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Need hot,
new ideas for a fabulous gazebo?
Look no further -- you have
arrived!
What
about creative ways to take indoor comfort and sophistication
to your outdoor rooms?
There's lots to think about when
tackling any outdoor project. And adding a gazebo is no
exception.
Hi, I'm Merci, and I've got lots of
tips and inspiration to get you off to a great start!
Find out what you need to know.
Everything from site considerations
to aluminium gazebo
styles, from privacy and
protection to decorating your
gazebo for the most comfort is all here!
Having a hard time deciding how
much gazebo you need? No worries. Look
here at my gazebo sizes
page.
Want more? Get budget-savvy tips on
gazebo lighting. Or see my quick list of 36 ways to
use any gazebo.
What are we
waiting for?
Let's get started decorating your
outdoors right now!
An aluminium gazebo can be used for
so many things. Everything from entertaining to reading, to cooking,
and crafting. So it has to be comfortable.
Gazebos are hardscaping elements
that help define your outdoor space.
They provide shade for you and your
outdoor furniture and muffle noise while adding privacy and presence
all at once.
As you look for just the right
aluminium gazebo, think about protection from the wind, sun, rain,
and insects. And also think about the gazebo's location and how you
plan to use it.
Site
Considerations
What's the direction of the sun in
relation to where you plan to put your aluminium gazebo, gazebo?
Let's see.
A southern exposure gets strong
light and heat all day. An eastern exposure gets mild morning sun.
In contrast, a western exposure gets lots of sun in late
afternoon.
And a northern exposure won't get
much direct sun at any time of day. If you live where it's hot, this
can be great. But in less hot areas, a northern exposure may be too
cool.
An aluminium gazebo needs a flat,
level surface where the ground drains well.
| Bright Idea...Watch
traffic patterns in, around, and through the place where you
plan to put your gazebo. And while you watch, think about
constructing garden paths to direct the traffic and make the
journey pleasant.
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The gazebo size is another major factor
when choosing the site.
Any size space can be made inviting, but
a too small space will keep it from being used as planned. If the
gazebo size has got you stumped, there's help at my gazebo
sizes page.
Do you plan to cook and entertain
in your gazebo? Then also plan for lots of comfortable seating with
room enough to shield your guests from the heat and smoke of
cooking.
If you're lucky enough to have a
spectacular view, siting the gazebo to take advantage of the vista
is a no-brainer.
Is the view less than spectacular? No
worries. You'll perform miracles with container gardens, climbing
vines, and fabulous outdoor furniture and accents.
Top of
page
Aluminium
Gazebo Styles
Another important aspect of getting an
aluminium gazebo is deciding which flavor is right for your
lifestyle.
This section highlights 4 aluminium
gazebo styles and considerations for each.
Hollow Tube
Or Lightweight
These are great because they're so portable. One
person can assemble a lightweight aluminium gazebo in just a few
hours.
Lightweight gazebos can be as
simple as four poles supporting a roof. While others add interest
with ornate trellises and leaf motif pillars.
Aluminium gazebo roofs can be covered
with a canvas canopy. Or cover the roof with happy colored plastic
manufactured just for this kind of application.
Better yet, spotlight your own unique
style and drape the roof in your favorite colored fabric.
These come in the standard
aluminium color, or they can be painted in the color of your choice.
You'll completely avoid weathering
that causes cracks and breaks by ensuring the gazebo is painted with
a powder coated finish.
The Cast
Aluminium Gazebo
A cast aluminium
gazebo is your completely rust proof option.
These are extremely rugged and
reliable.
The assembly hardware is stainless
steel and a durable powder coat paint finish is standard.
Two people can have a cast
aluminium gazebo assembled in only a day or two.
You can find cast aluminium gazebos in
Victorian and contemporary styles.
The Victorian is quite ornate and can
easily match the style of a traditional home.
Contemporary styles have clean, sleek
lines and go well with modern, Zen and southwestern style homes.
Gazebo
Kits
Kits arrive in pre-fabricated
sections with all hardware included.
These little numbers can even be
customized with options like built-in seating and work surfaces.
You and a friend can assemble a
no-frills gazebo kit in the space of a weekend. And the only tools
you'll needed are a level and an electric screwdriver.
Assembly is just like putting together a
puzzle. Identify the parts and lay them out. The posts and
ground-level components go up first, with waist-high parts and roof
going on last.
Fully
Enclosed
A fully enclosed aluminium gazebo
is your
three-season option.
Add a heater and get four seasons.
They're made of extruded aluminium and
give the feeling of an outdoor room without you actually being
outdoors.
An enclosed gazebo takes a little more
planning than its open-air counterparts.
In exchange, you can have indoor
amenities like electrical plugs, light switches, and ceiling fans.
Being enclosed, these are susceptible to
high winds. So make sure yours gets tethered or bolted to a concrete
slab.
Privacy
& Protection
An aluminium gazebo enhances the
appearance of your property -- especially if it's got great looking
privacy that also protects you from the elements.
Here are a few options to get you
thinking.
Bug
Screens
Keep bugs out of your personal outdoor
space with mesh bug screens. Weights are sewn into their hems so
they hang nicely. And they attach to the aluminium gazebo
posts with zippers and Velcro.
Mosquito
Netting
Mosquito netting for standard size
gazebos fit over the roof and have zippers
that run the full length of the entrance.
A mosquito netting's protection
factor is calculated on "holes per inch" (HPI). The higher the HPI,
the less visibility and ventilation you'll get.
Ultra fine mesh comes with a 132
HPI.
Nets that meet malaria protection
standards have a 200 HPI.
And nets that protect from mosquito
and their no-see-um cousins rate a 625 HPI.
Drapes
Color coordinate vinyl gazebo drape
sets with outdoor pillows and rugs. Gazebo drapes cover the gazebo
posts and offer several tie back options.
Sunscreens
Aluminium gazebo sunscreens come
in full and half-length sizes. They're made of mesh fabric and can
block 80% of the sun's rays.
Privacy
Panels
Sun blocking privacy panels can be used
to give shade and also to restrict the view at one side or all
sides. Privacy panels attach at the top of the frame with Velcro
fasteners.
Gazebo
Canopy
Too much sun can limit the amount
of time you spend in your fabulous gazebo. Make shade available
instantly with a gazebo canopy.
Decorating Your Gazebo
Here's where we get to show off
your furniture finesse by combining function with fabulocity!
Adding Flair to a Aluminium
Gazebo
This is easier than you think. Simply
use outdoor decor you just adore. And play mix and match with their
materials, textures, and colors.
When adding a piece of outdoor decor to
your garden, ask yourself 2 questions:
Give your gazebo a little more intimacy
by adding borders around the edges and paths leading to it.
Blur the line between indoors and out by using
furniture normally reserved for indoors, like ottomans, rugs, and
big throw pillows.
Pillows and
seat cushions with acrylic filling.
| Bright Idea...Cushion
fabrics should be intended for outdoor use. But go ahead and
use those pillows you love so much. Just spray them first with
fabric protector. |
Natural fiber rugs are great indoors. But use
good synthetic imposters for outdoors. They look just like the real
thing and hold up a whole lot better.
Look for items that have been treated to
survive wind, sun, water, and mildew.
Choose rugged, durable
foundation materials like wood, plastic, wicker, metal, or resin.
Plastic and resin are really no maintenance.
And with very little maintenance wood, metal,
and wicker that's coated with protective finishes will look great
for years.
Judging Quality
Look at the joints to see how well they've been
joined. Pick the piece up if it's light enough and shake it to test
its ruggedness.
Avoid pieces with protruding parts or jagged
edges that might injure you or the little ones.
Judging Finishes
All finishes should repel water and resist
ultraviolet rays, scratching and chipping.
Fabrics
Use heavyweight fabrics with special coatings
that resist, moisture, mildew and fading.
Furniture
Aluminium gazebos work best with portable
pieces of furniture that can be arranged and re-arranged as
activities and needs change.
So go with the flow and make small pleasures
like reading and lounging in your gazebo more enjoyable by having
lots of comfortable seating.
Arrange furniture in a way that lends itself
easily to casual conversation. Then transform your gazebo into an
impromptu dining area at mealtime.
Less is more if the size of your gazebo is
compact. So make every inch count by choosing furniture that can do
double duty.
Use chairs that also recline. Use ottomans that
include storage.
And if you entertain, keep your eye out for
tables with a leaf extension. Then expand and collapse it as needed.
Decorating Styles
What's your favorite indoor decorating style?
Why not carry it outside to your gazebo? Or go for something utterly
different.
With a little wicker, a couple of throw
pillows, and a rag rug you'll be comfortable in a country
gazebo.
Create a cozy French bistro ambiance with a
small table, chairs and a candelabra topped with lit candles.
Cabin style is done
with oversized rough-finished pieces and overstuffed
comfortable touches.
Do lakehouse luxurious with high-back chairs
and keep the rest of the furniture simple. Then let the trees or
shoreline add the rest.
Santa Fe is done with vibrant graphic prints
surrounded with lots of foliage.
Or do Mediterranean by using natural, earthy
colors and fabrics.
Go contemporary by keeping details to a minimum
and using ultra modern outdoor furniture.
Achieve enlightened design with order and
simplicity to get your Zen on. This minimalist look blends easily with
contemporary styles -- called "Fusion Design".
I love an eclectic, spontaneous flavor where
anything goes.
But really, there are no rules -- no right or
wrong. Just let your imagination be your guide.
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Bright Idea...Fabric colors can look different under indoor
light compared to the light outdoors. So make sure to check
the colors of any fabrics in natural light.
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Look to magazines and picture books for
ideas.
Make a collage of pages and take the collage
shopping with you. Then pick and choose from all the images to
create your own unique style.
With all this in mind you will choose colors,
textures, and furniture with confidence.
Just like personal touches transform your house
into a home, your own garden creations have the same effect in the
yard.
Take some time for yourself, unwind, and
nurture your soul while making a personal statement with your own
outdoor decor.
Here are two easy outdoor
decor craft projects to get you started.
Experiment and express yourself!
Make A Gazebo
Garden Path
While you're dreaming up your yard's good
looks, remember...what's under foot should also dazzle the eye.
So let's craft a gazebo
garden path to direct traffic and define your new outdoor room!
It's going to look fabulous!
The great thing about this project? I'm glad
you asked!
The only materials needed are stepping stones,
play sand, a kitchen knife or a hand trowel and maybe a shovel. Oh
yeah -- there's also no measuring -- unless you want
to!
We're going to create a refined and finished
look by
breaking up the lawn and weaving stepping stones through
the grass!
My stepping stones came from
several places, including WalMart. But there are no rules. Get
stones that move you.
Let's say you did get stepping
stones from WalMart. You might start with only 6 or 7.
Use them to help you visualize
the entire path and also to help you decide the total number of
stepping stones you'll need.
Okay, Here We Go!
Generally 24"
between stepping stones is comfortable for most people. But I
don't measure.
I just count the number of
comfortable steps it takes me to get from one end of the path to the
other. And that's how many stepping stones I need.
If 6 or 7 cover half the path,
you'll instantly know the total number of stepping stones to cover
the entire path. See how easy?
|
Easy Outdoor Decor
Tip...If you want a formal look, a straight
garden path will get you there. For a casual, organic flavor,
put some curves in your garden
path. |
Once you have your
stepping stones, lay them out along the path. Then walk from one end
to the other to see if the gait is comfortable for you.
Make adjustments to the
distance between the stones if you need to.
Once all your stepping stones
are laid out, take a sharp object and outline around each
stone's position in the grass.
You can use the hand trowel.
But I use a sharp kitchen knife to cut all around the
stones.
Some of my best yard work is
done with kitchen utensils. My husband fusses, but kitchen utensils
get the job done!
After the stones are
outlined, move them out of the way.
Now excavate the outlined
spaces so the stones sit level and the top of the stones are flush
with the ground.
Put the stones aside and pour
1/2-inch of play sand into the holes. The sand makes for good
drainage and also makes it easier to adjust the
height.
Now lay your stepping stones in
place, on top of the sand.
Notice that the stones lay
1/2-inch above ground level. The 1/2-inch gives the stones good
visibility, while keeping them low enough to easily mow
over.
Next step? Rinse and repeat!
Craft A Houseleek
Planter
Simplify your gazebo lifestyle by planting a
low maintenance succulent container garden.
Houseleeks are right at home in containers.
They require almost no care. And they make little offshoots you can
use in your next houseleek project.
Houseleeks, also known as Hens & Checks,
are also called sempervivums. You'll find them in your garden
center's Alpine section.
Here's what you'll
need.
1-foot square terra cotta pot
6-inch round terra cotta pot
Small stones
Potting soil
1 large houseleek -- about 3 inches
across.
Enough small (1-inch or less across) houseleek
rosettes to cover the entire dirt surface.
Both terra cotta pots should be the same
height.
Place the round pot in the center of the square
one.
Cover the bottom of both with small stones for
drainage.
Fill both pots loosely with potting soil about
1-inch from the top.
Take the houseleeks from their containers and
break them into individual rosettes.
Make an impression in the center of the potting
soil in the round pot.
Set the large houseleek in the impression and
firm up the dirt around the roots.
Plant the small rosettes around the large
houseleek by inserting your finger in the potting soil to make a
hole. Set the
rosettes in the holes and firm up the soil around their roots.
The idea is nestle all the rosettes right up
against each other and also very close to the large houseleek
so all the dirt is hidden completely hidden by the large houseleek
and the rosettes.
Now, water your creation so the roots make
contact with the dirt.
Then place your container garden on a
table in your gazebo for everyone to enjoy.
Don't worry about watering it again until the
potting soil dries out.
How easy was that? Enjoy!
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