Backyard Fun, Outdoor Entertaining, Outdoor Safety Tips

Pool Lights Bring the Party

2 Comments

Whether you have an in ground pool or an above ground pool, you probably have swimming pool lights to light the water after dark.  Pool lights are essential for safety, but did you know that they can be the life of the party, too?  Swimming with family and friends becomes an underwater dance party when colorful swimming pool lights illuminate the sides and bottom of your pool with spinning luminescence.   Blue, red, orange, purple, green, and orange lights add a new dimension of fun to a backyard get together, whether or not you decide to use the pool.

Colorful swimming pool lights come in a variety of creative designs.  Some pool lights are mounted to the side of the pool, while others float on the surface of the water.  The floating variety of pool lights offers its own range of creative touches.  Swim with colorful jelly fish who light the water with a green or pink glow, or enjoy the dramatic effect of a floating fountain and light show.  A popular choice for parties and even low-key gatherings is the floating pool light whose colors change and spin, giving an underwater disco ball effect.

Swimming pool lights don’t have to be of the plain white variety.  Colorful pool lights do the job of lighting your in ground or above ground swimming pool after dark, but they also bring a lively and fun party atmosphere to any small backyard gathering.  Just don’t forget the music!

Pool Lights and Fountain

Environmentally Friendly Ideas, Innovative Solutions, Shade Solutions

Green Windows — Solar Window Shades Save Energy and Money

6 Comments
Solar Outdoor Window Shade

Outdoor Solar Shade

Saving the planet may seem like a daunting task, but when we take small steps to reduce our carbon footprint, we can move closer to our goal.  One easy way we can do our part to reduce greenhouse gasses, while simultaneously cutting home energy costs, is to install solar shades on the windows and doors of our home.  Ideally, the windows or doors in question would be those in which the sun shines directly at some point during the day, but even windows or doors that do not receive direct sunlight can benefit from solar shades, also known as sun shades.  Outfitting our home with sun shades will keep inside temperatures down, reducing the need for air conditioning.

According to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), “Energy consumption for home air conditioning accounts for almost 5% of all the electricity produced in the U.S. for all purposes at a cost to homeowners of over $15 billion. This translates to roughly 140 million tons of carbon dioxide” (http://www.aceee.org/consumer/cooling).  That’s a lot of “green” going out the window, so to speak.

Solar shades are a practical solution because, for one, they are not black out shades; they do not darken a home and keep out all light.  Solar shades allow light and air to filter through, but, at the same time, they can reduce a room’s temperature by up to 25%.  Cooler temperatures inside mean more “green” — in other words, more money in our pockets and a healthier environment.

Innovative Solutions, Outdoor Entertaining, Outdoor Living Spaces

A Quick and Easy Outdoor Room Using Outdoor Curtains

15 Comments

I visited my in-laws over the weekend, and I had the opportunity to see the new outdoor curtains they installed on each side of their covered deck.  They chose to install outdoor curtains for reasons of privacy, but the curtains provide an unexpected benefit as well.  The deck has become another room in their home, a living space where my  in-laws retreat for a morning cup of coffee or an afternoon conversation.  The deck itself is not screened in, but the curtains they hung are made of rugged fade-resistant and waterproof Sunbrella fabric and do a surprisingly effective job of shielding the room’s occupants from sun, bugs, and weather.   The curtains improve the look of the deck area, too, making it so much more inviting and comfortable to use.

It is refreshing to know that creating a new outdoor living space doesn’t have to break the bank and doesn’t necessarily require building permits.  A room addition can be as easy as installing outdoor curtains.  The hard part now is trying to decide what color fabric to choose for my own outdoor space.

Backyard Fun, Outdoor Entertaining

The Above Ground Pool Goes Underground

33 Comments

What do you get when you cross an above ground pool with an in ground pool?  An inexpensive, attractive, and super fun way to spend the summer months (and beyond). I just learned how much it costs to have an in ground pool installed in the back yard. Yikes! I don’t know about you, but I don’t have tens of thousands of dollars to spare on a luxury item like a backyard in ground swimming pool. But I do think I could swing the cost of an above ground pool, which is a fraction of the cost.

Traditionally not the most attractive piece of backyard decor, the above ground swimming pool has come a long way in terms of looks. For example, oval shaped above ground pools can now be installed without the use of buttresses, which are unattractive and take up a good deal of yard space. Additionally, the walls of above ground pools are specially coated — not only to resist corrosion, scratching, and UV rays — but to offer the consumer a variety of attractive colors and designs. When you add features like pool decks and creative landscaping, today’s backyard above ground pool feels like a luxury get away.

So, where does the underground element come into play when we talk about above ground pools? If decorative walls, pool decks, and beautiful landscaping still don’t make the addition of an above ground pool in your backyard an attractive option, then why not install the above ground pool into the ground like you would an in ground pool? Impossible? No. The superior construction and corrosion resistance of some above ground pools allow them to be installed as semi-in ground and even mostly in ground pools. By installing an above ground pool underground, so to speak, you can have the look of an in ground pool without the cost of an in ground pool. Beauty and affordability together!

Bermuda-Installation-2

Bermuda-Installation-3

Outdoor Living Spaces

How About a Backyard Home Office?

1 Comment

Now that the weather is pleasant, my eyes tend to wander toward the window as I sit working at my home office desk. I watch the leaves on my maple tree flutter about and imagine the feel of the warm breeze on my skin. The birds offer a constant source of entertainment as well. I never grow tired of watching the red-bellied woodpeckers peck away at a suet cake my husband has hung from a low branch of our pear tree. Why stay inside on such a glorious day…working?  Of course, the work must get done, but why not take it outside? Why not become part of the scenery instead of merely watching it through a window from indoors?

I can’t imagine a more satisfying way to work outside than doing so while lounging on a new set of outdoor resin wicker furniture. It is comfortable and looks so beautiful on the patio or deck. One of my favorite things about outdoor resin wicker furniture is that cleaning it up takes nothing more than the squirt of a hose and some mild detergent. That’s my kind of furniture.

Just thinking about working outside makes me want to go pour myself a glass of iced tea, grab my laptop, head out to the patio, and prop my feet up. I can almost feel that gentle breeze already.

Lexington Club Chair and Ottoman