Outdoor Furniture, Patio Furniture and more!

Studies show that Americans have less free time than ever before in history.  Our jam-packed schedules of constantly conflicting engagements put our minds in a terrible race.  In fact, the absence of leisure time is shooting stress-related illnesses through the roof and plummeting the percentage of people who describe their life as “happy and comfortable.”

So, how do you avoid this plight?  Experts have shown that meditation can aid in the recovery and prevention of both mental and physical ailments.  Deep breathing, relaxation, and reflection time are all critical to our overall health.  Perhaps this spring is the season you turn it all around by creating an outdoor meditation area to keep your spirits bright all year ‘round!

Separate the area from your home and yard: To achieve true relaxation, you have to remove yourself from your daily stressors.  Seeing a kitchen sink full of dishes will not help put your mind at ease.  There are several ways to do this; you could start simply by placing privacy screens around a sectioned off area.  Using a pergola or an open-air gazebo are other options for completely outdoor spaces.  But, if you live in a cooler climate and want to use this space in the winter months, using a pool house or a cabana may suit your needs better.  The most important thing is to create an area where cares and worries are “not allowed.”  Another way to do this is to install some kind of garden bridge; this way you can decide that when you cross over the bridge you are crossing over into a peaceful place.  Ancient Japanese and Chinese gardens used zig-zag garden bridges to cross into their gardens, because folk lore suggested that evil spirits could only travel in straight lines and, therefore, would not be able to cross into the space if the garden bridge was constructed in a zig-zag pattern.  However you choose to separate your meditation area from the rest of your home, it is most important that you can feel some kind of physical transition from daily stressors to daily calming.

Keep connection with nature: Though you want to create an area separated from the rest of your home, you don’t want to lose your connection with nature.  If using privacy screens, a pergola, or gazebo, simply make sure that trees, flowers, or foliage still surround your area.  If using an enclosed garden structure, like a cabana, pool house,  or even a gazebo with walls, be sure to install lots of large windows (preferably ones with screens that can be opened).  Many backyard structures support sky lights to let the sun shine into your meditation space as well.  If you garden, you know that nature is calming.  And, if you don’t garden, many expert studies have confirmed that a connection with nature nurtures peaceful thoughts and calm minds.  You can also bring the outdoors inside, by placing bonsai trees, green potted plants, and flowers on accent tables around your garden structure to achieve that connection.

Use a water feature for soothing sounds: You may not realize it, but the sounds we hear contribute greatly to our stress levels.  Imagine your commute to work without any car horns, sirens, or construction sounds.  Picture a trip to the grocery store without people yelling into their cell phones about what kind of milk to get, the constant beeping of the check out lines, and children screaming for ice cream.  Sounds a lot better, right? Create the right kinds of sounds in your meditation area by installing a small water feature.  If you live seaside, certainly try to situate your peaceful place near the water.  But, if you’re not so lucky, you can get an inexpensive small water fall that plugs right into the wall or operates by battery.  Or, you can go a little deeper by creating a koi pond or small dew pond.  Of course, if you must, you can always get a small noise machine that many people use in their bedrooms for sleeping that has ocean wave or running stream sound settings.  This way, your eyes will be away from the sink of dirty dishes and your ears will be hidden from the sounds of rush hour or telephones ringing. When your eyes close, you can always just imagine you’re withdrawing to your beach retreat!

Use minimal decorations and simple furniture: The last thing you need to do when creating this space is stress out!  Don’t fret about the décor, because the simpler, the better.  Use small side tables or outdoor accent tables for flowers, candles, or your water feature.  You can create a bit of interest by using outdoor tables of different heights and sizes to allow your eyes to gently survey all parts of your meditation area.  But, this is not the place for your expansive outdoor dining set or deep seating collection.  Allow yourself a space to focus inward, instead of on the perfection of your décor (save that for your porch or patio!)

Allow a place for true, escaped repose: Though purists would only allow a yoga mat in the center of the room for true, concentrated meditation… I think it’s important to make your peaceful area work for you.  Doing yoga poses and various stretching is an excellent way to re-center yourself—no question!  But, sometimes, you just need a place to rest undisturbed.  Try installing a hammock, porch swing, or just a simple and comfy chaise lounge or rocking chair in your new space.  There is true value in curling up with a novel, simply staring into space and thinking about nothing for an hour or so, and (of course) guiltlessly drifting off into an afternoon nap.

Sometimes, our American media tries to make you feel guilty for taking time for yourself.  But, you’ll run yourself into the ground if you don’t take some time out to relax.  Creating a space away from your daily stressors that is solely for the purpose of inward reflection will have a positive effect on all the different parts of your life.  And, remember, it doesn’t just have to be for you!  A son or daughter after a long and stressful day at school would absolutely benefit from an hour or so of “quiet time” away from the computer, their toys, and loud siblings.  In fact, this meditation area could improve the entire family!

Hope to see you (at a distance) in your Meditation Area,

Hazel

Tags: accent tables, back yard structures, cabana, chaise lounge, deep seating collection, garden bridge, Garden Bridges, garden structure, gazebo, hammock, outdoor accent tables, outdoor dining set, outdoor tables, pergola, Pool house, porch swing, privacy screens, rocking chair, side tables

Are you not sure what to do with a pool house if you don’t have a pool?  If you have a pool… are you still not sure if you’ll get enough use out of it?  Well, I’m here to tell you a pool house does NOT need a pool to be fabulous, and it can be used for plenty of activities!

1. Party Central- If you want the best backyard for get-togethers, parties, and barbeques… a pool house will definitely send you to the top of the list.  Pool houses include a concession window and bar that’s great for putting out drinks, snacks, pizzas, and goodies!  Plus, you can install a mini-fridge or microwave behind the window for quick prep and easy serving.  Imagine not having to constantly run between the kitchen and your party to get all the necessary supplies! Your guests will have a convenient and stylish place to grab some refreshments and you’ll be free to enjoy their company.  You can even design your pool house with an attached screened in porch and decorate it with a deep seating patio group, Adirondack chairs, and a porch swing.  That way everyone can come in and enjoy the evening bug-free once the sun goes down.
2. A Guest House- Neither you nor your house guests enjoy   the sofa-bed.  They feel like they’re intruding as they take up one of the family’s most used rooms; there’s no sense of relaxation with the constant and nagging feeling that they’re not only intruding, but lack a sense of privacy as well.  You hate quietly stumbling over the coffee maker or tip toeing around the room in fear that your morning commotion will wake your house guests.  The solution? A pool house.  Imagine having your own separate guest house with a screened in porch, windows, insulation, and electricity for your guests to retire to.  They’ll feel at ease knowing they’re not in your way, but won’t have to pay big for a hotel room that leaves them removed from your home.  And you won’t have to stay up wondering if your hundred pound dog is going to decide to jump up and lovingly (though they might consider it annoyingly) cuddle with them.  Your guests won’t feel like they “made it work” in your living room, they’ll feel like they escaped to a peaceful retreat!
3. Dressing Room- If you do have a pool, a pool house is incredibly helpful with the logistics that go into having such a great backyard watering hole.  Gone will be the days of dripping bathing suits hung from towel racks in your bathroom to allow puddles of water to sit on the tile.  No longer will your carpets suffer from little wet and dripping bodies scurrying through the house.  The days of wet towels starting to stink of mildew as they are buried at the bottom of the family hamper are over.  With a pool house, you can make sure all of the post-pool clean up happens before anyone leaves a watermark in your home.  Try setting up a pool shower with a privacy screen just outside the structure for people to rinse off and maybe even wash the chlorine from their hair.  Then, you can set up plenty of drying racks or clothes lines for wet towels and bathing on your porch.  Inside, throw in a Red Cedar Towel Valet and Hamper to keep clean dry towels in and a Modular Red Cedar Shelving Group for clean undergarments, shorts, and tee shirts.   Now, your family can go for a nice long swim, then shower, dry off, hang wet garments to dry, and put on clean, dry clothes before coming back into your home.  Sounds great, huh?
4. Good, Old Fashioned, Storage- If you have all kinds of outdoor furniture and décor, or even a heap of gardening and landscaping tools and equipment, you’ll need storage.  Most patio furniture needs to be stored throughout the winter to prevent damage, and garden equipment needs a safe and dry place to wait for you to use them!  A storage shed is great, but if you’re looking for a structure with a bit more aesthetic appeal, a pool house is a fantastic place to store out-of-season furniture or tools.  Plus, the optional attached porch will create a wonderful sitting area to enjoy as a bonus to your organized storage!  The other upside to using a pool house for a storeroom is versatility.  A shed can really only be used for one thing, but investing in a pool house now will free you up to use the structure as a guest house in a few years or to use as a party-station if an engagement or birthday calls for a big celebration.
5. A Fifth Room- A fifth room can literally be anything you want it to be.  An extension of your living space brought out into nature, you can create a home office, a personal hot tub spa, a meditation and exercise area, or an outdoor dining room.  A pool house will allow you to create another valued area of your home, with the solitude and convenience of being detached from the rest of the house.  There’s no reason your fifth room can’t be used for all of the above; a place to host parties, a spot for guests to stay, a private dressing area, a storeroom, plus a few more options!  Though a pool house may seem dependent on having a pool, it’s actually an incredibly versatile structure!

Tags: adirondack chairs, deep seating patio group, fifth room, modular shelving group, outdoor decor, Outdoor Furniture, patio furniture, Pool house, pool shower, porch swing, privacy screen, storage shed, towel valet and hamper

Although it’s important to winterize your home before the weather gets cold, life often gets so hectic that, before you know it, the year is over, the world is frozen, and you’ve already paid a fortune in heating bills.

The bad news is that the worst is yet to come.  The good news is that you can still do something about it; and the bitter cold and snow can give you a good idea of what needs to be fixed.  Now, you won’t have to search for gaps and cracks that let air in, because the bone-chilling gusts of wind that whip through your living room will help you to easily pinpoint them.  Just get some weatherstripping, caulk, or heat-shrinking plastic, and seal them.

A substantial snowfall can also tell you a lot.  If it melts rapidly from atop your shingles, and icicles form quickly, without a thaw, it means that heat is escaping in the exact direction in which your heating bills have been heading – through the roof.  Check your attic floor to see that it has adequate, evenly-distributed, gap-free insulation, of uniform thickness.  If you have to add more, be sure that the side with the vapor barrier is facing down, toward the rooms that you want to keep warm.

Break up any ice dams that form along the eaves, as they can cause melting snow to puddle and leak through your roof.  Wherever possible, sweep snow off roofs that have shallow angles, on your house, garage, gazebo, carport, cabana, pool house, shed, or sunroom.

If you have not taken measures to prevent your pipes from freezing, do it now.  You can use foam insulation sleeves, or electric heat tape, but don’t use the latter on plastic pipes.  If a severe cold snap is imminent, turn the sink and bathtub faucets on to a slow trickle, and cover exposed crawl space vents with plywood.

If your porch chairs, gliders, swings, and picnic tables are still outside, and they’re not the synthetic or metal types that are impervious to the elements, either store them, or put outdoor furniture covers on them.

Do this even if outdoor furniture is the last thing on your mind right now.  It may not happen today, or even tomorrow, but, believe it or not, the sun will come out again!

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

Tags: cabana, cold, furniture covers, gazebo, gliders, picnic tables, Pool house, porch chairs, shed, snow, sunroom, Swings, winterizing

If you’ve taken any time to look through Cedarstore.com, you know that it makes you feel like the proverbial kid in a toy store. Porch Swings, Garden Benches, Adirondack Chairs, Accent Tables, and Hammocks all set up and waiting for you to give them a home.  But, then you start to think, a doll without a dollhouse? How would she live?  Worry not, we have all your perfect Gazebos, Cabanas, Sunrooms, Pergolas, and Pool Houses too.

Well, now that we’ve gone down a fine stroll down memory lane… you have to remember the little ones in your life!  Sons, Daughters, Nephews, Nieces, and Grandkids are all looking for their own slice of perfection.  While you may have thought that Cedarstore.com was only filled with “toys” for adults… we have plenty for kids too!    

Cedarstore.com is running a ton of holiday specials—many of them on kids’ furniture.  Our Treated Pine Kid’s Picnic Table is the perfect size for the youngsters to pile into for crafts, meals, and fun.  And at the end of the day, our Ash Kid’s Rocking Chair is a great place to page through a picture book with a favorite teddy bear or doll.  Need a place for storing all those toys? Our Stained White Pine Toy Chest with a Hand Painted Eagle Design is also on sale.  And though… we can’t guarantee that it will keep all the toys and games off the floor, it will absolutely be a step in the right direction! Don’t forget the really little ones!  We also have a Select Pine Kid’s Swing great for letting your child fly high, while staying safe!

Now, before you start to lose your child-like wonder by imagining the disaster of trying to fit all of these great pieces into your child’s bedroom… don’t forget the doll house part of the equation!  We also offer custom playhouses.  With a porch, railings, windows, door and big enough for your kid AND her toys… the Barbie Dream House has nothing on it! A playhouse is a perfect place for children to engage their imagination and create their own world where everything is just their size. Don’t forget, a kid in his playhouse is a kid not underfoot while you’re trying to get dinner together! And, available in three different styles, over thirty sizes, and countless customizations—it’s a one-of-kind, not-available-on-the-shelf, absolutely fantastic gift.

The best thing about Cedarstore.com is that after you’re finished getting all the great toys for your kids… there’s plenty of great toys for you too!

Now hurry up and order; make time for shipping!

 See you Outside (in the playhouse!)

Hazel.

Tags: adirondack chair, gazebo, Holiday Specials, kids' furniture, Outdoor Furniture, patio furniture, pergola, Pergolas, picnic table, Pool house, porch furniture, porch swing, sunroom

While your gazebo can be integral to your backyard Halloween party, if you have a pool house, a cabana, an outdoor sunroom, or even a shed, don’t let it stand idly by during the festivities; any one of these garden structures can also figure into your celebration.

Although they may be useful for many things, just as with the gazebos, the number of ways in which they can serve will depend upon their sizes.  For example, the smaller ones may be perfect for setting up a few folding tables for a buffet, while the larger ones may be roomy enough to hold picnic tables, outdoor dining tables, bar sets, or bistro sets, where guests can sit down and eat. 

Many people also like to turn their outdoor structures into haunted houses.  In these cases, the degrees to which they can be used as such will vary not only according to the buildings’ sizes, but to the ambitions of their owners as well.  Obviously, not everyone wants to go to great lengths for an elaborately staged production, where people walk through in the dark, being scared by others wearing horrifying costumes, while wielding bloody axes and chain saws.      

More often, the gazebos, sheds, cabanas, and pool houses are adorned with spooky decorations, and equipped with eerie lighting and sound effects.  In order to make things as chilling as possible, many people also like to roll out a little fog.  Unfortunately, fog machines have always been too expensive and impractical for most to consider buying; and the alternative, dry ice, is not only a hassle, but can be costly, and dangerous, if it comes in direct contact with skin. 

However, because they have become much more affordable, compact, and easy to use, fog machines are quickly increasing in popularity.  These days, all you have to do is to pour a little fog fluid (usually a solution of glycol and water) into the machine, to instantly create the perfect atmosphere.  Many of the newer ones even have remote controls, and will turn off automatically when they’re low on fluid.  Furthermore, they’re often small enough to be concealed behind an arbor, trellis, pergola, or even a planter.    

So, there you have some more ideas about how you can use your outdoor furniture and garden structures for your outdoor Halloween parties.  And if you are considering getting one of the aforementioned machines, I really hate to say this, but, I guess that could literally be called a foggy notion!  (I’m sorry!)

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

Tags: cabana, garden structure, gazebo, outdoor structure, Pool house, shed, sunroom

As I mentioned before, when it comes to backyard structures, pool houses are becoming extremely popular.  However, it must be understood that I’m not talking about just any pool houses, but, specifically, the ones that you’ll find at GazeboCreations.com.  These are the ultimate, not only because they combine the optimum features of other outdoor structures – that is, the beauty of gazebos, the storage capacities of sheds, and the convenience of cabanas – but because you can customize them right on the site.

All you have to do to get started is to click on the Custom Pool House Creator, then select the material that you want for your pool house – Dura-temp, pine, or vinyl – along with the shape, which can be a hexagon, elongated hexagon, or a rectangle.  Next, you’ll choose from a wide range of sizes, which are listed along with the base price and standard features for each. 

Then, you will be presented with a menu of options, including many siding and trim colors, decorative porch railings, finished interiors, insulation, screened floors, cupolas, sliding glass doors, double-paned windows, shutters, steel doors, ceiling fans, and several colors of shingles.  You may create as many pool houses as you like, submit them for quotes, save them to your own personal gallery, and change them as many times as you wish, until you have perfected the pool house of your dreams.

Another great thing about these pool houses is that they are so versatile and practical that you will get years of enjoyment and constant use out of them even if you don’t have a pool.  In fact, a pool house will make the perfect focal point for your backyard parties, as it will drastically reduce traffic into and out of your house.  You can set up your picnic table or outdoor dining set and grill nearby, and surround it with outdoor furniture, including Adirondack chairs, settees, and steamer chairs.  Because many of the pool houses feature attractive porches, you can also add some porch furniture, such as a swing or glider, and some accent tables. 

Oh, yeah, and don’t forget that GazeboCreations.com also has a selection of Tiki Bars that will go great with your pool house, or any other backyard structure.  Of course, if it gets a lot of business, that may increase the visits to your house. 

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

Tags: Pool house, pool houses

Although they have always been familiar sights at public swimming pools and seaside resorts, over the past few years, pool houses have also been making big splashes in backyards across the country.  In fact, these outdoor structures are beginning to rival gazebos in popularity. 

Of course, by now, everyone knows that GazeboCreations.com is the best place to find gazebos; but we also have a great assortment of stunning pool houses.  One of the reasons that ours are in such high demand is that they are not only pretty, but thoroughly practical, even for people who don’t have pools, as our designs incorporate the best qualities of our other outdoor structures, such as gazebos, cabanas, and sheds. 

Like gazebos, our pool houses are attractive and available with tons of exciting options.  You can customize one right on the site, choosing from features such as finished interiors, screened floors, cupolas, sliding glass doors, double-paned windows, shutters, and steel doors.  We’ve also made it simple for you to design your pool house to complement your home, by giving you a huge selection of siding, trim, shingle, and shutter colors from which to choose. 

Our pool houses also have lovely porches that make them look like charming little cottages; and with all of the extras that we offer, they are frequently used as such.  As a matter of fact, people often install plumbing and electricity, and turn them into summerhouses, guest houses, home offices, play houses, entertainment rooms, and countless other things.  You can even put in a hot tub and create your own backyard spa. 

Like our sheds, these pool houses also have a lot of storage capacity, so they make great places to keep all of your garden tools, pool maintenance equipment, water toys, and more.  Of course, you can also use your pool house as a cabana where people can change into and out of their bathing suits. 

Oh yeah – and, remember, no matter how rustic, or how elaborate, you choose to make your pool house, CedarStore.com has the perfect porch swings, outdoor dining sets, and patio chairs with which to furnish it.  Do we make it easy, or what?

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy

Tags: Pool house, pool houses

These days, everywhere you turn, someone is getting a makeover and/or competing for some kind of prize.  In fact, these contests have becomes so widespread that they no longer involve only humans, as animals, and even buildings, are getting new looks.  That’s what’s happening now in the world of backyard structures, as they vie for the “Most Popular” title; and, among the contenders, the pool house is making a big splash. 

Although it has been on the scene for years, there is a new wave of interest in it, sparked by a spectacular makeover that has given the structure many extremely desirable new traits.  Now, besides being as practical as it is beautiful, it very deftly combines the best characteristics of its competitors, the gazebo and the garden shed.

Indeed, the pool house is not only as drop-dead gorgeous as a gazebo, but it is available with the same highly sought-after options, such as finished walls and ceilings, screened floors, cupolas, skylights, double-paned, shuttered windows, insulation, and steel doors. 

It also has quite an extensive wardrobe, which includes a rich, luxurious cedar coat, as well as vinyl siding in several luscious colors.  To top it off, the pool house also sports over a dozen colors of durable shingles, as well as a cedar shake roof, and accessorizes with eight shades of trim.    

Another of its many attractive attributes is its willingness to be seen in a less-than-glamorous role, as it performs all of the same duties as a shed, holding safe anything and everything that a person can to stuff into it, without losing its composure.  It also acts as the quintessential cabana, where people can change into and out of their swimwear.  Furthermore, just like gazebos and sheds, pool houses can be furnished with beautiful porch chairs, settees, lounges, and accent tables, and used year-round as spare rooms, guesthouses, home offices, entertainment rooms, or anything else that one wishes to make of them.

At GazeboCreations.com, you can customize your own pool house in a few, easy steps.  You can create as many as you want, dress them up any way you like, and save them to your own, personal gallery, where you can compare them side by side and choose your favorite.  As a matter of fact, you can do the same with their gazebos, sheds, cabanas, and sunrooms.  The best part of all is that, no matter which one you select, you’ll be picking a winner!

Yours Outdoors,

Kathy 

Tags: cabana, gazebo, Pool house, shed, sunroom