Photos courtesy of Archadeck
Embrace your great outdoors Make the best of the approaching warmer months by taking advantage of your own outdoor spaces By Heather Clarke Contributing Writer
Today’s outdoor living spaces are becoming extensions of our homes, and each one is customized to make it the right space for our own lifestyle. Some homeowners are putting in large flagstone patios perfect for entertaining a huge crowd of friends. Others are building peaceful, airy sunrooms where they can feel the sun’s warmth while they relax with a good book. When George Dickie started out in the sunroom business 25 years ago, most customers wanted small sunrooms that were
Show Rooms to Visit:
• Highland Square Mall, New Glasgow • 5 Home Show Rooms, Havre Boucher • Displays coming soon to Halifax & Sydney Home Offce: Havre Boucher, NS (902)234-2921 Cell: 759-2965 adelorey@ns.sympatico.ca
Serving all of Nova Scotia A div. of Deslauriers Distributors
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The REAL Home Show • March 2011
separated from the rest of their home. But things have changed drastically, and now his customers are requesting large rooms that are integrated into their home. They’re using the spaces as bright, breezy dining rooms, family rooms, and living rooms – which quickly become a favourite spot in the house. “These rooms offer so much increased light. Someone can come home after a long day at work, and they don’t even have to turn the lights on to sit and read the paper,” says Dickie, who is the owner of Creative Sunrooms. Dickie says his sunrooms have highlyreflective roofing, which means they stay cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter – making them a comfortable place to spend time year-round. “There’s often no wall between the sunroom and the rest of the house, and that’s been made possible because of advances in the glass and framing materials,” says Dickie. He explains that this makes a home’s floor plan look much larger, because you’re opening up the space. Homeowners who want to open their sunroom up to the fresh air are in luck, because Creative Sunrooms is about to launch a new folding glass wall – which will give people the option to open up an entire wall to the outside. Dickie says they will also be offering huge sliding screens, which will allow people to “change up the design of their room quite significantly.” Andrew Delorey, owner of Patio Screen
Nova Scotia Home Builders’ Association
Room, says many homeowners decide to add a sunroom after they retire, because they’re spending more time at home – and it quickly becomes their preferred spot to spend time. “People tell us it’s the best investment they ever made, and that they should have done it years ago,” says Delorey. “We always say it’s a room you can technically do without, but it’s certainly a room you will use all the time and appreciate.” Delorey says his clients appreciate that his sunrooms can be used year-round. In the warmer months, homeowners can enjoy the sunshine and warmth without being pestered by bugs. And on even the coldest winter night, they can sit comfortably in their sunroom and admire the starry sky. Over at Archadeck, owner Maurice Meagher says our province’s limited summer season amplifies the need for a great outdoor space. “When the weather gets warm, people really want to get outside and enjoy it in a good, functional space,” says Meagher. “A lot of people are putting in fire-pits so they can extend the season, and continue to use the area into the fall.” Meagher says homeowners are also putting more focus on outdoor lanterns and lighting to add ambiance – and to make sure the space is functional long into the night. His clients will often separate their outdoor space into different areas – such as spots for growing vegetables and fruit, a designated dining area with a table and
