Extend the Outdoor Dining Season with the Industry’s Best Patio Heaters

Is your restaurant losing out on revenue? A comfortable outdoor dining area keeps customers in the seat. Though you’ve already ensured weather protection with an Arcadia adjustable aluminum pergola, this is not enough to ensure comfort in Colorado’s chilly winter climate. To keep customers cozy and within the confines of your venue, the addition of patio heaters to your commercial pergola makes for a wise investment.

How Much Could Patio Heaters Help You Add to Your Bottom Line?
Casual restaurants able to extend the season an additional 15-days with the help of a minimal investment in patio heaters could pull-in an additional $45k in profits given just six 4-top tables and a $25/seat average ticket (10 table turnovers at 50% capacity). Extend the season farther, keeping warmth contained with additional privacy curtains, walls and screens, and further boost your return.

Types of Patio Heaters
Patio heaters come in a variety of styles and fuel types, which affect costs dramatically. Common styles include:

Freestanding
Big, powerful, heavy (but portable), with a refillable compartment for fuel.
 
Mounted/Hanging
Wall or ceiling-mounted and permanent. Typically electric and remote controlled. No footprint is ideal for a pergola patio cover 

Tabletop
Easily movable, electric or propane models.
 
Natural Gas Powered
Lowest operating cost and ideal for those with access to a natural gas line. Permanent connection eliminates refilling (as with propane).
 
Electric
Zero emissions. Hard-wired or plug-and-go permanent installation with no refilling of fuel tanks. Moderate operational costs.
 
Propane
Portable and easy to use and install, but must be frequently refilled. Highest operational cost.

BT-Who?
Be sure to calculate BTUs before choosing a patio heater to ensure you’re not paying for more heater (and fuel) than you need.

Hold Your Horses – and Heater Installation
Before you do-it-yourself – take heed. Depending on where you live, there may be legal restrictions on who can install patio heaters, whether they be electric, gas, or propane-powered. For safety and liability, hiring a professional for installation is best.

Extend your outdoor dining season and boost your profit potential. Contact Denver Pergola Systems to learn more today.

This article was previously published at:
http://www.denverpergolas.com/extend-the-outdoor-dining-season-with-the-industrys-best-patio-heaters/

Long Wait? Outdoor Seating Solutions for Restaurants

A full restaurant is an ideal scenario – until you start losing customers to competitors for your known lack of seating. To protect your reputation and keep guests at your establishment where you want them, an outdoor seating area topped with the flexibility of an adjustable commercial pergola makes for a great investment. Providing additional seating space and keeping happy, satisfied customers within the confines of your venue, research has shown patio seating can boost revenue, adding up to 30% in sales.

More than a ‘Fair Weather’ Prospect

With the flexibility of an Arcadia adjustable aluminum pergola, you can count on your additional outdoor seating space year-round. Instead of losing this coveted space to sun, rain, or snow that can shut down seating for hours or days, cutting into your seating space and profits, with a customized adjustable louvered roof system your establishment can make the most of any weather, opening louvers to take in those rare ‘perfect days,’ rotating to provide partial or total shade, or sealing completely to block out rain and snow that would otherwise send diners dashing for the door.

Comfort in an Instant

Weather change? Dial-in the perfect amount of sun, shade or shelter with remote control or smart-device-driven iLouver app operation, or automate your setup with additional rain and wind sensors. Lighting deficiencies? Create your own custom built-in lighting scheme, from dimmable LED pot lights to Edison-style pendant lighting. Glare issues? Motorized curtains and screens provide shade, pest protection, and privacy. Too cold/warm? Integrated ceiling fans and infrared patio heaters ensure guest comfort even in weather extremes.

The Perfect Marketing Opportunity

Providing a living, breathing advertisement for your restaurant’s popularity, a lively patio not only retains existing customers but attracts additional clientele. How much could an outdoor patio addition add to your bottom line? Casual restaurants earning a $25/seat average could see an additional $45k in return with the addition of just six 4-tops on an added patio space that remains open an additional 15-days of the season (10 table turnovers at 50% capacity), offering an extremely rapid return on your outdoor dining area investment. The longer your patio area remains open beyond this given your investment in increasing guest comfort and ambiance, the more considerable your return.

Ready to extend your seating space and profit potential? Now’s the time to incorporate your outdoor seating addition to take advantage of the favored spring outdoor dining season. Contact Denver Pergola Systems to learn more about how a customized Arcadia adjustable aluminum pergola can benefit your business today. 

This article was previously published at:
http://www.denverpergolas.com/outdoor-seating-solutions-for-restaurants/

Create a Festive Outdoor Holiday Dining Space with these Residential Pergola Tips

Interior gathering areas feel a little cramped around the holidays? Like the partridge in the pear tree, spread your wings and fly outdoors, extending your usable space with a festively festooned residential pergola addition.

Oh, the Weather Outside is Frightful
No matter how frightful the weather may be, topping your outdoor living or dining area with an Arcadia adjustable aluminum pergola allows you to get into the spirit of the holiday season without worry. Standing up to heavy winds and snow loads and providing leak-free rain protection on-demand, the Arcadia provides the perfect environment for family and friends to enjoy the holiday at your home. Fully compatible with fire feature additions, decked out with infrared patio heaters, or providing respite from the cold with motorized curtains and screens, all will remain merry and bright beneath its shelter.

What a Bright Time, It’s the Right Time to Rock the Night Away
With the darker ambiance of the winter season, lighting is a must. Ensure adequate lighting with built-in dimmable lighting additions to your customizable Arcadia adjustable aluminum pergola. Then, step-up your game for the holidays with holiday string lights along posts and around windows. Pair with or without garland, carefully avoiding the operational components of your pergola. For a traditional feel, fill up vintage or new holiday lanterns with battery-operated LEDs, placing them tabletop or along walkways. Then, set the ambiance with holiday music via outdoor-rated Bluetooth speakers tucked out-of-sight amongst decorations.

Trim up the Tree
Make your home look like Whoville with holiday-inspired décor for adults and kids alike, including North-pole-inspired gift and toy box holiday decorating additions for children and festive garland, wreaths, and lighting for all. For larger spaces with good lighting, potted evergreens such as arborvitae add authentic holiday flare. For smaller rooms, a grouping of tabletop trees in varying heights adds a similar touch.

I Sure Do Like those Christmas Cookies, Sugar
Set up a craft station for the young and young-at-heart, featuring easy mini pom-pom ornaments, antler headbands, or a cookie decorating station. Outdoors there’s little need to worry about the mess! Not the crafty type? Put out a few games and holiday puzzles instead.

But Maybe Just a Half a Drink More… Put Some Records On While I Pour
A sleek rolling cart can be transformed magically into a self-serve bar, making the perfect holiday centerpiece, particularly when stocked with eggnog, hot buttered rum, cider, hot cocoa, coffee, and tea, alongside glasses and accompaniments. Pair with appetizers or desserts for pre/post-dinner snacking.

Later On, We’ll Conspire, as We Dream by the Fire
Draw family and friends together to the warmth and ambiance of a crackling fire, wrapping-up your evening fireside with marshmallows for roasting and hot drinks. With a lightweight, fully-extruded aluminum construction, the Arcadia is compatible with any festive fire addition, from small gas-powered fire pits to large wood burning fireplace centerpieces. Short on seating? Multifunctional poufs and festive, holiday-themed cushions, pillows and throw blankets displayed in baskets or crates fireside ensure no shortage of seating.


Be home for Christmas beneath shelter you can count on. Contact Denver Pergola Systems to learn more about adding your customized outdoor living space addition before the holidays today.



This article was previously published at:
http://www.denverpergolas.com/create-a-festive-outdoor-holiday-dining-space-with-these-residential-pergola-tips/
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Pergolas Among Hot New Trends in Restaurant & Hospitality

Looking for new ways to maximize your outdoor real estate? Among the hottest new trends in the resort and hospitality market, commercial pergolas deliver. Offering guests a more comfortable outdoor seating option to stay, relax, socialize, and spend at your establishment, Arcadia adjustable aluminum pergolas extend outdoor seating year-round, providing protection from inclement weather, shelter from the sun, or opening to increase ventilation and reveal beautiful sky views.

A Hot Feature at Leading Restaurant and Hospitality Trade Shows
When experienced in exhibits for commercial architects, designers, and developers, hoteliers, hospitality entrepreneurs, restauranteurs, and product suppliers, Arcadia adjustable roofs generate amazing feedback. A favored exhibit, it’s easy to see first-hand the appeal of dining and relaxing under the Arcadia and the benefits an adjustable louvered roof system presents. Professionals leave impressed with the technology and design of the system, particularly when under the automobile sunroof-style prowess of the Arcadia Slide.

Maximum Return on Investment With A Pergolas
Engineered to adapt to all types of weather conditions from rain and heavy snow to high winds, sun, and brutal seaside weather, the one-of-a-kind luxury of Arcadia louvered roofs make a low-maintenance addition to any business, offering additional usable space, increasing guest ticket prices, and offering options for rental space for private events such as business meetings, holiday parties, weddings, and more, providing a rapid return on investment.

Perfect for an Array of Hospitality Settings
Offering a controlled outdoor environment complete with customized options such as built-in lighting, fans, and patio heaters, Arcadia adjustable aluminum pergolas are perfect for…

• Patios
• Decks
• Entryways
• Balconies
• Verandas
• Lanais
• Courtyards
• Outdoor Dining
• Swimming & Spa Areas

Customized to Seamlessly Blend Into Your Architecture or Outdoor Setting
Available in single and multi-zone systems in any size, Arcadia pergolas can be custom designed to your exact requirements no matter how unique or eccentric, offering an array of options to match your architecture or blend into any outdoor setting. Choose from customized colors, faux wood wrap, decorative columns, and custom end cuts, alongside functional features to keep guests comfortable and relaxed, regardless of weather, such as motorized screens and solar shades, privacy curtains/walls, built-in decorative lighting, and outdoor cooling and heating options from simple ceiling fans and patio heaters to impressive water and fire features.

Looking for a cure for the hospitality blahs? Add some excitement to your venue with an adjustable aluminum pergola with all the trimmings from Denver Pergola Systems today.


This article was previously published at:
http://www.denverpergolas.com/pergolas-among-hot-new-trends-in-restaurant-and-hospitality/

A Commercial Pergola Can Boost Your Revenue with Year-Round Outdoor Dining

Time for an update? The National Restaurant Association recommends restaurants, lounges, cafes, and coffeehouses refresh their décor every 5-7-years to ensure fresh, modern feel.  But don’t sell your business short – next time you embark on an update, look beyond your 4 interior walls, boosting your seating and your bottom line by adding a year-round commercial pergola to your business’ outdoor area.



Ensure Year-Round Use, Topping Off Outdoor Seating with an Adjustable Pergola

Overcome unpredictable weather with an Arcadia adjustable aluminum pergola, dialing-in just the right amount of sun or shade for patrons and sealing out the rain with ease with 170-degrees of rotational flexibility. With versatile shelter, you can use your patio space season-to-season, year-round, maintaining consistency in comfort levels and ambiance, while reducing staff maintenance needs with complete precipitation protection. Instantly adjust via remote or iLouver smart device-driven operation, adding rain or wind sensors for automated response. Concerned about your brand image? Customized Arcadia louvered pergola systems are easily designed to align with your space and your brand. Available in an array of complementary colors, wraps, and trims, and topped-off with built-in lighting, fans, patio heaters, motorized screens, and other accessories, you can create a streamlined transition between indoor and outdoor dining areas, drawing added customer attention with your new outdoor addition and look.

Put Wasted Space to Work By Making Your Patio or Deck Seating a Dining Experience

Patio dining space generally provides a quick return on investment, not only increasing seating capacity but raising ticket prices as customers feel more comfortable and relaxed, inspiring them to order more drinks and food. For an exclusive feel, attract guests to your new addition with a special ‘patio only’ menu of unique food and beverages that varies by season: Hot, steaming entrees and drinks for cool winter’s nights and chilled frozen fare when summer sizzles. Treating patio diners on-par with those in your main dining area with a dedicated patio staff and (when necessary) additional kitchen help ensures success, keeping patrons from feeling overlooked and putting them center-stage.


Become a top dining destination. Draw new clientele with the winning advertisement of a happily active patio. Contact Denver Pergola Systems to learn more today.

This content was previously published at http://www.denverpergolas.com/a-commercial-pergola-can-boost-your-revenue-with-year-round-outdoor-dining/

Maximize the use of your outdoor living area

The cooler weather of fall is rapidly approaching. Is your outdoor living area ready for this seasonal shift? Just a few small changes can help you expertly manage the transition…

Get Ready for Shorter Days with Additional Lighting

Add functionality and ambiance with a variety of lighting for your pergola installation, from scenic string lights and hanging lanterns perfect for sipping wine on a cool fall evening, to built-in track and pot light additions for outdoor cooking and dining tasks.

Enjoy the Crisp Fall Air Beneath a Cozy Throw

When the sun goes down and temperatures drop, take advantage of the warmth of scattered blankets and throws without leaving the comfort of your cushy outdoor seat. Toss a few colorful quilts or cozy wool throws nearby, topping off the arms and backs of seating with bundles of blankets.

Warm Up Next to the Glow of a Fire

The perfect spot for gathering or toasting marshmallows, an outdoor fireplace or fire pit addition will quickly become a coveted cool weather destination. Start off the season fresh with a complete cleaning, then stock your fire feature with fuel, surrounding it with seasonal décor such as pumpkins, gourds, berries, and hurricane lamps and lanterns.

Add a Touch of Seasonal Flair

Switch up the accessories in your outdoor living space, creating a whole new ambiance with the addition of autumn-toned browns, golds, and burnt oranges. Add these shades via the simple swap of throw pillows, area rugs, flowers and foliage.

Extend the Outdoor Living Season 

Make the most of the outdoor living season with the addition of an Arcadia adjustable aluminum pergola. Customize your outdoor experience with 170-degrees of louver adjustment, dialing-in the perfect amount of sun, shade, or rain shelter with the flick of a button, further accessorizing your pergola with built-in lighting, infrared patio heaters, and motorized curtains for warmth, creating a cozy fall respite.

Maximize your fall porch and patio time. Customize your outdoor living experience, ensuring comfort each and every season with the help of Denver Pergola Systems today.

This was previously published at
http://www.denverpergolas.com/maximize-the-use-of-your-outdoor-living-area-this-fall/

Draw the Family Together Under Your Pergola with a Fire Pit Addition

Sullen kids ignoring you for their favored smart device? Add a little sizzle to your evening routine with an outdoor fire pit addition next to your pergola pool, spa, outdoor kitchen or patio. The enchanting flames of a fire draw in a crowd like no other, creating a sense of destination your family won’t be able to resist. Trade you that “iThing” for a s’mores?

Tips for Fire Pit Placement
Fire pits are long on charm – just make sure they’re not short on safety:

• Check local codes.

City/county/HOA regulations often dictate fire pit placement and fuel types. Be sure to check with these organizations before making any fire pit investment.

• Ensure adequate space.

7-feet of space surrounding all edges of your fire pit is a good rule-of-thumb to allow movement of furniture and foot traffic. Too much space is better than too little.

• Keep fires contained with hardscaping.

A non flammable surface beneath your fire pit such as brick, pavers, or concrete can help keep flying embers in check. Prefer the natural look? Dig your fire pit in and surround it with gravel to keep stray sparks contained.

• Keep foliage far away.

Install your fire pit a safe distance from tall foliage.

• Watch wind direction.

Consider prevailing winds and how they will affect spectator comfort.

• Build-in permanent seating.

Permanent seating ensures adult and pint-sized spectators remain a safe distance from dancing flames. If built-in seating isn’t practical, opt for larger heavier furnishings, which prevent children from scooting too close, ensuring breathing room for the fire.

• Consider a custom addition.

While low-cost fire pits are available from big box stores, your local landscaper may be able to devise a safer, custom fire pit solution for your outdoor living area for less than you think. It could pay to make a few calls before investing for a pit that’s a better fit.

Rainy Night? We’ve Got You (& Your Fireplace) Covered
 
With the addition of an Arcadia adjustable aluminum pergola, rain and snow don’t have to put out the flames of your family’s fireside activities. Safely top your fire pit with the fully extruded aluminum structure of the Arcadia, sealing out rain and snow, or opening up to reveal sky views. Dial-in the ideal comfort and circulation setting with a quick iLouver app-driven smartphone or remote control adjustment, with 170-degrees of rotation at your fingertips.

Don’t fall into the same old dinner and ‘screen time’ routine. Step things up a notch. Uncover a new era of outdoor living with the addition of a fire pit beneath your Arcadia aluminum pergola. Contact Denver Pergola Systems to learn more today.

This was previously published at http://www.denverpergolas.com/draw-the-family-together-under-your-pergola-with-a-fire-pit-addition/

8 Clever New Patio Ideas To Incorporate With Your Pergola

Looking for new ways to reinvent your outdoor space? Whether your deck or patio is large or small, we’ve got an array of ideas to help you bring it to life. Even if you don’t currently have a pergola installed, you can still spruce up your patio so it ROCKS!

Get in ‘the Zone’

Zoning your outdoor space with the careful arrangement of furniture is a great way to designate entertainment areas. How can you help your space multitask? Situate a large, cushy sofa facing a TV. Section-off your dining space, placing a table set atop an oversized area rug. Situate four multipurpose cushion stools around a checkers or chessboard. Hang a hammock screened by large potted plants for a separate relaxation zone. Any way you slice up your space, zoning is a tremendous way to maximize available square footage no matter your patio size.


Think Creatively When it Comes to Seating

When it comes to outdoor living, often times you have to get creative to have the amenities you need nearby, but not exposed. This is where multipurpose seating such as storage ottomans and chest-style seating shine, multitasking as a place to stash your stuff. Tired of the same-old seating fare? Think beyond the typical wicker and rattan configurations, using seating as a design element by choosing uniquely shaped arrangements: Let the arms of a circular sofa curl around your guests, invite them to cuddle up in a bowl-chair, or add an interesting yet functional conversation piece with an artificial grass sofa or chair set. 

Take Your Greenery to New Heights
 
Living greenery walls can quickly transform even the most barren outdoor space into a lush garden. In many different styles from full wall hanging systems to picture-frame-like plant holders, glass terrariums and simple clay pots, the sky is (quite literally) the limit.

As long as you keep the gutters as well as the louvered pergola motors free from obstruction, climbing plants are a great addition to any Arcadia pergola.

Add Warmth and Ambiance with a Fire Feature
 
Many of today’s most popular patio additions feature festive fire features, from full-sized, stone-encased wood burners to small, portable propane-powered gas fireplace tables and modern fire pits.

Open a Window
 
Outdoor living area share a wall with your kitchen? Add or make use of an existing window, turning it into a multifunctional feature: Open it to your deck or patio, creating a pass-through for beverages and food. Place a small countertop and stool-style seating just beneath it, turning the space into a simple bar.

Think Beyond the Grill
 
Instead of leaving your grill as a lonely fixture amidst your outdoor accoutrements, create a more functional cooking area by surrounding it with a permanent prep space. Then, add a cohesive feel with a simple outdoor dining set and area rug addition. 



Add Indoor Tech… Outdoors

With an outdoor-rated flat screen TV and cozy sectional seating arrangement, enjoying the football season outdoors in high-comfort.


Beat the Weather
 
Whether it’s a hot and sunny summer afternoon, cool fall’s day, or rainy spring morning, indulge in the outdoors in comfort with the addition of an Arcadia adjustable aluminum pergola. Dial-in just the right amount of sun or shade, increase circulation, or seal out rain with the touch of a button, eking out every last minute of the outdoor season. 

Discover a whole new world of outdoor living design. Contact Denver Pergola Systems today.

This was originally published at http://www.denverpergolas.com/8-clever-new-patio-ideas-to-incorporate-with-your-pergola/

Blend Your Hot Tub Seamlessly Into Your Landscape with these 7 Tips

Warm and bubbly, hot tubs are among the most enjoyed outdoor living space additions, but often they come at the expense of aesthetics. Let’s face it, a 500-hundred+ gallon vessel of water with an ugly vinyl cover can be hard to camouflage. Fortunately, with a few tricks, it’s possible to harmonize your hot tub with your landscape, creating an environment just as relaxing to look at as your hot tub is to soak in.

Preserve the Beauty of Your Backyard with these 7 Hot Tub Integration Tricks:

1. Cover it. (Not with that ugly vinyl thing.)
   
   Instead of sticking with the ugly vinyl cover most hot tubs arrive from the factory with (and engaging in a wet wrestling match every time you want to open/close your spa), invest in a rolling spa cover. Custom-made from woods like cedar, these look much better and easily slide out of the way. Adding a deck platform? Be sure to design your deck so the cover can slide conveniently underneath, disappearing out of the way beneath the deck when your spa is in use.
2. Reduce your exposure.
   
   Instead of leaving all sides of your hot tub exposed, mask it, carefully tucking it away in a corner of your outdoor living space, and covering the remaining sides with a wooden enclosure. Add functional steps or keep the sides sleek, creating the look of a warm wood wall.

3. Go undercover.
   
   
   
   Custom hot tub applications offer a number of options for concealment – even when hot tubs are located above ground. Here a feature wall hides the hot tub from patio or window view, blending into the terraced garden.
4. Get creative.
   
   
   With a skilled and creative contractor and the right combination of building materials and motors, the sky’s the limit, such as with this cover that does double duty, serving as a sun deck when not in use.
5. Put it center stage.
   
   
   
   When investing in a custom hot tub, consider a hot tub addition that doubles as a water feature when not in use.
6. Push boundaries.
   
   
   
   Unlike pools, hot tubs don’t require a large amount of paved space surrounding them for access. Fit for just a few, the smaller footprint of a hot tub provides ample opportunity to create a beautiful garden focal point. Working dense plantings nearly up to the edge provides a lush, verdant soaking space.
7. Get a room.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
    When adding a hot tub as part of a multifunctional outdoor living space, consider sectioning off your yard into rooms, separating the spa-like retreat of your hot tub from dining and entertaining areas. Create a true retreat dialing-in just the right amount of exposure with the 170-degree adjustment of an Arcadia adjustable aluminum pergola, integrating motorized curtains and screens for privacy to create a private, relaxing feel.

Ready to relax into your outdoor living space addition? We’ll have you bathing in bliss in no time. Contact Denver Pergola Systems to learn new ways to streamline your outdoor living space design today.

This post was originally published at http://www.denverpergolas.com/7-tricks-for-a-seamless-outdoor-hot-tub-integration/

The Why & How of Outdoor Office Workspace Additions

Bleak surroundings. Hours under energy-sapping artificial lighting. Constant interruptions from bored/drained coworkers trying to stay conscious. It’s no surprise that 76% of workers polled in a recent survey noted they were more productive when working outside the traditional office environment. Is your company thinking outside the box? Checking off your office to-do list in a nice, sun-dappled, Wi-Fi enabled outdoor workspace makes for a productivity oasis. Here’s how you can pull it off.

Interior Courtyards

If you’re building your own office space, including an interior courtyard in your building design offers an ideal outdoor workspace solution. Highly coveted for the natural light they add to a building, interior courtyards are a great alternative to artificial lighting, which has been proven to negatively impact cortisol (stress) hormone levels. In addition to increasing worker exposure to natural light, a known stress reducer and mood booster, interior courtyard setups also provide a natural source of ventilation and circulation, reducing your carbon footprint and making it easier to heat and cool your office space. Centrally located, interior courtyards are prime real estate to congregate. Unique to other outdoor setups, they provide the outdoor experience, while still remaining contained – ideal for ensuring office security. And there are tons of ways to customize: Go lush with lots of greenery, low-care with containers, or reduce irrigation and maintenance duties with the right pairing of rocks, pebbles, and succulents.

Decks & Balconies
 
Decks make for an ideal meeting space – a setting that promotes relaxation and positive energy. However, shelter is key to keeping employees from getting burned when the expected meeting excess leads to sun excess. Easily added to offices with prime deck real estate and outdoor air rights, Arcadia adjustable pergolas make for the perfect fit. Lightweight and aluminum, they can be installed in nearly any location, providing flexible shelter for any season of the year with 170-degree and pivoting flexibility. Dial-in just the right amount of sun, shade, or shelter on demand, keeping rain from ruining your monthly review.  

Rooftop Gardens

If green office space is in short supply – raise your expectations – to the rooftop! Adding a rooftop garden can really payoff and is a great way to capitalize and improve existing real estate. Like deck and balcony additions, shelter is likewise a necessity in rooftop environs. More than a productivity-boosting outdoor oasis for staff, rooftop gardens offer a host of benefits beyond boosting worker morale, helping control heating and cooling costs and control water runoff, and bringing an amazing return-on-investment via energy savings, rebates and incentives. How hard is it to pull off a rooftop garden? From easy containers and raised bed additions, to more intensive and ecologically-diverse green roofs, there are options to add green to your rooftop space at a variety of levels. Learn how.

Living Walls

Let’s face it, some office spaces, such as those halfway up a high-rise, don’t have the luxury of outdoor or rooftop real estate. But that doesn’t mean you can’t bring some of the outdoors in. Living walls  are an easy way to improve the office ambiance and provide a faux outdoor setting, especially when combined with LED lighting options in daylight/sunlight hues. Made of polystyrene and other materials, living walls are typically mounted on the interior or exterior walls of buildings, providing a wall or frame you can plug plants into to create a lush, green space nearly anywhere. Hiring a knowledgeable installer ensures plant compatibility and low-maintenance care.  

Does your office pack an outdoor productivity punch? Capitalize on your office space and boost your bottom line with the help of Denver Pergola Systems today.

This post was originally published at http://www.denverpergolas.com/the-why-how-of-outdoor-office-workspace-additions/

Stress Busters: 10 Ways to Add Some Chill to Your Backyard

Stressed out and yearning for a space where you can finally put your feet up and relax? Give stress the boot, grabbing a cold, frosty beverage and dipping your toes into one of these 10 outdoor chill zones for your deck, patio, or yard…

1. Have a Glass on Your Private Bistro.
   Grab a glass of wine or enjoy a quiet dinner al fresco, rain or shine, adjusting to changing weather on-demand with the quick, remote control or iLouver app adjustment of your Arcadia adjustable aluminum pergola.
   
2. Take a Nap.
   Create an outdoor living space surrounding a cushy outdoor daybed or sofa, adding curtains or motorized screens to your adjustable aluminum pergola to block the glare of the sun and add a touch of privacy.
3. Hang Out.
   Kick back and relax in a classic hammock, taking a winter nap with the louvers open to bask in the warmth of the sun, or closing them for shade on a warm summer’s day.
4. Sway Your Worries Away.
   Indulge your inner child, swinging your worries away on a hanging chair with a stand beneath the shelter of your pergola.
   
5. Indulge in a Good Book.
   Curl up in your private reading nook, tucked away in the corner of your private patio or garden space.
6. Take on a Tropical Getaway.
   Hideaway in the tropics without ever leaving your backyard, creating a resort-like oasis with large, lush tropical foliage carefully selected for your climate. Pair with a relaxing water feature to drown out city noises, kicking back on a hammock, chaise, or swing.
7. Elevate Yourself.
   Even city dwellers need an escape. Turn your balcony or rooftop space into a terrific retreat, incorporating lush, green living walls and container planters for privacy and noise control, around a cute café table set or blanket-covered outdoor futon for lounging.
8. Escape to Your Secret Garden.
   Create a secret space just for you, tucked away in a private corner of your yard. Surround with native grasses and lush, flowering bushes for privacy, adding motorized curtains or screens for the times when you simply must fly solo.
9. Let the Bubbles Take You Away.
   Take in the warmth of the sun or indulge in the cool summer breeze, sipping your favorite beverage in your outdoor bath.
10. Lounge Poolside.
    Put the lime in the coconut and lounge poolside, opening louvers wide to indulge in the sun, or closing louvers to relax in the shade beneath the fan of your remote control Arcadia aluminum pergola. 

Need to get away? Look no farther than your backyard. Create a space that’s a true escape with the help of Denver Pergola Systems today.

This post was originally published at http://www.denverpergolas.com/kick-stress-to-the-curb-turn-your-backyard-into-the-ultimate-chill-zone/

8 Tips for Planning a Relaxing, Functional Outdoor Living Space

Achieve a Relaxing, Functional Outdoor Living Space with these 8 Pergola Tips

Creating a useful, enjoyable outdoor living space should not revolve around a bargain store impulse buy. A comfortable, sought-after space requires careful planning around your outdoor living needs. How can you ensure an outstanding outdoor design?    

The Formula for a Winning Outdoor Living Space Design:

1. Determine the Purpose & Size of Your Outdoor Living Area
   What are you and your family looking for in an outdoor living space? A private, relaxing retreat? Added kitchen and dining space? A place to work while the family plays? The necessary features of your outdoor space will largely depend on these decisions, with size restricted by your property’s unique footprint, zoning, and HOA limitations.
2. Ponder Placement
   When considering placement, don’t overlook the influence of natural elements that can add to ambiance, as well as those that could detract, such as prevailing winds and sun orientation. Instead of the typical locale (just out the back door), consider alternatives such as breaking up your outdoor space into several small patio ‘rooms,’ connected together with landscaping or hardscaping, adding a pavilion as an outdoor focal point, or locating your space in an off-the-beaten-path, secluded area of your yard for quiet and privacy.
3. Consider Convenience
   The placement of your outdoor room should allow for easy movement into/out of the house. Safe, convenient access to power and water are key. Good zoning of your space, properly installing/locating amenities, spacing and separating various activities and furnishings allow for safe traffic flow and ease-of-use.
4. Set the Scene
   Adding greenery with a living wall, large planters, water and fire features, or taking advantage of surrounding natural views.
5. Ensure Comfort
   Create intimacy, define your space, and provide integral sun and rain shelter with an adjustable Arcadia aluminum pergola. Unlike fixed patio shade structures, the Arcadia lets you take advantage of all each season has to offer, sealing out the rain, basking in the sun, or dialing in the perfect amount of shade via remote control or iLouver app-driven technology.
6. Complement Your Home’s Décor
   When selecting your pergola design, choose a scheme that harmonizes with the architecture of your home and your signature style. The Arcadia comes in a wide variety of custom colors and trim variations to accommodate this, including faux-wood wrap, architectural columns, and custom trim, including corbel ends to meet your unique design needs.
7. Plan for Privacy
   Ensure privacy from neighbors and noise reduction with motorized privacy curtains, or strategically placed fencing, decorative stone screening wall and/or tall landscaping plants. Consider the addition of screens, which alongside privacy, can also offer protection from pests.
8. Ask for Help When You Need It
   Unsure of how to accomplish your dream outdoor living space design? The pros at Denver Pergola Systems have the experience you need to help you bring even the most imaginative outdoor living ideas to life.

Turn your outdoor living dream into a reality, ensuring an investment that will last for years to come. Contact Denver Pergola Systems today.

This post was originally published at http://www.denverpergolas.com/8-tips-for-planning-a-relaxing-functional-outdoor-living-space/

Instead of Eating Out, Eat Outside!

A major monthly expense for families of all sizes, food can put a huge dent in family finances if you’re not careful. In many of today’s families, food funds diverted to eating out have surpassed funds spent on groceries for home-use. Exacerbating the issue, the cost of dining out is up 2.7% (according to restaurant industry news) while the cost of homemade food has dropped 0.5%, ballooning the food budget for those on the restaurant bandwagon. Are you among those struggling not to become ‘food poor?’

Eat Out in Your Own Backyard
Home cooked meals are by far cheaper and healthier than dining out, while the prep and partaking of food make for a great bonding activity – especially when that time is enjoyed in an amazing outdoor kitchen and dining environment. Instead of stretching yourself thin with repeated restaurant purchases, save a ton of money while increasing the quality of your time at home, nutritionally and emotionally building your family unit with the addition of an outdoor kitchen and dining space.

Why Prep & Eat Your Next Meal Outside with the Family?

• Cooking meals is healthier.
  You control portion size and ingredients, freely making substitutions for health and allergies/sensitivities, ensuring the quality of nutrition over high-fat, high-salt/sugar, mass-produced, cookie-cutter restaurant fare.
• Cooking outdoors is a tremendous opportunity to learn new skills & bond.
  Involving kids with cooking helps build and safeguard family traditions, rather than the marketing culture of major food corporations. Hang and chat while prepping for dinner, enjoying the fruits of your efforts as a family. Studies show kids that eat at home are healthier, happier, do better in school and engage in fewer risky behaviors than those who don’t share dinner with family.
• Grilling is a crowd-pleaser.
  New gas grill technology is quick-to-heat, making weeknight grilling a snap. Allowing for the easy customization of dinner plates, vegan or carnivore, attending picky eaters is seriously simplified when grill-side. Grilling takes less prep, involves less cooking paraphernalia, and makes cleanup a snap as well.
• Eating outside reduces stress & boosts immunity.
  Studies clearly demonstrate the stress-busting benefits of being outdoors. Time in nature reduces heart rate, blood pressure, and stress hormone (cortisol) levels, easing tension. Sunlight exposure boosts Vitamin D production, which safeguards your body against cancer, heart attack, stroke, osteoporosis, and depression. These benefits in-turn boost your immunity, helping you ward off colds, flu, and serious chronic health issues.
• Food tastes better in the outdoors.
  When you’re present in an enjoyable outdoor experience, as opposed to zoning-out while under stress, you are more tuned-in to your observations, including the flavor or your outdoor feast.
• Digestion is improved.
  Because stress has a negative impact on digestion, and being outside reduces stress, digestion is markedly better in outdoor environments.  
• Outdoor dining boosts mood and cognitive performance.
  A natural mood booster, emerging yourself in nature while dining, rather than in the digital world, helps you focus, recharging you mentally and emotionally with its awe-inspiring sights.
  

Earn Maximum Return with Minimal Time Investment
Planning ahead makes outdoor cooking and dining a breeze. Shopping bi-monthly for non-perishables and taking advantage of sales, and weekly for perishables, keeps your pantry stocked and on-budget. A weekly menu tacked on the fridge helps you thaw on-time, every time, ensuring fast, 10-30-minute prep - the average time it takes to wait for food and dine in fast food establishments.

Reinvest your restaurant savings, ensuring a trouble-free outdoor cooking and dining experience no matter the weather. Have experiences with your family you wouldn’t trade for a lifetime of dining out.  Uncover the benefits of a fully-functional outdoor kitchen and dining space topped-off with an adjustable aluminum pergola from Denver Pergola Systems today.

This post was originally published at http://www.denverpergolas.com/instead-of-eating-out-eat-outside/

10 Reasons to Add an Outdoor Living Space in 2018

Looking for an excuse to splurge on an outdoor living space this year? How about because it’s good for you? Cheaper than prescriptions and with no negative side effects, spending time in your outdoor living space is proven to boost your mental and physical health.

Because Harvard Says So

According to Harvard Medical School spending time outdoors, whether grabbing a bite to eat, working, or kicking back and relaxing, offers significant health benefits…

1. Spending Time Outdoors Boosts Vitamin D
   Vitamin D, ‘the sunshine vitamin,’ is essential to overall health. The form gained outdoors is more bioavailable (more easily used by your body), with known protective effects against an impressive variety of serious illnesses: Cancer, heart attacks, stroke, depression, osteoporosis, and more. However, the vast majority of Americans don’t get enough, leading some doctors to write prescriptions for this essential nutrient in the form of time outdoors.
2. Going Outdoors Makes You Happy
   Natural light elevates your mood. A known and effective treatment for seasonal affective disorder or winter depression, it can also boost workout benefits. Studies show just 5 minutes of ‘green exercise’ offers mood and self-esteem boosting benefits. As an added bonus, the refreshing, invigorating surroundings of an outdoor workout space help motivate workout intensity and length.
3. Being Outdoors Reduces Stress
   Being outdoors alters physical manifestations of stress, decreasing heart rate, lowering blood pressure, and reducing cortisol levels, the hormone marker used to identify a body under extreme stress.
4. Enjoying Time Outdoors Helps Fight Fatigue
   Eliciting feelings of awe, the amazing sights of nature can inspire you to get your mind back into gear and bounce back from mental fatigue.
5. Outdoor Interaction = Exercise; Exercise = Good
   Being indoors is associated with a sedentary lifestyle, especially in children. American children spend 6 hours a day on electronic media, on average. Time spent outdoors, on the other hand, is associated with activity, with studies showing children are more than doubly-active when outdoors.
6. Spending Time Outdoors Improves Concentration
   Research has shown children with ADHD perform better on tests of concentration following exposure to nature (a walk in the park versus one through urban settings). Similar walks have likewise been proven to aid the working memory of those suffering from depression.
7. ‘Nature Therapy’ Boosts Performance
   In studies, those immersed in nature for 4-days experienced a 50% improvement in performance on creative problem solving tests. Unlike caffeine or side-effect laden pharmaceuticals, ‘nature therapy’ improves cognitive function at zero cost.
8. Outdoor Experiences Support a Healthy Mood
   Studies have found time outdoors an ideal supplement to existing treatment modalities for anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues. Exposure to green environments offers relief, boosting self-esteem and mood. These effects can be increased in combination with exercise and the addition of outdoor water features.
9. Natural Light Exposure Aids Healing
   University of Pittsburgh studies indicated views of nature improve patient recoveries post-surgery, with those exposed to natural light experiencing less pain and post-op stress, and requiring fewer medications. Overall, time in nature has been shown to keep the inflammatory processes seen in connection with depression, inflammatory bowel disease, autoimmune disorders, and cancers in check.
10. Indulging in the Outdoors Safeguards Health
    Studies have shown a strong, positive association between exposure to green space and health. A wide variety of diseases are less prevalent among those living close to green spaces compared to those residing in urban environments. Studies also show the higher the residential green vegetation exposure, the lower mortality rates, citing a 12% lower mortality for those with the most exposure.

Because You Deserve It

Longing to spend more time outdoors, but weather keeps getting in the way? Design a space that is comfortable and functional year-round with the addition of an Arcadia adjustable aluminum pergola. Dial-in the perfect amount of sun or shade, or seal out the rain with the touch of a button, taking advantage of all the health-boosting benefits the outdoors has to offer no matter the weather. Incorporate built-in ceiling fans, infrared heaters, and motorized screens for improved comfort and protection against pests, with a flexible, custom-designed patio shelter solution built to blend seamlessly into your home and lifestyle.

Got the outdoor itch? We’ve got the cure. Schedule your complimentary outdoor living space design consultation with Denver Pergola Systems today.

This post was originally published at http://www.denverpergolas.com/10-ways-an-outdoor-living-space-boosts-health/

Add Green to Tight Spaces by Going Vertical

Tiny, lackluster outdoor spaces surrounded by concrete and fencing are a dime a dozen. Far from inspiring, they make it difficult for the uninitiated to envision the possibility of a beautiful, green outdoor living space where square footage is at a premium and life fails to exist. Yet with vertical gardening, the sky is quite literally the limit of outdoor greenery additions, allowing for the addition of a lush, verdant outdoor space you never before dreamed possible...

 photo credit: http://www.livingwallart.com/grow-a-vertical-garden-indoors/

What is a Vertical Garden?
Also called living walls or green walls, vertical gardens are typically mounted on the interior or exterior walls of buildings, and occasionally on fences. Vertical planters vary widely in size, shape, scope, and technology. However, each is beautiful and functional, providing a refreshing green backdrop that offers all the benefits of nature, even to spaces once totally devoid of life. This allows for the incorporation of an amazingly green outdoor living space to nearly any location. And the benefits don’t just stop at looks. A growing practice in the green building arena, vertical gardens reduce the heat island effect, decrease noise pollution, improve air quality, and provide opportunities as a food resource.

What Kind of Plants Can You Add to a Vertical Garden?
People tend to be pleasantly surprised by the variety of plants compatible with vertical gardening. But you can’t just toss any old plant into vertical garden setups. Like your family members, each plant variety is most comfortable in a specific climate. When deciding among plants to incorporate into your design to enhance your pergola-covered patio, sun exposure, watering needs, and clearance are important things to keep in mind. Once your adjustable aluminum pergola is installed, will your vertical garden reside primarily in the sun, partial sun, or shade most of the day? Will you leave the 170-degree adjustable louvers of your pergola open or closed in your absence? Choosing plants compatible with available sun and seasonal temperature shifts is key to success. With less dirt, and more exposure to wind and sunlight, drip irrigation is also highly-recommend to meet watering needs. In addition, it is essential to consider plant growth. Massively bushing behemoths and crazy climbers could both interfere with the motor, louvers, and rain/wind sensors of your adjustable aluminum pergola and are best avoided.



Best Plants for Pergola-Side Vertical Gardens

• Sun

• Geranium
• Petunias
• Rock Rose
• Dichondra
• Baby’s Tears
• Chili Plants
• Sempervivum
• Sedum
• Blue Fescue & Blue Oat Grass
• Partial Sun (less than ½ day of summer sun)
• Lipstick Plant
• Sweet Alyssum
• Pothos
• Aloe
• Bugle Plant
• Elephant Ears
• Coral Bells
• Shade (less than 3 hours of direct sunlight; typically morning light)
• Ferns (most varieties)
• Hostas
• English Ivy
• Staghorn Fern
• Peace Lily
• Violets
• Bromeliads
• Dracaenas
• Crotons

Looking to Eat Out of Your Garden?

• Sun

• Cherry tomatoes
• Strawberries
• Basil
• Thyme
• Sage
• Oregano
• Coriander
• Chives
• Marjoram

• Partial Sun (less than ½ day of summer sun)

• Lettuce
• Spinach
• Kale
• Parsley
• Shade (less than 3 hours of direct sunlight; typically morning light)
• Mint Varieties
• Watercress
• Sorrel
• Lemon Balm
• Thai Basil

Think the possibility of a beautiful outdoor space in a barren backyard is a pie in the sky fantasy? See your outdoor space in a different light with the help of Denver Pergola Systems today.

This post was originally published at http://www.denverpergolas.com/add-green-to-tight-spaces-by-going-vertical/

What Size Pergola Do I Need?

One of the most common questions we encounter at Denver Pergola Systems, is “What size pergola do I need?” This is partially because consumers are accustomed to being boxed-in by box-store standard sizing. With Arcadia adjustable aluminum pergolas, however, this is not the case, as each shelter solution can be customized to meet your exact needs. How do you determine those sizing needs? Pergola sizing is ultimately tied to patio size.

Determining Patio (& Pergola) Size
Patio size is influenced by a variety of factors, including yard size, your intention for your outdoor space (cooking, dining, office, etc.), and furnishings. Many homeowners unintentionally end up with a patio that is either too small, feeling cramped by furniture, or an overly large space that lacks intimacy. The trick is ensuring adequate space to allow for movement around furnishings and proportioning each correctly to avoid a warehouse-like feel.

Finding the Patio Type that’s Right for You:

●        Bistro
Tucked away in smaller spaces, bistro patios can be a challenge to design large enough for function yet small enough to squeeze into tight, typically 6-7-foot in diameter spaces.  Want more in your bistro-size space? Check out these tips.

●        Kitchen
Like home kitchens, there’s a huge array of amenity and sizing variations here. What best suits your needs? Shop, get dimensions, create a chalk outline, then navigate your imaginary kitchen space to ensure adequate elbow room.

●        Dining
How many will you be serving at evening meals? Allocate at least a 10-foot space for the typical 4-person dining round table; 11-feet for a 6-person round. Going rectangular? The typical setup (seating 2 on each side and one at each table head) takes approximately a 13x10 patio space. 3-feet surrounding furniture is ideal for movement. Adding more furnishings? You should likewise add to your patio footprint.

●        Living Room
Outdoor living rooms are hugely popular. Featuring technology and furnishings just as plush and large as indoor options, they are likewise supersized: 16-18 feet across, with an ideal 3-feet of clearance surrounding furniture for traffic flow. As outdoor living spaces incorporate multiple functions, a central conservation area, such as a fire feature, is integral to creating intimacy. Paver designs/colors, masonry seat walls, and outdoor rugs are ideal for defining key areas.
Avoid these common mistakes.

●        Sundeck
Calculate a sundeck space featuring a 2x6-foot space per lounge chair, with cocktail tables in-between. Ensure a 3-foot walking space at the foot of chairs – 5-feet to prevent an accidental splash in the pool.

●        Bar
Like kitchens, there’s a nearly endless number of bar variations, from portable models to all-out Irish pub fare for the extended family.

●        Bath
Outdoor baths and showers are growing in popularity. Is this addition an ideal choice for your outdoor space? LINK: Recent bath/shower blog

●        Outdoor Office
Personalize your outdoor office for form, function, and productivity with these tips.

Shop for Furniture First
After deciding on your outdoor living space ‘theme’ and checking with your local municipality and homeowner’s association to verify how much of your outdoor real estate is up for grabs, take your measurements, shopping for furnishings and appliances first. This can help you design a patio properly sized to meet ‘must-have’ features without any space-hogging surprises. This should include seating/lounges, tables and chairs, and other integral functional and design elements such as grills, bars, fireplaces/fire pits, water features, and large planters/greenery. All the ‘stuff.’ Keep a detailed list, taking photos, and before you purchase, go home and consider the sizing and placement of your intended additions. This chart is a great reference for estimating furniture/patio dimensions.

Calculate Your Ideal Pergola Dimensions
Now that you’ve put in the prep work, it’s time to order your pergola. Patio size = pergola size, so it’s crucial not to cut corners. Sleek and space-saving, your Arcadia adjustable aluminum pergola will prove the linchpin of your design, preserving your outdoor enjoyment rain or shine with iLouver app or remote operation and 170-degrees of rotational flexibility for the perfect amount of sun, shade or shelter. Add the finishing touches with comfort control solutions ranging from lighting to motorized screens for pests and privacy, and ceiling fans/patio heaters for year-round comfort, incorporating your pergola seamlessly into the design of your home with custom color and accessory options.

Unsure of your patio design? Our professional design team can help. Ensure an outdoor living area design that serves as an extension of your home, enjoying its use year-round. Open up to new ways to use your outdoor space with Denver Pergola Systems today.

This post was originally published at http://www.denverpergolas.com/what-size-pergola-do-i-need/