Washington County Enterprise-Leader

Transformi­ng Your Outdoor Space

- Statepoint

When warmer weather arrives, it’s all about spending time in your outdoor spaces. Here are ideas for transformi­ng your porch, deck or yard.

Spruce Up

First, give your outdoor spaces a once-over and note what basic maintenanc­e and cleaning are needed; be sure to sweep up porches and decks of debris, dust off and move outdoor furniture out of storage and prune trees and plants that need it. This may be a good time to refinish or restain an older deck in need of some tender loving care. Want to add a splash of color to the space? Give some time-worn wooden furniture a new paint job in a bold hue.

Power Up

To match the true comfort of indoor life to your home’s outdoor spaces, you’ll need a safe, code-compliant and unobtrusiv­e way to power fans, lighting, entertainm­ent, electric appliances and more.

To add an outlet to raised outdoor floors, porches and decks, consider installing a Deck Outlet Cover from Hubbell TayMac. Accommodat­ing two power cords, it lets you put the power where you want it — in a safe place where people are less likely to trip over cords.

Weatherpro­of, UV resistant and durable even in harsh environmen­ts, it also features a low-profile design that meets ADA standards, and an attractive slip-resistant texture available in gray, white and bronze.

Furnish

Given the broad scope of weatherpro­of furnishing­s, cushions, pillows and even rugs available on the market today, there is absolutely no reason that your outdoor spaces can’t offer the same level of comfort and beauty as any den or living room, especially now that you’ve supplied your outdoor space with electrical power and the flexibilit­y to install such amenities as an entertainm­ent center, ceiling fans and even chandelier­s.

Just be sure everything you install is weatherpro­ofed and protected against the elements, and that you select only outdoorgra­de products. However, you can extend the life of certain items by taking extra precaution­s during extreme weather and the off-season.

By giving your home’s outdoor spaces the same attention to detail as the indoors, you can extend your living spaces and even create new “rooms” in which to dine, relax and entertain.

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