SPECIAL SECTION HOME IMPROVEMENT
Millennials love, love, love all-new stainless steel appliances.
So much so that what RealtyTimes.com called “an astonishing
majority of 75 percent” of respondents in a recent survey chose to
spend their hypothetical home buying budgets on them.
DO-IT-YOURSELF LANDSCAPING THAT
DOESN’T LOOK IT
If you’ve ever attempted to transform your backyard into a
beautifully designed paradise, then you have probably planted,
trimmed and dug your way into a few minor frustrations along
the way. While good landscaping can vary by degrees
including budget, skills and climate, there are
a few easy things you can do in order to be
proud of your landscaping without paying
an expert.
The following tips will guide you
on the right path to do-it-yourself
landscaping:
*Always layer your planting
beds. Layering in three rows, begin
with your tallest plants in the back
row, next tallest in the middle and
your shortest plants in the front. And
don’t just plant one bed—put another
elsewhere in your yard to help provide a
sense of harmony.
*Calm your yard with water features.
Providing focal points in your landscaping work is a must, and
one great way is to incorporate water features such as ponds and
simple waterfalls. They both look appealing and add an attractive
element to your yard—the calming sounds of moving water.
*Utilize retaining walls. If you are planning on protecting
the fragile landscaping work around your home, it’s imperative
to construct a strong retaining wall. Erosion-prone areas in your
yard will benefit greatly by incorporating segmental retaining
walls constructed from concrete masonry. Using concrete
masonry not only provides the best value for the investment, it
also delivers superior design flexibility and aesthetic appeal to any
landscape idea.
*When planting flowers, go with annuals. To have a
continuous sense of color throughout your yard, plant annual
flowers alongside your favorite perennials. Research and lay out
creative flower combinations that make use of both kinds of
flowers for year-round beauty.
*Think year-round. One of the biggest mistakes one can
make is only providing one or two seasons’ worth of eye-catching
landscaping. Plan for having plentiful trees and shrubs during
the springtime, fall foliage during autumn months and good,
visually interesting plant life in the winter, such as holly shrubs or
bayberry bushes.
DECKED OUT
One of the most inexpensive ways to add living space to your
home is the addition of an outdoor deck or patio. Having a great
outdoor space is like adding an extra room to your house. It can
be enjoyed by the whole family, or experienced in quiet solitude
as a retreat to the Zen of outdoor living.
If you like to entertain, then an outdoor space is a must. Guests
can spill out onto the patio, extending your home to allow more
freedom for guests to mingle, both inside and out.
Though the words “patio” and “deck” are often used
interchangeably, there is a difference. A patio is generally
constructed of stone pavers, tile or a simple concrete foundation
that sits squarely on the ground. Decks are usually made of wood,
PVC (also called vinyl) or composite, which has wood content
that has been encapsulated in a PVC wrap. Decks can either be
ground level or elevated. When considering which option is
best for you, you’ll want to look at the costs and also which one
works well with the style of your home. The good news
is that regardless of the option you choose, you’ll get
a positive return on your investment, somewhere
between 30% and 75%.
For a wood frame house, wooden,
composite or PVC decks can match the trim
of your existing home. Since wood can be
painted, a wooden deck offers the most color
options; however it will also require frequent
repainting. Both PVC and composite decks
are available in a wide range of earth tones to
match your home’s style.
Vince Lorenzi, owner of Lorenzi Home
Design Center, explains that there are cost
differences, but feels that PVC and composite decks
require less maintenance in the long run.
He says wooden decks will run about $2 to $3 per square
foot. These are attractive, but they do require more maintenance
and will have to be resealed every few years to give them
maximum life.
Both PVC and composite decks will run an average of $8 to
$9 per square foot. They will require power-washing for cleaning,
with frequency depending on location. If the deck is adjacent to
trees and shrubbery, leaves and pollen will settle on the frame so
washing is required to keep it looking sharp.
If your home is made of stone, you may opt for a patio that is
a continuation of the stone look, but this also works well with
a wood frame or brick home. Patios work best in yards that
are level, while a deck can be placed pretty much anywhere,
including a hilly or uneven lawn.
According to Marci Buckiso of The Fireplace and Patioplace,
a local expert in furnishing outdoor living spaces, homeowners
are especially keen to add fire features to their outdoor area,
which function as a gathering point for both family and guests.
Traditional wood-burning fireplaces not only add physical
warmth and beauty, but emotional warmth as well.
Contemporary homeowners are opting for very modern linear
gas fireplaces, with smooth, clean lines to mirror the style of their
home.
“For those homeowners who don’t have the space for a
traditional fireplace, fire pits make a great feature, creating a
beautiful flame that glows through crystal rock,” says Buckiso.
And they’re available in three different heights, with a lower
coffee-table height, dining table and bar height. The homeowner
also has the option of selecting wood- or gas-burning fire pits.
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SOUTH FAYETTE
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SPRING 2019
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