Getting Your Outdoor Space Ready for Summer

Memorial Day weekend kicked off the unofficial start of summer. The official date is coming fast, along with the end of the school year. If you have kids, they’ll have more time to spend in the yard, and you’re probably planning some outdoor entertaining while the weather is sunny and inviting. McGuinn Homes has some tips for getting your outdoor space ready for summer. Start with a really good outdoor clean-up. Approach your outdoor décor the same as you would for your interior decorating. You can’t design a room that doesn’t present a clean canvas. If you haven’t already raked up the yard and garden beds, start now. Pick up any debris. Remove dead foliage from the gardens. Gather up all the yard art, pots, and lawn furniture, and scrub them. Get colorful. There’s nothing as inviting in an outdoor space as vibrant colors. Your furniture, flowers, pots, and décor should present a summer palette—from coastal coolness to tropical brights. Invest in new pillows and cushions to perk up your outdoor furniture. Add an outdoor area rug to pull it all together. You can also purchase Adirondack chairs in a full spectrum of colors for lawn seating. Make your gardens portable. Container gardens let you enjoy the natural beauty and color of summer plants wherever you’d like. Large or small, these gardens fill in lonely areas and brighten up your deck, front porch, and patio. Be sure to choose plants that will thrive in the amount of sunlight where you’ll place the garden. And get creative with the containers. Repurpose an old wheelbarrow with a fresh coat of paint and fill it with your favorite summer flowers. Line the drawers of a chest or dresser with plastic, add holes for drainage, and you have a unique container garden! Define your yard with a pergola. These structures provide the framework for an open-air living space. Perfect for an outdoor kitchen or seating area (or both), a pergola adds definition, and with so many choices of materials, you can go for any look you want—rustic, natural, or contemporary. Place a canopy on top and string lights so you can enjoy this relaxing outdoor living space day or night, and in just about any weather. Install a water feature. The flowing water adds life to your outdoor space. A waterfall, fountain, or pond can be as simple or complex as you’d like. Don’t forget the porch. The front of your home creates the first impression for your guests. Give it a summer makeover with new décor. Pressure wash the porch and walkway. Apply a fresh coat of paint to the front door. Place one of your creative container gardens by the entrance. As a local homebuilder, McGuinn Homess loves summers in the Columbia, South Carolina, area—where endless choices for outdoor recreation are so close. We build ccommunities of energy-efficient, new townhomes and single-family homes, as well as building on your lot. Explore the many lifestyle options we present and browse our current selection of move-in ready, new construction homes and townhomes. Have a safe and happy summer! We hope to see you soon.