It may be January, but at Texas Custom Patios we’re gearing up for summertime. An outdoor living space is perfect for hosting an extra large crowd for your summer Family Gatherings. You may be celebrating the graduation of someone special. Or maybe someone is tying the knot with friends and family gathered for a wedding. You could simply be trying to keep the gang cool with a pool party. Or maybe you’re celebrating your roots with a family reunion. We’ve rounded up some of our favorite outdoor style ideas for your summer celebrations.

Graduation

These custom graduate yard signs would be perfect for a backyard graduation celebration. Plus, who doesn’t love another reason to show off those fantastic graduation portraits?

And this is a very cool way to launch the dreams for your graduate’s future!

source: cottageintheoaks.com

Display that cap and gown in style!

source: cottageintheoaks.com

Wedding

Install a chandelier (or two!) in your outdoor living space. This royal look is fit for a wedding celebration.

source: weddingchicks.com

And how about some functional wedding decor the guys won’t mind keeping around after the festivities?

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Pool Party

Make a grand entrance!

source: party ideas.craftgossip.com

Don’t let a sunburn ruin the party. Keep family and friends protected by offering a Sun Protection Station.

source: crissyscrafts.blogspot.com

Why not combine parties and make it a pool party movie night?

source: ohhappyday.com

Family Reunion

We’re loving this DIY Beverage Station to keep everyone cool and hydrated!

source: liluna.com

Gather and display old family photos to help everyone dig into their roots.

source: stylmepretty.com

Oversized glass jars display pretty salads in a “no fly” zone.

source: 4men1lady.com

How about a game of giant scrabble? Your family will get exercise for body and mind!

source: constantlylovestruck.blogspot.com

Your Outdoor Style Family Gathering

If you’d like to talk to us about creating an outdoor living space where these summer family gatherings and many more opportunities for relaxing can happen, give us a call at 281-265-1994 (Houston area) or 214-460-5934 (Dallas area).

Whether it’s college basketball or patio construction, the road to the final four is an exciting one!

Choosing the best design elements is a tough game. It’s best to approach it with a strategy in mind and a good knowledge of all the players. We’ve pulled out the Sweet 16 of the following categories to help you narrow down your options through the Elite Eight and down to the Final Four, including one in each of the following categories:

Download our Patio Bracketology PDF to discover which patio options will make it to your Final Four.

Take your patio options through these elimination rounds on the road to the final four to discover which options will come out on top!

The Brackets

Flooring

The flooring you select sets the stage for your outdoor living space. Pavers and tile give a good showing with predictable patterns. Natural flagstone brings home the Texas Hill Country look. A stamped overlay gives a lot of versatility on the floor. It is flexible enough to look like random natural stone, patterned tile or even wood. Based on its performance, it is a favored pick among homeowners. Some flooring options that did not advance to the Sweet 16 are plain concrete (which is the base for almost all of our flooring options) and acid stained concrete. Both options are virtually maintenance free and durable.

Your choices in column options can help your patio blend seamlessly with the architecture of your home or make a powerfully contrasting statement to bring interest to your outdoor living space. A full brick column easily ties into a home, especially if the back of the home is all brick. Many homes in our area have hardie siding on the back, so the combination of masonry and Hardie® does a nice job of reintroducing the stone or brick from the front of the house again in the backyard. Masonry and cedar gives a rustic, Hill Country look. Full stone is a popular option for pool owners, who have a lot of stone around their pools and also for home owners whose facade features a lot of stone work. Stucco and decorative fiberglass column surrounds are column alternatives that didn’t make the round this time, but are fantastic options on stucco or very traditional homes, respectively.

Ceilings

In the design process, the ceiling is often underestimated in its ability to bring the entire project together. A ceiling, done right, can make an outdoor living space project a slam dunk. Let’s take a look at the contenders. A painted Hardie® ceiling is a good option to match an existing patio cover, as many builders choose this option during construction. Tongue and Groove Wood (spruce, pine or cedar) adds richness and warmth. Reclaimed wood brings a rustic, old-world charm. Tin tiles can give a unique, vintage flavor to the ceiling.

Roof Shape

The roof shape brings new definition to the architecture of the entire home. For most homes, a hip roof, one that slopes on all sides, will allow the patio cover to blend seamlessly into the architecture of the home and provide plenty of shade. A shed roof is a great fit on a two-story home with windows above the patio space, because it is a single-sloped roof with vertical sides. The loftiness of an open gable roof provides height and a soaring view. When the existing roofline and windows present tie-in challenges, a combination hip and gable roof is a solid and versatile player.

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Choosing from all the options available can be overwhelming when you begin your patio design-build process. Nearly every homeowner wonders about the investment they are making in their outdoor living space.

When you know what you want, you’re more likely to get what you want.

Our project developers walk every step with our customers from concept to completion. We’ve been involved in taking your dreams from idea to paper to an actual outdoor structure on nearly 1,000 completed projects. Every year, we get to put our hands on exciting new products and trends in outdoor living.

This type of expertise helps you make your outdoor living selections with confidence.

What are our favorite products and trends this year?

Reclaimed Wood

Our first pick isn’t exactly new, rather it’s better described as new again. Using reclaimed wood in ceilings and beams is a huge trend. It’s environmentally sound to put old beams to new uses. Vintage timbers offer a beautiful look that our customers love. Each piece has a unique charm seen in the character of its imperfections and known in the history of the piece, as if it had a story. Reclaimed wood with a tight, dense grain that comes from slow growth is superior in quality and durability. We’re currently working with a lumber company that mills to order.

Manufactured Stone Veneer

Photo Credit: Eldorado Stone

Manufactured stone veneer gives the beautiful look and feel of real stone, but it is surprisingly affordable and easier to install. The lightweight stone veneer is molded in forms made from hand-selected natural stone. Manufactured stone veneer is a believable faux option great for patios and facades. Maybe one of its best qualities is that manufactured stone is a sustainable product!

Dramatic Patio Doors

There really is something relaxing about an open air space. Multi-door sliding doors, pocket doors and even french doors leading to the patio can provide that seamless transition between indoors and out. They’re perfect to throw open for family gatherings or parties and are energy-efficient in between. This is an expensive option, but it adds a dramatic impact between indoor and outdoor living.

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