January 2017 - Creekstone Outdoors

30 Jan

A Full Outdoor Kitchen and full size Refrigerator in Hoston

6 Surprising Things You Can Do To Increase Your Home’s Value

Did you know you can remodel your house to increase its value? Talk to any interior designer or real estate agent, and they’ll tell you how houses with a few added elements not only fetch a better price, but also get sold quickly.

Remodeling your home has numerous benefits, but doing so within your budget can be a daunting task. When we talk about increasing home’s value, we include everything from a new paint job to upgrades to your kitchen and bathroom to simply improving the physical aspect of your home with new furniture. All this combined can boost your home’s value by up to 70 percent if you do it right.

But, do not get intimidated. You can start small and it will give you many benefits. The first point you should remember is that you cannot neglect any corner of your house. From the entrance door to the kitchen cabinet, anything and everything is of importance.

So without much ado, let’s move ahead with some tips on what you can do to improve your home’s value:

1. An Extra Spark With Outdoor Kitchens

Outdoor kitchens are turning out to be exceptionally famous. It’s something you can easily highlight when you put your house up for sale. Getting an outdoor kitchen can cost as low as $5,000 or as high as $500,000. The Return on Investment (ROI) is around 10 percent, which is a pretty good number. But, if you use the right material and your house is placed in a nice location, the ROI on this investment can go as high as 150 percent.

An outdoor kitchen gives an extra spark to your home. On one side you can enjoy yourself and host parties like never before. On other side, you can make a good amount of money as it is considered an investment. However, you need to be wise when it comes to investing in an outdoor kitchen.

There are a number of options available to you. If your budget does not allow much, you can pick a grill and place it outside. However, if you have the budget and space to do more, you can add a patio and other elements such as a refrigerator, outdoor lighting and a seating area to make your outdoor kitchen standout. While some of the items in an outdoor kitchen can be moved once you sell the house, the overall look would still add value to your house as you can use the outdoor kitchen to entice buyers.

2. Swimming Pool

Custom Houston Pool House by Creekstone Outdoor Living A swimming pool can be a decent upgrade for your home and will surely increase your home’s value. Some things to keep in mind while getting a pool for your home is to make sure it is of correct size and suitable according to your location.

Swimming pools can increase the value of your home, and you’ll likely be looking at an ROI of about 15 to 25 percent. The cost to get a swimming pool lies between $5,000 and $12,800, depending upon the size and depth. However, maintaining one can be a daunting task, so make sure you make this investment wisely.

In addition to this, remember that the ROI on a swimming pools vary according to the area. The yields lie somewhere between 6-11 percent. If you live in a neighborhood where there are less swimming pools, your house is probably going to pull more buyers.

3. Bathroom Remodeling

Bathroom rebuilds are an ROI magnets. An average human spends over one hour and 42 minutes in a bathroom, as per a recent survey. According to experts, a bathroom is typically the first thing anybody will notice about your house, so do not make the mistake of neglecting it.

A bathroom having two sinks, decent lighting and a custom shower is likely to increase the value of your home. Making it sparkle with fresh new paint and lavish accessories can also be helpful. If you have the budget, you can invest in a radiant heat floor mat or new bathtub.

If you have enough space, you can even change your bathroom into a full blown spa. It can give you an ROI of around 85 percent, but the cost can be as high as $6,000. However, normally, spending to remodel a bathroom can be a wise choice as it yields a 62 percent ROI on average, depending on if you do it correctly. A usual job would cost you around $1,500 with improved tiles and painting.

4. Renovating Front Yard

Renovating your front yard and expanding it won’t cost as much as most interior rebuilds. Adding pavers, suitable outdoor appliances and different touches can increase your home’s value.

If there’s an extra space that comes in the vicinity of the front yard or backyard, then it would be wise to push it out and merge it with the front yard. Most renovating specialists say that renovating and rebuilding your front yard can give you returns of around 12 percent.

If your budget is sufficient and you can afford a lavish front yard, then we suggest that you focus on an extensive front yard makeover. Improved landscaping and a garage can give you returns as high as 72 percent.

5. Beautifying The Walls With Fresh Paint

Painting your house gives the home a more contemporary look that will engage both residents and purchasers. Repainting the inside of your home and keeping it cozy with soft color tones greatly increases your home value. If you’re good at it, you can save some money by doing the job yourself.

6. Flooring

Go for flooring options which are noiseless and provide a smooth experience and try to get rid of carpet flooring as it can be an issue when it comes to cleaning. Hardwood flooring is considered a favorite by many.

Final Verdict
These are some modest changes that you can make to increase the value of your home. The key lies in using space the right way and adding elements that others want to see, such as an outdoor kitchen. However, make sure to check ROI before you make an investment.

30 Jan

10 Outdoor Kitchen Ideas

Outdoor kitchens continue to gain in popularity as homeowners across the county seek to spend more time outdoors. They can be a welcome addition to an existing patio area and can complement a new entertainment space. From luxurious to simplistic, the possibilities are infinite.

Let’s take a glimpse at some inspirational ideas from our own portfolio.

Sports Fan’s Paradise

Creekstone Outdoor Living - Cabana with Full Kitchen and Living Room 6

Amenities such as a wall-mounted TV, oversized comfy couches and an extended granite countertop bar will make you the envy of every sports fan in the neighborhood. So go ahead and invite them over for the next big game!

An Inclusive Space

Houston Cabana

Everyone is part of the party when an outdoor kitchen includes floating bar seating and a stunning outdoor table. This inclusive layout lets the cook tend to dinner on the grill while enjoying the company of family and friends.

Room for a Crowd

Custom Outdoor Kitchen and Cabana - Side View by Creekstone Outdoor Living in Houston TexasCustom Outdoor Kitchen and Cabana - Aerial View by Creekstone Outdoor Living in Houston Texas

There’s no need to limit the guest list when your outdoor kitchen easily accommodates a crowd. Built-in seating on a patio a few steps from the outdoor kitchen provides a cozy gathering place while leaving plenty of room for guest to mingle comfortably.

Complementary Stone Accents

Attached Patio Cover

The addition of an outdoor kitchen should stand out for many reasons, but it should also blend in with existing structures. Natural stone accents can complement the brickwork or stone on an existing home and the other elements in a kitchen.

Wood Beams and Ceilings

Creekstone Outdoor Living - Rustic Cabana with full Outdoor Kitchen & Living space - 1

While a patio cover functions to keep the outdoor kitchen and its occupants protected from the elements, wood beams and ceilings add distinctive flair to the space.

Functional Layout

Covered Patio with Summer Kitchen by Creekstone Outdoor Living

Designing an outdoor kitchen with a U-shaped layout puts all the elements within reach. With this design, the cook can effortlessly manage the grills and side burner without having to leave the kitchen to get essentials from the refrigerator and storage drawers. Food preparation is simplified thanks to a sink and granite countertop with matching cutting board.

Best Seat in the Pool

Poolside Full Outdoor Kitchen and Cabana

What’s better than a poolside outdoor kitchen? Not much, except for an poolside outdoor kitchen with a swim up bar. Swim up barstools are the ideal spot to sip a refreshing beverage and socialize as the meal is prepared.

Let the Sun Shine In

Creekstone Outdoor Living - Custom Houston Pergola

A custom pergola covered with a tinted polycarbonate roof is the perfect solution for those with a desire for natural light in an outdoor kitchen. The roof protects the kitchen’s elements, but lets plenty of sun shine on the party.

Warm It Up

Fireplace Houston

Outdoor kitchens equipped with heating elements, such as an outdoor fireplace, extend the season of outdoor living spaces. Guests can warm up during cooler weather as they bask in the glow of fresh cut logs or a gas log insert depending on your tastes.

Go All Out

Custom Houston Pool House by Creekstone Outdoor Living

Sometimes you just have to go all out. An outdoor kitchen is a welcome element in a complete entertainment complex. While the kitchen may not be the centerpiece of the design, it’s convenient location just steps away from the pool area makes grabbing a snack a breeze.

23 Jan

Creekstone Outdoor Living Full Outdoor Space with cabana, pool and stone slide

Organize Your Pool Cabana For Storage and Enjoyment

Your pool cabana provides an extra convenient, and likely necessary, storage space for your pool. Of course, you store all the accessories that come with your pool. Towels, pool toys and lounge cushions. Pool maintenance tools and chemicals. Maybe your pool heater and other mechanical systems are tucked away in there, too. You and your guests probably change there, and you might store pool snacks and drinks.

But there’s so much more your cabana can be used for if you organize and design it right. It can be much more than just a storage shed. If done right, your pool cabana can be a stylish living, entertaining and recreational space, too.

With a full sink and pantry, a fridge and a freezer, you can entertain in your cabana. Pull in some power outlets if it doesn’t already have them and blend frosty drinks for by the pool. Install a bathroom and you won’t have wet tracks through your house, or worse, risk a slip hazard. It just takes organization and a little ingenuity.

Divide and Conquer

If your cabana is just a great big open space, divide it up with walls to establish rooms with specific functions. You don’t want to feel like you’re relaxing in a storage compartment. If a fully fleshed out wall seems to permanent, hang a drape or two to get a feel for the best way you’ll use your space when it’s “live.”

You may discover you want more entertaining space and less storage or vice versa. Give it a season or two and then make your long-term remodel decisions.

Think Upwards

Get as many stored items off the floor as you can. Wall shelving and even ceiling rafter-like shelving if you have the head room, are great for organizing those pool floats, lounge and chair cushions and pole nets. Cabinets with drawers are as important in the cabana as they are in the kitchen.

And don’t limit your storage solutions to the designated storage area if it makes sense. The living and relaxing area shouldn’t be cluttered with storage, but a little might make sense and even give the ambiance of really being by the pool indoors.

Organize Smart

You don’t want to break your back lifting heavy items up high, especially if you use them all the time. Arrange your things that need storing by weight and how often you plan to use them. Something you use frequently should be more accessible than others.

And remember that drawers don’t have to be for towels or utensils. Bigger drawers can be great for larger objects and get them out of the way.

Waste Not Want Not

This is where you really need to think outside the box. When you’re economizing your space, you can’t let any space go wasted. Install a rod above the pool heater to dry towels. Install drawers in cabinets that maximize the capacity.

Be ruthless with what you store. Things you don’t use regularly, or ever, shouldn’t be taking up valuable space for those things you use every day, all season. When the season starts (or at least once a year if you have year round season) inventory everything by pulling it right off the shelves and out of the drawers. If you haven’t used it in a year, pitch it. If you just can’t part with it, does it really need to be taking up space in your cabana?

Your cabana isn’t, or at least shouldn’t be, an attic or basement. Store what you use for the pool in the pool cabana. Store your Christmas decorations someplace else.

Of course, there’s always the option of either building a second cabana or expanding the existing one. Make your cabana a haven, where you can entertain, watch TV, even sleep. You, and your pool guests, won’t regret it.

20 Jan

Arbors, Pergolas, Cabanas and Patio Covers: What’s the Difference?

These four common outdoor structures – arbors, pergolas, cabanas and patio covers – are all elements that can take an outdoor living space to the next level. But what’s the difference? Is there a difference?

The answer is a resounding, yes! We’ll explore each of these structures so you can decide which one is the best fit for your style and space.

Arbors

An arbor is a simple, usually small, free-standing structure designed to provide shade and add a special touch to a backyard, walkway or front entry.

They are popular additions to an outdoor living space because of their versatility, customizable design and low maintenance upkeep.

Arbors are often used to provide support for climbing plants on trellises or lattices, but can be elegantly designed as a stand-alone element. Seating can be incorporated into the design to create an inviting backyard hideaway with protection from the summer sun.

A variety of materials can be used to create an arbor, with the most popular being wood, rust-proof iron and durable P.V.C. plastic.

Pergolas

Creekstone Outdoor Living - Custom Houston Pergola

Pergolas are often confused with arbors as they can share similar features such as lattices. They are actually vastly different structures with entirely different uses.

Pergolas are larger structures with more advanced architectural design features. They are supported by wooden or stone columns, and are often attached to an existing home or structure although they can be freestanding.

The roof is traditionally an open grid constructed of wooden beams to allow natural light to reach the space below. The beams can be covered with a clear or tinted polycarbonate roof for extra protection from the elements.

A pergola attached to an existing home extends the living space outdoors and can set the stage for further additions such as an outdoor kitchen or seating areas. In a garden setting, a pergola can be partially enclosed with lattice to allow plants to climb up to the roof creating a cozy, private outdoor retreat.

Common materials used to build pergolas are wood and stone or brick. Materials can be chosen to coordinate with existing structures on a property.

Cabanas

Cabanas are free-standing, covered structures that can add functionality and comfort to any outdoor living space. They can be designed to simply cover a cozy nook for outdoor dining or as an extravagant addition to a pool area complete with an outdoor kitchen, changing rooms and storage space.

Lighting accents, ceiling fans and heating elements can be added to enhance the beauty and value of a cabana.

Since cabanas are freestanding, think of them as an additional room that accentuates an existing home. With that in mind, the addition of a cabana will increase the value of a property by boosting the amount of functional space.

The materials used in the construction of a cabana can be chosen to match an existing home or be constructed out of different materials to make a statement in a backyard oasis. Large beams and elegant stained wood ceilings are common elements of a cabana and add a distinctive flair.

Patio Covers

Patio covers are a practical, easy way to enhance and add value to your home, and make the most out of your outdoor living space. As an attached structure, they are designed to compliment a home’s style and can include a variety of upgrades like screened windows, ceiling fans and lighting accents.

Much like cabanas, patio covers extend an outdoor living space into the backyard. But since they are attached to an existing structure, that extension is merely a step or two outside the back door.

Patio covers are an excellent addition for small spaces or for those looking to add protection from the elements to an already existing patio. They protect against the sweltering summer sun and spring rain showers, and with proper placement a patio cover can keep a home cooler during the summer by blocking the sun from south-facing windows.

An addition to an existing patio that incorporates an outdoor kitchen, fireplace or seating area can be greatly enhanced by the construction of a patio cover. By collaborating with a pool company, a patio cover can extend to the edge of a new pool, providing the perfect setting for a covered swim-up bar.

All four of these structures are designed to add functionality, style and value to a home. From a quiet mini-retreat under an arbor to a luxurious fully-featured cabana at the edge of a property, an outdoor living space can easily be transformed into private oasis with the addition of any of these elements.

20 Jan

Creekstone Outdoor Living - Poolside Cabana

Selecting the Best Cabana, Awning or Canopy for Your Business

You can picture your hotel guests relaxing in your outdoor bar, sipping a frosty drink and enjoying the afternoon sun. But wait! The sun! It’s beating down on them, they’re getting sunburned and sweating when they really want to be cool and comfortable. They get so uncomfortable they head inside to the cool air conditioning of their room, and you’re not meeting all their needs. Maybe a cabana, awning or canopy is right for your resort to keep your customers at the bar, enjoying all the amenities you have to offer.

It may not be the heat of summer yet where you are, but that’s the best time to start planning. Spring and summer vacationers will be upon you before you know it. You want your new additions done and working properly before they get there.

So, now you realize you need to make some decisions to improve your customers’ experiences. Selecting the right company and the best products are important. Following a few simple procedures will ensure you have a successful installation for your cabana, awning or canopy.

Set a Budget

Your first step is to establish a budget for your project so you get the proper design. Any awning, canopy or cabana you choose should compliment and accent your property and be eye-catching. You want to appeal to tired, relaxation-seeking souls with emotional and mental needs for an escape from workday cares and worries.

Select a Contractor

There are always many companies offering their services, but you don’t want some fly-by-night contractor. You can find experienced suppliers and contractors through the Professional Awning Manufactures Association (PAMA). Once you know your budget, this should be your next step. Choosing a supplier and contractor registered with PAMA can give you a sense of security, but you still should take the effort necessary to verify references and completely review and understand maintenance and warranties before you sign on any dotted line. Form does follow function.

No matter how breathtaking your awning, cabana or canopy turns out, it also needs to be sturdy, reliable and free from defects. Choosing a reputable contractor and manufacturer with an honest and proven reputation goes a long way to ensuring a successful outcome. The best contractors want your input. They understand that they work for you, and their job is to deliver the results you are demanding.

Finalize the Design

Depending on your existing décor, bold colors for family-oriented beach and pool resorts is common and inviting for both young and the young at heart. Outdoor hotel bars that have or want to establish themselves as a popular nightlife locale tend to do best with darker shades for canopies and awnings. It creates an adult elegance.

So, now you have a contractor, you know your colors and designs. Would you like to see what it will look like before one bolt is turned or one nail is hammered? You can. Seek out an expert for advice on structure, style and set up. Then have it modeled through computer aided design. Professionals in CAD can “build” your dream without actually building. They can manipulate it so you can see it from different angles and in different light and varying configurations. You’re about to spend a significant amount of money on a permanent structure that can improve your business, or not. Many respectable manufactures may even offer this as part of their sales pitch.

A little forethought, knowing what you want to offer your customers, understanding your budget, finding the best builders and suppliers and then executing the plan are the important steps you need to take to bring a beautiful awning, canopy or cabana to your business that will attract and keep customers.

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Monthly Archives: January 2017