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Increase your living space—and your home’s value
Cooking and dining alfresco is arguably the single greatest thing about warm weather in spring and summer, but most backyard barbeques involve a million trips to and from the kitchen. As such, one of the hottest trends in new home construction is outdoor kitchens. Outdoor kitchens typically feature a comfortable eating area with a combination of cabinets, sinks, warming drawers, prep counters, ranges, and refrigerators—all within arm’s reach of the grill. Outdoor kitchens provide a natural gathering spot for friends and family and can add to the value of your home.
How elaborate your outdoor kitchen should be depends on how often you plan to use it. Some people enjoying dining outdoors every evening, while others reserve it for special occasions and social gatherings. Regardless of the frequency of use, you need to use materials that do well in all kinds of weather. Stone sinks, stainless steel cabinets, and slate countertops will withstand the Seattle rain, as well as the months that pass between barbeque seasons. Many outdoor kitchens also feature pergolas or other roof structures to shield guests from sun and rain. Something else to consider is adding an outdoor gas heater or fireplace, which will extend the amount of time you can use your outdoor kitchen into the fall and winter months.
In addition to the convenience of having all your grilling accoutrements within a handy distance, a well-built outdoor kitchen also adds to the value of your home. And you don’t have to have a new home to reap the benefits. With the right space and backyard layout, owners of existing homes can easily add-on an outdoor kitchen area. When adding an outdoor kitchen to an existing home, power, gas, and water lines often have to be extended from the home, so be sure to hire a qualified contractor to do the work for you. By extending your living space outside, you have essentially increased the square footage of your home. In many cases the increase in your home’s value will equal or even sometimes exceed the cost of the project itself.
The benefits of an outdoor kitchen area and living space are many. And with the convenience of having your drinks, condiments, meat, and cooking space all in one easy-to-reach place, you can spend the precious summer moments right where you should—outside with friends and family.
What features would you include in an outdoor kitchen?
For more information on Windermere Evergreen and our agents, please contact us here.
Gardening Trends For 2018
Outdoor living during the spring and summer months is extremely popular. Months of cold, wet winters are followed by glorious spring colors and warm summer days of vivid blue skies. In this post, we thought that now would be the best time to share some pretty garden trends for 2018.
Wabi-Sabi
Leisure time should be just that: relaxing and rejuvenating. So why labor relentlessly to create and maintain a perfect landscape? Wabi-sabi, is the Japanese art of accepting transience and imperfect beauty. Relax and appreciate nature as it is, with humble imperfections, weeds and all. Recognize (and tell others) that dandelions and clover in untreated lawns are not blights. They are status symbols for ecological horticulture. Consider natural grasses and groundcovers as low-maintenance substitutes for sod. Opt for perennials instead of annuals, let flowers go to seed and give nature license to evolve on her own.
Reclaiming Small Outside Spaces
For many of us these days, space is at a premium and with house prices continually on the rise, more and more people are living in apartment blocks or tiny lots. Garden designers are determined to make even the smallest of spaces useful and attractive, and manufacturers have taken notice. Look for a better choice in planters that slot onto balcony rails. New models will have coverings for protecting plants from cold temperatures so that you can even grow seeds and vegetables on your balcony alongside your flowers.
Self-watering wall planter systems have been improved for 2018 and the hanging macramé plant holder is having a bit of a revival. Add a small patio heater and you have an outside space you can enjoy all year round with minimal effort.
Purple Passion
Pantone’s Ultra Violet is the color of the year. Maybe that’s why you find purple flowers in this year’s plant varieties and garden design. It’s easy to incorporate this color in the garden as there are many flowers and shrubs with this beautiful color. However, there are also several edible purple plants that you can grow. Purple vegetables are not only interesting and pretty, their unique color denote anthocyanins which are very beneficial to your health.
Re-Wilding
This is a style that keeps popping up time and again. However, 2018 has taken the re-wilding trend up another notch. It is still all about working with nature, growing wildflowers and supporting our pollinating insects. Re-wilding means adjusting plant selections to better support local wildlife and growing both seed-producing and berry-bearing plants. However, now it is also about using ‘green’ gardening products, natural solutions to bug and slug killers instead of chemicals and insecticides and using peat-free products.
Alfresco Living
Outdoor entertaining and kitchen areas are tipped to be a key trend for Spring/Summer 2018. We are not talking about a little nook corner just off the kitchen. Alfresco dining spaces are being pushed out into the garden itself and made into a major feature. These dedicated outdoor dining areas are surrounded by in-ground and container plants for that lush feeling. Special flooring, comfy furniture and mood lighting turn it into a little haven. Complete the trend with a sunken fire pit, barbecue or pizza oven and you might never want to leave.
Lighting The Way
Adding lighting to your garden is not a new thing. However, in this age of renewable energy, garden lighting companies are turning away from the more traditional lighting solutions we have seen in the past. The advances in solar energy capture, means that we can light up our gardens in a variety of fun, affordable and better ways. No more changing batteries or wiring up the garden with electricity.
The wide range of lighting methods allows you to create whatever ambiance you want. Simple stand-alone lights can mark pathways, either discreetly embedded into the path edges or standing loud and proud along the side. Multi-colored fairy lights can be tangled among the overhead branches of a tree creating dazzling shapes and textures. Solar Mason jars can be hung from above or used as table lighting. Festoon lights can create an ambient glow around any outdoor space creating romantic nooks.
For more information on Windermere Evergreen, please contact us here.
Outdoor Living Trends
Summer is just around the corner and there is no better way to prepare than indulging in some exciting backyard inspiration. Your outdoor living space can be more than just a place to spend time with family and friends; it can be your sanctuary as well. This year is the time to turn your backyard into your own personal vacation spot.
If you don’t have a tub already, consider adding a sunken hot tub into your backyard with a deck of natural stone, tall grasses, and outdoor curtains for privacy. Include pillar candles and some twinkling lights for ambiance.
If you entertain a lot, a kitchen is the ideal outdoor space for summer entertaining. Bring out your inner Bobby Flay with a cooking station that includes a high-end grill, refrigerator, wine chiller, and elegant washbasin. Round this all out with a concrete counter, bluestone tile floor, and stainless steel.
Nothing says summer like outdoor movies and your own personal drive-in. All you need is a projector to watch your favorite movie, some dangling lights in the trees, blankets, and pillows. You could also watch it from a hanging bench or my personal favorite, a floating bed.
Gardening can go beyond being a relaxing pastime; consider growing your favorite foods and join the “farm to table” movement. In 2012, people spent $1.2 billion more dollars on food gardening than they did flower gardening. An easy way to incorporate this is to use blueberries as foundation plants or other fruits, such as raspberries. If you already have flowers planted, tuck a pepper plant or basil in between your flowers.
A reading nook outdoors is the perfect way to get lost in your favorite book or magazine. You can convert a small shed into a private reading spot, an arbor with a bench surrounded by clematis, or a relaxing hammock. These hideaway spots are what turn your home into a staycation resort.
Is your ideal summer situated by a campfire? Build a fire pit and enjoy s’mores in the comfort of your backyard. Use an old wine barrel, bricks, stones, or a concrete bowl. A lowered fire pit is great if you want to use sand for a beachy atmosphere. On a warm summer night a campfire sets just the right mood for outdoor fun.
Having a water feature in your backyard instantly creates a Zen space. They can deflect unwanted attention by drowning out unwelcome sounds. Add a fountain, pondless waterfall, or small stream to complete the vibe. If you want a smaller commitment, a shallow recirculating foundation will also do the trick. All you need is a simple foundation and recirculating pump.
To enhance your space with little to no cost, add dangling vines or twinkling lights as a finishing touch to create your backyard haven. Time is something there never seems to be enough of, but these low-maintenance enhancements will enable you to spend that time in your very own outdoor living space.
For more outdoor living ideas, follow our Pinterest board.
For more information on Windermere Evergreen, please contact us here.
Indoor gardens: cultivate while keeping the winter doldrums at bay
In many parts of the country it is still too early to start thinking about gardening. After a chilly winter, adding some green to your home’s interior may be just what the doctor (or decorator) ordered. Consider an indoor garden to liven up your home with color and clean air. There are many ways to introduce houseplants into your home décor, from edible to ornamental. Here are some tips to get you started:
Cultivate herbs or fungi on your windowsill.
Create or find an indoor greenhouse:
Or maximize your space with a hydroponic tower:
Plant a lemon tree, or a whole orchard:
Make a statement with a hanging garden:
Keep your houseplants in unexpected rooms:
If you have young children or pets, you will want to consider the toxicity of some of your plant choices.
Indoor plants have their benefits, including cleaning the air you breathe. Some plants are more effective at recycling the CO2 in your home than others.
We’d love to hear your tips for adding indoor plants and gardens.
Check out more home ideas on our Pinterest page.
For more information, please visit Windermere Evergreen.
Quiet and Serene Retreat
Featuring 4 Bedrooms and 4 Bathrooms
Off of the Cul-de Sac and through a gated entrance reveals this special 5.63
acre property. A meandering driveway leads you through the trees to the
house. This distinctive and grand home graces one of the most desirable
settings in Soda Creek, complete with mountain views, a gentle meadow,
abundant Aspen and Conifer trees and dynamic rock outcroppings. So close to
Evergreen shopping and restaurants and quick access to I-70, yet this is a quiet
and serene retreat. Large home with four bedrooms upstairs and a sprawling
floor plan that allows for family gatherings and easy living. Great indoor
swimming pool area that spills out to the South facing lawn.
For more information on 591 Sundown Lane in Evergreen please click here.
You may also call Yvette Putt at (303) 882-2245 or John Putt at (720) 201-1332 to see the property today!
Desirable Location With Mt. Evans Views
Featuring 6 Bedrooms, 4 Bathrooms And Main Floor Living!
Such a desirable Hiwan Hills location with Mt. Evans views! This is a quintessential vintage Evergreen home with moss rock fireplaces and the cedar vaulted ceilings with substantial dark beams. Multiple west facing decks display Mt. Evans during all seasons. The living room has a massive moss rock fireplace that reaches high to the vaulted cedar ceilings (fireplace has a Mendota insert). A wet bar is conveniently located between the kitchen and the living area. The kitchen has mexican tile floors, new granite counters with glass tile backsplash, antiqued white cabinets and an impressive copper hood that looks over the new GE cafe gas range and other high-end appliances. There is a breakfast nook that calls out to you because it is right next to the spectacular view windows and has direct access to the decks. This main floor living home has plenty of room for friends and/or family with 6 bedrooms and a generous recreation room. Bang and Olufsen stereo system included. Main level laundry. New roof.
For more information, please visit: https://windermereevergreen.com/listing/67216667. You may also call either John Putt at (720) 201-1332 or Yvette Putt at (303) 882-2245.
Exquisite Home Surrounded By Mountains
Featuring 3 Bedrooms, 3 Bathrooms And 2.4 Acres!
How wonderful to have this exquisite all stone house perched at the peak of the mountain to maintain serene privacy and extensive views. From the patios, you can glimpse down on Lower Bear Creek, glance up at the surrounding mountains/rock outcroppings and enjoy a grilled meal. The stonework allows for minimal maintenance, while providing mountain ambiance. The south facing, paved and circular driveway gives easy access to the front entrance and garages. The 2.43 acres are composed of two separate, legally-platted parcels allowing the new owner to keep the entire 2.43 acres for privacy or have the potential to develop separately. The open concept main level provides large and spacious rooms which help to embrace active lifestyles. The gourmet kitchen has two large islands, duel Bosch convection ovens, a gas range and direct access to the patio. New, hickory hardwood floors highlight the upstairs, while Brazilian cherry and oak floors are located on the main level.
For more information, please visit: https://windermereevergreen.com/listing/66498540. You may also call John Putt at (720) 201-1332 or Yvette Putt at (303) 882-2245.
Serene Retreat With 10+ Acres
Featuring 4 Bedrooms, 4 Bathrooms, An Open Floor Plan And A 3-Car Garage!
Off of a cul-de sac and through a gated entrance, reveals this special 10.6 acre property. A meandering driveway leads you through the trees to the first 5.6 acre parcel with the house. A second 5 acre buildable parcel is included in this sale. This distinctive and grand home graces one of the most desirable settings in Soda Creek, complete with mountain views, gentle meadow, abundant Aspen and Conifer trees and dynamic rock outcroppings. So close to Evergreen shopping and restaurants and quick access to I-70, yet this is a quiet and serene retreat. Large home with four bedrooms upstairs and a sprawling floor plan that allows for family gathering and easy living. Great indoor swimming pool area that spills out to the south facing patio. Large 3-car garage with a separate heated workshop.
For more information, please visit: https://windermereevergreen.com/listing/59734040. You may also call either John Putt at (720) 201-1332 or Yvette Putt at (303) 882-2245.
