You may have heard of “retail therapy,” but what about “outdoor living therapy”? Does it work? We think so … based on the many Dayton and Cincinnati-area clients we’ve counseled over the years. They are all leading more satisfying lives now that they have the right outdoor living space(s) to make their homes (and lives) complete.
Here are some signs you may need — and by need, we mean benefit from — outdoor living therapy.
Trouble making that outdoor living space “your own”
Maybe you’ve purchased a home with a deck, patio, porch or some combination of outdoor living spaces, but it doesn’t quite feel like “yours.” Even after decorating and re-decorating, you haven’t found the best way to put your mark on it. Do you sometimes feel like you’re trying to relax in someone else’s personal space? Do you feel like a guest in your own home?
If this describes you, then you must call Archadeck of West Central & Southwest Ohio for a free consultation as soon as possible. We will come out and look at your outdoor living space and ask you lots of open-ended questions, which are the best kind, you know, for getting at the root of an issue. We will listen, and we promise you’ll feel heard!
If you could re-design that deck (or porch, patio, etc.) that came pre-packaged with your home, how would it look? Would it be more spacious, or cozy, divided into different sections for conversation groups or open and expansive? Do you want a space that’s more closed in, with privacy screens, or would you prefer to wave at your neighbors when you see them (and they see you) outdoors?
Maybe the previous homeowners didn’t care for screens, while you cannot abide the idea of flies or mosquitoes visiting your covered porch. Wanting to keep those pests at bay is nothing to feel guilty about! We will validate your concerns about insects and the diseases they carry, not to mention the discomfort of their nasty bites. Adding screens to an open porch is one of several ways to make an outdoor living space your own.
Never satisfied; wanting to change something again and again
Let’s say you have an outdoor living space you specifically designed for your home — not someone else’s hand-me-downs. Maybe you have an outdoor kitchen, a fire pit, a deck attached to a screened porch and/or a pergola for shade. Any one of these, or any combination. At first, it seemed perfect. But then something started to change.
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Maybe your shy, awkward daughter became a social butterfly and now you need a bigger covered patio for her parties. Maybe your family has grown exponentially in ways you did not expect it to. Maybe you don’t use that outdoor kitchen as much as you thought you would, and you would now prefer to use the space for a fire feature.
Here are a few more reasons you may need to modify your previously-perfect outdoor living space:
- You need a bigger deck now
- Your wood deck requires too much maintenance and you’d like to switch to composite decking
- Your railings block the view and you’ve seen some that you like better on a website
- Now that you’ve added on a sunroom, you need the patio to wrap around to meet it
- You need stairs leading down from both ends of the deck, not just one
- You need bench seating on the landing part-way up the stairs to the deck
- You want to add a seating wall along the edge of the patio
- You need to add a ramp to your patio and also make the steps wider
- You would like your patio better if the cement surface were covered with flagstone
- You want to add a pergola for shade or aesthetics
These are just a few examples. We could go on and on, but you get the idea. You may have noticed we used the word “need” several times in the above list. Whether it’s something you need, or want, don’t be embarrassed to ask for help! We’re professionals. We’ve heard it all before, and we don’t judge.
Regardless of what decision you are contemplating with regard to your outdoor living space, we can help you work through it. Change happens. The question now is … what are you going to do about it? Adapt! Meet change head-on.
If you are ready to consult with a professional about how your outdoor living space can meet your family’s changing needs, contact Archadeck of West Central & Southwest Ohio today at (937) 563-4847, or via email at wcohio@archadeck.net.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Roger Miller, owner, Archadeck of West Central & Southwest Ohio.
