The IDEA Publishing
  • HOME
  • Popular IDEAS
    • IDEAS for Your Better Business Life >
      • The Business Idea
      • The Career IDEA
      • The Money Idea
    • IDEAS for Your Better Diversions >
      • The Tech IDEA
      • The Travel IDEA
      • The Auto IDEA
      • The Outdoors IDEA
    • IDEAS for a Better Table >
      • The Food IDEA
      • IDEAS de Cocina Espanola
    • IDEAS for a Better You >
      • The Health IDEA
      • Living Well IDEAS
      • The Fitness IDEA
      • The Beauty IDEA
    • IDEAS for a Happier Home >
      • The Home Idea
      • The Entertaining Idea
      • The Parenting Idea
      • The Senior Living IDEA
      • The Pet IDEA
  • The Video Domain
    • Video IDEAS for Your Better Business Life
  • About
  • Contact
  • ads.txt
the_outdoors_idea
The Outdoors IDEA

The Outdoors IDEA

Around the House, Around the Park, Around Adventure, and Around the Great Outdoors!

Plumbing the possibilities: Kitchens, showers and baths highlight outdoor living spaces

4/13/2017

Comments

 
Picture
(BPT) - The trend toward outdoor living spaces that mimic the look, comfort, convenience and functionality of indoor spaces doesn’t have to stop at the backyard grilling station. A growing number of homeowners are exploring new additions to their outdoor spaces, including outdoor showers and powder rooms, and even garage entertaining areas anchored by sinks and wetbars!

While traditional plumbing techniques might once have limited just how homey you could make outdoor versions of kitchens and bathrooms, modern up-flush plumbing cost-effectively solves many problems. Above-floor macerating plumbing systems, like those from SFA Saniflo, U.S.A., allow the easy addition of a sink, shower or toilet outside, regardless of where plumbing lines are located inside. They also eliminate the need to cut through concrete if you’ll be placing your project inside a garage or on a concrete patio. Finally, the compact systems fit perfectly into smaller spaces, such as inside cabinets in an outdoor kitchen or in an outdoor powder room.

Here are four water- and drainage-dependent, outdoor living features that are more possible and popular than ever, thanks to up-flush plumbing.

Kitchens


Outdoor kitchens are in high demand, and have evolved to be true mirrors of their indoor counterparts. In addition to cooking facilities, such as a grill, cooktop, or pizza oven, today’s outdoor kitchen incorporates running water.

While a sink is an obvious necessity in outdoor kitchens, traditional plumbing can limit the location, configuration, size and capabilities of the space. Up-flush plumbing affords homeowners greater flexibility in designing an outdoor kitchen.

For example, using a Sanivite drain pump to remove wastewater more than 150 feet horizontally allows homeowners to install their outdoor kitchen where they desire, rather than having to rely on gravity and grading to move water. The pump is also capable of draining up to three separate fixtures, meaning you can have a sink and a dishwasher in your outdoor kitchen.

Showers


If you have a pool or are lucky enough to live near the beach, an outdoor shower can keep sand and other messes from getting tracked into the house. However, traditional plumbing practices can limit where you can locate your outdoor shower. Up-flush plumbing systems use pumps to move wastewater away from the drain, so you can locate an outdoor shower where it’s most convenient.

Products like the Sanishower fit into a small footprint and its low profile is easily concealed beneath the shower floor. Yet the system can handle drainage of up to 20 gallons per minute.

Wetbars


Whether you would like to add a wetbar to a patio or tucked into a corner of the garage, up-flush plumbing can make the process easy and cost-effective. Above-floor plumbing can handle wastewater removal in spots where no drain is present or possible. This means you can easily install a wetbar on a wooden deck, concrete patio or anywhere else where installing a traditional drain would be costly and inconvenient.

Powder rooms


When is an extra bathroom ever a bad idea? Imagine hosting a backyard barbecue or pool party without the need to make guests traipse through the house to reach the facilities, or wait in line inside the house while missing all the fun going on outdoors. Exterior bathrooms can solve those dilemmas, and up-flush plumbing can make it easy to add a toilet and sink outside the house.

While tying into existing traditional plumbing lines might require you to snuggle your outdoor powder room against the side of a house, above-floor plumbing allows you to position it virtually anywhere that’s convenient and appealing for your needs. The Sanicompact is a decorative one-piece system that combines a classic china toilet bowl with a built-in macerator/pump that can handle drainage from the toilet and a nearby sink.


KEYWORDS

  • BPT
  • Brandpoint Content
  • kitchen
  • shower
  • cooking
  • bath
  • bathroom
  • porch 
  • patio
  • deck
  • backyard
  • backyard barbecues
  • food
  • entertaining
  • spaces
  • family
  • home 
  • home improvement
  • property values
  • project
  • grill
  • grilling
  • plumbing 
  • water
  • design
  • decor
  • decorating
  • living
  • outdoor
  • outdoor furniture
  • outdoors
  • home entertainment
  • wetbar
  • pool
  • beach
Comments

Tackling a Touchdown Tailgate

9/5/2016

Comments

 

As fall settles in, the air gets crisper and the kids head back to school, many Americans eagerly anticipate one thing: football season. Whether you’re a die-hard gridiron fan or prefer to enjoy the food and festivities from the sidelines, everyone can agree that a successful tailgate is key to any memorable game day get-together. So how can fans plan a tailgate that stays on budget and impresses any crowd – home or away?


Tackling a Touchdown Tailgate

Cost-effective tips from DIY experts

(Family Features) As fall settles in, the air gets crisper and the kids head back to school, many Americans eagerly anticipate one thing: football season.

Whether you’re a die-hard gridiron fan or prefer to enjoy the food and festivities from the sidelines, everyone can agree that a successful tailgate is key to any memorable game day get-together. According to a recent Bank of America survey, 34 percent of Americans plan to attend a professional or college football game or tailgate this fall, and 20 percent plan to host a tailgate or viewing party themselves.

While many love planning out meals, decorations and activities for friends and family, the costs can easily add up and make hosting feel like an underdog game. So how can fans plan a tailgate that stays on budget and impresses any crowd – home or away?

Home design and DIY experts Ben and Erin Napier teamed with Bank of America to provide these cost-savvy tips for pulling off a memorable tailgate that fits the bill for every fan on game day.

Get in the Competitive Spirit
Whether you’re grilling outside the stadium or spending halftime hanging out in your backyard, Ben recommends laying out a variety of games for guests to enjoy.

“We take college football season very seriously,” Ben said. “For some friendly, competitive fun before kickoff and during halftime, create a larger-than-life wood-block game.”

Follow these simple steps:
1. Sand down wooden four-by-fours.
2. Cut into 48 pieces, each eighteen 18 inches long.
3. Stack pieces into a tower.
4. Take turns pulling pieces to see who knocks the tower over first.

For added flair and personalization, Erin suggests painting the wooden blocks your team colors.

Bring the Stadium to Your Living Room
If you missed out on tickets or your home team is on the road, you can still make your home feel like a day at the stadium.

“During tailgates at home, we try to make our friends feel like they’re actually at the game and having as much fun as possible,” Ben said.

Decorating your home with the team’s colors – such as creating DIY wall art with framed jerseys – is a simple, cost-efficient way to capture the tailgate essence.

Ben suggests setting up a big screen TV on the deck or outdoor living area with speakers to mimic the feeling of watching a game outside in the stands. For inexpensive, comfy seating that will help welcome guests and add another pop of team spirit, try purchasing throw pillows in your team’s colors from a wholesale club or superstore, but make sure to weatherproof them first using fabric protection spray.

“We also like to play recordings of our college band before kickoff if we can’t be at the pep rally in person,” Erin said.

Create a Tailgating Space that Stands Out
One of the best parts of tailgating at the stadium is being surrounded by fellow fans. Try sprucing up your car or tent to create an inviting space that showcases your team pride.

Ben recommends investing in a large, custom-designed vinyl or fabric banner for your tent. Not only can they be affordable to produce and last for many seasons, but they stand out in a crowd.

“Because the banner’s durable, you can use it every year,” Ben said. “Its unique design makes it easy to find after we walk around the tailgate to meet fellow fans.”

Even when your tailgate screams “Go Team,” it’s important to make everybody – even the opposing team’s fans – feel welcome.

“Experiencing a big game may be a once in a lifetime experience for them,” Erin said. “Football fans should be all about hospitality, even toward the rival team’s visitors.”

Defeat Your Budget
“Planning for a busy football season doesn’t need to be a ‘loss’ for your budget,” Ben said. “Turning to a credit card that rewards you for everyday purchases is one of the easiest ways to ‘win’ this season.”

Because tailgating throughout the entire football season requires many trips to the grocery store – often buying in bulk – using a card like the BankAmericard Cash Rewards credit card lets you earn 2 percent cash back at wholesale clubs and grocery stores. And 3 percent cash back when gassing up for away games – on up to $2,500 in grocery/wholesale club/gas quarterly spend. You also earn 1 percent back on all other purchases.

Develop a Game Plan Before Cooking
When preparing meals for a large group, planning ahead and using simple recipes are key.

“We like to plan our meals ahead so that by the time our friends arrive and the game starts, we’re pretty much done in the kitchen,” Ben Napier said.

A simple, versatile marinade helps keep flavors fresh throughout the football season while avoiding additional costs.

“For our tailgates, we prefer to stick to the classics,” Ben said. “When we aren’t grilling hot dogs or burgers, we make a big pot of chili in our slow cooker – letting it simmer for a few hours before serving when the game starts. If we’re tailgating at the stadium, we’ll even throw the chili together in a cast iron pot straight on the grill.”

For more information, visit bankofamerica.com/creditcard.

Do-It-All Marinade

  • 3          parts olive oil
  • 2          parts soy sauce
  • 1          part Worcestershire sauce
  • 1          part balsamic vinegar
  • lemon juice
  • Dijon mustard
  • pepper
  • garlic powder
  1. In small bowl, combine all ingredients then place in re-sealable plastic bag.
  2. Drizzle marinade over chicken and let stand in refrigerator about 4 hours prior to grilling.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images people tailgating

SOURCE:
Bank of America

  • Barbecue ×
  • BBQ ×
  • entertaining ×
  • family ×
  • Family Features ×
  • fans ×
  • football ×
  • friends ×
  • grill ×
  • grilling ×
  • marinade ×
  • recipe
  • stadium ×
  • tailgating


Comments

How to Choose the Right Grill Size

8/31/2016

Comments

 

If you’re shopping for a new gas grill for your cookouts, one of the most important aspects to consider is size. Here are some helpful tips, including cooking surface size and amount of burners, for choosing the right size grill.


How to Choose the Right Grill Size

(Family Features) If you’re shopping for a new gas grill, one of the most important aspects to consider is its size.

“There are more things to think about than simply how many hamburgers you want to cook at once,” said Russ Faulk, grillmaster and chief designer for Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet, maker of outdoor kitchen equipment. “To a great extent, more size offers more cooking flexibility. Few people need a giant grill, but most people can take advantage of having a bit more cooking space.”

Here are some helpful tips he recommends for choosing the right size grill.

Understand the true size of the cooking surface. Total cooking area for grills is measured in square inches. This figure often includes the warming rack and cooktop areas, so do a little digging to identify the square inches of the primary grill grates alone. A minimum of 450 square inches is a good starting point to meet the needs of most people. For example, a 500-square-inch grill grate can accommodate about 24 hamburgers at one time.

Think about indirect cooking. When you envision cooking on the grill, you probably think about grilling the food right above the fire. This is called “direct heat” grilling, which is good for small or thin foods than can be cooked quickly. Larger foods, such as whole chickens, potatoes or roasts, are best cooked with “indirect heat.” This means the burners below the food are actually turned off. You need a grill large enough for the active burners to generate the right amount of heat and have enough space left over to place the food in an indirect zone.

The magic really happens when you combine direct and indirect techniques, Faulk said. Some call it “sear and slide” cooking, which is an indispensable method for grilling a thick steak. Sear it over high, direct heat then move it to indirect heat to slow down the cooking. A grill with at least 700 square inches is recommended for cooks who frequently embrace indirect grilling techniques.

Stay in control. Most gas grills have multiple, individually controlled burners. Larger grills tend to have more burners. For indirect grilling, you will need at least two burners, but more control zones offer increased cooking options. Individual temperatures can be set for grilling different kinds of food simultaneously. At least three burners are recommended for the best control and flexibility.

Don’t crowd the grill. When you try to squeeze too much food onto the grill at once, it can become difficult to manage the cooking. You need room for turning and flipping. Faulk also recommends maintaining a low-heat “safety zone” to move food to when the action gets a little too hot and fast. A good rule of thumb is to keep at least 25 percent of your grill grates clear at all times.

For more tips on finding the right grill for your cookouts, visit kalamazoogourmet.com.

SOURCE:
Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet


Comments



    Archives

    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016


    Interested in Publishing on The Outdoor Idea?
    Send your query to the Publisher today!

    Categories

    All
    Activities
    Activity
    Adventures
    Advice
    Air
    Animals
    Annuals
    Ants
    Apartments
    Art
    Backyard
    Backyard Barbecues
    Balcony
    Barbecue
    Bath
    Bathroom
    BBQ
    Beach
    Beauty
    Beds
    Beets
    Biking
    BPT
    Brandpoint Content
    Breeze
    Brick
    Brush
    Bugs
    Butterflies
    Camping
    Campsite
    Care
    Casual
    Chicken
    Chicken Coops
    Chickens
    Chiggers
    Children
    Chlorine
    City
    Clean
    Cleaning
    Cleanup
    Cold
    Color
    Computers
    Concrete
    Contractors
    Cooking
    Cooling
    Coops
    Cost
    Curb Appeal
    Damage
    Deck
    Decking
    Decks
    Decor
    Decorating
    Deer
    Design
    Dining
    Disease
    Diseases
    DIY
    Do It Yourself
    Edging
    Eggs
    Electricity
    Electronics
    Emergency
    Engine
    Entertaining
    Evaporation
    Expert
    Exploring
    Fall
    Family
    Family Features
    Fans
    Feed
    Fertilizer
    Fish
    Fleas
    Flower
    Flowerbeds
    Flowers
    Food
    Football
    Freeze
    Freezing
    Friends
    Frost
    Fruits
    Fungus
    Furnishings
    Furniture
    Games
    Garden
    Gardening
    Garden Tools
    Gas
    Gathering
    Generators
    Getaway
    Grass
    Grill
    Grilling
    Grime
    Groundskeeping
    Growing
    Hacks
    Hardware
    Health
    Heat
    Herbicide
    Herbs
    Hiking
    Home
    Home Decor
    Home Entertainment
    Home Garden
    Home Improvement
    Home Maintenance
    Homeowners
    Hose
    Hot
    House
    Humidity
    Ice
    Illness
    Infection
    Insecticides
    Insects
    Insulation
    Kale
    Kids
    Kitchen
    Landscaping
    Law
    Lawn
    Lawn Care
    Lawn Equipment
    Lawnmower
    Leaf
    Leaves
    Level
    Lifehacks
    Lighting
    Lists
    Living
    Lyme
    Maintenance
    Makeover
    Marinade
    Materials
    Meat
    Mildew
    Moisture
    Mold
    Mosquitoes
    Mow
    Mowing
    Mulch
    Mulching
    Natural
    Natural Solutions
    Nature
    Neighbors
    Ordinances
    Outdoor
    Outdoor Cooking
    Outdoor Furniture
    Outdoor Kitchen
    Outdoor Living
    Outdoor Movies
    Outdoors
    Paint
    Painting
    Park
    Parks
    Party
    Patio
    Perennials
    Pest Control
    Pesticides
    Pests
    Pets
    Picnic
    Planting
    Plants
    Plumbing
    Pool
    Porch
    Portable
    Posts
    Pots
    Potted Plants
    Power
    Preparation
    Preservative
    Pressure
    Pressure Wash
    Prevention
    Project
    Propane
    Property Values
    Prune
    Pruning
    Radishes
    Rain
    Real Estate
    Recipe
    Remodel
    Remodeling
    Repairs
    Resale
    Resale Values
    Research
    Restrictions
    Riding Lawnmower
    Rodents
    Roof
    Roosters
    Roots
    Root System
    Roses
    Rural
    Safety
    Salt
    Saltwater
    Savings
    Scenery
    Scenic
    Science
    Season
    Seasonal
    Seed
    Seeding
    Seeds
    Services
    Shade
    Shower
    Shrubs
    Sickness
    Sidewalks
    Siding
    Smartphones
    Smell
    Snow
    Spaces
    Spiders
    Sports
    Spring
    Stadium
    Stain
    Steaks
    Stove
    Stress
    Style
    Summer
    Sunshine
    Swimming
    Tables
    Tailgating
    Tech
    Teens
    Temperatures
    Terrace
    Ticks
    Tips
    Tools
    Tractor
    Trails
    Travel
    Tree
    Trees
    Trimming
    Turf
    Upgrade
    Upkeep
    Urban
    Urban Gardening
    Vacation
    Vegetables
    Walking
    Warm
    Wash
    Water
    Weather
    Weed
    Weed Control
    Weeding
    Weed Killer
    Weeds
    Weekend
    Wellness
    Wetbar
    Windows
    Winter
    Wood
    Yard
    Zoning






    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly
  • HOME
  • Popular IDEAS
    • IDEAS for Your Better Business Life >
      • The Business Idea
      • The Career IDEA
      • The Money Idea
    • IDEAS for Your Better Diversions >
      • The Tech IDEA
      • The Travel IDEA
      • The Auto IDEA
      • The Outdoors IDEA
    • IDEAS for a Better Table >
      • The Food IDEA
      • IDEAS de Cocina Espanola
    • IDEAS for a Better You >
      • The Health IDEA
      • Living Well IDEAS
      • The Fitness IDEA
      • The Beauty IDEA
    • IDEAS for a Happier Home >
      • The Home Idea
      • The Entertaining Idea
      • The Parenting Idea
      • The Senior Living IDEA
      • The Pet IDEA
  • The Video Domain
    • Video IDEAS for Your Better Business Life
  • About
  • Contact
  • ads.txt