As summer rolls round many of us come out the back to finally clean up the much neglected outdoor area. However, maintaining your patios and pergolas year round can mean you have more opportunity to use them and less to do outside in the summer heat. A few simple routines and maintenance can mean your outdoor area is clean, usable and a relaxing place to hang out.

Cleaning Your Flooring

With a build up of leaves and other plant materials (as well as dirt) in your outdoor area it is important to have a thorough clean of your outdoor concrete and paving. While you can give it a quick clean with a hose, it is better to use proper surface cleaners. However, many of these cleaners contain a few chemicals to remove stains so be careful when handling it.

It is also a great idea to invest in a pressure cleaner as this will really help remove any stains, dirt and mould from outside. While this may seem like a bit much for just your outdoor paving, it also saves a lot of water compared to an ordinary house. Also, it can be used to clean your car much quicker as well when you are not using to clean outside.

Keeping Your Patio Maintained

Keeping your patio, pergola or other covered outdoor area maintained throughout the year is very important both for looks as well as structural integrity. Depending on what kind of patio you have, you will want to make sure that exposure is not damaging it. Wooden structures will often fade and will need to be treated with decking oil or painted at regular intervals.

If you have a steel pergola installed than maintenance will be minimal. You should, however, keep an eye on things to make sure there is no rust or other problems. A new steel pergola will be protected by any rust problems. They will also be very sturdy against any adverse weather conditions that would affect less sturdy structures.

Making Your Garden Green

Keeping your outdoor area looking great will require at least a little bit of a green thumb. If you are not the gardening type then you should think about planting a low maintenance garden. Using plants that do not require much water a much easier to keep looking healthy (and alive!) and will also save you money on your water bill.

Preparing for Parties

You will also want to keep your barbecue and outdoor furniture clean and ready to use, particularly in summer time. Barbecues can get quite a lot of build up with constant use and you will want to use a proper cleaning solution with a wire brush to maintain it. You will also want to waterproof your outdoor furniture as it can wear and break due to constant exposure to the elements.

Then, once all of your outdoor areas are clean and looking good you can enjoy them with friends and family. Then you might also look at updating those undercover areas with a new patio or some different coloured pavers.

An outdoor area tends not to be used as much in the cooler months so this ends up being a completely wasted part of your house. If you have installed new pergolas then you want to enjoy them for as much of the year as possible. So how can patios be kept warm in the winter and cool in the summer?

There are two options for really improving the heating or cooling of your outdoor area:

• Opening up the area to cool it down;
• Closing it off to keep it warm;
• Installing a heater;
• Installing fans or other cooling systems.

Whatever you want to achieve with your outdoor area it can pay to have both heating and cooling options. This allows you to use your patio or pergola or year round no matter what the weather is doing. So you need to look at your current outdoor area to see if it needs to be improved before you do anything else.

Upgrading Your Outdoor Area

If you do not have a covered outdoor area then this is your first port of call when trying to make your outdoor area more user friendly over Winter and Summer. There are huge ranges of patios and gazebos as well as sun roof style covers that can be adjusted for the temperature. Just adding a cover will keep you warmer in Winter and cooler in Summer.

If you have an existing undercover area then you might want to replace it with something better or perform some upgrades. Think about how you can better make your outdoor area adjustable to the seasons to improve it. Most outdoor areas are a roof only so adding sides or walls is a great way to protect from the elements.

Types of Heating

If you want to heat your outdoor area there are a few options available. To avoid going down the road of installing a complete wood fire place you will be looking at either gas or electric heating. You can choose cafe style gas heaters that also look fantastic or heat strips that are similar to small indoor heaters.

Another great way to keep your outdoor area heated is to have it enclosed either with full side panels or roll down plastic sheets. Remember, the more adjustable you make your outdoor area the more usable it will be over different seasons. While you want it warm in Winter you don’t want heat trapped when Summer comes on!

Ways to Cool Down

Cooling down in your outdoor area can be done by fans or even outdoor air conditioning. If you are going to have air-conditioning installed outside make sure you can close off your undercover area so you are not wasting power. Fans will keep guests cooler but they are not as good as a breeze coming into your outdoor area.

Make sure that you have air coming through your outdoor area if you can as this will make it less stuffy and cooler. As mentioned previously, sun roof style outdoor areas allow you to open up the ceiling of your outdoor area and this can certainly let any heat out that has accumulated. Try to have the right mix when upgrading or installing your new outdoor undercover area so you can get the most use out of it year round.

An outdoor are is seen as a place to just hang out the washing or a giant kennel for the dog. However, your outdoor space can be so much more than it is now. You may not even use your outdoor space just because it is not so inviting. So what can you do to make simple, quick but lasting improvements to your outdoor areas?

A big clean-up is essential first as outside areas and backyards can become potential dumping grounds for unwanted items. If you have children you will know how many toys and other bits of discarded play things can make a backyard look like a garbage dump! The key to making a good backyard is to make it multi functional so that everyone in your home can enjoy it and this way they will also come to respect it and keep it tidy.

Are You Covered?

The first thing you need to look at is what kind of pergolas or patios are available for your home. This immediately gives you and extra area for your outdoor space that can be used even when it is raining. It will also act as shade for when it is very hot in summer so you can still stay outside.

A covered area will make your backyard multi-purpose as well because it will be easy to install an outdoor kitchen that you and your friends can enjoy. It also means you can use the space in winter (when it would otherwise be neglected) by having an outdoor heater handy. Think about any added covering outside in this multi-use way.

Think of the Children!

Just because you are upgrading and cleaning up your outdoor space does not mean the kids will miss out! Make sure you try and have a child friendly play area put in. If you do not do it immediately you can perhaps put in a grassed area with nice thick lawn. While pavers are much easier to manage they are not as good fro kids to play on and fall down!

Are You Hungry?

As mentioned earlier, an outdoor kitchen is a great way to put together an extra home in your backyard. If you live in a warm area you will be living and eating outside anyway so why not make it easy to do? Outdoor kitchens will usually incorporate a barbecue as well as a sink and a preparation area. You will want an area that you can keep clean and hygienic.

Get Fit and Active

You might put on a little bit of weight if you enjoy your outdoor kitchen too much so you want some options to burn some calories. Having a bit if exercise equipment outside near the garden makes it a pleasant place to stay fit and healthy. Remember, a patio or pergola will help keep this equipment dry so it is a good idea to look at where you will store it outside. You do not want to be dragging heavy exercise equipment in and out of the backyard.

Modern Outdoor Design Tips

Designing and building your outdoor area is a lot of hard work, but it is also a lot of fun. Modern design is all about clean lines and functionality and modern construction techniques. Materials provide both of these to your outdoor space. As well as looking at plants, paving and lawns, it is a good idea to have some cover like pergolas that give you more options outside.

Less Is More

After adding some cover or an area you can close off to the elements, it is time to think about what to take away. Yes, that’s right, you should first take as much out of your backyard or outdoor space as you can. One thing that brings down a living space is clutter, so even if you can not throw things away try some other options like:

• Increase your outside storage especially for gardening equipment.
• Replace or incorporate your existing backyard features.
• Don’t be afraid to rip up or throw away anything.

It may be hard at first but clearing out the backyard and even plants in your garden will give you a chance to start fresh. Think of your backyard or outdoor living space as a blank canvas. Because of this it is best to clear everything first and then plan what to replace it with.

Modern Building Materials

Modern building materials provide a great range of colours, textures and, most importantly for an outdoor area, durability. While concrete can be a bit boring, it is being used to great effect in terms of design when polished or you can use paint to brighten it up. While old wooden patios were once popular, steel and other materials make for a modern, more lasting option.

Here are some of the best new building materials you can find for your outdoor areas:

• Colour coated steel products such as fences and roofing.
• Spray on paving patterns that go over concrete.
• Crushed coloured rocks that brighten boring garden beds.

If you are ever unsure, a good idea is to speak with a landscape designer or to get some ideas from photos of other outdoor designs. Remember, you can adapt the designs to suit your backyard and a few simple ideas go a long way.

Best Design Colours

Using simple tones for your backyard will work well in modern design techniques. You can also avoid specific colours by relying on natural tones from wood, stone or even concrete. The trick in modern design is to stick to one main colour throughout your outdoor space.

Deeper tones work best outside so anything pastel or softer should be avoided. Remember to use the colours to bring out any plants or to contrast with your outdoor furniture. The entire area should be tied together with colours.

Multi-Use Areas

Modern outdoor designs are all about multi-use for single spaces. You want to be able to convert a space for other uses, especially as the seasons change. Unfortunately, many outdoor areas are abandoned during winter, but with a bit of forethought you can have a multi-season multi-use modern outdoor area.

Australia’s beautiful climate makes outdoor living central to our way of life. Therefore, when thinking about the design of your home, it is just as important to think about how best to use your outdoor space as it is to choose the furniture or colour scheme that best matches your interior design vision. If you are not sure how to make the most of your backyard or verandas, then don’t despair. We have put together a few tips to help you create a beautiful outdoor space.

Furniture
To create an outdoor space that you really want to spend time in, it is important to get the furniture right. Today, you will find an increasing range of designs and styles that combine the comfort of indoor living with the hardwearing nature of traditional backyard furniture. This is particularly useful when furnishing decks and verandas as it will help you create a seamless transition between the interior of your home and your outside space. Get this right and you will find that your outdoor space becomes an increasingly important place for both relaxing and entertaining.

Design vision
To make the most of the outdoor space you have available to you, it is a good idea to think about it in much the same way as you would the interior of your home. That is to say, you should consider an overall design vision and then break it down into constituent parts (much like the individual rooms in your home). The design vision for each ‘room’ should be specific to its function, but collectively a single coherent vision is necessary. Otherwise, you may end up with a backyard that feels unfocused and disjointed.

Native plants
When designing your outdoor space, plants will play a big role. Whether you have a huge backyard to landscape or just a few pots on a veranda, plants will create warmth and soften hard edges. It is important not only to think about the initial impact of your new backyard, but also how practical it will be to keep it looking beautiful in the months and years ahead. European plants remain popular and many are very attractive, but Australia’s climate, particularly in times of drought, can be very challenging. It is far better to design your outdoor space using primarily native plants. They will cope with the environment far better and will naturally blend into their surroundings.

Outdoor entertainment areas
Patios, pergolas and decks will transform both the appearance and functionality of your outdoor space. Use these structures to provide a focal point for your backyard design and to give you a wonderful space to dine outside and entertain friends and family.

Heating
A beautiful outdoor space is one that is comfortable to use as well as visually arresting. The use of outdoor heaters will mean that you can take advantage of al fresco living through the year and round the clock. There are many options to choose from, including patio heaters, braziers, chiminea and radiant heaters. Each one has its own advantages, so do some research and then choose the one that matches your needs and design vision most closely.

So how green are your fingers? If you have no knowledge of gardening at all and the nearest you have ever come to growing something is leaving the grass too long before you mow it, all is not lost. The key to starting to learn about this part of gardening is to start small and build your knowledge and confidence as you go.

If you have decided you want to add some flowers and plants to your garden, the best way to start is by visiting your local garden centre. There will always be helpful staff on hand to give you the assistance you need, so don’t be afraid to ask for help. Just let them know you are a beginner and you want something that is easy to maintain.

It is no secret that a veranda or other outdoor space can look sensational when various different plants are added to it. They certainly soften the overall look beautifully. Don’t aim for too much to begin with though; start with just two or three plants and see how you get on.

The best plants to try will vary depending on several things, including where you live, the type of soil you have in your garden and what type of weather you generally get. You also need to bear in mind which direction your garden is facing in, since this will affect how much sun it gets during the day in the summer months.

A good idea is to write down the answers to all these points and take them along with you when you go to buy some plants. That way the staff at the garden centre will know what to recommend.

Alternatively, you may want to liven up your patio with a number of pots instead of trying to fill an entire bed with plants. This is probably the easiest way for the beginner to get started. You can always move the pot if you need to in order to give your fledgling plant a better chance of finding the spot it really likes in your garden. In this case you can buy the type of soil your particular plant will like the most, instead of relying on what your garden can give you.

Think about choosing perennials if you can, because they will last longer and be more fulfilling for you initially. A good perennial may be a part of your garden for three years or more, whereas an annual will only be there for a few months. Perennials will give you the chance to tend to them and nurture them, improving your gardening skills and making your fingers a little greener than they would be otherwise!

Any garden is a learning experience, and you shouldn’t be too hard on yourself if your first few plants wither away and never really come to anything. Avoid going for the hardest tasks first and don’t try and grow anything from seed; there will be plenty of time later on for that!

If you have a veranda or a patio, you will probably have some furniture that you use in that area as well. There is no doubt that you have a wide choice of furniture for your garden to choose from, and sometimes it can be difficult to get it all organised in the best possible way.

We’ve all been out shopping and spotted something for the garden that we really like, and so we buy it on the spot. Unfortunately we haven’t taken the time to measure it or really think about where it will fit in! The best way to make sure this doesn’t happen to you is to plan your furniture carefully before you buy it.

The first consideration is how big your garden is. Do you have more than one area that you could use to place furniture in? Some people like to save their bigger pieces of furniture to use on their veranda or patio, as well as keeping another area of their garden free for something a little more intimate and peaceful.

In this case you might find that instead of going out and buying a brand new large garden table and chairs, what you actually need is a small bistro set for the bottom of the garden. By considering what your needs are you will find it much easier to organise your furniture in a way that will ensure it is used much more often.

The main rule is not to buy anything else until you know exactly what you have at the moment. If it helps, bring every single piece of outdoor furniture you have into the middle of your lawn – you might be surprised by how much you really do have! This is particularly the case if some items are kept in storage during the winter, or for most of the year. It isn’t uncommon to forget about some items altogether.

This exercise can also help you to see how various items fit in with the layout of your garden. For example, if you have fences all around the edges of your plot and you have stained them all green it might look a little odd if you have another shade of green furniture that clashes with it. Consider placing it elsewhere or re-staining the furniture if you can.

Don’t forget about other items of garden furniture as well, such as statues or bird tables. These all count towards the final look of your garden and you might find that the little oasis you are planning with that bistro set at the foot of your garden looks even better with a bird table placed nearby as well.

You should always consider all your options before arranging or buying new furniture for your garden, even if that means putting it in different places to see how it looks before making your final decision. This will take some time to do but the end results are well worth it, because you will end up with a garden that you love to be in.

When the weather is good there is nothing to match the experience of eating outdoors in the company of friends and family. And there is no doubt that having a veranda or patio area big enough to accommodate everyone is the ultimate in luxury.

But if you are fairly new to the idea of dining outside, how do you really make sure it goes with a swing?

Let’s assume first of all that you will be accepting your guests during the early evening. That means it may be light when they arrive, but dark by the time the meal is finished. Lighting is therefore a top concern, as you don’t want to be caught out running around trying to find some candles while the sun is going down!

Choose some elegant candles of a colour that matches any table linen you are using; white or cream always looks good if you are unsure. It also pays to choose ones that have a long burning life. Cheaper candles don’t tend to last as long and you don’t want to be up and down replacing them the whole evening.

If there are children present make sure the candles are well out of reach. The same applies with any patio heaters you might decide to use if it has a tendency to get a bit chilly as the evening wears on.

When it comes to the cutlery and crockery, some people have a separate set that they only use for outdoors. If you see this as a good excuse to treat yourself to a new set, then a simple white china design will always be a classic as far as style is concerned.

You also need to think about protecting any food from flies or midges, or any other flying insects that are about. If you are bringing the food to the table make sure you use covered dishes; glass lids are ideal so people can still see what’s inside. This will apply to both hot and cold food, and using a food warmer or hot plate to keep the hot food nice and warm during the meal is a great idea.

Obviously the best setting for a spot of outdoor dining is on a veranda or patio close to the house, since you will be able to bring food outside without having to walk too far to do so. Plan the practicalities of the meal in plenty of time so you can buy anything you need and set the table accordingly. There is nothing worse that having to rush round at the last minute trying to find what you need.

And of course once the table is laid and the guests have arrived, all that remains is to enjoy the good food you will be cooking. Make sure you plan your menu ahead of time and make anything that can be cooked and kept the day before if possible. It will give you less work to do on the day, and more time to enjoy the event itself.