Gone are the tilting tiki torches and flimsy white plastic chairs. Nowadays, posh and panache can be found in the backyard. Decks, patios and outdoor spaces are becoming more than hunks of concrete, wood and a tangle of leafy greens - they're extensions of the indoors.
"Outdoor living has really grown popular in the last few years," said Joe Adams, manager of Stony Creek Landscapes in Webster City. "The concept has really taken off."
Outdoor living is basically using land and property surrounding the home to its best advantage by landscaping and shaping it to add recreational space, create an attractive area for entertaining or to simply establish a personal refuge.
Paver walkways and patios are currently among the most requested outdoor living projects Stony Creek takes on, Adams said. They lend well to the trend of a more natural landscaping style, which incorporates items such as large boulders and bushes.
Arbors and pergolas have also been common requests, he said. The structures may not provide a great deal of shelter, but they do offer shade, as well as a decorative aspect. Water features such as ponds and waterfalls have also surged in popularity in recent years.
Designs and styles of decks and patios have remained traditional, said Mike McCarville, manager of RoJohn Home Improvement Inc. in Fort Dodge.
"Although, we're doing more and more with composite deck materials," he said.
Composite materials are a mixture and provide for a maintenance-free deck, unlike wood, which needs treatments on a regular basis to prevent rot.
With patios, McCarville said the company has increasingly received requests for installing sliding windows to completely enclose the space, basically making it usable nine months out the year.
"It creates a whole other room," he said.
And accessories can make that room into a liveable space.
Classic furniture styles such as wood Adirondeck chairs and all-weather wicker chairs remain a staple, said Barb Vonsak, senior team leader for Target in Fort Dodge. People can use them as is, but fabrics and cushions for such chairs and loungers bring in a touch of color and can pull together an overall theme.
Fire pits and portable propane heaters are functional accessories that can extend the usefulness of the outdoor area, she said. Outdoor lighting modeled after older street lamps have also replaced the once dominate tall tiki torches.
"The lamps are really cool," Vonsak said, "and they're something fairly new."
While they didn't fly off the shelves this summer, she said she expects they will pick up in popularity next year when people are more aware of them.
For true backyard sophistication, however, people can purchase outdoor chandeliers that can be hung in gazebos.
Those stackable plastic chairs with accompanying tables still have their fans, Vonsak said. Tiki torches, too. The whole point of outdoor living is to create your own space.
Contact lifestyle at (515) 573-2141 or smickelson@messengernews.net
