Summer with Carole Lee Interiors: Your Go-To for Outdoor Projects

 

Photo of luxury garden furniture at the patio

As the warm days of summer approach, it’s the perfect time to transform your outdoor living spaces. Whether you’re dreaming of a new deck, a sleek blacktop driveway, or a beautifully furnished patio, we’re here to bring your vision to life. Our expertise spans from designing stunning interiors to building high-quality outdoor spaces, ensuring your home is a place of comfort, beauty, and functionality year-round.

Some of Our Outdoor Services

At Carole Lee Interiors, we specialize in a wide array of outdoor projects tailored to meet the unique needs of our residential clients. Here’s how we can help you make the most of your outdoor space this summer:

  • Deck Construction: We build decks from a variety of materials, each offering distinct benefits to suit your lifestyle and preferences.
  • Blacktop Driveways: Our durable and stylish driveways enhance curb appeal while providing long-lasting performance.
  • Power Washing: Revitalize your existing decks and patios with our professional power washing services.
  • Patios, Pool Decks and Walkways: Create the perfect setting for relaxation and entertainment with our custom patios and pool decks and walkways.
  • Outdoor Furniture and Accessories: From deck furniture and bar storage cabinets to decorative pillows and patio table umbrellas, we provide everything you need to create an inviting outdoor space.

Choosing the Right Deck Material

Selecting the right material for your deck is crucial for achieving the perfect balance of aesthetics, durability, and maintenance. Here’s a detailed look at some popular deck materials, along with their pros and cons:

 Wood Decks Wood decks are a classic choice that offers natural beauty and a timeless appeal. Common types include cedar, redwood, and pine.

  • Pros:
    • Aesthetic Appeal: Wood provides a warm, natural look that blends seamlessly with any outdoor setting.
    • Versatility: Can be stained or painted to match your desired color scheme.
    • Initial Cost: Generally lower upfront cost compared to composite and PVC materials.
  • Cons:
    • Maintenance: Requires regular sealing, staining, or painting to prevent weather damage and decay.
    • Durability: Prone to splintering, warping, and insect damage over time.

Composite Decks Composite decking is made from a mix of wood fibers and plastic, offering a durable and low-maintenance option.

  • Pros:
    • Low Maintenance: Requires minimal upkeep – no staining or sealing needed.
    • Durability: Resistant to rot, insects, and fading.
    • Eco-Friendly: Often made from recycled materials.
  • Cons:
    • Cost: Higher initial cost compared to wood.
    • Appearance: While improved over the years, some people still find it lacks the natural look of wood.

PVC Decks PVC decking is made entirely of plastic and offers a high level of durability and weather resistance.

  • Pros:
    • Durability: Highly resistant to moisture, insects, and mold.
    • Maintenance: Easy to clean and does not require staining or sealing.
    • Weight: Lightweight and easy to install.
  • Cons:
    • Cost: Typically, the most expensive decking material.
    • Temperature Sensitivity: Can become very hot in direct sunlight.

Pressure-Treated Wood Decks Pressure-treated wood is treated with chemicals to resist rot, decay, and insect damage, making it a cost-effective option.

  • Pros:
    • Affordability: Lower cost compared to other materials.
    • Durability: Enhanced resistance to elements and pests.
    • Availability: Widely available in various sizes and lengths.
  • Cons:
    • Maintenance: Requires regular maintenance, including sealing and staining.
    • Chemical Treatment: Some people are concerned about the chemicals used in the treatment process.

 Tropical Hardwoods Tropical hardwoods, such as a Brazilian hardwood known as IPE and teak, are known for their rich colors and exceptional durability.

  • Pros:
    • Aesthetic Appeal: Stunning natural beauty with unique grain patterns.
    • Longevity: Extremely durable and resistant to decay, insects, and weather.
    • Strength: High density makes it less likely to warp or splinter.
  • Cons:
    • Cost: Higher initial cost due to material quality and sourcing.
    • Workability: Can be challenging to cut and install due to its density.

At Carole Lee Interiors, we’re dedicated to helping you create an outdoor space that you’ll love. Whether you’re envisioning a cozy wood deck or a low-maintenance composite patio, our team is here to guide you through every step of the process. From initial design concepts to the finishing touches of outdoor furniture and accessories, we ensure that every detail is crafted to perfection.

Ready to start your next outdoor project? Contact us today to schedule a consultation and let Carole Lee Interiors bring your dream outdoor space to life!

Outdoor Living In 2021

Whether you’re cooking, exercising, or just hanging out, plan to spend more time outside this year as backyards, decks, and patios evolve into comfortable, well-equipped extensions of the home.   This year’s outdoor living trends are all about making your backyard, porch, or even balcony a regular part of everyday life. Homeowners can expect to bring indoor conveniences outdoors with smart technology, multipurpose add-ons, and structures that allow us to be outside longer and more often throughout the year. Whether it’s a spot a private patio with plenty of shade, or a place to do the cooking, outdoor living in 2021 is synonymous with time spent at home.  Here are a few ideas we like that will enhance your outdoor living experience.

Outdoor Kitchens

Cooking at home outdoors has become increasingly popular.    And we don’t just mean your standard barbeque grill, but instead entire outdoor kitchens.  There are many additional cooking elements like pizza ovens and grills to supplement the main interior kitchen.  Other options can include prep space, storage, sinks and refrigeration.  Space and your renovation budget will determine what type of kitchen we can build and install.  And we always recommend additional seating to complete alfresco meals.

Multipurpose Furniture

In 2020 entertaining was less of a focus, which prompted furniture designers to build multi-functional pieces meant to work in outdoor spaces that accommodate both everyday living and social distancing.  Expect newer designed outdoor furnishings to be versatile enough to use in nearly any space you choose. Hidden features and items that are convertible, like modular tables that can be pulled apart with hidden beverage compartments are things to look for.

Products That Extend the Outdoor Living Season

Furniture, accessories, and add-ons that help you stay outside longer are an especially popular upgrade.   We like to help our clients extend the days and hours they can enjoy being outside.  Amenities like fire pits, heat lamps, misting systems and fans help extend the outdoor living season.   To tie it all together we add outdoor rugs, throw blankets, pillows, and lighting, which supply cozy ambience.

Why Carole Lee?

 At Carole Lee Interiors, we offer clients a complete approach to satisfy all your outdoor living needs. We provide outdoor kitchen installation, custom firepit installation, outdoor lighting and full-service design and decoration for all furnishings, including selection and purchasing.  Give us a call today!

Why Home Improvement Projects Have Surged

 

The sound of power tools is roaring in neighborhoods across the United States.

And throughout neighborhoods home improvement projects have been in full swing.  Once COVID hit, families needed someplace the kids could play and learn. Playhouses went up in the back yard, basements were converted to school rooms, dens were now home offices.

Necessity is one factor driving the home improvement boom. Americans have been forced to use their houses more — and differently. But that doesn’t account for the huge spike in demand documented by Max Anderson, chief economist at Porch.com.

“These are all-time highs,” Anderson says. “In terms of measured history in the United States, these are the highest levels of home improvement spending we’ve ever seen. Anderson says that just over 3 out of 4 homeowners whom Porch.com surveyed have completed a major project since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and roughly the same percentage have one on the drawing board. Homeowners younger than 40 are the most likely to have completed projects this year, though more than half of baby boomers have done home improvement work too. 

Rock-bottom interest rates also make home improvements more attractive. And he says that in unsettling times, spending on one’s home can be a comforting investment.  People aren’t going on vacations or going out to restaurants, so they’re appreciating their homes more and spending money on them.  Many people have money to spare so they are updating their vacation homes and upgrading their primary homes, too.

If it is time for a home improvement project, we hope you will consider Carole Lee Interiors.  Our full- service design / build approach provides you the benefit of a trained eye of an interior designer and the increased supervision of a general contractor.

We have extensive general contracting experience in both interior and exterior projects.  Full-scale interior projects can be kitchens, baths, laundry rooms, dens, or any room inside your home.  Some exterior projects include decks, patios, walkways, outdoor kitchens and firepit installations.  And our design services offer a full suite of furnishings to pull your project together.

We work closely with clients to ensure you prevent costly mistakes, while delivering an exceptional customer service experience.    Give us a call to discuss your next home improvement project.

 

 

 

Designing Your Outdoor Living Space

While the summer solstice is about June 21 in the northern hemisphere and considered the day that begins the actual start of summer, Memorial Day weekend absolutely kicks off the unofficial beginning of summer. With that, the outdoors becomes more like your living room and sometimes even your kitchen.

Carole Lee recommends starting with a clean slate by power-washing your home’s exterior top to bottom, including all porches and decks, gutters and window washing.  Removing the winter’s grime gets you in the mood to begin to enjoy outdoor living.

Consider our team of general contractors to build a new customized patio or a beautiful walkway that coordinate with the look of your home and add new dimensions to your landscape design and curb appeal.

Outdoor cooking upgrades are a wonderful addition to any luxury living environment and a good investment to increase the value of your home. Outdoor dining is all about fun, as opposed to indoor kitchens that are all about functionality. We invite you to let our team of experienced general contractor’s install grills, sinks and kitchen counters in your outdoor living space to help lower your energy bills and add additional entertainment appeal.

Carole Lee Interiors also features a wide selection of outdoor lounge and dining furniture, accent tables and furniture cushions and covers in beautiful prints and solids made from all-weather materials made to last for years to come, as well as coordinating umbrella’s and stands. Plus, we have firepits to cozy up to during the evenings, perfect for delightful outdoor entertaining.

Carole Lee Interiors and General Contracting provides interior design and complete general contracting for projects large and small. Call today to schedule a consultation. And we hope you enjoy your summer!