By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team
When you buy a Scottsdale home, it is your space to live in and enjoy and you can renovate and redecorate in order to improve your surroundings in any way that you choose. One of the ways that you can enhance your enjoyment of the property as well as add to the value of the home is to create an outdoor dining space. On a beautiful summer day, what could be nicer than having a place where friends and family can gather and enjoy a few drinks, barbecue up some tasty food and breathe the fresh air?
Here are some tips to keep in mind when you are adding an outdoor dining space to your home:
- ·Choose the right location. You want your backyard dining area to be peaceful, quiet and private, so find the best spot on your yard that will be screened from view and sheltered from street noise.
- ·Clear a space. Choose an open area where you can place the outdoor dining table. If you put it underneath a tree, you run the risk of having leaves, sap, or insects drop into your food!
- ·Lay the groundwork. Create a patio surface with stones or tiles first, which will give you a stable and flat place to put your table, chairs and barbecue.
- ·Invest in sturdy furniture. Outdoor tables and chairs take a lot more wear from rain, sun, and the elements than their indoor cousins. Make sure you buy solid items that will last you many years.
- ·Create some shade. If you want to enjoy yourself even in the direct heat of the afternoon, add a sun umbrella to your table. There are many different styles, and many can be adjusted and tilted to provide shade as the sun moves through the sky.
- ·Make sure your barbque or cooking area is in a safe spot. Check that it is nowhere near anything flammable, or that it is not too close to trees or the side of the house.
- ·Decorate and set the scene. Improve the surroundings of your backyard dining room with some beautiful flowers, a fountain or a tranquil rock garden.
