directs them where to go. Add additional interest and focus with a fireplace or fire pit, not only will it be a beautiful conversation starter, but it will keep you warm into the evening on chilly nights.

Add Accessories
Nothing makes a space more intimate than adding your own personal touches through accessories. Add a pop of color with your favorite throw pillows and blankets. Candle light adds another level of intimacy and warmth. Bright green plants pair beautifully with pavers. Be creative and make your outdoor space yours!

Let the professionals at Stately Scapes help you design your backyard retreat!  Call us at (931) 265-3035

Low voltage outdoor lighting is a great choice if you are looking for a creative way to highlight your landscape and patio area. They have many advantages, including flexibility; you can put them wherever you want them. The fixtures can be easily moved in order to accommodate plant growth or other changes in your landscape. Low voltage lighting is also safe and energy efficient. The wattage is significantly reduced, so low voltage lights are also much less bright than the standard variety.





 Belgard Elements fire pit & water feature

Hardscapes can be formal or informal, depending on the style of your home and surrounding landscape. With hardscaping, textural variety is important and should be considered carefully. On the one hand, using only one texture or material can make the area appear dull and lifeless. Yet, using too many textures can make the surrounding area appear unattractive and cluttered.

So what do you do? Find balance. It’s generally better to choose no more than two or three textures or hardscape materials. These should be both visually appealing and complement your home’s exterior. This also includes color. When designing with hardscape elements, also consider your drainage patterns.

When planned out carefully, hardscape gardening features can and should improve the overall appearance of the home landscape, not take away from it.

Sealers for Concrete Pavers
Sealing and re-sealing your pavers is the most important and effective maintenance procedure. The coating of sealer will enhance the brightness of the color of your pavers, and it will enable the pavers to maintain that brightness over a long period of time. Sealing your pavements will help protect it, clean it and maintain its beauty for much longer. Sealing gives your pavers a protective coating, so if you stain it with oil or grease, it is much easier to remove than it would be if your pavers were not sealed.

So you can see that sealing your pavers is the best way to maintain that new look to your driveways, patios and walkways.

It leaves a clear gloss finish, making the color brighter, while repelling grease and oil stains. Sealing your pavers helps to promote durability, longevity and the overall aesthetic beauty of your paved areas.

Two Main Types of Sealers
Film Formers

This type of sealer helps to protect your pavers by blocking the effects of water and other contaminants. Film Formers generate a barrier on the surface of the pavers, often a gloss finish. This sheen finish also helps pro-long that new look color.

Penetrants

This type of sealer actually penetrates into the pavers’ material, from 1 to 4 mils deep. These sealers are mostly used for absorbent materials, such as, concrete. Penetrants help to repel water and resist stain damage. Penetrant sealers also promote longevity and durability of the life and look of your pavers.

Applications
Sealing agents can be applied to most types of surface pavement materials. These include; concrete, slate, clay, granite, natural stone, stamped concrete and block pavers.

You can apply sealer agents to your driveway, patios, balconies, surrounding the pool, terraces and car parks. Wherever sealers are used, the result is always a cleaner, brighter, long-lasting and beautiful pavement.

Benefits of Sealing Pavers
Helps repel water damage
Helps repel stains caused by oil, grease and grime etc
Makes cleaning a breeze
Enhances color brightness and life-span
Prevents loss of sand in joints
Prevents the effects of snow and ice
Will strengthen the pavement
Helps retain paver flexibility
Can withstand harsh weather conditions
Reduces paver loosening and cracks
Acts as a dust proofer
Restricts weed and grass growth

A Patio Idea of Beauty

If it's time to upgrade and if beauty and aesthetics are on the agenda then the time is right for patio pavers. Concrete pavers offer a tremendous array of advantages over other types of patio decks and areas.


Patio Design

Using interlocking concrete pavers for your patio design provides unlimited possibilities in design concepts. You can choose amongst many different and beautiful colors. You have your choices of types of pavers. Different pavers have different shapes, textures, surfaces, colors and provide any number of different design ideas, from very modern to evoking the look of ancient Roman streets or the quaint and exquisite beauty of Europe hundreds of years ago. Additionally there are a vast number of patterns in which to lay the pavers.


Paving Stone Advantages

Besides the beauty and aesthetics that patio pavers offer there is the factor of performance, durability and longevity and the fact that they are almost maintenance free.

One of the great advantages of patio pavers is that each paving stone is surrounded by a bed of special grade sand. This provides a very strong platform, and additionally provides just enough flexibility that seasonal temperature changes and the subsequent expansion and contraction of the paving stones does not cause cracks in the pavers or the design.

Poured or Stamped Concrete

It is said that beauty is in the eye of the beholder but few will argue that poured concrete will be as pleasing as the colors, patterns and design of patio pavers.

Stamped and poured concrete have the disadvantage that it creates a very hard inflexible surface that is subject to cracking from temperature variances and physical stress. Patching a crack in concrete always leaves a scar so beauty can be short-lived.

Wooden Patio Decks

Wooden patio decks require yearly maintenance and can be a problem to retain their beauty. And they do not have the longevity of paving stones.


Patio Pavers
Patio pavers in any of their various designs and color patterns is today's choice to beautify any property and greatly add to its value.

For more information...give us a call at (931) 265-3035

Spring is upon us and now is the time to install that patio and pool you have been wanting.
Give us a call and let us help you design that backyard you have always dreamed of.
(931) 265-3035

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