Stainless Steel is Trending Outdoors

(Family Features) Stainless steel has been a staple in luxurious, contemporary kitchens all over the world for years. While it’s most often used indoors, this durable, low-maintenance, design-forward material is making its way outdoors.

Deck railings, outdoor kitchen cabinetry and solar-powered lighting are among the many examples of products using stainless steel to create exterior spaces that are aesthetically pleasing and easy to maintain. As this material continues to expand beyond traditional uses, design-forward homeowners are more likely to incorporate it into their outdoor living spaces as well.

One option for creating a stylish outdoor look is with kitchen cabinetry manufacturer Danver Stainless Outdoor Kitchens, which produces its cabinets from 100 percent stainless steel. For homeowners who don’t want the traditional stainless look, powder coat finishes, which can create various wood grains or colors to allow for a seamless transition between indoor and outdoor living spaces, are also an option.

“Just seeing the number of ways that companies are using the material has been interesting to watch. It’s gone from primarily an industrial material, to consumer products, to residential and commercial interiors. Now, we’re seeing it continue to grow into really innovative applications for exterior living spaces,” said Praveen Sood, retail and product marketing manager at Feeney, Inc., which specializes in stainless steel cable railing systems that can endure a variety of harsh conditions with minimal maintenance while maintaining the original view-friendly aesthetic. “It’s proven to be incredibly versatile.”

Moreover, the demand for stainless steel is leading to a high rate of innovation. Companies like Gama Sonic, manufacturer of solar-powered outdoor lighting, answered when customers longed for a modern, durable product by developing the Bollard, made entirely from stainless steel. The natural sustainability of the material combined with solar LED bulb technology results in a highly energy-efficient, highly green product, which is a must-have for today’s eco-conscious homeowners.

For many homeowners, stainless steel is a statement and a symbol of quality, but just as important is its ability to create an outdoor space with both form and function in mind. Find more outdoor living ideas at danver.com, feeneyinc.com and gamasonic.com.

Outdoor kitchen photo courtesy of Steven Paul Whitsitt Photography

Cable railing/LED light (top) photo courtesy of Feeney, Inc. and (bottom) photo courtesy of Gama Sonic

SOURCE:
Danver Stainless Outdoor Kitchens

3 Ways Soapstone Enhances Home Design

(Family Features) Move over, marble and granite. There’s a new, old stone that’s coming back into vogue. After first coming into use 5,000 years ago, soapstone is once again becoming a “go-to” material for kitchen and bath designs, indoor and outdoor living spaces and more.

There are three primary reasons for the revived interest in soapstone, according to Steven Schrenk, digital media director and design consultant at Polycor, who has been working with natural stone for 22 years.

Aesthetics: One major factor driving soapstone’s appeal is shifting aesthetic trends. While designers and homeowners have been fascinated by the bright, wide range of colors and bold patterns that could be discovered in natural stone, people are coming back to a tonal, more muted palette, according to Schrenk.

Schrenk sees more designers working with textures within a similar palette of color and playing up the tactile qualities of materials and patterns within that limited palette.

“This is where soapstone plays well in pairing with these different finishes,” he said. “It tends to blend into its space and become more integrated in the whole design instead of being a separate, individual entity.”

Another aesthetic benefit of soapstone is that multiple tonalities can be achieved depending on the finishing techniques.

“It may be a cool, blue-gray color when left in its natural honed state or a deep, sultry black when waxed or enhanced,” Schrenk said. “You can go from a highly figured, dramatic statement piece to a minimal and moody silky surface in the slabs that are neutral without veining.”

Function: When it comes to home design, there’s no doubt that appearance is key, but so is a material’s ability to stand up to its task. Soapstone is nonporous, so it doesn’t stain. It’s softer than granite and marble, dense and heavy, but not brittle. It doesn’t chip easily, but if it does chip, it can be repaired with sandpaper. Those high-performance features make soapstone well-suited to serve numerous functions.

Versatility: “No matter how you slice it, there are 101 ways to style soapstone; whereas with some other materials, there are more limitations,” Schrenk said.

Because of the stone’s ability to absorb and radiate heat, it can be used for unique items, such as pizza ovens and foot warmers, says Glenn Bowman, owner of Vermont Soapstone. He has also seen soapstone used in a variety of everyday applications, both indoors and outdoors, including tiles, flooring, backsplashes, sinks and a variety of custom stonework.

For more information about using soapstone or other natural stones for your next home renovation project, visit usenaturalstone.com.

Main image (kitchen) courtesy of Polycor

Secondary image (sink) courtesy of Vermont Soapstone

SOURCE:
Building Stone Institute

Deck Design Made Easy

Start planning now for a beautiful outdoor living space

(Family Features) While outdoor living season may be winding down, there’s no better time to start planning your dream deck. Prep work is a big part of the process – much of which can be done now and throughout the cooler months to get your backyard retreat ready for next spring.

The following are quick tips to make creating your outdoor oasis exciting and easy:

Get digitally inspired
The Internet is a great place to get your creative juices flowing. There are countless online resources to help homeowners create and plan their ideal outdoor living space. A great starting point is perusing the outdoor living projects posted on social media channels, such as Houzz and Pinterest. For more inspirational images and valuable information, check out the websites of home and garden magazines, contractors and decking manufacturers.

Dive into design

Decide on details
When planning, have fun exploring the many design elements that are available for customizing your deck. You’ll need to decide early on if you want to incorporate features like built-in seating, planters and storage, as well as add-ons such as a pergola or outdoor lighting, which can add comfort, character and convenience to your outdoor living space.

Incorporate railing
As one of the most visible parts of the deck, railing can provide design inspiration and should be considered from the outset. Available in a wide array of styles, shapes and materials, you can tailor your railing to personalize and frame your outdoor space. To help simplify the selection process, Trex introduced a Decking & Railing Duos guide, which offers customized, designer-curated railing looks. This feature provides a user-friendly way for homeowners to explore the latest trends and find a perfectly paired look for virtually any outdoor living space.

Understand costs and value
To ensure your dream deck remains within reach, keep costs in mind. Several factors will affect the price, including the size and shape, along with any extras you incorporate. When evaluating expenses, think beyond the initial material and labor costs and peer into the future. With wood decks, the costs of sanding, staining and painting add up over time. Over the life of a composite deck, the reduced maintenance costs of simple soap and water cleanings add up to a greater return on investment – not to mention the value of all the time spent enjoying the deck rather than maintaining it.

For more information and inspiration for getting the deck planning and designing process started, visit trex.com.

SOURCE:
Trex

Fun in the Sun

Backyard essentials for a summer outdoors

(Family Features) From a leisurely afternoon watching the kids play in the sprinkler to an evening cookout with friends under the stars, it’s the perfect time of year to bask in the comfort and beauty of your own backyard. Take this year’s outdoor enjoyment to a new level with items designed to keep you and your fellow revelers safe and ready for food and fun.

Easy Summer Entertaining
There’s something about summer that makes casual get-togethers great. The menu can be simple, an outdoor setting makes decorating a cinch and the options for entertainment are nearly endless. Put a special touch on your celebrating with these ideas:

• If you find yourself short on seating, create conversation areas using colorful quilts or blankets.
• Add lighting to dim corners with a simple strand of twinkling Christmas lights or take it up a notch with festive strings of lantern-style lights.
• Create a refreshing breeze and help keep pests at bay with fans set on low to circulate the air. For a simple decorative touch, add some streamers that will dance in the wind.
• Thread a variety of fresh fruits on bamboo skewers and insert ends into the rind of an upside-down watermelon half for a pretty and practical centerpiece.
• Greet young guests with small buckets filled with dollar store treasures like sidewalk chalk, jump ropes and water guns to ensure they stay entertained while the adults have some fun of their own.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images(three photos: people at party, cooler, and grill)

SOURCE:
Family Features

Smart, Stylish Designs for Outdoor Kitchens

(Family Features) Kitchens are moving outside. And they’re doing it in a big way. According to a recent study from the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA), outdoor kitchens are expected to be a top design trend in 2016.

“An outdoor kitchen can drastically improve the value of a home,” said Alana Busse, designer and NKBA Central Coast and Valleys chapter president. “They also bring people together. Whether, it’s simply your neighbors coming over for a weekend barbecue or a big family gathering, everyone loves being outside.”

Big or small, the basic principles of outdoor kitchen design remain the same. Get started by understanding these basics:     

Get the right heat
It all starts with the grill – the centerpiece of the outdoor kitchen. Russ Faulk, chief designer and head of product for Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet, which makes outdoor kitchen equipment, suggests basing your selection on the cook you aspire to be, not the kind you are now. Remember that there are no uniform depths, heights or widths when it comes to grills, so future upgrades can be a challenge.

More homeowners are also expanding their cooking capabilities with specialized products offering different types of heat. Smokers, pizza ovens and charcoal or wood-fired grills, such as Kalamazoo’s Gaucho Grill, are options to keep in mind as they can enhance the outdoor cooking experience.

Assess the space
Faulk recommends thinking about how you envision the relationship between your indoor and outdoor kitchens next.

If they are relatively close together, an outdoor kitchen can utilize the indoor kitchen’s capabilities, such as prep space and storage. Conversely, a fully independent outdoor kitchen with refrigeration, warming cabinets and cabinetry is more self-reliant, but will require more space and connections for gas, water and electricity.

Grill placement is also a key decision. If you entertain often, Faulk recommends keeping the cook in the party by positioning the grill perpendicular to the dining area.

In the zone
You’ll get the most out of your outdoor kitchen when you have different functional zones designated, Faulk said. Plot out where you will position four key zones – wet, cold, hot and dry – to make prepping, cooking, serving and cleaning much easier.

The cold zone should be next to the wet zone. This will simplify moving food from the cold zone refrigerator to the wet zone sink to wash and get ready for grilling in the hot zone.

Also plan for uninterrupted counter space, or landing areas, for placing platters and utensils while cooking. Grills should have at least 24 inches to one side and 12 inches to the other. Sinks should have 18 inches on both sides for room to wash food or place dirty dishes.

Be sure to dedicate enough space for each zone and think about the relationships among them for cooking and serving activities.

Left outside
Being outdoors means your refrigeration and cabinetry will need to be equipped to handle the elements.

When considering refrigeration for an outdoor kitchen, Faulk stresses food-safe rated options. With these products, meats won’t go bad and drinks will stay cold, even when it’s above 95 degrees outside.

Cabinetry should be equipped to handle rain and protect the items inside. Weather-tight cabinets have seamless rain gutters around the door and drawer openings to help divert water.

By incorporating the right design principles, an outdoor kitchen can be the place where you and your guests enjoy delicious meals for years to come. For more design tips, visit kalamazoogourmet.com.

Photos courtesy of Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet:
(Main image) Outdoor kitchen with Kalamazoo Hybrid Fire Grill
(Secondary) The functional zones of the outdoor kitchen, from left: hot, dry, wet and cold

SOURCE:
Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet