By Jenny Biczak, Lawn Central
Photographs courtesy of Lawn Central
Just because the temperatures have dropped doesn’t mean all your activities have to be moved indoors. Here are some ideas to help you enjoy your outdoor living spaces during the colder months.
Add a Firepit. A great family project is building a firepit. There are some affordable firepits that you can buy at your local home improvement center that you can install and have ready to use within minutes.
Heat things up with an outdoor heater! I love going to a restaurant while it’s cool outside and getting close to the outdoor heater. Who knew that they are very reasonable to buy? Although the propane versions seem to be the most common, you can get them for natural gas and electric.
Warm it up with décor and more. Use warm blankets, pillows, rugs and throws. Not only can they help keep you warm but they can add style to your cozy spaces outside. Pile up the blankets and use rugs on the bottom to keep out the cold.
Lighting is important. As the days get shorter it’s helpful to have some patio lighting installed to brighten those dark days. I remember so many times coming home from work when it was already dark, and those patio lights were a warm “welcome home.” I would recommend spending the extra money on LED patio lights. They use a lot less electricity and are much more reliable. I’ve had my current set-up for a few years now and they’re still going strong.
Shelter from the wind will make a huge difference in enjoying your outdoor spaces. This is where you can get creative. You can buy wind shades that you can put up and down, but there are other solutions that could work just as easily, like vinyl sails. They’re usually used for sun protection but would work in keeping out the wind.
Grilling all year round is something I did in when I lived in Michigan. I cannot tell you how much joy it brought me to be cooking outside at my grill when there was a foot or more of snow on the ground. I never let it stop me. It was like enjoying a bit of summer during the bleak winter months. Don’t forget the outdoor pizza oven, either.
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