Thursday, June 18, 2009

Give Your Porch a Facelift

You've probably already found yourself spending more time out on the front porch. Or perhaps you're selling your home and understand the importance of curb appeal. Whatever the reason, it's time to clean up your front porch and give it a fresh look for the season.

Start by removing all the shovels, hoses, garbage cans or other items that have collected up over the winter, and then proceed to give every inch of your porch a good cleaning. You many decide to use a pressure washer for the floor and walls. Otherwise mix up a gallon of warm water combined with 2 tbsp. of Dawn dish soap and give the windows, furniture and soffits a thorough wiping.

Repair any loose boards or balusters, touch up caulking, and check the railings and columns for signs of wear. If they are in need of repainting, now is the time to do it.

Replace any burnt out bulbs in your light fixtures and consider updating the lights entirely if they are dated. If it's not in your budget, just clean out all the cobwebs and make them shine.

Now the fun begins. The quickest way to add punch to a front porch is by adding color. Add some hanging planters with bright full blooms. Assess your lawn furniture - instead of replacing, maybe all it needs is a facelift. A new paint job and a set of colorful floral cushions will have an old set looking like new.

Visit your favorite garden center and replace your old doormat with a new one that shouts "spring".

The latest trend is to make your outdoor spaces an extension of the indoor spaces. Consider purchasing an outdoor area rug and arrange your furniture around it. Hang sheer curtains and gather them together, tieing them back at the posts or letting them hang free. It reinforces the living room look and can add a splash of color as well.

Assess your front door - touch up the paint if necessary and add a colorful spring garland or wreath.

When you're sitting outdoors, nature is your entertainment, so do what you can to build on it. Add some bird baths, small birdfeeders and a hummingbird feeder. Just the addition of some red flowers will probably attract those little guys. If you don't have the trees for hanging, add a decorative post or wrought iron hanger.

Consider adding plants especially suited for butterflies. They like sun, but require shelter from the wind, and a nearby mud puddle to drink from. Plants that provide good sources of nectar for butterflies include Aster, Dogbane, Mallow, Dogwood, Wild Rose, Butterfly Bush, Marigold, Sunflowers, and Purple Coneflower.

Consider adding a focal point to your front porch for added interest. This may include an unusual planter, urns, sculpture or trellis. If your porch is protected, there are some beautiful framed or mounted prints that look wonderful in an outdoor setting.

Finally, tidy the area around your porch by edge trimming, raking, sweeping or whatever is necessary to create an inviting walkway. Now poor a cool drink and sit down and enjoy this delightful space you've created.

Choosing Pool Deck Plans

Often, when choosing pool deck plans, the people are working with a builder to choose the design that will work with the particular type of pool that is being put in. These pool deck plans will vary according to the type of pool that is there and how it is shaped. The above ground pools require a different design in the pool deck plans than those pools that are placed in the ground. There are also some pools that have a hot tub that is to the side of it or attached to it, which also requires some modifications of the pool deck plans.

Steps

If working with a builder, then some of the following tips should be addressed by that builder so that there are fewer chances of problems when building the pool deck. When choosing the pool deck plans, it is a good idea to stake out the area that will be the deck area. The reason for this is to see if the pool deck plans are really large enough to contain the pool furniture and other items that the individuals want to have on their pool decks. If the area is staked out, then the people can place what furniture that they currently have within the perimeter and see how the deck will function. Often they will find that the deck is not large enough for what they want to put on it, and will have to modify the pool deck plans accordingly.

Another step in choosing a pool deck plan is to make sure that the plans meet the zoning requirements for the city as well as the requirements of the particular neighborhood that the deck will be in. This helps to alleviate future issues once the construction is underway. The pool deck plans should also take into account any particular pipes, wires or cables that might be running through the area from the local utility company so as not to inadvertently cause damage to these things. Another consideration when choosing the pool deck plans is to see if there will be any shade that is needed with the deck. If the deck will be built on the south side of the home where there is not any shade from a tree or bush, then it is often wise to make one part of the deck covered so that the individuals can obtain some shade when they want to do so during the course of a hot summer day. Building some shelter from the wind is also wise if there are not any trees or bushes around to do so, since the wind can often hinder the enjoyment of the warm summer day, especially when it is by a pool.