House Design Ideas

Outdoor living rooms and spaces have become a hot design trend in recent years. And one excellent, yet still easy way to create an outdoor living space is by putting up a gazebo in your yard.

You can build your own gazebo from either a kit or gazebo design plans. And there are now a wide variety of materials you can use too.

Gazebos are traditionally made from wood. Wood however, needs to be treated in order to prevent it rotting from the weather. A fairly inexpensive alternative that won’t need regular treatments though, is an aluminum gazebo. Aluminum gazebos come in many designs just like wooden ones do. You can select from your standard four walls and a roof, or you can go with the more elaborate styles such as a pagoda.

The aluminum materials used for your gazebo frame are very light weight yet still strong and sturdy. The lighter weight actually makes it easier to move your gazebo from one location to another too. The aluminum will not rot, rust, or warp throughout the seasonal weather changes.

Regardless of the material you use to build your gazebo, you’ll want to make it decorative and attractive, and a place your family will enjoy gathering in. A popular decorative choice for gazebos is to put lattice on the sides. With lattice sides, you can even plant climbing vines, roses, or other creeping flowers.

Keep in mind that if you choose to put wood lattice on the sides of your gazebo, you will need to seal or paint it every few years. You can optionally buy plastic lattice from most home improvement stores though, and this will not require regular weathering and maintenance.

Another popular decorative style for gazebos is to use fabric instead of lattice. Hanging fabric on the sides of your gazebo creates a very romantic style. Your fabric can be as simple as sheer curtain style pieces, or functional mosquito netting.

Hanging fabric on the sides of your gazebo gives you the added benefit of being able to remove it for cleaning regularly, or when you simply want an open porch style outdoor room.

If you prefer an enclosed outdoor room instead, you might decide to put solid walls, windows, and doors on your gazebo instead.

As you can see, there are many ways to decorate your outdoor space using a gazebo, and there are many ways to turn that gazebo space into a room for your home. It’s a wonderful way to pull your outdoor living space together and create a fantastic room which your family will both love and use.

©Kathy Burns-Millyard

Design Tip: Layer colors together to create an elegant and sophisticated, yet simple style.