Glass & Mosaics

New Deck Trends Help Define Your Outdoor Living Area

Just as your home’s decor is a statement of your taste and personality, so is your backyard. As the trend for enjoying customized decks and outdoor living space grows, personalized outdoor living areas are the latest in home improvement upgrades.

Building or updating an existing deck isn’t simply a great investment: It provides opportunities to personalize your backyard and customize the look to your taste. And with many families staying home this summer thanks to the economy, why not create your perfect location for entertaining?

“By designing your deck with accents, lights and unique accessories, you can transform your backyard into an outdoor retreat you’ll never want to leave, whether you’re catching up with friends over a grilled dinner in the evening or are curled up with a book in a lounge chair on a sunny afternoon,” says Chris Fox, marketing manager at Universal Forest Products.

With a new emphasis on value, durability and ultra-low maintenance, many homeowners seek deck materials that resist fading and staining. New Latitudes Capricorn Tropical composite decking, sold through dealers nationwide, is a good choice. Low-maintenance, eco-friendly composite decking material is made from a mixture of recycled wood fiber and postindustrial high-density polyethylene, which looks natural and feels great on bare feet.

Add unique touches to really make the deck your personal haven. Change your deck’s look with interesting balusters to match other decorative accents on your house or in your yard. You’ll find traditional bronze balusters, classic rounded rails or even scenic Glass balusters, which give your outdoor room a clear view.

Then consider breaking up the wooden look of your deck with faux stone post covers, to help match the look of your deck to a stone house, to a backyard with stone pavers or to a stone wall. Easily installed over a wooden post, faux stone post covers come in several colors.

Finish off your railing system with post caps. Deckorators post caps, by Maine Ornamental, are functionally and artistically decorative. Maybe you’re interested in the more traditional black, stainless or pewter colors, topping a solar LED light to illuminate your deck for evening use. Or try a creative look with Stained Glass post caps, bringing a colorful flair to each deck post.

With so many new products and options available, you can transform your deck into a new outdoor living area. And because you designed it, it will perfectly fit your lifestyle. 

About the Author

Tune into www.Home&YardRadio;.com with the Fixie Chick Saturdays at 10:00am on 950 ESPN for more must have information for your Home & Yard!
Women owned businesses. DIY Home Improvements. Look at my other businesses: http://www.fixinchix.com & Healthy Homes of Rochester http://www.healthyhomesofrochester.com
Well save you money on your home’s energy costs.

Brenna Hartmann also writes for the Democrat and Chronicle’s Living Section in Rochester, NY. In addition she writes monthly for The Property Source Magazine and the Home and yard Handbook which she was the founder and since has sold the handbook entity in order to spend more time with her family and children.

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Faux Stained-Glass

Making Stained Glass Boxes $21.95 Complete With Patterns Fully illustrated descriptions and step-by-step instructions on techniques to make a variety of beautiful and practical stained glass boxes. Learn how to assemble corners, attach hinges and lids, work with mirrored glass, create shelves and compartments, add feet and more. Also includes detailed information for the beginner or more experienced glass artist on selecting glass and then cutting, shaping, foiling and soldering your glass. Features close-up images and a Stained Glass Box Gallery. Clear textured box by Rainbow Vision Stained Glass.

The Stained Glass Garden $19.95 Grow a glass garden – and beautify any space with exquisite stained glass art. Create stained glass flowers, butterflies, birds, bird feeders, planters, lanterns, and mobiles. Features dozens of close-up photos, materials and tools listings and detailed instruction. The prefect projects to get you ready for warm weather.

Stained Glass Horse Patterns $17.95 Capture the Elegance of Horses in the Beauty of Stained Glass Bring alive the spirit and beauty of horses with these stunning stained glass panel patterns. Ideal for beginner or intermediate stained glass artists. Patterns feature simple lines for easy cuts. Includes 28 realistic designs in a variety of styles, 11 colored images and a handy piece count reference guide. Project images below come from the book. Designed and created by the author Lisa Tilson of Glass of Dreams Studio.

Introduction To Stained Glass $15.95 Best Selling Classic. Excellent beginner and 39;s instruction book. Includes a stained glass history, glass tapes, and tools used. Includes 17 full-size patterns for windows, panel lamps and 3-D projects.

Stained Glass For Dummies $24.95 Anyone Can Do Stained Glass. Discover the craft of stained glass and release your inner artist. Written by popular glass artist Vicki Payne, host of TV shows Glass with Vicki Payne and For Your Home. Vicki provides detailed instructions for both the copper foil and lead came methods of stained glass, along with hints, tips and strategies to improve your soldering skills. In This Book You Will Find Gorgeous full-color images throughout Patterns for creating your own stained glass pieces Hands-on, easy-to-follow exercises help you perfect your skills This book is packed with practical guidance, on everything from glass safety to basic warm-glass techniques. It and 39;s the perfect book for beginners or anyone who wants a quick reference book.

Making Stained Glass Panels $24.95 Includes Full-Size Glass Patterns Glass studio artist Michael Johnston takes you step by step through making stained glass panels in this instructional book. Detailed descriptions, hundred of colored photographs (see example pages below) and expert advice on techniques will help you create beautiful stained glass panels. Every step of the process from setting up your work space to framing your finished project is covered within the book and 39;s 11 chapters. Just some of the topics include Selecting glass Cutting, shaping and soldering Lead method construction Copper foil construction Repairing stained glass Building a wooden frame Over 200 pages of instruction and inspiration, this book also includes a gallery of finished pieces. It also comes complete with pull-out, full-size patterns.

Stained Glass Kaleidoscope Kit $13.95 Make a large stained glass kaleidoscope that you and your family are sure to treasure. Create this uniquely designed kaleidoscope with its 10 tapered viewing tube and two rotating hexagonal color wheels. The kit contains the axle hardware, patterns and instructions. All you need is the stained glass and mirror. Delphi Tip Create kaleidoscopes with crisp, pristine images by using Front Surface, also called First Surface Mirror M5397.

Ginkgo Stained Glass Window  $124.95 Stained Glass Panels – Studio Craftsmanship and Original Designs Arts and Crafts inspired cottage green ginkgo leaves adorn a cornerstone beige glass panel. This handsome neutral colored window is a perfect complement to any color or style room. The Meyda Tiffany original stained glass window is framed in solid brass and has brass mounting bracket and chains included. This panel measures 20 high x 11 wide. Every Meyda Tiffany piece is a unique, handcrafted work of art. Natural variation in the glass and finish make each and every one a masterpiece all its own. Photographs are a general representation of the product. Colors will vary. From Supplying the Tiffany Studio to Your Home Meyda Tiffany is known for their authentic Victorian styles, attention to detail, and quality that speaks for itself. Although founded in 1974, the Meyda Tiffany and 39;s roots actually date back to the early 1900s, supplying Louis Comfort Tiffany and Tiffany Studios with lighting products, and creating the original Coca-Cola stained glass lamps. Meyer Cohen and wife Ida (whose names were combined to make the company name Meyda) founded their first studio with a devotion to stained glass art and dedication to quality. Still family-owned and based in Yorkville, NY, their son Robert runs the company on the same strong principles.

Seashell Stained Glass Window  $199.95 Stained Glass Panels – Studio Craftsmanship and Original Designs This Meyda Tiffany original window features sand beige and shell pink seashells with kelp green ribbons that float on a clear blue rippled glass sea. Handcrafted utilizing the copper foil construction process and 319 pieces of stained art glass encased in a solid brass frame. Mounting bracket and jack chain included. This panel measures 10 high x 24 wide. Every Meyda Tiffany piece is a unique, handcrafted work of art. Natural variation in the glass and finish make each and every one a masterpiece all its own. Photographs are a general representation of the product. Colors will vary. From Supplying the Tiffany Studio to Your Home Meyda Tiffany is known for their authentic Victorian styles, attention to detail, and quality that speaks for itself. Although founded in 1974, the Meyda Tiffany and 39;s roots actually date back to the early 1900s, supplying Louis Comfort Tiffany and Tiffany Studios with lighting products, and creating the original Coca-Cola stained glass lamps. Meyer Cohen and wife Ida (whose names were combined to make the company name Meyda) founded their first studio with a devotion to stained glass art and dedication to quality. Still family-owned and based in Yorkville, NY, their son Robert runs the company on the same strong principles.

Mandolin Stained Glass Window  $259.95 Stained Glass Panels – Studio Craftsmanship and Original Designs Soft warm neutrals define this primitive patterned window of cobalt blue, tangerine and rainbow touched bronze stained art glass. This striking window is handcrafted utilizing the copper foil construction process created by L. C. Tiffany. A solid brass hanging chain and brackets are included. This panel measures 27 high x 20 wide. Every Meyda Tiffany piece is a unique, handcrafted work of art. Natural variation in the glass and finish make each and every one a masterpiece all its own. Photographs are a general representation of the product. Colors will vary. From Supplying the Tiffany Studio to Your Home Meyda Tiffany is known for their authentic Victorian styles, attention to detail, and quality that speaks for itself. Although founded in 1974, the Meyda Tiffany and 39;s roots actually date back to the early 1900s, supplying Louis Comfort Tiffany and Tiffany Studios with lighting products, and creating the original Coca-Cola stained glass lamps. Meyer Cohen and wife Ida (whose names were combined to make the company name Meyda) founded their first studio with a devotion to stained glass art and dedication to quality. Still family-owned and based in Yorkville, NY, their son Robert runs the company on the same strong principles.