INSPIRATIONS FOR ENJOYING FRESH AIR
Outdoor Living Space Tour offers a look at concepts that go way beyond the classic deck
Outdoor living spaces may just be the new man cave in Calgary, says the owner of a leading Calgary renovation company.
“Every one I’ve done, the wife will say, ‘My husband never comes inside the house any more.’ It’s not a basement man-cave, it’s an outdoor man-cave,” says Danny Ritchie, president of Ultimate Homes and Renovations.
To showcase some of their best work, Ultimate and Suncoast Enclosures are hosting a free, sixhome Outdoor Living Space Tour on Sunday. What defines these spaces is how they go beyond just a deck.
“We have (the deck) covered. There are heaters, wood-burning fireplaces, TVs, and you can still be out there when the temperature is in the minuses. You can enjoy nearly year-round outdoor living,” says Ritchie.
Start off an outdoor living space with a covered deck.
“Then you want to add bonuses to it. The first thing you do is add a heater or two. It can be gas or electric,” says Ritchie. “The next nice feature is to put a wood-burning fireplace out there.”
Really want to make it comfortable and versatile for entertaining? Add a television and an outdoor kitchen.
“Just about every one we’ve done, we’ve put heaters and woodburning fireplaces,” says Ritchie about the essentials. “What’s nice about Calgary is — it’s not nice at -30 C — but when we get to the middle of winter, we get some temperatures around zero, and you’re comfortable outside.”
Renovations for outdoor living spaces tend to range between $50,000 and $100,000, depending on elements included, Ritchie says.
The six homes on the tour are fairly close to one another in the city’s southeast. They each showcase different styles, including vaulted, flat and louvered rooflines, and retractable screens. Some feature solar tubes to bring extra light to the covered space.