by DC Sitnik

Created on: April 05, 2007   Last Updated: April 18, 2007

Ah, summer! Time to get out of the house and enjoy outdoor living again! And what better way to enjoy being outside than to expand your living and entertaining space than by creating an outdoor room? Think you can't afford it? Think again!

For some of us, the solution is to design a living area by building a spacious deck or patio. But let's face it, decks require a sizable upfront investment in lumber or manmade decking material, but they also require yearly upkeep and maintenance. And a flagstone or brick patio, though relatively maintenance-free, is also quite costly to install. So, for the rest of us, here are some beautiful and frugal alternatives for creating that outdoor room you've been craving.

For rustic and maintenance-free beauty, a pea-gravel patio can't be beat, and is easy for the beginner to install. First, decide on the size and shape of your patio, and remove any vegetation with a shovel. Although it helps to level the area, the beauty of working with a material like pea gravel is that you don't have to be a perfectionist about it. Next, outline the border of the patio with the material of your choice; railroad ties, pressure-treated lumber, stones, or even rubber border material works well. This visually defines the patio area, and helps contain the pea gravel. Then, lay down weed barrier cloth (this is sold in large rolls in any hardware store), and cover the area with several inches of sand. Although this is a bit labor intensive, it will ensure that your patio remains free of unwanted vegetation for years to come. Finally, spread several inches (at least 4 inches) of pea gravel, and your patio is a reality! Enjoy planting beautiful flowers and herbs around the border, or just create a lovely landscape with colorful container plants. Add a table, chairs and grill, and you've got a party!

If you don't want to go through the trouble of installing a permanent outdoor structure, there are still ways to have that outdoor room. Almost any home improvement or department store these days sells outdoor metal and nylon pavillions for around $400 or so. They are portable, provide shade during the day, and with candles or light strings, they can be dramatic, romantic spaces at night!

But even if you don't want to spend money for an outdoor pavillion, with a little creativity and an adventurous spirit, you can still have a beautiful temporary outdoor space in which to relax and entertain. Step 1: get that old persian rug that Aunt Martha gave you out of the shed, and put it out on the lawn. (Jute rugs are a tough and inexpensive alternative if you can't bring yourself to do this.) A lovely place to do this is under a big, shady tree, but you can always put up a portable umbrella. Step 2: put a table and chairs on the rug. Step 3: add any accents you like - I've suspended candle lanterns from tree branches (or the umbrella)overhead and even put small, colorful container plants around the edges to define the area a bit more. Step 3: open the picnic basket and bottle of wine, and relax! The beauty of this type of "gypsy pavillion" is that you can do it just about anywhere - your backyard, the park, or in the woods.

With so many ways to enjoy the great outdoors, who wants to stay inside? Cheers!

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