outdoor hearth

Unifying the Interior and Exterior of Your Home

Unifying the Interior and Exterior of Your Home

“Nature is not a place to visit. It is Home.” ~ Gary Snyder

With Spring just around the corner, the promise of the return of green leaves to the trees and flowers to flower beds fuels the desire to get outside and play. No matter the time of year, there is a growing trend among homeowners and home buyers to infuse elements in their homes that create an undeniable connectivity between the great indoors and the Great Outdoors. Premier Atlanta builder and renovation company, Highlight Homes, is pleased to present a list of ways you can do just that in the design of your custom-built home or the renovation of your current home.

“Time to Spare” Room

Why merely add a new room to your home or integrate a flex space to the design of your custom home when you COULD create a space that’s all about relaxation, reflection and reverence of the space beyond the walls of your home. From a screened porch that allows for three-season enjoyment to a sunroom that provides a space to enjoy the outdoors all year round. This is a space where you can drink your morning coffee while watching the birds play in the birdbath or enjoy a nightcap while counting the stars.

Windows of Opportunity

Windows aren’t merely intended to let the light shine into your home or be opened to let the fresh air in. They can be reimagined as veritable works of art where the world beyond your windows serves as the palette. If you have a private backyard that serves as a particularly pleasing backdrop, you can open the frame a bit by creating a wall of windows – blurring the line between where the inside ends and the outside begins.

Feathering Your Nest

Another way to bring the outdoors in is to infuse elements of the natural world throughout your interior design. Use lots of interesting houseplants throughout at a variety of levels. Incorporate wood in your flooring, timber beams, accent walls and interesting furniture pieces. Include stone in your countertops and fireplace surround. Then enhance the sense of nature by adding wall art, throw pillows, rugs and décor that fit your color and design themes, but are inspired by the natural world. These might include birds, butterflies, dragonflies, horses, flowers, the ocean and so much more. Choose something personal to you as your central theme so it has real staying power and holds meaning.

Outside Looking In

Of course, the BEST way to extend your living spaces outdoors is to ADD an outdoor living space that could very well become your favorite “room” of the home. This might include a covered patio or deck with an outdoor hearth, pool with a cabana, outdoor kitchen with inviting seating, an old-fashioned playhouse with swing set, and so much more! Just imagine creating a space where you feel comfortable telling the kids to go outside and play, but “be home by dark” (‘cause they’re already home)! The memories you can make together in this space are virtually limitless, so whatever you create, make sure it’s the right fit for your family.

Highlight Homes welcomes the chance to help you incorporate one or all of these outdoor-focused enhancements in your new custom home or luxury renovation. To learn more about Highlight Homes and our signature design-build method, please visit www.highlighthomesga.com. Once you’re ready to get started, contact us at 678-874-9234 or info@highlighthomesga.com.

Building Beautiful Backdrops for a Bounty of Backyard Barbecues

Building Beautiful Backdrops for a Bounty of Backyard Barbecues

outdoor dining shutterstock_297166031The scene is set. A couple slabs of baby back ribs, a perfectly preheated grill, “Kiss The Cook” apron tied at the waist and a massive set of tongs in hand. But to truly set the scene, you’ll need a beautiful backdrop in which to create your mouth-watering masterpiece. Between the fact that May is National Barbecue Month and indications that the incorporation of outdoor living spaces continues to trend upward in luxury  home renovations, we thought we’d share a little inspiration to turn your own surrounding landscape into an awe-inspiring outdoor oasis. Here’s the Highlight Homes’ recipe for building a beautiful backdrop for your next backyard barbecue…

  • Finding the Right Ingredients:  Just as you might pore over cookbooks to find the perfect recipes to complete an unforgettable meal, it’s important to do your research to find the elements you believe will make your outdoor living space really stand out. Between Pinterest, Houzz and a treasure trove of online resources to interior design magazines and home improvement shows, inspiration abounds. Create a dream book of elements that really speak to you.
  • Make a Shopping List:  Now that you’ve created a book of elements that have you dreaming of countless shindigs under the stars, it’s time to make a list of all the ways you’d like your outdoor living space to function. Is it primarily a tranquil garden for quiet reflection at the end of a long day? Is it a big playroom on the exterior of your home where all the neighborhood kids can hang out? Is it a sports bar surrounded by loads of cozy seating with a flat screen TV for watching the big game? Is it a warm and welcoming space with an outdoor kitchen and long dining table where all the neighborhood grownups will want to hang out? Or is it a combination of two or more of those things? The possibilities are endless.
  • shish kebobs on the grill - shutterstock_249302788Hiring the Right “Chef”:  A really great landscape architect or general contractor can take the inspiration of the ingredients you’ve collected in your dream book, your shopping list of desired functions and the blank canvas of your backyard to develop a marriage of the three. Once you find the perfect balance of your vision, your budget and the realistic capabilities of the space, it’s time to make that vision a reality. Highlight Homes welcomes the opportunity to crank up the heat on your concept of a luxury outdoor living space. Contact us for a free consultation and proposal: 678-873-9234, info@highlighthomesga.com or fill out our online contact form and we’ll be in touch right away.
  • Season to Taste and ENJOY!: Furnish and accessorize your brand new outdoor living space to fit your own unique sense of style (we’ll be happy to help there, too!) and then invite your friends and family over to christen the space with a backyard barbecue of epic proportions!

Hearth and Home: Highlight Spotlight on Today’s Fireplace

Hearth and Home: Highlight Spotlight on Today’s Fireplace

Keeping Room Fireplace 1 - HLH 2016

Since the beginning of man, fire has been central to the home. A necessity from the start, it can stave off the cold, serve as a light in the darkness and aid in the preparation of countless meals. Used mainly now to create a sense of ambiance, the fireplace – or hearth – remains at the heart of most major living spaces today. The mantle often sets the tone for the décor in the room – many now dominated by flat screen TVs in place of artwork. From ornately carved woodwork and marble to repurposed rough-hewn timber and stacked stone, the hearth is also central to the feeling of the space that surrounds it. One home may feature a traditional fireplace adorned with beloved family photos, while another may boast a floor-to-ceiling stone hearth with a minimalistic slant towards interior design. And with many homes extending their living spaces outside, the outdoor hearth continues to gain steam as a popular addition to exterior “rooms” of the home.

 

Keeping Room Fireplace 2 - HLH 2016

When constructing a semi-custom or custom home, bear in mind that your fireplace should fit the overall aesthetic of your home. For example, a more traditional Craftsman-style home might prove a great fit for a rustic stone fireplace with timber mantle whereas a Contemporary-style home might call for a more modern firebox with clean lines and smooth, sleek finishes. Functionality is also a major consideration. Traditionalists may prefer a wood-burning fireplace, but gas logs continue to dominate the market for their convenience and affordability. As many homes become more technologically connected, some gas logs can be controlled via wireless remotes – plus there’s no need to sweep up ashes at the end of the day. Outdoor hearths should also be a major consideration – whether a firepit at the center of a brick patio under the stars on a crisp, cool Spring night or a true showplace hearth set inside a covered deck for countless Autumn evenings spent watching the embers glow.

 

Outdoor Hearth - Highlight Homes 2015No matter what your vision of the ideal hearth to fit your home might be – a breathtaking addition to a two-story great room or a romantic enhancement to a master bedroom (or BOTH), Highlight Homes welcomes the opportunity to help you make that vision a vibrant reality. To schedule a consultation with a member of our custom construction team, call 678-873-9234, e-mail info@highlighthomesga.com or fill out our convenient online contact form. To learn more about Highlight Homes and view some of our work, please visit us at www.highlighthomesga.com.