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C&J Blog Article

31
Dec
1969

The great outdoors...

Decks and Porches

As we travel this gorgeous land on our relentless mission of decorative beautification, we’re constantly inspired by an army of outdoors devotees and by the work they undertake to ensure porches and decks (not to mention patios, gardens and terraces!) become as attractive - and practical - as possible. We’re thrilled to see a growing commitment to improving exterior space and, as devoted fans of al fresco entertainment, we can only imagine the fun hospitality that takes place. Summer, after all, is just ‘round the corner so what better time to prepare for relaxing afternoons or casual, balmy evenings with the barbecue at full tilt! And we speak from experience - we’re currently working on the transformation of our own Toronto roof terrace which, at 39 floor up, faces all manner of assault from Canada’s climate.

Creating the perfect first impression

As much as we see many wonderfully tended terraces and decks, however, we still see lost potential in certain quarters. We see homes with fair external order - well painted doors and windows and patiently tended plants and flowers - but neglected design and final dressing detail. Chances are your neighbours and passers by are gossiping about your lost potential. Or, in other words, grumbling about their view… to yours. So, whether green thumbed or not, isn’t it time you got it together? It’s amazing what you can do, with even just a little expense, to make the great outdoors… even greater!

 

Getting the best from your space

So how do you add that all important – yet often strangely elusive - design factor? Well it’s actually not that difficult! A porch or front step, for example, should serve as a welcoming stop off point as you fumble for your keys. It should provide visitors with somewhere to wait as they shelter from the elements as you make your way to greet them. Porches allow you to spend time ‘en dehors’ even if the weather is bad and, if properly shielded from side winds via roll down all weather blinds or screening, they can be enjoyed well into autumn. Add a (supervised) shiny steel patio heater – they’ve come right down in price over the years - and you could find yourself savouring al fresco hot chocolate even as winter takes hold. Bliss!

Finding inspiration

 

As you plan how to dress your patio or veranda, think about how its furnishings will relate to the rest of your exterior. Plunder the detail of your home’s architectural character - roof lines, eaves, posts and rails, etc - and mirror these in your additional propping. Modern exteriors can be successfully dressed with funky modern pieces but a traditional exterior looks best when dressed with wicker, wood or rustic detailing. Okay, so a little mixing and matching can be fun… but it’s good to respect your home’s ‘vernacular’!

Maintenance

Before thinking of furniture and accessories, make sure that the area in which it will be sited is well maintained. As the new season dawns, it makes great sense to tackle a little DIY. Here are our top five pointers that should help you on your way…

 

  • Use a power washer on pressure-treated lumber to remove grit and grime. Doing this won’t simply clean, it should also help reveal the original tones and patina of your flooring.
  • Treat your timbers! At the start of each season, apply a top notch wood preservative to inhibit moisture ingress.
  • Finally, apply a couple of coats of stain to suit your outdoors scheme.
  • Remember - with proper maintenance, that a well made deck constructed from pressure treated wood can last 20 years or more.
  • If you have a slabbed terrace, deck or patio, then weed between each tile and apply disinfectant and weed killer.
  • And if you’ve got grass? Invest in a cute wee mower and start striping that verdant greenery! Tip - do as we did in our Scottish home and share the cost of a mower with neighbours. It’s a no brainer!

 

Tidy up!

 

One of the worst things you can do is treat your garden zone, porch or deck as a storage area. A front stoop used as a stop of point between kitchen garbage tin and local dump is SUCH a turn off. If you’ve nowhere else to store refuse, then at least remember the environment - sort into re cycling boxes and ensure that the right things go to the right department! Tip - buy colour coded crates, stash them neatly together and make sure they don’t over flow!

 

Set dressing

A collection of terracotta pots planted up with brightly coloured flowers and foliage will add a welcome dash of drama to even the dullest exterior. And due to their portable nature you can move them around as and when required. And don’t panic; you don’t have to be an expert horticulturist to achieve good results. Many plant genus these days are bred specifically to challenge even the most difficult weather conditions, whether hot OR cold! Choose hardy plants to act as decorating ‘accents’ against neutrally painted siding, pillars or walls.

 

Finding extra function

The list of purposes your outdoor areas can serve is endless. On TV, and in private commission, we’ve dressed many gardens as comfy dining areas and we’ve attired others as secondary warm weather living zones. If you install safety gates to enclose young kids, decks and patios make fabulous playrooms as long as constant supervision is considered - particularly at the front of your home. Tip - Hanging baskets are a great way to pump up the style stakes, though remember that these can dry out in as little as an hour on particularly hot days.

Top 10 Tips – in a nutshell - to help create the perfect deck, patio or terrace

  • Develop a strong visual relationship between inside and out.
  • Investigate building code and planning requirements BEFORE starting any building work.
  • Lighting is as important inside as it is out so employ the services of an electrician and wire everything correctly so you can enjoy space to its best advantage.
  • Position small in ground spot lights at the side of steps and light back and front doors with sensors that flick to life as you approach.
  • Dress to impress - clever planting in pots and tubs is the simplest way to add style to outdoor space.
  • Never underestimate the power of accessories! A few jolly jaunty cushions will add ‘pop’ to the plainest furniture while chunky decorative outdoors crockery will help bring the most boring table to life!
  • Opt for stains that penetrate the wooden surface of your deck or porch rather than those that simply sit on top of timber.
  • Debris which clogs grooves between deck boards will trap moisture - this in turn encourages mildew and rot.
  • Scan your neighbourhood for outdoors inspiration and take photo’s of those you like. Consider all your options and, if necessary, make a 3D model or plot everything out on graph paper.
  • And finally! When you’ve dressed to impress, go one stage further by adorning your space with flickering lights and get ready to host that candle lit supper, the one you’ve been promising your friends for ages! Pop cute wee tea lights into storm jars and light Citronella candles to keep the bugs at bay!

In essence, it really isn’t that hard to make your garden, yard or deck a positively welcoming and exciting haven. This year, as our TV calendar rolls ever faster, you’ll see us tackle more outdoor spaces than normal. We suppose we’re all by now familiar with the term ‘bring the outdoors in’ but perhaps these days, in light of how the gardening market has blossomed (if you’ll excuse the pun) maybe it’s finally time… ‘to bring the indoors out’! Trowels at the ready?  Enjoy!

 

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