Creating a Winter-Ready Outdoor Living Space

There’s nothing like spending time outside—particularly if you have a great outdoor living area that you love to use. Of course, as the temperatures begin to dip and the daylight hours are shortened, you might find yourself spending less and less time outside.

Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be that way!

With an outdoor living area that’s designed with cold weather in mind, you can really maximize your time spent outside. If you’re going to be investing in an outdoor living area, it makes sense to think about how you can use it to the fullest. With these ideas, you’re sure to get more daytime, nighttime, and even seasonal use out of your outdoor living space.

 

Let There be Light!

One of the big deterrents to using an outdoor living area during the winter is that it gets dark out so early. While your summer get-togethers or even just time spent outside with the family may have extended well into the evening hours, you might be finding those opportunities cut short in the colder months simply because the sun is going down. Suddenly, it’s too dark to see what you’re doing or to really be able to enjoy time with your guests.

This is what makes landscape lighting such a vital element of your outdoor living space. Lighting is going to allow you to safely navigate your outdoor space in the evening hours. With your outdoor living area thoughtfully lit, you’ll be able to move around and see one another even after the sun’s gone down.

 

Warm it Up!

Of course, even with great outdoor lighting, the cold weather might be keeping you from using your space more fully. Here in Ohio, we know it can get quite cold—plus snow and ice often keep us from enjoying the winter months outdoors. For this reason, you should also consider what types of heating elements you might be able to add to your outdoor living room to extend its use.

Adding outdoor heaters to your patio area is one great way to warm things up. Both propane and natural gas heaters are now being designed sleeker and more modern than ever before and can make a nice—and functional—addition to your outdoor area. They don’t have to take up a lot of space but can do a tremendous job warming up your outdoor living space.

Another great way to heat up your outdoor room is with the addition of a fire feature, such as a fire pit or an outdoor fireplace. These types of projects can be aesthetically appealing, create a focal point where people love to gather, and also serve the functional purpose of warming up your space. There are lots of options to consider such as gas or wood burning, that can help make this feature totally unique to your wants and needs.

 

Gather Under Cover

Going even further from adding light and heat is enclosing your space with an outdoor structure, such as a pavilion. Now you’re truly creating an “outdoor living room” in a more enclosed space, where you can maintain the warmth—while still getting to enjoy the outdoors.

In this way, it becomes a true extension of your home. You get the best of all worlds.

A space like this also becomes ideal for adding features that will have you spending more time outside, such as an outdoor kitchen or even an outdoor television/lounge area. With a covered area, you’ll be able to use and enjoy these features even during inclement weather like rain or snow. With a large enough space, you’ll be able to not only cook your meals outdoors but enjoy them there, too.

 

Let Exscape Designs Guide you in Creating a Winter-Ready Outdoor Living Area

If you’re considering the addition of a winter-ready outdoor living space—or are interested in upgrading an existing space to be more cold-weather-ready—then we want to help.

By partnering with the right professional, you can ensure that you’re not just adding a living space that will have limited use. You’ll be adding a space with maximized functionality that will truly help you get the most out of your investment.

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