5 ‘Must Haves’ for an Outdoor Living Space

Fall and Winter is right around the corner and in Texas that means enjoying the great outdoors. You should already be making plans to spend more time enjoying the outdoors and your own outdoor space. But it all starts with a great plan.

Your fi rst order of business should be considering an area where you want your space and how many people you entertain on a regular basis – at the same time accomplishing a desired design style. Great outdoor design is analogous to great interior design. Often, the outdoor space is an organic extension and refl ection of the spirit of the home itself. Site lines, design element orientation, landscape and lighting all play concert with the indoor space. So, once your design is ready, take a look at these fi ve must-have-add-ons to create your outdoor area nirvana. LIGHTING – Outdoor lighting is really the “cherry” on top of any outdoor living space, so it should go without saying that lighting should be one of your fi rst considerations when designing your outdoor space. A beautifully designed outdoor environment translates to a complete new and beautiful aesthetic at night with a professionally designed lighting installation.

AUDIO/VIDEO – We are in the world of high tech entertaining. More and more outdoor spaces are equipped with fl at-screen TVs and surround sound stereo equipment. Contractors can provide fully integrated electronic solutions so that music, audio/video, theaterstyle surround sound complete the environment.

FIRE PITS VS FIREPLACES – It may just be a natural fact that if you build a fi re, people will gather. A fi re feature provides a natural designation for people to congregate on a chilly night. Outdoor fi replaces offer a stately and attractive architectural feature within a design. However, fi replaces are signifi cantly more expensive than fi re pits, mostly due to scalability and engineering requirements to comply with code. While a fi re pit is a little closer to a rustic element, the functionality and aesthetics can really work in the right environment. Fire pits can be a great alternative if, perhaps, budget or space limitations are the issue.

OUTDOOR PIZZA OVENS – An outdoor kitchen is an investment for some, but it is becoming more of a standard in the Metroplex area. With interest rates so low, people are looking for ways to increase the value of their home. By investing in their home, they are able to enjoy the fi nal outcome plus reap the benefi ts when they sell their home. A wood-burning oven, for example, provides a way for cooking your own pizzas, veggies and meats. It defi nitely b ecomes the focal point of any outdoor kitchen, bringing family and friends together.

NATURAL ELEMENTS – When planning your space, it is very important to take all aspects of the natural environment into consideration – wind direction, sunrise, sunset, rain, etc. Most outdoor spaces are being built with some sort of roof structure attached. And, watertight structures allow for year-round casual entertainment and offer more protection for lavish outdoor furnishings.

Outdoor living hinges upon design innovation, deep technical knowledge, effi cient execution and craftsmanship. So, fi nding the right remodeler to help you in your outdoor living area journey is key. But, once your space is fi nished you won’t want to come back indoors!

Brenna Holley

Schools:

Prairie Creek Elementary, North Junior High, J J Pearce High School

Volleyball:

4-year starter on varsity – currently Captain Name of parents and siblings: Parents are Julie and Brad Holley 2 brothers Bradford (15) and Taylor (24)

A ccolades:

• 2015 District 10-6A First Team All-District • 2015 District 10-6A Academic All-District • 2015 State Playoffs – Regional Quarterfi nal Champion • 2014 District 10-6A First Team All-District • 2014 District 10-6A Academic All-District • • 2014 State Playoffs – Regional Semi-Final Champion 2014 Junior Olympics – 5th Place Open Division • 2013 District 9-5A Honorable Mention • • 2013 District 9-5A Champion 2013 Junior Olympics – 6th PlaceOpen Division National Honor Society, Hearts of Servants Volunteer Organization, SOS Lifeguard

What other sports do you play:

At this point just volleyball but I am a retired CCCC Barracuda and have always loved basketball.

Favorite Sports Moment:

Beating the number two ranked team in Texas, Westlake High School, in the regional semi-fi nal game during my sophomore high school season. We were defi nitely the underdogs and it is the furthest we have made it in the state play-offs during my career at Pearce.

Favorite name of little league team:

Mad Monkeys (PSA Volleyball)

What club teams have you played for?

Texas Advantage Volleyball, Skyline Juniors Volleyball, Tejas Volleyball

People would be surprised if they knew:

I really wanted to take a gap year and travel the world doing mission work, but my parents wouldn’t let me. Hopefully sometime in my future I will be able to….

Favorite Canyon Creek Memory:

Lemonade stands and dancing on the starter blocks at the CCCC

Barracuda Bash. Summers in Canyon Creek used to go on forever.

My favorite place to eat in Canyon Creek is:

I have a major sweet tooth – so unquestionably Sweet Firefl y!

After high school, I’m going to:

Attend either The University of Arkansas or Texas Tech University to major in nursing. As a nurse I would like to spend some time working in a foreign country.