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Spring into Outdoor Living! New Homes & Ideas Magazine October 26, 2006 by Pamela Babcock Warmer weather’s just around the corner, so we checked with local experts to find out the hottest trends in outdoor living, from the latest in terraces and decks, to the most popular outdoor furniture, and the hippest in dramatic lighting, landscape design and grass. So sit back, and enjoy this guide to making your outdoor living space sizzle. For terraces and decks, trends are moving toward creating low-maintenance outdoor “rooms,” where the sky’s the limit, in terms of what you put in them, says Jon Rufty of Rufty Homes Inc. of Cary, which builds homes in the $700,000 to $3 million range. “People are wanting to spend more time outside and they’re wanting it to be a high-quality space with special features, such as covered terraces, focal points such as fireplaces and fountains, and really nice landscaping,” Rufty says. Coziness and intimacy are key. Some opt for covered spaces, perhaps with a paddle fan overhead. Others let it all in. “We’ve got outdoor rooms we’re creating where you have courtyard walls that create a very defined space,” Rufty says. “There’s no roof, but it creates a certain feel and charm, much more than a deck or a concrete slab that you go out and put lawn chairs on.’’ « Back |