By Dawn Bluemel Oldfield / Home & Garden Editor
Your yard has the potential to be another living area—an extension of your home. The perfect place to relax, dine and entertain. Our Texas climate offers the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors nearly year round. Score big by incorporating one of the hottest trends with homeowners across America: extend your home’s indoor space outdoors.
Folding lawn chairs and a grill in the corner have made way for gourmet outdoor kitchens and comfortable seating areas accented with chic accessories. Outdoor living spaces have become a popular spot for entertaining and family bonding.
“Homeowners want their outdoor decks and patios to be an inviting extension of their homes and a natural transition to their backyards,” says Daniel Pidgeon, Chairman for Star Companies, whose retail brands include Starpower, Ed Kellum & Son, StarFloors, and Star Interior Resources. “They want a space that is not only functional but reflects their personality.” Thanks to quality materials and state-of-the-art technology like Star Companies provides, homeowners can have the same comfort and stylish looks outside as they have indoors.
Whether you have an existing area that needs renovating or want to build a new outdoor space, it is important to work with a reputable company with the on-site expertise and a proven track record. Reaching out to a company, such as Starpower and Ed Kellum & Son, will give you access to professional construction and installation teams and a multitude of options in enhancing an outdoor space. You can get help creating everything from a simple pergola to a complete outdoor living area, including outdoor fireplaces for when the weather cools off.
Pidgeon advises customers to have a goal in mind and to be wary of retailers who try to upsell superfluous items. “The best way to get your game on for enjoying outdoor living and entertaining is to only buy what you will enjoy and don’t get out of control with a bunch of stuff you’ll never use.” Starpower has three state-of-the-art showrooms in DFW, staffed with tenured sales associates and in-house award-winning installation teams to ensure every I is dotted and T is crossed throughout the process.
Cutting edge home automation is a game-changer as well, says Pidgeon. “There are so many cool options and being able to control everything from your smart phone or tablet will make life outdoors a breeze.”
A thoughtfully planned outdoor space can take watching the big game or movie night to a whole new level. “The latest trends in outdoor living spaces include weatherproof outdoor 4K televisions. 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. If you want a big screen experience outdoors, you can get your very own 180” video wall. Think Jumbotron but with high definition quality. This is truly a statement piece.”
An outdoor area can be the ultimate entertainment spot or simply a place to get away and enjoy the sunset or a garden view. Break away from the backyard blahs. From easy to elaborate, big budget or small, you can create a family sanctuary you and your family will love and live in.
