Great screen porch designs!

October 19, 2018October 19, 2018 / archadeckofcharlotte / Leave a comment

What makes for a great screen porch design?

It starts with the roof line!

Screen Porch by Archadeck of Charlotte with outdoor fireplace and pergola

Notice how the architecture fits the architecture detail and color of the house and trim.

Designing the outdoor space to the appropriate scale of the house for both looks and function is the next important consideration

Charlotte outdoor living trex island mist deck

Make sure the furniture that you plan on placing inside the porch will fit!

Next is material usage. Utilizing materials that will hold up given the climate conditions and wear and tear makes for a good part of the design consideration.

Gable Roof Screen Porch with Custom Fireplace

For the most comprehensive screen porch design ideas, go to archadeckofcharlotte.com

Why would I build an outdoor fireplace versus a fire pit?

June 22, 2014June 24, 2014 / archadeckofcharlotte / Leave a comment

Should you add a fire pit or fireplace as a feature on an outdoor living space? One thing is for certain, fire features are hot (no pun intended)!

Archadeck deck in Charlotte with fire pit

Archadeck of Charlotte designed and built this pretty stained deck and fire pit

So…why would you build an outdoor fireplace versus building a fire pit? Here are some important considerations:

1. Function

Do you want this to be part of a room enclosure like a screen porch or sun room? If so, it will by default have to be a fireplace for venting purposes. If you want to have a large group most of the time, a fire pit actually allows for a large group to sit on all sides and allows for more people to enjoy the warmth of the fire than a fireplace.

2. Aestheitcs

An outdoor fireplace is a focal feature of an outdoor space. By it’ sheer size and design, when build right and placed appropriately, the outdoor fireplace is a most attractive addition. On the other hand, if you have incredible views of water or woods, you may want something much lower profile like the fire pit. Both fire features can be additive to the overall landscape design but placement of the feature is critical.

wood burning stone outdoor fireplace with fieldstone on a flagstone patio in Charlotte

Archadeck of Charlotte designed and built this flagstone patio and fieldstone outdoor fireplace

3. Price

A stone outdoor fireplace can be as low as $8,000 and go up to $15,000 depending on size and additional features. The stone outdoor fire pit is more like $1,000 and go upwards depending on size and features.

There is a significant price difference as you can see. If budget will not allow for the fireplace, a fire pit will still serve as a great place to entertain friends and family. The one thing you will forgo is the focal point of the space. To see a complete photo gallery of outdoor fireplaces and fire pits, go to http://www.charlotte.archadeck.com

How much sun comes through a pergola versus a porch roof?

May 2, 2014May 7, 2014 / archadeckofcharlotte / Leave a comment

Trex deck with pergola and composite rail by Archadeck of Charlotte

The famous question….how much sun protection will a pergola provide? What are the advantages of a pergola versus a porch roof?

At Archadeck of Charlotte we get asked this question almost daily! The answer lies in how the pergola is constructed. For example, the closer you space your rafters and perlins, the more sun protection you will receive. This is not to say it will stop all of the sun, but then again, neither will a roof. If you think about it, the sun moves all day long and your roof and or pergola of course are stationery. At any given time, the sun may peak under the roof as well. What both the pergola and the roof provide are some protection. The primary difference comes when you have rain, then the roof is the better protection by a long shot.

One solution to provide rain protection on a pergola is to cover it with either a canvas or metal pan system. There are some very nice products on the market now to cover a pergola with and you can get many design ideas at http://www.charlotte.archadeck. com

In the end, pergola’s can provide quite a bit of protection depending on how they are designed and the additional features you may choose to add to them. Talk to a professional who can guide you through the various options and prices!

Today’s decks are anything but square…deck design ideas

April 20, 2014April 30, 2014 / archadeckofcharlotte / Leave a comment

Unique deck with multiple levels and an outdoor fireplace in South Charlotte by Archadeck

Trex Composite dekcing installed by Archadeck of Charlotte

Trex Transcends composite deck and fascia in Charlotte, NC

Like most outdoor living spaces, decks have gone through an evolutionary change. Gone are the days of square and rectangular decks. At a minimum, people want corners that are on a 45 degree cut. That’s just the beginning! As people have moved from inside the home to outdoors, they want unique deck design features.

At Archadeck of Charlotte, we began seeing this evolution about 7 years ago and it has accelerated. People are looking at multi-level decks as creating areas of interest, even if it’s just one-step down or elevated. There are wonderful spaces being designed into the deck that create family or small group gatherings with comfortable benches and furniture. Deck boards are being installed in multiple directions to create more visual interest. Deck boards are being installed as a picture frame around the entire deck and stained in a different color much like a beautiful photograph.

Trex, the leading manufacturer of composite decking sends out wonderful design ideas from their multitude of professional installers that is a frequent reference guide.We are seeing outdoor fireplaces being installed on and next to decks, fire pits, outdoor kitchens, and even Green Eggs in built-ins.

Deck designs are so unique that movie sets are looking for ways to glamorize their scenes with unique outdoor spaces. In many ways, living outdoors has become the vogue. For great deck designs, go to http://www.charlotte.archadeck.com

Ideas for your outdoor living space (What haven’t I thought of for the porch/ patio?)

November 27, 2013November 27, 2013 / archadeckofcharlotte / Leave a comment

Archadeck of Charlotte designed and built this outdoor fireplace on a flagstone patio with dual sitting walls

Pool pavilion with a stone box for a Green Egg and outdoor living space built by Archadeck of Charlotte

A very common question we get is “what haven’t I thought of for my porch/ patio? Can you give me some additional ideas of trends whether they are functional or simply aesthetic value?

Archadeck of Charlotte designs and builds outdoor living spaces in the Carolinas and has done so for over the past 25 years. There are several newer trends and ideas we can share for your outdoor space.

Water features are a very hot trend right now. You can do something simple like a small waterfall that has a soothing noise and adds beauty or design and build a pond with a waterfall.

Fire features to extend your outdoor living to year around include fire pits and fire places. We design them incorporated with structures like covered patios and porches or free standing on patios and decks.

Outdoor lighting is the perfect accent for evening functionality, safety and ambiance.

Outdoor heaters can be very effective again on a covered porch or open patio.

Shade structures are a must in the Carolina’s as the hot sun can make it uncomfortable without them!

There is an extensive photo gallery available to get outdoor living design ideas at http://www.charlotte.archadeck.com

Winterizing your outdoor living space (winterizing your porch)

October 26, 2013October 28, 2013 / archadeckofcharlotte / Leave a comment

Screen Porch with EZ Breeze windows and stone outdoor fireplace

Stone outdoor fireplace with Eze Breeze windows in screen porch

stone patio with stone outdoor fireplace

Outdoor fireplace and patio in Charlotte

Screen Porch with wood burning stone fireplace

Archadeck of Charlotte design and built this screen porch and stone outdoor fireplace

What are the best ways to winterize your outdoor living space or porch? There are several ways to extend the time you are able to spend outdoors, specifically in the Carolinas!

The most popular way to winterize your outdoor living space is by adding a fire feature. This could mean something as simple as a fire pit or a real focal feature like an outdoor fireplace. If you have a covered patio or screen porch, you can even have the outdoor fireplace integrated into the structure.

PGT Industries has been manufacturing its Eze Breeze window porch enclosure product for years now. In the greater Charlotte area, these are a wonderful to enclose your porch and with the aid of an outdoor fireplace or space heater, you can be outside year around.

To see a tremendous photo gallery of design ideas or more information on these products, go to charlotte.archadeck.com

Best patio design photo gallery in NC/SC

September 21, 2013September 25, 2013 / archadeckofcharlotte / Leave a comment

Archadeck of Charlotte designed and built this flagstone patio with black aluminum rail and patio steps

Archadeck of Charlotte designed and built this flagstone patio with patio steps and black aluminum rail

Want to see the best design ideas and photo gallery for patio designs in North Carolina and South Carolina? We have the most extensive patio photo gallery and even a video gallery on You Tube that can give you great ideas on what you can do with your outdoor living space.

Archadeck of Charlotte has been designing and building outdoor spaces for over 25 years and has chronicled many of their best designs in their photo gallery and on You Tube. You can find unusual materials, designs around various elevations, and even combinations of fire features and water features! You don’t have to look any further than the links below!

Go to www.charlotte.archadeck.com or go to http://www.youtube.com