It may be bitter cold across most of the country, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get excited for spring and summer now. These cold winter months do have an advantage: they give you ample time to plan your outdoor living space, so you can revel and relax in it when summer arrives. Here are some pros of planning ahead:

Let’s say you want a new paver for your backyard patio and pool. If you wait until summer to start thinking about it, you’ll have missed an entire season of enjoying your new outdoor space with your family and friends. Use the seasons to guide you. Determine what you want during winter, complete it in the spring, and then inaugurate your space in the summer! We’ll work with you to create a timetable that suits your needs.

Thinking about what you want ahead of time during the colder months will also help you consider what you’ll want year-round.

Questions like “will I be able to use this when it’s chilly?” and “how will this color of paver look in the winter?” as well as “what kind of maintenance will be required in the colder months?” can be best answered when you’re in the thick of it. This way, you won’t just be thinking ahead for summer; you’ll be thinking ahead for the upcoming winters to come.

For those who love the great outdoors, winter can be a major bummer. But giving yourself something to look forward to in the next season can make you feel just as productive as you are during spring, summer and fall. And, you might just come to enjoy these months of nature’s chilly curfew.

There’s an old adage that reminds us that though we can’t control the winds, we can adjust the sails. Nature has this made abundantly clear for many this year. We may not be able to control the symptoms of winter, but we certainly can find ways to look forward to the future. After looking back at how productive your winter was and seeing the fruits of your labor pay off in the summer, you just might embark on another fantastic project the next time winter comes calling.

The weather outside may be frightfully cold for many of you, but what about a delightfully bold, crackling fire outside? It’s a terrible thing to feel like you can’t enjoy the outdoors without worrying about frostbite. That’s why we’re spotlighting our fireplaces and fire pits along with ideas for entertaining outside! Don’t let the weather keep you cooped up with cabin fever. Here are some tips:

Plan something that coincides with the hottest part of the day. Depending on where you live, that still might be pretty cold! But there’s no rule that says it’s only appropriate to use a fire pit at night to roast s’mores and tell spooky stories. Fireplaces are for light and heat!

Invite some friends, neighbors or family members over for a mini-camping experience. Everyone brings a blanket and curls up in a chair around the fire to play a game. There are plenty of games you can play without sacrificing the comfort of heat. Try charades, or the endlessly amusing “who am I?” game. If you’ve never played it before, it’s easy and always a scream. Pick a famous person (alive or dead, real or fictitious) and write their name on a post-it, then stick it onto the forehead of the person to your left. Now guess, one question at a time, moving clockwise, who you are!

Have hot drinks and snacks ready, and don’t forget to remind everyone to bundle up. Check out our mulled wine recipe or whip up some hot apple cider. Or, if you happen to be an always-on-the-go type, let people pick their own drinks from a single-serve coffee/tea/cocoa maker. You could even set out pre-stuck marshmallow roasting sticks, warmly welcoming everyone the moment they set foot into your backyard.

Now let the quality time and fun begin!