Fall is a great season! The crisp weather, beautiful leaves and the fact that it is still warm enough to get outside and enjoy the weather without melting into a puddle means that autumn is the top season in our book.

Here are some of our favorite things about fall:

• Getting out cozy blankets. There’s nothing like cuddling up in a warm throw blanket to watch a movie. Try this one from Pottery Barn in an autumn-appropriate plaid.
• Time to bake! Now that summer’s heat is over, you can finally turn on the oven again without sending a heat wave through the house. And all the fall foods! Apples, pumpkins, other root vegetables — yum! Here are some ideas from The Kitchn for fall cookies.
• Fun fall activities: Going to an apple orchard or pumpkin patch. Picking a Halloween costume. Jumping in a pile of leaves. Going on a hayride. Building a bonfire. Carving jack-o-lanterns. Have a ball with fall!

Imagine a new driveway, walkway or patio made out of a material that could last for perhaps the rest of your life. It is something that has been around for centuries, but with modern techniques, it can look great outside your home. Tracy Forner of HouseSmartsTV takes us inside the process of a lovely brick paver patio installation.

In an interview with the homeowner, HouseSmartsTV explores why brick paver was chosen, the services a professional installation crew offers, and a detailed look at what to expect during the installation process.

Learn more about home improvement techniques, cool products and more from the HouseSmartsTV channel on YouTube.

Creating a beautiful, functional outdoor relaxation space makes summer all the more worthwhile. Who doesn’t love the comfort of patio furniture, hammocks and fire pits?

Another burgeoning trend hitting patios and porches this summer involves classic games made larger and more outdoor-friendly.

Scrabble
Sunset.com featured a Sacramento architect who created an outdoor Scrabble board (pictured above) embedded in her patio. She used a wood frame and poured concrete into 3.75-inch squares with 0.25-inch joints. Then, she made 100 letter tiles from baseboard trim. Now, she has a few square feet of concrete that remain functional as a walkway while offering outdoor entertainment.

Jenga
Jenga is another game that plays nicely outside. True to the original, the outdoor version requires 54 wooden blocks used to create 18 levels. Each block should be three time longer than its width and one-fifth as thick as it’s length. (For instance, the dimensions may be 1.5 in x 2.5 in x 7.5 in.) The best thing about the outdoor version: You won’t find small wooden blocks hiding under tables and between couch cushions. Check out this helpful DIY guide.

What are some of your favorite lawn games? What games would you like to to see redesigned to become a part of your porch or patio?

Ah, the great outdoors. There’s nothing like spending time outside, including — bathroom time? That’s right, there is such a thing as an outdoor bathroom (and no, we don’t mean a porta-potty). You’ve heard of fabulous outdoor kitchens to take your alfresco dining beyond grilling, or even outdoor showers, but have you can also expand your outdoor living to bathrooms?

Apartment Therapy recently featured some gorgeous outdoor bathrooms, and we have included two of our favorites below. It’s a different concept — the entire bathroom outdoors. An outside shower could be an unusual luxury, or a necessity if it was designed for rinsing off after swimming. But using the toilet outdoors? Brushing your teeth in the breeze? It might take some getting used to.

Needless to say, before you call your builder to build an outside bathroom, bear in mind that these are probably best for homes with lots of land and privacy. No one wants to see their next-door neighbor showering on the other side of the picket fence!

What do you think of outdoor bathrooms? Make sure to check out the rest of Apartment Therapy’s round-up of outdoor bathrooms!

Images courtesy of Apartment Therapy.

During the past several weeks, we’ve shared a series of videos featuring designer P. Allen Smith. Today we’re going to take a look at some of Smith’s techniques for bringing the beauty of the outdoors in.

Smith takes us on a tour of his Garden Home Retreat, showing some of his favorite spaces and how they are designed to show off and accentuate the best of the outdoors in through the use of windows and doors. A key tip: Think of your windows as an opportunity not just to let in fresh air and light but as a way to frame specific views of the outdoors.

Watch the short video above for more, or check out our YouTube channel for other videos from Smith.

Wish all you want for a white Christmas this year, but how about a driveway that shovels itself?

OK, that’s not exactly how heated driveway systems work, but nevertheless, they are catching on in parts of the country where residents have grown wary of winter back pain.

Craig Portis is an account manager at Warmzone, a Salt Lake City-based company that offers a number of a radiant heating solutions. Portis said there are many selling points to heated driveways.

“Convenience is No. 1,” Portis said. ”Safety is another big one. People call us up because they’re concerned they have a steep driveway; it’s really a safety concern moving in and out at odd hours of the night.”

Portis said heated driveways have been popular throughout Europe for years, but they’re catching on in the U.S. He also said the upfront expenses for materials and installation can be offset by the time and money saved over the years it’s in operation.

“When [people] look at the operational costs [of snow removal], a lot of times they’re more surprised at how much of a good investment it is,” Portis said.

Portis indicated installs have been more popular with remodels than new construction jobs, but the installation process is quicker than you may think.

The average residential driveway takes just “a day or two, max.” As for the best time of year to install, winter months can be  can be “impractical,” Portis said, but installations “spike in the spring time and just run throughout the summer with the heaviest activity in the fall.”

Plan ahead for next winter, so wishing for a white Christmas won’t leave you visiting the chiropractor.

If some new outdoor space is part of your summer plans, consider some of this advice.

Planning is everything. Working with a landscape architect or deck designer will help you devise a look that suits your needs. I am a fan of hiring these folks independently so the finished design is yours. That way, you are free to use it with several installation contractors to get your best price. While using a design-build firm keeps things cleaner, it can pigeonhole you into the same-old, same-old when it comes to design and materials.

Once the layout is done, you have lots of choices. For a deck, you have wood, synthetic blends, even PVC. The hot choice is Ipe; it is very dense and has a very rich look. For me, if you are going to go natural then you have to consider redwood. There is nothing, in my opinion, as beautiful as a redwood deck. Just know that the rich color you see the first day of completion will not last. The wood will darken to a grey color, the same with Ipe. But with a yearly cleaning you can bring that color back.

Both woods resist rot and bugs and hold up well in our climate. In fact, redwood is described as “the wood of a hundred years.” Talk to your installer about hidden fasteners, so that no nail or screw holes are seen on the surface of the deck.  Installation will take longer but the finished look will be fantastic.

For your patio, there are many choices beyond concrete pavers. Clay pavers offer a rich texture and deeper color. Blue stone, flag stone and granite can define and make a statement when spending time outdoors. Just know that, no matter the finish surface, the base is the key. Your installer should be providing a 4- to 6-inch compacted stone base with setting sand on top of that to ensure a solid installation.

A yearly sealing of the stone will keep the color true and make the surface easier to keep clean. Chances are your town or village will require permits for this type of work, so plan accordingly and then get outside and enjoy yourself.

For most of us our home is our single biggest investment, and taking care of that home just makes good sense. Taking care of your outdoor wood fence will add years to its life as well as keeping it looking great.

The first step in any fence-staining project is the surface preparation. Using a wood cleaner is a great way to clean the wood as well as bring the material back to life. Many of these products are concentrates, which means all you do is add water to make the mix. The best way to apply the cleaners is with a garden-type pump sprayer.

Apply the cleaner liberally on the fence with the sprayer; be sure to wet down any foliage or structures under or around the fence so you limit any damage to plants. Most of these cleaners are bleach-based, so keeping surrounding items wet or covered is a good idea. Let the cleaner sit for 10 to 15 minutes and then pressure wash the wood with a gas powered pressure-washer with a PSI rating of at least 2000.

After the cleaning, let the fence dry for at least 3 to 5 days. Be sure that it truly is dry, meaning no rain during those days. The moisture content of the wood needs to be no more than 15 percent at the time of the stain application. You can either buy or borrow a moisture meter from your paint store. Then you’re set to apply your stain.

I like oil-based products for outdoor staining. The oil absorbs deeply into the wood giving you even coverage and a long lasting finish. The best way to apply the stain is with a natural-bristled brush and good ol’ fashioned elbow grease. The key is to frequently stir the can during the finish application to ensure that all the colorant is consistent. Use the brush to work the stain into the wood brushing with the grain of the wood. Remember to never stain when rain is a possibility, in direct sunlight, or if the outside temperature is over 80 degrees.

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Snow and winter weather seem to be in the news a lot this week! We at MLuxe care about your health, safety and happiness, so here’s some information about how to stay safe and sane in the Snowpocalypse!

Charles and Hudson makes a good point in a recent posting: there’s a lot you can get done around the house during a snowstorm. Keep your pipes from freezing and check for drafts around the doors. You might be going stir-crazy around the house, so do some fun stuff like creating a patina on a mirror.

Of course, you’ll need to keep your driveway and sidewalks clear, so get prepared for some shoveling! Those of us from northern climates know the special exhaustion that comes after shoveling. CNN has a good run-through of the problems that come from shoveling and what to do to prevent injuries.

Stay safe and keep warm!

Photo courtesy of letmeFLYAWAY on Flickr.