Bringing the Indoors Out – Outdoor Living by Archadeck

The recent trend in outdoor living design, such as porches, features movement toward bringing the comfort of the indoors outside.

This may seem like a new concept as you flip through the pages of the hottest outdoor living magazine or surf through the home improvement channels, but the concept has been around quite sometime. The goal has traditionally been to “bring the outdoors in,” but in recent years homeowners have begun focusing on reversing this and “bringing the indoors out” by carrying the indoor comforts into the natural beauty of our backyards.   A custom backyard retreat serves to extend the outdoor season, adds living space to the home and creates a versatile yet casual space for entertaining. This is what Archadeck is known for, and has been since 1991 throughout Greensboro, Winston Salem, High Point, and the surrounding areas.

Cozy seating vignette on open porch in High Point, NC built by Archadeck of the Piedmont Triad.

Here at Archadeck, we are seeing clients request these type of outdoor living spaces like never before. It’s no wonder you’re itching to transform your old-school patio or cookie-cutter deck into an impressive and functional space. However the space alone will not result in the creature comforts for creating the ideal “bring the indoors outside type of space.” Start by looking at trends that fit your lifestyle and have the potential of making the space irresistible; an area that becomes a destination rather than just a space.

• Optimal outdoor room placement

Good planning and placement of the structure will help turn your addition into a successful project. Where should your structure be placed? A good design is one where the structure complements your backyard.

Winston Salem 3-season room provides a great multi-season outdoor room

If you’re lucky and have a fantastic view, you could take advantage of it! Perhaps you want your space to make the most of a shady spot or a sunny southern exposure. Is privacy from neighbors a concern? Are you close to a busy street where noise a problem? If so and if your area is limited, think about the use of landscape materials, partitions or fences to address the problem.

• Making the outdoor living connection

Will your addition be connected to your home? If so, are you taking into consideration its proximity to the family room? A path through a family room could be an issue if foot traffic will soil your carpets and disrupt anyone watching TV or conversing. As an alternative, placing the structure adjacent to, or with easy access to, your kitchen will make it easy to move food and dishes back and forth when dining in your new outdoor living space.

• Understanding scale between your home and outdoor living space

How will your new outdoor living space be used? If your home is small and you don’t anticipate entertaining a large number of guests at any one time, you probably won’t need a huge addition. Your plan for an outdoor living addition, such as a porch, needs to strike a balance between your home’s size, size of your household and functional requirements of the space you’re trying to satisfy.

• Have a seat!

Tops in the comfort category are seating clusters. Thick, comfy cushions and strategically placed outdoor furniture arrangements can spark conversation and help build relationships with family and friends. Designers are big on outdoor furniture that brings people together, stands up to the elements and showcases personal style.

Built-in floating bench seating on grey AZEK deck in Stokesdale NC

• Go with the flow

It is important to have a good notion of how visitors will flow onto, within, and back out of your addition in relation to your home and backyard. Think about how family members, guests, and pets will be walking from the entrance of the residence to the backyard, from

Fabulous entry to a screen porch In Greensboro NC

the garage to the kitchen area, from the greenhouse or tool shed to the garden and so on.If you are likely to want a space solely for relaxation, you really don’t want all the visitors coming out of the property to merge into this area. Again, getting this right is a hallmark of good design.

If you are planning an outdoor living space and aren’t 100% sure what you want, it’s important to start asking yourself some questions, like how are you going to use the space? What views are important to you?  Archadeck of the Piedmont Triad can help guide your thinking and prepare you for your  dream outdoor project.  And, as always, feel free to contact us.

Call: (336) 664 – 1332
Email: piedmonttriad@archadeck.net

Also read: Can I add a screen porch to my existing deck?

March is the time to prepare for outdoor living!

The month of March;  when March comes in like a lion it goes out like a lamb, mad as a March hare, beware the ides of March, March madness and my favorite March winds and April showers bring forth May flowers.   Almost everyone is ready to celebrate the arrival of Spring on March 20 and we at Archadeck are ready to help you get that great outdoor structure you need to make sure you get the most out the beautiful spring and summer days that lie ahead.

Archadeck of the Piedmont Triad is your choice Winston Salem and Greensboro area deck builder.

Archadeck can help you in a variety ways.  We custom design and custom build.  We can help you get some shade with one of our pergolas.  Stay away from the pesky bugs with a screened porch.  Replace that tired old deck with a new one build out of a variety of choices such as composites or tropical hardwoods.  Jazz up your deck with custom rails, benches and planters.  We also can add a patio with an outdoor kitchen.  How about waterproofing the underside of your current deck and making it in to a screened room?  There are numerous options and our designers are ready to help you realize your dream for more outdoor living.

Let’s get started soon so we can help you  be ready to relax and enjoy the great outside.  Contact us and one of our design consultants will be happy to work with you and yours to get your outdoor dream realized. We will look forward to hearing from you soon.

September and Fall Outdoor Living.

Supposedly the calendar reads September but with exception of the cooler nights and the yellowing of the poor trees looking for a little rain not much seems to have changed weather wise.  Yet we are only 1 week away from the official Autumnal Equinox.  This started me musing about the equinoxes both Spring and Fall and that twice yearly 24 hour span of equal amount of  night and day.  In Autumn the days then become shorter and obviously the nights become longer. There are lots of folks who begin to vocally dread the coming of fall and then worst winter; perhaps they are thinking of being trapped indoors in the colder months. I, however, embrace the beginning of the shorter days for many reasons; the sky is much bluer with wispy clouds and cool breezes.  Mother Nature starts her last arboreal fashion show with all the gorgeous yellows, oranges, and reds she will dress her tree children in.  Sunsets are stunning in the fall, the best of the year, and the night stars seem to twinkle and sparkle with glee.

There is still plenty of time for outdoor living this year.  We humans have become oh so inventive and creative with all things to keep us warm and cozy outside on chilly nights.  Outdoor fireplaces, fire pits, chimineas, and decorative propane table top heaters all add warmth to the surroundings.  Lots of options exist for specialized outdoor lighting.  The list goes on and for all the ways you can continue to experience the glorious days remain this year.

The also good news is if you have a deck, screened porch, covered porch, pergola with a polycarbonate roof or sunroom you can make it cool weather ready with the addition of some type of heater and enjoy in the fall.  Plus there is an added bonus in it is much easier to sweep those leaves rather that rake then.  More time to enjoy outdoor living.  See you on the deck  looking at that amazing sunset.

August and Outdoor Living

Well, we have made  it  to the last month of summer,  August.  August has always seemed a paradoxical month to me.  It is still officially summer but  many of us with children in school are cramming in that last bit of vacation before the back to school rush begins.  The weather starts to show a little hint of change, one day blazing hot and then a refreshingly cool day. It is a month that makes one start thinking of Fall. There is an old saying that if you count the foggy mornings in August they equal the number of snows in the coming winter.  Whether that is true or not it, I got to thinking about the changing of the seasons and knowing that is always one part of life you can count on in these unstable times.

Here at our Archadeck office we offer a product to our customers that takes them from season to season, allowing them the comfort and enjoyment of outdoor living  year round.  Eze-Breeze offers a unique, custom-designed window system that creates more livability on your screened porch, deck or gazebo.  A window system which is versatile, attractive, rugged and simple to use.  Open, they let the breeze in while keeping out the bugs and debris.  Closed, they offer protection from summer sun and changing weather.  Other features and benefits include:

• Maintenance free aluminum framework
• Lifetime limited warranty
• Panels lift out for easy cleaning
• Tint options to give shade and privacy
• 4-Track windows with screens that open 75% to allow great airflow
• Affordable alternative to a costly glass windows

So this August think about extending your outdoor enjoyment and livability into the changing season and give us a call and ask us about Eze-Breeze windows.  We will be happy to tell you more.

Hot Weather Outdoor Living

The hot temperatures outside don’t have to be an issue and keep you indoors.  We are so acclimated to having the AC blasting during these “hot spells”; we forget that lots of us grew up during a time when central air conditioning was not readily available.  Most families sought outdoor living to escape the long hot summers;  sitting, rocking on the front porch, watching the fireflies come out and visiting with the neighbors.  In our “gotta have it now” world so many of our summer memories are just that, memories.  I wonder what the young generation of today will reminisce about when they think of their summers.  Sitting in front of the TV or computer, playing a video game?

I still enjoy sitting outside in the evenings under our shade pergola with the fan stirring up a little air, reading, sipping a cold drink and chatting with my spouse.  You are really fortunate if you have a screened porch with a ceiling fan to escape the insects and the sun.  I think retreating to the outdoors and sitting on you front, side or screened porch is great idea.  Bring out a couple of portable fans, give the kids a popsicle and turn on the sprinkler.  The kids won’t complain and you’ll enjoy watching them play in the water.  You just might want to run through the sprinkler a time or two yourself.  In other words, if you have outdoor living space use it, enjoy it and stop having “reverse cabin fever”.  Reclaim your youth and summer. When you walk back in the house you might even feel chilly because of the air conditioning setting, and go a little green by setting up the temperature a degree or more.

Don’t waste time complaining about how hot it is.  Try to find some ways to recapture those summer memories.  Besides before you know it winter will come and you’ll be wishing for hot weather again. 

Designing a Screened Porch with a Professional Porch Builder

Archadeck has been a trusted Greensboro porch builder for over three decades, and we are ready to help you design and build your ideal porch.

If you have always wanted a screened porch and are ready to build one, you might wonder how to begin.  When designing a screened porch, there are a few things to consider in order to achieve a beautiful porch design. As your Greensboro porch builder, Archadeck will help you arrive at your best and final porch design.

Screened porch design by Archadeck of the Piedmont Triad

Among these considerations is:

• Size and orientation – Your intended usage is one key to determining the proper porch size. This can also dictate where you choose to build your porch. From where inside your home will your porch be best accessed? One room, multiple rooms, second story, or first floor?
• Architectural compatibility with your existing home – Your home’s existing style will often help you decide on the materials used to build your porch. Will you paint it to match your home or the trim on your home? Will you use materials that complement, rather than match? What porch roof style will best accommodate your existing roof?
• Amenities and upgrades – Would you like a low-maintenance porch with composite deck flooring and aluminum or vinyl railings? Would you like a porch fireplace and full electrical installation for lighting and fans?
• Your budget – Budget will be a major determining factor in your final porch design. It can dictate size, materials, and amenities.

Rustic screen porch design by Archadeck of the Piedmont Triad

A well designed and well-built screened porch should add value, function, character, and enjoyment to your home.  It should invite your outdoors in comfort and style.

If you are searching for porch builders in Greensboro NC, Archadeck is ready to earn your business.

Since 1991, Archadeck of the Piedmont Triad has been building custom screened porches.  We are happy to guide you through the design and build process. Archadeck is North America’s leading builder of outdoor living spaces and offers the best warranties in the business. Call us today at 336-664-1332 for your complimentary design consultation.

Custom porch and deck by Archadeck of the Piedmont Triad

Also read: Can I add a screen porch to my existing deck?

Who is Archadeck?

Custom Design

Archadeck founded in 1980 in Richmond, Virginia is the largest builders of custom designed decks. With more than 45,000 projects built nationally, we’ve become know as “America’s Deck Builder.” Prior to Archadeck, homeowners had three choices: build their own deck;  hire a carpenter, often unlicensed and uninsured; or work with an architect.  By combining design and construction into one single source, Archadeck can offer you the best and most efficient choice for your new deck.

But we are so much more than decks.  Archadeck also designs and builds screened porches, 3-season rooms, sunrooms, trellises, arbors, docks,  spa and pool decks and much more.  Archadeck has been featured in numerous magazines including HOME, Remodeling, Gardens, Decks & Patios, Woman’s Day Home Improvements,  Woman’s Day Gardening, Family Circle, Success and on the covers of Decks & Backyard Projects and American How-To.  In addition Qualified Remodeler magazine recently ranked Archadeck in the “Top Ten” out of 500 remodelers.

What does this mean to you?  It means your local Archadeck is part of a nationally known and respected organization, and has stable, reliable management.  You will receive one of the strongest warranties in the business. By choosing Archadeck , you ensure that your new outdoor living space will be custom designed for your home.  Each design  will address the architecture and landscape of the site itself, your budget, and your personal needs and lifestyle.  These elements, combined with smart and innovative design will make your new outdoor living space uniquely yours.  Because your project is custom designed, you will have a wide selection of materials to choose from such as pressure-treated southern yellow pine, exotic hardwoods, composite materials and low maintenance materials like Azek, and more.

Our design consultation is always free, so let Archadeck visit  your home  soon.  You’ll be on your way to the custom designed project that best enhances your home, your ideas, and your budget.

Screened porch for Relaxation.