From the Floors Up

Pool should Integrate with your Home

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If you want to add a pool or any backyard feature to your home, think about more than the addition itself. It needs to connect to your home and the other elements in your yard.

This pool addition was designed to take full advantage of a natural nook created by the home’s architecture.

The stone chosen for the pool surround was extended all the way to the foundation of the home, making the space feel like an inviting oasis in the yard. By centering the pool, visitors have plenty of space to move around it from the French doors. A wider section of stone on the far side of the pool provides space for a couple of lounging chairs.

The choice of stone was smart. It has enough variation to handle this large an installation, and is versatile enough to work on the columns holding the patio cover. The light tone provides an effective contrast to the dark wood surrounding the windows and doors.

Another fun design element is the choice of thatch as a patio cover. It adds a tropical flavor and softens the design. A small splash of green toward the far side of the pool provides a cool contrast to the light stucco wall.

Remember this pool as you plan your own. You can see that by using stone or tile for your patio and repeating the style with your pool surround and trim, the new addition will feel like a fundamental part of your home.

Bring the Beach to your Patio

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Whether you live near the beach or not, you can create your version of this inviting scene on your own patio.

Let’s consider the design elements that make this beach so inviting. The sand underfoot in a light neutral color provides a nice contrast to the dark natural wood tables and chairs. Candles and other outdoor lights allow gatherings to continue after the sun goes down. Finally, a few touches of color from the flags in the background brighten up the scene.

Although completely different in location, this patio has elements that connect it to the beach above. To start, the travertine pavers that make up the patio have a natural feel and mimic the color of clean bright sand. For patio furniture, the oiled teak here has the same natural wood contrast as the twig tables and chairs on the beach. Once again, the patio has a much sleeker and more finished look than the beach, but that is appropriate to its location.

In place of the beach flags, throw pillows add that splash of color that brings this outdoor space to life. Yellow, green and red solids bring that mood home with simple weather-resistant solid fabrics.

All that’s left is to capture the lighting from the beach scene. A few candles and some outdoor light strings will make this patio ready for a party as the sun goes down.

Thatched Roof

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More and more, outdoor rooms are replacing standard back patios. With the rich variety of sun-safe fabrics and weather resistant outdoor furniture and rugs, space outdoors can rival indoor common rooms for comfort and style.

As these changes occur, designers develop ways to make each outdoor living and entertaining area unique. This is a good example of capturing a mood by borrowing from the building approaches of other countries.

Thatch roofs have been used in countries across Europe and Africa. The lath and thatch roof shown here is beautiful and sturdy enough to last through many rainy seasons.

Using rattan for the furniture works well as a linking element with the roof. Both colors and textures of the two features reflect each other.

The cushion colors chosen bring rich dark reds into the space. The flexible neutrals of the primary elements allow colors to change whenever desired just by recovering the cushions and possibly adding some linens to the dining table in the background.

In contrast, the smooth columns and framing supporting the roof bring light into the space and connect it with the home in the background. An intriguing tile mosaic on the back wall provides weather-safe art.

Finally, the strong pattern of the tile floor pulls everything together. Tile provides its own drama in the space, with its mix of rectangles and squares, two-tone ceramics and dark grout.

Add Foreign Flavor to your Back Patio

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While you can’t completely recreate this amazing tourist bazaar in Tripoli at home, you can modify some of the elements to add charm and an exotic feel to your own patio. Let’s take a look at a few design features you can borrow to add interest to your home.

The strongest element in this photo is the powerful look of the arches that define the space. With limited effort, you can add arches to your patio cover to mirror this old-world look. Take a look at the photo shown below. While the arches have a different look, the curves immediately add a touch of the unusual.

The ridges below the arches define the line between arch and column. Mirroring this look, this back patio has two rings of color adding definition and presence to the columns

The final borrowed element comes from the sidewalk in front of the market. Using different color tiles to create a simple pattern provides more personality and style to the simple design. The design and color choices are limited only by your imagination and style preferences.

A handful of accessories will provide the finishing touches. Indoor-outdoor rugs come in a variety of designs, including those exotic enough to mirror the market above. Replace the market’s urns with pots in a variety of sizes, shapes and colors. Lean them against the columns or line a few up along the wall. Look for art with an eastern flavor to decorate the walls and add more color.

Don’t hesitate to be a bit adventurous with your design plans. With a little effort and some strategic borrowing, you can add a touch of the exotic and unusual to every part of your home.

Outdoor Kitchens

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Summer is here and that means outdoor grilling and gathering of friends.This year there are more and more “toys” available for planning and enjoying your outdoor kitchen than ever. Outdoor grilling involves way more than just the grill these days. Today, outdoor entertaining includes tools and appliances for the whole meal and the whole dining experience rather than just a stand alone grill. Rather than sending the master griller outdoors to cook the food alone, outdoor kitchens are being planned so that everyone can enjoy the whole experience and spend more time outdoors together.

Some of the latest offerings are:

  • Beer taps that dispense two different beers at the same time
  • Outdoor pizza ovens
  • Outdoor wine coolers
  • New styles of refrigeration
  • Electric grills with larger burner surfaces (up to 900 degrees)
  • Hybrid grills that cook with the ease of gas and the flavor of charcoal and wood
  • Better lit grills with easy to operate lids
  • Upgraded grill grates coated with porcelain
  • Stainless steel islands that can be freestanding or attached

If you are thinking about planning an outdoor kitchen, be sure to learn about all of the latest product offerings for outdoor kitchens. You may be surprised at all there is to include in these outdoor areas. You may find yourself falling so in love with your outdoor kitchen that you give up cooking and eating indoors during these beautiful summer months! For a great source to get started, check out Barbeques Galore.

deviledporkloin

Need some inspriration? Here’s a grilling recipe from Williams Sonoma for Deviled Pork Loin with Grilled  Potatoes and Onions:

Ingredients:

3/4 cup Dijon mustard

1/4 cup sweet paprika

1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1 cup plus 3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

3 Tbs. kosher salt, plus more, to taste

1 bone-in pork loin roast, about 4 1/2 lb.

2 1/2 lb. Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, cut into wedges 1/2 inch thick
and boiled 3 to 4 minutes

1 1/2 lb. spring onions, quartered

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions:

In a bowl, whisk together the mustard, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar and the 1 cup olive oil. Reserve 1/2 cup of the marinade to use as a finishing sauce. Whisk the 3 Tbs. salt into the remaining marinade. Place the pork and marinade in an electric vacuum marinator and marinate for 1 hour according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Alternatively, place the pork in a large nonreactive bowl and add the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to overnight. Halfway through the marinating time, turn the roast over.

If using a gas grill, preheat the 2 outside burners to medium-high heat for 15 minutes. If using a charcoal grill, build a medium-hot fire in one half of the grill, leaving the other half empty.

In a large bowl, stir together the potatoes, onions, the 3 Tbs. olive oil, salt and pepper. Transfer the vegetables to a mesh roasting pan.

Place the pork and the pan with the vegetables on the hot side of the grill. Sear the pork, turning occasionally, until well browned on all sides, and cook the vegetables, stirring occasionally, until slightly charred, 10 to 12 minutes total. Place the pork, bone side down, on top of the vegetables in the pan. Move the pan to the center of a gas grill, or to the side without coals for a charcoal grill. Cover the grill. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat, away from the bone, registers 145° to 150°F, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours. Halfway through roasting, stir the vegetables and turn the pork over, bone side up.

Transfer the pork to a carving board, cover loosely with aluminum foil and let rest for 10 minutes before carving. Transfer the vegetables to a bowl, stir in 1/4 cup of the reserved sauce, and season with salt and pepper. Place the remaining sauce in a small serving bowl. Carve the pork and pass the vegetables and sauce alongside. Serves 8.

Williams-Sonoma Kitchen.

From the Floors Up

From the Floors Up blog was created with the goal of providing a destination for consumers, designers and those interested in the flooring, design, and kitchen and bath industries. Here you’ll find, current, accurate and informative information that is always just a click away!

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