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Improve Your Outdoor Living

Improve Your Outdoor Living

by | Aug 7, 2015 | Outdoors

Improve Your Outdoor Living Flower Gardens… Barbeque…  Family gatherings…  Solitude…  Outdoor living in Michigan only reigns for a short period of time each year, so why not make the most of it?  Here are a variety of ways in which to enhance your time outdoors. Create a Focal Point Your home living area is built around one focal point, whether it’s a sofa or a piece of art.  This allows your eye something to focus on.  Everything else in the room become accent pieces that lend support.  The same idea applies to your outdoor living space.  Here the focal point may be a pond or flower garden.  Once your focal point has been established, it is time to build around it. Form Traffic Patterns Whether the size of your yard is large or small, your outdoor living space will come together better if you have established paths for traffic.  This can be accomplished in a variety of ways such as creating a formal walkway, generating shifts in the hardscape or simply by planting trees or shrubs to designate corners and borders.  This provides a solution to paths of unwanted traffic. Furniture Arrangement Matters In order to establish the different variety of outdoor activities, shrewdly arrange the furniture to differentiate these zones.  Think about placing a bench and dining table in the corner of a smaller area.  This still allows enough space for movement.  For larger areas, you may even consider selecting an outdoor rug to break the sitting and dining areas apart.   Encase Yourself in Privacy If you discover that you like privacy and solitude while outdoors, you...
Grilling 101

Grilling 101

by | Jul 4, 2015 | Outdoors

Grilling 101 One of the best things about summer is outdoor grilling.  Gathering of friends, food and drinks make for an unforgettable time.  And just imagine all of those healthy dishes you can produce with very little cleanup!  But what if you’ve never cooked on a grill before or had very little luck.  Then what?  Take a look at the following tips on grilling and start planning your summertime gathering. Charcoal vs. Gas One of the age old questions is whether using a charcoal grill or a gas grill is the best option.  Let’s face it; each type of grill has its perks!  While grilling with gas is quick and convenient, nothing produces the smokiness of charcoal.  So how do you choose?  Let’s break it down.         Gas Grills – These grills run on propane and have an ignition setting to help regulate the amount of heat produced.  This makes cooking on a gas grill very convenient as well as much cleaner.         Charcoal Grill – Charcoal is used to produce the heat that your food will cook on and therefore harder to get started and the heat cannot be regulated.  The taste of the food that is produced will be smokier and richer in flavor.  But, carbon monoxide and soot make charcoal grilling messier. Basic Grilling Techniques Some people limit themselves on what they cook on a grill.  But the thing is you can cook almost anything on one.  From grilling meat, to veggies, to fruit and even French toast, you can cook nearly anything on a grill!  Think of it as your outdoor oven.  So here are some basic...
Need Curb Appeal?

Need Curb Appeal?

by | Jun 9, 2015 | Curb Appeal, Exterior, Outdoors

Need Curb Appeal?   Warm weather is upon us and with that comes the upkeep to our homes.  So what do you notice about your home when you are standing out by the street?  Is it attractive?  Has it seen better days?  Should you make some changes for the better?  Tis the season to add curb appeal to your home!   Landscaping The landscape of your home draws in the eye of the passerby.  You want to make sure that what is seen is welcoming and friendly.  Here are a few tips on how to accomplish that: Add a few containers full of plants to your entryway or hang baskets of flowers from your porch ceiling to give a friendly and finished look. Clean up your yard by mowing the lawn, trimming bushes and sweeping the steps.  This is a cheap and efficient way to increase your home’s attractiveness. Plant colorful perennial flowers in a flower bed that wraps itself around the front of the house.  Every year you can choose a color scheme and add beautiful color to your home. If you do not have room for a flower bed, another options to add plants to containers and display near your entryway.  You can still achieve that warming welcome that colorful flowers offer.   Front Door Swag Your home’s front entryway is the largest focal point of its curb appeal.  Everyone who visits your home will see it.  So why not add some color?  Grab some paint and get your home noticed!  Not so sure you want to add a blast of color?  No worries.  Here are a...