By Alicia Wanek
Finding a location for the entire family to hang out together and to entertain is no small task. Perhaps you should consider thinking outside the box, or outside the house to be more precise. More people are creating living spaces outdoors, and there are more products than ever available now to make it just another extension of your home. Not only do outdoor features bring families joy, but they also add resale value later. “Over the course of my 25-year career in residential real estate, I’ve seen a lot of home trends come and go, but the focus on outdoor living is the only aspect that has continued to expand exponentially,” says Fiona Richards, a Realtor with The Baldwin Group / Allie Beth Allman & Associates. “Think of the long-term and how your family can enjoy your outdoor space for many years—whether that’s with a pool, outdoor kitchen and living area, a Sport Court, or whatever it is that will bring your family the fun factor today, tomorrow, and for years to come.” Here are some local resources that can help you create your outdoor oasis:
Lu-Lu’s Blooms & Patio Works
Nothing allows you to create your own oasis like landscaping, and the professionals at Lu-Lu’s Blooms work with you to plan, design, and install your project to embody your aesthetic. At Lu-Lu’s they see their work as art, “beautiful, timeless, expressive,” and they recognize it is highly personal. “The yard is an extension of the house itself,” says Lauri Braschler, owner of Lu-Lu’s Blooms. The landscape architects will meet with you to understand exactly what you are looking for and suggest a design that compliments your style. Their team also examines the yard and considers your existing conditions—sunlight, soil, drainage, irrigation, slope, existing trees and vegetation—and then, knowing what plants can grow in this Texas weather, they make suggestions that maximize your budget. “Plant choices should be based on the weather and frequency of storms per area, so they will withstand the elements,” Lauri says. Today’s landscaping and landscape designs involve many types of textures and features. If you are looking for fresh ideas that fuse form and function, the landscape architects at Patio Works are ready to transform your yard. “The only limit to what your outdoor patio can become is your imagination,” says Patio Works owner, Mark Sorensen. “A well-designed patio is comfortably decorated and meshes with your landscaping. A stone, brick, or even concrete floor is a delight when coupled with a fire pit or grill.” When it comes to designing the perfect outdoor patio, materials are an important part of the process. You are going to want to take a close look at the choices available to ensure you are matching the look and feel of your home. You will also want to consider any hardscaping already in place in your yard. The color, shape, and size of any stone you put in will have an impact on the overall feel. The landscape architects at Patio Works can show you the options available and help you turn your ideas into reality. You’ll spend so much time in the backyard over the next few months, you want it to feel cozy and inviting. Your own private paradise awaits.
214.662.6160 | lulusblooms.com
214.956.7801 | patioworksinc.com
Texas Mosquito Control
Nothing puts a damper on an outdoor barbeque or day in the pool like a bunch of mosquitoes. The annoying creatures not only make you itch for days, but they can carry life-threatening diseases. You don’t have to put up with these irksome insects according to Mark Kellner of Texas Mosquito Control. He suggests you consider a mosquito misting system. “It is the most complete protection for the outside areas around your home; it sprays automatically at certain times of day to kill mosquitoes that are present and repel or keep them from coming into the area,” said Kellner. The system sprays a fine mist on and under the foliage around your yard from a number of nozzles set around your property, fed from containers that automatically operate at timed intervals when mosquitoes tend to be active—early morning, dusk, and evening—creating a perimeter that is deadly to these insects and other flying pests. Mark will come out to help determine how to ideally place the system in your yard and maintain it during the active summer months to keep it filled for continued protection. When you’re not worrying about the pesky pests, you and your guests can focus instead on enjoying outdoor summer fun with friends and family.
972.248.3373 | texasmosquitocontrol.com
STARPOWER
In this day and age, if you have it inside your home, chances are you can have it outdoors as well. Thanks to contemporary technology, Starpower and Ed Kellum and Son can create an outdoor sanctuary that has everything you need to entertain or just hang out in your own oasis. With the ever-present threat of extreme heat and sudden rain, an outdoor television, which houses all the electrical components safely, is the best way to go. For the true movie buffs, Starpower can hook you up with a 180” video wall! Starpower’s 100% water-proof outdoor video walls feature incredible picture quality and optimal brightness, which allows you to enjoy your favorite movies and shows during dark nights and the sunny days.
While you’re kicking back enjoying the movie, you don’t have to compromise on sound quality either. Outdoor speakers developed to withstand any weather conditions and that are resistant to corrosion make you feel part of the action. Starpower even has speakers that look like rocks to complement your landscaping. Even cooler, you can control many of these sound systems with your smartphone.
Although Ed Kellum and Son has plenty of high-quality grills for the most experienced outdoor chefs, cooking outside doesn’t have to just include a grill. You can now create an entire outdoor kitchen complete with refrigerators, pizza ovens, warmers, wine fridges, and more. You don’t have to leave the party or leave the kids alone to get the food ready.
Finally, when you’re considering what you need to make your backyard complete, don’t forget to consider a security system. Starpower, licensed to sell security for 20 years, offers cameras that let you monitor any movement around your home remotely or review the images stored on a hard drive months later. For nighttime surveillance, leading edge night-vision technology allows cameras to see in the dark. These can also be accessed remotely from your device, so you know what’s going on at home even when you’re not there. For information, visit a showroom in North Dallas, Uptown, or Southlake today or visit star-power.com.
972.503.6005 | star-power.com
Trinity Fireside
Trinity Fireside is known for setting the ambience of your outdoor space with their amazing fireplaces made to fit your unique style. At this time of year, Trinity also has all you need to set up your outdoor living room with furniture made to withstand the Texas heat and summer storms with flair. Trinity offers Skyline Design, which has been named one of the top five brands worldwide in outdoor furniture, and their selections from Homecrest Outdoor Living offer innovative patio furniture to complement any design.
Spring and summer are also ideal for those outdoor barbeques, and Trinity Fireside has an amazing selection of outdoor grills that make every meal memorable and ensure delicious meats and vegetables, whether entertaining a large group or just enjoying hamburgers with the kids by the pool. You may consider the ever-popular Kamado Joe ceramic cookers, designed to make every grilling experience as fun and rewarding as possible for the novice or the experienced grill master.
“We all love the outdoors and creating the perfect place to gather and rekindle connections with family and friends, a place to entertain while creating lifelong memories,” says the team at Trinity Fireside.
972.215.7675 | trinityfireside.com
