Create a Patio That You Love

Summertime Project

A few small touches are all it takes to turn a patio from a bare spot in the yard to a comfortable, private retreat from reality. These ideas can help you maximize what you already have to create a patio that you love.

Green Up Your Patio With Plants

The easiest and most versatile way to add plants to a patio is by using containers. Evergreen shrubs in containers can define areas of a patio, provide privacy and shade or serve as a windbreak. Smaller pots of perennials, annuals or bulbs can introduce seasonal color to a patio. One advantage to using containers is that they are portable, which means you can move the plants around to suit your mood and their needs. Just be sure that the containers match the style of the patio. Another alternative is to have built-in planting areas on the patio. This is best done when you design and build the patio: leave open spaces to act as in-ground containers that you can plant directly into. This method creates more protection from freezing temperatures, and plants need less irrigation than if they are grown in containers. It also allows you to grow low ground covers that help soften large expanses of paving.

If you include a built-in in-ground planter, it is vital that the planting hole drain adequately and the soil does not become too alkaline as a result of adjoining mortar.

Here’s how to get the best results: Once the patio is built, including the planting holes, excavate a hole at least 3 feet deep and fill the hole with water at least 12 inches deep. If the water does not drain within four hours, you’ll need to improve drainage or use containers or raised beds. If the hole passes the drainage test, line it with heavy plastic, make several large slits in the bottom of the plastic so water can drain, then fill the hole with good soil.

Focal Points Can Do Double Duty

In the same way you would decorate a room inside the house, use yard art to accent and otherwise decorate your patio. If the patio can be seen readily from inside the house, the use of ornaments such as wire spheres, metal obelisks or topiary frames with or without plants can help link the indoors with the outdoors. A focal point that also has a practical function serves double duty.

Water Features Add Ambiance

Whether elaborate and built-in or simple and freestanding, water features are desirable amenities for a patio. Even a small pond can host a number of plants and/or fish. Or install a fountain to provide a bubbling soundtrack to your outdoor experiences and minimize sounds from neighbors or traffic.

Find Furniture You Love

The most common and useful amenity for a patio is furniture. It provides a place to sit, dine or otherwise enjoy the space. When choosing patio furniture, consider the style and how it matches the surroundings, as well as how comfortable and durable it is. Outdoor furniture that has to be protected or that stains easily when exposed to the elements will probably prove to be more trouble than it is worth.

FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYER?

Hereʼs Help Getting Started

Buying a home is always an exciting process, but naturally it can be a bit overwhelming. And when youʼre a first time buyer, learning the ropes for the first time, the process can be even more stressful and seem even more complicated. Figuring out your down payment, shopping around for and obtaining the best interest rate, deciding exactly which house you want and moving quickly on it, are all none-to-easy tasks. However, take a deep breath, and follow these simple tips

Conduct research.

Even if you are working with a realtor, check out new listings and spread the word throughout your friends and professional network. You never know who might be about to list a home, and you can jump on it before it even hits the market.

Start the mortgage process/correct credit report mistakes.

If you have not done so in a while, go online a request your free copy of your credit report through your bank or various other free websites. It’s important to know your credit score and correct any errors on the report before you start the mortgage process. Your credit score and report will directly influence the terms of your mortgage and could affect which house you’re able to buy.

Run the numbers.

Understand how much home you can afford to buy and whether home ownership might preclude you from addressing other important financial issues in your life, like paying off debt or paying for other pressing needs. A financial planner can help you understand how your housing choices can support your overall financial plan.

Keep your emotions in check.

Even with limited supply, there are a lot of houses out there. Be careful not to blow through your budget, get caught in a bidding war, or buy more home than you need. And even worse, you don’t want to put yourself in a position where you own two homes.

Follow these tips and you’ll be well prepared to start your search and buy your first home.