g n i v i L Outdoor
Connecting With Nature ©iStockphoto.com | PC Photography
O
ver the past few years due to the pandemic, outdoor living became more important than ever, and the trend is still going strong. Our outdoor spaces have the potential to become our own resort and give us the daily opportunity to connect to nature, relieve stress, and entertain our family and friends. There are many things to consider before starting an outdoor renovation. How you will use the space and budget are two big considerations. Pools, outdoor kitchens, fire pits, decks, patios, screened-in porches, lanais, landscaping, lighting, and hardscapes are all improvements that can enhance your space. Depending on your budget and goals, it would benefit you to hire a designer. Kevin Sipe with Scenic View Landscapes can design the outdoor oasis of your dreams. Even if you decide to do the renovations in stages, his design can keep you on track and prevent you from making unnecessary purchas-
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HICKORY LIVING • MAY 2022
es. Hardscapes, lighting, and landscaping can go a long way to give you the resort effect and may be all you need.
relaxation? The size of your family and the amount of entertaining will play a role in the size of decks, furniture, pools, and other items you might purchase.
There are ways to accomplish your goals on a small budget. For example, fire features can be as elaborate as a massive stone fireplace or as simple as a stand-alone wood or propane fire pit. And, you can buy DIY kits from home improvement stores to build stone fire pits. Outdoor kitchens can rival your indoor kitchen or be as simple as a nice grill. Instead of a lanai for a covered eating area, umbrellas and shade sails are inexpensive ways to achieve coverage. Water features can be anything from a man-made babbling brook flowing into a pond to a stand-alone fountain on your deck. Many times you can get the effect of the elements on a smaller scale and budget until you can do a grander renovation.
In-ground pools require a substantial investment, and there are basically three types – vinyl liner, fiberglass, and gunite/ concrete. Vinyl is the least expensive and concrete is the most expensive. Concrete is very durable, takes longer to install, and offers the most flexibility for different shapes of pools but requires more chemical usage. Fiberglass offers a lot of different shapes and is more durable than a pool with a vinyl liner. Vinyl liners are easier to damage than fiberglass and expensive to replace when the time comes. Also, if you have a septic tank, you will need to consider where your drain fields are. Those may have to be moved before putting in a pool and would cause an extra expense.
Do you entertain a lot or will you primarily use your outdoor space for private
Other than your backyard, there are plenty of ways to connect to nature in
