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Wednesday, April 2, 2008

Outdoor Living - Investing Beyond 4 Walls

When you hear the term "Outdoor Living" what is the first thing that pops into your mind; picnic tables, plastic mismatched chairs and the smell of burgers cooking on the hibachi. For many living outdoors confines them and their thoughts to a small patio area with a couple of old plants and their college patio furniture. In today's world outdoor living means pushing out the walls and extending the living space to include the outdoors way beyond the patio.

As the real estate market fluctuates, homeowners look to remodel their homes and include projects to create outdoor livings spaces for optimum comfort and pleasure. With billions spent on remodeling in the US alone after upgrading the kitchen and bathrooms, upgrading the outside of a home comes in third on the project list. By taking advantage of your backyard and extending the living and entertaining areas, not only increases living space, but also helps raise the property value.

It is amazing how many things used indoors now can also be used outdoors as well!

Components for Creating an Outdoor Living Environment:

The Outdoor kitchen - this type of cooking appliance can be a simple BBQ to a complete built in gas bar-b-que including the sink for clean up and refrigerator for the cold beer and beverages.

Patio Furniture - the focal point of many outdoor patio areas is the furniture. Outdoor dining tables and chairs cover the range of simple inexpensive plastic chairs and tables to metal and teak outdoor dining furniture. The selection and price range is wide as I have been looking for some sling style chairs for my patio.

Heating - as you move northward the use of your outside area can be reduced from cooler temperatures. However, outdoor fireplaces, firepits and patio heaters can solve the cool issue and extend our outdoor season later into the fall or crank it spring earlier in the year. Light adds a wonderful ambiance and it does not need to only come from a fire the use of landscape lighting can do the trick.

Covering the Patio - the blazing summer sun can turn a fun outdoor party into a place everyone wants to get away from. A partially covered area where the cooking and dining areas are located creates a wonderful shaded retreat from the boiling sun and unexpected weather which can pop up. Decks are also a popular way to dress up a patio along with adding interesting stones, rocks, planters and flowers to create drama.

Remember these items are basics to get a list started, personal style, budget and family needs must also come into play. The only true design limits or restriction is the wallet and imagination. The above items get you started, adding a pool, waterfall and landscaped areas only add to the overall outdoor living space making it more inviting. Projects do not need to happen all at once but build over time. The true benefit is that whatever and however you choose fits you and your living style.

Extend your landscape using outdoor landscaping lights Join Thomas Fryd as he shares his 25 plus years of experience in the world of plants and landscape at www.Plant-Care.com where you get practical professional advice on landscaping and houseplant care.

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Custom Golf Carts Make a Great First Business Impression

Custom golf carts are a must for the entrepreneur who wants to impress any potential new business partners. Nowadays, its common practice for business meetings to take place on the links. There is absolutely no denying that not all business deals take place in the boardroom. With the more relaxed nature of business today, many people are conducting business from everywhere, including the golf course.

Every business wants to make an impression that will sit well with anyone they plan on working with. If you are a business owner who invites an associate to a round of golf, you are obviously the one who then becomes responsible for hosting the game. Although you can drive your golf partner around in one of the used golf carts that is supplied by the course, you want to obviously do better than that.

EZ Go golf carts are one of the premier choices. You can purchase a golf cart by this well respected manufacturer and then have it custom painted to reflect your companys theme. Its a great idea to add your companys logo to the side of the custom golf cart so that the person you are entertaining for the day, is always aware of who is responsible for their chance to unwind.

If your company is a new venture and is just finding its feet, consider a used cart that you then have custom painted. There are many great, well built, Yamaha golf carts that are available. With some elbow grease, a spectacular paint job and your companys brand emblazoned on the side, youll have created an impressive set of wheels to accommodate your future business partners as they play golf with you.

As your business expands and you delve into the world of corporate sponsored golf tournaments, youll need to consider adding to your fleet of custom golf carts. Its advisable that you use the same company to handle the painting and detail work on each cart. You want them to appear as a cohesive unit to your tournament guests and just seeing them all there, waiting in the wings as your guests arrive, will reiterate how important you believe your companys image is.

Remember that it doesnt have to cost too much to purchase a cart and then have it customized to be what you would like it to be. Although this may seem as though its going above and beyond the expected call of duty, its these small gestures that will stick in the minds of potential investors, clients and customers. You want your business to be one that people talk about for the right reasons, so go the extra mile by purchasing a golf cart that is customized. Those who go golfing with you likely wont forget it for a long time. From golf online guide http://www.i2lifegolf.com

For more on custom golf carts, and a comphrehensive guide to golf carts and accessories, go to http://www.i2lifegolf.com/accessories

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