The backyard and poolscape are an integral part of the home. This is what the past few years have taught us. A beautiful, functional, and comfortable outdoor space is a great way to add value to your home. It makes it feel like you are on vacation.
The backyard may be left empty on hot days.
“We are seeing many more people wanting that stay-home vacation type of feeling, where their backyard accommodates them as a vacation would. And with that, people ask for shade,” Mitchell Knapp, president, and CEO of Scenic Landscaping, Tranquility Pools, and partner in Tapestry Landscape Architecture.
There are many options available for covering your yard from the elements. You can enjoy your backyard, rain or shine, from full-size pool houses to open-air cabanas.
Simple and easy
Cabanas, sun sails, and large, permanent umbrellas provide coverage that is both easy-going (literally) and comfortable. Cabanas, open-sided, tent-like structures with curtains or drapes on their sides, are one of the most sought-after options.
Bethany Perez is Trex’s brand manager. She agrees that cabanas have a softer appeal.
Leslie Chapus is co-founder and vice president of Azenco Outdoor Florida. She says cabanas are placed over loungers or other seating areas but don’t usually have electrical or lighting features.
Large, resort-style umbrellas are another soft and comfortable option. They are larger and provide more coverage than a standard deck umbrella.
Knapp states that large-scale umbrellas with high-end features are trendy. We’ve seen them mounted on the ground rather than on stands.
Foster states that this type of cover can be placed on or near the Baja step of a pool to allow people to relax in the shade.
He says, “They can put an umbrella on and be submerged in a pool to have some shade.” An umbrella can add a little color to your day.
Sun sails, which are sail-like pieces made of fabric and pulled taut over a seating area to create shade, are another option.
Transitional
Homeowners often choose pergolas, ramadas, or gazebos for more extensive and customizable coverage. However, they still have an open-air feel. Their popularity is rising, just like other outdoor living elements.
Knapp says, “I have seen more gazebos go in the past three years than I have seen in the past ten years.”
These three types of roofs are very similar, although they have different styles and aesthetics. For example, pergolas have fully covered roofs, while gazebos and ramadas have open roofs.
But not all pergolas need to be open to the sky at all times.
Chapus states that Azenco Outdoor’s most favored pergola model features a motorized louvered roofing system. It can be opened and closed to let in sunlight or airflow or to keep it from rain or sun. It also has integrated gutters.
Pergolas are also customizable. They can be either freestanding or attached to your home to create additional seating areas and activity areas. You can add electricity, screens to keep insects out, media walls, or outdoor televisions. There are also accessory beams that allow you to attach heaters, fans, and misters. Fans and heaters can be used to extend the outdoor living space’s life span in four-season climates.
These structures are also influenced by shifting materials. Designers and homeowners are moving away from wood, which requires constant maintenance and can eventually deteriorate. Instead, they are switching to materials that can withstand the elements for decades.
Azenco Outdoor’s pergolas, for example, are made of powder-coated aluminum. Chapus says that this is the most durable way to resist the elements, including rain, sun and salt. You can choose from a range of colors, textures, and finishes.
Trex pergolas can be made of aluminum or aluminum-reinforced cell PVC.
Perez states that aluminum is being used more on the coast because it can withstand the weather with wind and salt.
Pergolas can be added to add decorative elements. Foster is currently working on a project to add a pergola that’s slightly cantilevered into a pool’s entry and has a rain sheer water feature at the perimeter.
He says, “You have a nice little rainfall feature at the top of your pergola into the pool.”
Full-scale coverage
Pool houses are a popular option for those who have the budget and space. Knapp claims that pool houses have increased by 50% in the last three years.
He says that most people who are making it right now realize they’re in it for the long term. You can make your home a mini getaway spot and take your staycations to another level.
You can choose from simple screen houses that have a small area for a picnic table or an area to change or mini-houses that are more in keeping with the style and design of the main house. They also come with full kitchens and bathrooms.
Knapp states that these structures have been transformed into small houses.
Knapp also says that the key features of the pool houses have changed. Unlike the past, which was more focused on the kitchen/pop-up bars, pool houses now emphasize social elements like large dining areas. Another great feature is the washer and dryer. Another nice feature? A washer/dryer for towels, beach blankets, and bathing suits.
Protecting your outdoor living space from the elements is essential, regardless of whether you opt for an umbrella, pergola or pool house. You can enjoy your backyard regardless of weather conditions, whether it is sunny or cloudy or any other.
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Pleatco Perfect PoolGuy 2018 Industry Leadership Award pic.twitter.com/11aPxiNt1R— Pleatco_Pure (@PleatcoPoolSpa) February 9, 2019
