Willis Furniture

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Farmhouse Decorating Tips - Willis Furniture & Mattress

The modern farmhouse look is one of the most popular looks in recent years with the rise of TV shows like Fixer Upper. Today on our blog, we re showing you the easiest way to create this look and where to find some of the pieces!

Lots of Barn Wood

It should come to no surprise that one of the key facets of this trend involves barn wood. While actual barn wood may be difficult, pricy and a little messy, there are lots of furniture brands that offer this look! Look for distressed, rustic finishes or brands like Hooker Furniture in our store.

Neutral Colors

Avoid bright colors when decorating your farmhouse space. Farmhouse colors are meant to look aged or vintage, so choose your yellows, blues and reds with gray undertones. Add pops of pastels and other stormy colors to pair with neutral walls and furniture.

Incorporate Metals

Brass and iron are gorgeous metals to incorporate into your look. Accent your guest room with an iron bedframe and add light fixtures with rustic metals. Mix and match the old and new. Head to a flea market to grab some accent pieces for your coffee table or walls that use rusted metals.

Light Fabrics

Linen, burlap and other textured fabrics are perfect for upholstery or accented items in your d cor. We love slipcover sofas because of their versatility and soft look. There are so many DIY farmhouse looks you can create with burlap, grain sacks and other repurposed fabrics online!

 Dimensional Elements

The farmhouse look incorporates a lived-in or vintage look. There are lots of accents on the wall, floral elements, throw pillows and other cozy pieces that catch your eye when looking at the design. That s one of the reasons this trend is so fun to recreate. Create dimension with layered fabrics, open consoles and wall pieces.

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How Better Furniture Can Make Work From Home Work For You

If you’re among the millions who are new to working from home, you’re probably dealing with some unfamiliar and, perhaps, frustrating feelings. There’s a reason for that. Our brains have a “work” setting and a “home” setting.

 At work we are conditioned for structure. We are focused on tasks, alert to coworkers and bosses, roles and responsibilities, proper language and behaviors. Home is, well, not that rigid. Our brains aren’t exactly sure how to process the new workplace. For newcomers to WFH, difficulty concentrating is common. So is procrastination. Why take on that unpleasant task when the refrigerator is right there? And the TV? And the dog who needs petting? Experts tell us there are ways to minimize the power of distractions and a well-appointed, organized workspace tops the list.

 Are you one of the fortunate ones with a room you can dedicate as a home office or must you share a room that is regularly used for other activities? Either way, solutions abound. Start with the desk. Back in the day dad might have opted for a massive carved oak testament to his position and title at his company. Cleaner lines, modern spirit, flexibility and fun are more in line with today’s

tastes. Scale it up if you have a dedicated room as a home office, scale it down if you’re sharing space.

 Speaking of sharing a room, corner desks have proven a terrific option for the space-challenged, especially when you complement the desk with useful complements that create a flexible and modular system. Designers have termed this approach “bunching,” and it’s a cool way to keep your new world organized with no wasted space, endless ways to manage clutter (a real enemy of productivity) and keep your energy focused on work.

 Maintaining energy is a real issue when you don’t have to get out of your pajamas to go to work. Studies confirm standing is better for posture and circulation than sitting which means lift desks are a popular choice. With today’s options you can program the height and position for your work and program another setting for other uses or for other workers in your household. Press a button and, voila, your desk adapts to your liking.

 Adaptation and customization are compelling reasons to create your WFH space with an American manufacturer. Off-shored furniture is already made, already sitting in a warehouse and demands that you adapt to it rather than it fitting your needs, tastes and environment. Create the space that works for you. After all, when you’re working from home, you’re the boss.

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When to Save and When to Splurge on Furniture in Your Home

Budgeting for a furniture and home d cor can get overwhelming at times. There are so many pieces that go into completing a room! Whether you ve just bought a new home or are redecorating an old space, you ve likely encountered this problem. Balance out your budget by figuring out where to save and splurge. Don t know where to start? We re here to help!

Splurge Sofa

 Your living room sofa can easily be the most expensive piece of furniture you will buy. Because your sofa is in such a high traffic area, you should make a larger investment. Look for high quality materials for the frame and durable fabrics and leathers for the exterior. Splurging on your sofa will allow you to enjoy it for years to come.

 Save Accent Furniture

Trends are constantly coming and going! While the designer, custom made leopard print chair may catch your eye now, you ll be finding a place to store it in a few years when the print goes out of style. Whether it s a side table, night stand, coffee table or other accent piece, it s best to save on these items.

Splurge Mattress

 Your mattress is an investment in your health. Plus, you spend a third of your day sleeping! Keep your purchase decision within your budget, but be sure to try out different options to find the best fit for your needs

Save Lighting

 There are some gorgeous, expensive table lamps and light fixtures on the market, but should are they splurge-worthy? While you should make sure your lighting is of good quality, it s not imperative to spend a fortune in this area.

Splurge Rug

 While rugs can be trendy pieces, they are another item on this used that sees tons of use. Definitely splurge on rugs that are in high traffic areas like the living room and entryway. Look for high quality materials and darker colors to extend the longevity of your rug.

Save Decorative Pieces

 Decorations add style and personality to your home. There s no need to spend a small fortune on them, especially if you re likely to switch them out seasonally. Make your house feel more like a home by using personal items and photos do decorate your space.

As a rule of thumb, invest in items that affect your health and are located in high traffic areas of your home. For accents and d cor, save a little money! Still need help? Consult one of our complimentary designers in our store.

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The Flexsteel Difference

What’s Inside Matters

 Before you buy a car, you probably pop the hood, take a peek, and ask a few questions even if you have no idea what you’re looking for. When it comes to buying a sofa you likely take a different approach—choose one that matches your style and provides a soft place to land after a long day. But what about everything you can’t see? Do you ask how it’s built, what it’s made of, or how you can be sure it will last? 

Flexsteel furniture is made with integrity from the inside out. Every piece is designed with purpose and precision. In fact, if you flip over any of their sofas or chairs you will see exactly what we’re talking about.

Engineered to Last a Lifetime

 At the core of Flexsteel’s upholstered seating is their very own Blue Steel Spring. This patented component is not hidden behind a fabric dust cover. It is left in plain sight so customers can see the remarkable technology that powers their lifetime guarantee.

 The all-riveted, high-carbon, steel banded system gives each one of their sofas and chairs lasting strength and comfort. Over the years Flexsteel has refined and perfected the original Blue Steel Spring to better suit the advancement in furniture construction and ensure the highest level of quality.

 Today, they make four varieties of Blue Steel Springs, all right here in the USA at their plant in Dubuque, Iowa.  While built on the same scientific principles, each variety places extra support where needed most for the specific sofa or chair in which it lives.

Technology That Works

 More than one hundred years since its creation, the Blue Steel Spring continues to differentiate Flexsteel products.

 The strength and resilience of the Blue Steel Spring creates a “just right” balance of softness and support as well as enduring construction.

 So whether you’ve got big people or little people, wild jumpers or careless ploppers—not to worry—the Blue Steel Spring has got your back.

 Come check it out now at Willis Furniture in Virginia Beach, VA!

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Find the Right Rug Size for Your Room

A rug provides the perfect finishing touch for a space. It makes walking on floors warmer, gives a room a feeling of coziness, and is a stylish way to carry out a color scheme or add to your decor. But how big should a rug be to look natural in a room?

Living Room

 9x12 rug

 A large rug not only provides more floor coverage, it also allows you to place all furniture legs on the rug, bringing together all of the elements in your room. Create a natural border by leaving about 18 inches of flooring exposed around the rug.

 8x10 rug

 Create a natural conversation grouping with a mid-size rug that allows you to place all furniture front legs on the rug with the back legs off. This arrangement opens up a path for walking around the area and also shows more of your floor. This also works well in open-concept rooms where there are multiple furniture groupings.

 6x9 rug

 Both your furniture and your flooring are showcased in this arrangement with sofa legs off the rug and front chair legs on. This provides a comfortable distance for conversation while using a smaller rug. For the best proportion, the rug should be a bit longer than your sofa.

Dining Room

 9x12 rug

A large rug provides the right proportion for a generously sized table. We recommend leaving at least 24 inches of room on all sides to allow chairs to stay completely on the rug when pushed away from the table. If you have a big enough dining area, consider leaving eight inches of the floor exposed around the rug to anchor the space.

 8x10 rug

This rug is nicely balanced with the size of the table and allows enough room to slide out chairs and remain entirely on the rug. We recommend leaving an eight-inch border between the rug and the wall to frame the space.

6x9 rug

Choose a rug size that allows the back legs to sit on the floor, leaving 18 inches between the rug and the wall to define the space while leaving an open path. By choosing a flat weave or other short pile option your chairs can move smoothly over the edge of the rug.

Bedroom

 9x12 rug

This rug provides generous walking space at the sides and bottom of the bed and room enough to hold an accent chair or bench for extra seating. The top of the rug starts in front of the nightstand legs and roughly lines up with the bottom of the pillows. We recommend leaving about 18 inches between the wall and the edges of the rug.

 8x10 rug

An area rug in this size provides enough space to step out of bed and onto the rug, plus room for an end-of-bed bench or chair. You can also achieve this look by placing a sheepskin rug or custom runner along both sides of your bed.

 6x9 rug

 Position the edge of your rug to line up with roughly the bottom two-thirds of your bed, keeping the nightstand completely off the rug. This arrangement showcases your rug and provides room for a bench at the end of your bed.

 Lastly, do not forget the rug pad.  Rug pads prevent slipping, prolong wear, protect the floor underneath, and provide comfort.

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Introducing the New Willis Furniture Custom Rug Program

Whether your décor taste is traditional, modern or somewhere in-between, we offer a wide range of superior-quality hand-knotted, handcrafted and power-loomed rugs in myriad colors, styles, designs, patterns, weaves, constructions, textures, shapes and sizes to add that wow-factor to every room.

Here are 4 of our favorite styles from this new collection we are excited to offer to our customers:

1. Magnolia

Inspired by classic Oushak rug designs in soft colors that are both vintage and modern at the same time. These elegant rugs are hand knotted using premium hand-spun wool that’s sheared to a low pile.

2. Kingsley

Updated-traditional and abstract designs in modern fashion colors, power-loomed in a multi-textural high-low weave using a creative combination of Silkette™ and acrylic yarns. Bound by hand and finished by hand, this especially fine collection displays a knots-per-square-inch equivalent (620 KPSI) that would be nearly impossible to achieve in hand-knotted styles. Designed to enhance the look and style-quotient of any décor!

3. Elara

Borderless modern inspirations with erased effects and high-low carving, the Elara collection makes a high-fashion tonal statement. Hand knotted in a Tibetan weave using premium wool and Silkette™ with a loop-and-pile weave, each rug receives careful hand carving for a three dimensional look and feel.

4. Natori Lhasa

Bringing art into life … inspired by a series of Josie Natori’s abstract prints featuring subdued color palettes. Hand knotted in a Tibetan weave using a Wool-Silkette™ blend, Lhasa rugs feature the added dimension of high-low carving.

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The Best Sleeper Options for Your Holiday Guests

Poppy Murphy Cabinet Bed

 Our Poppy Murphy Cabinet Bed is a truly instant guest bed. Convert it from handsome cabinet to comfy bed in less than a minute. When all closed up it just takes 10 square feet of floor space. Easy to use, easy to love.

The Poppy Cabinet Bed comes with a limited 10 year warranty. The supplied mattress is covered by a limited 3 year warranty.

Poppy Murphy Cabinet Bed features include:

Comes complete with Folding Trays

Large Rolling Storage Drawer

Higher Sleep Platform

Built-in Dual Power/USB module

Solid Hardwood Construction

Shallow Sleep Enclosure

Base packed inside Fully Assembled Cabinet

Tri-Fold Premium Gel Memory Foam Queen Mattress

 Halti Full Size XL Multifunctional Sectional

The Halti sofa is named after the highest mountain in Finland to present the high amount of the functions.

Halti Sleeper Sectional features 5 Functions:

 1. Seat depth adjustment

2. Neck rest height adjustment

3. Sleeper Function

4. Storage box under the chaise

5. USB Charging port for handheld devices (optional).

Monika Sleeper

Monika utilizes mechanisms and materials that provide the ultimate seating and sleeping comfort. Available as a single sleeper, full size, queen size or even king, the Monika collection is a versatile sleeper sofa. A look that fits for all lifestyles!

 Nest Function: Getting its name by how the dual motion sleeper nests a portion of the mattress perfectly below the seat and tucking the other portion effortlessly in the back of the frame. A combination that does not compromise on style or comfort whether seated or sleeping.

 Gaines Comfort Sleeper

Gaines features a classic roll arm silhouette. The softly curved front arm is expertly outlined by delicate embroidery bringing a modern twist to this classic.

Select from Acorn, Espresso, or Walnut finished legs to customize your design. Get a great night's sleep every night on a revolutionary platform bed featuring the Patented Tiffany 24/7™ Sleep System. You'll have plenty of room to stretch out on a full 80" of sleeping space— the same amount you'd have in any standard bed. A 5" plush, high density foam Premier mattress with Crypton® ticking ensures ultimate comfort. You can also upgrade your mattress to Gel or Tempur-Pedic®. The Gaines requires zero wall clearance, making it perfect for tight spaces. It can also be disassembled to fit through any narrow door or hallway. The Comfort Sleeper® is quality and beauty you can count on featuring a lifetime warranty on the frame and 10-year warranty on the mechanism.

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A Closer Relationship with our Homes

During these unprecedented times of going through a pandemic, a change to our relationship with home is being experienced across the globe. This is happening not in one place or to one group, but to everyone, everywhere.

 Practically overnight, the spaces in which we lived transformed into offices, schools, gyms, playgrounds and social spaces. Households were together 24/7, extended families were divided and friendships, distanced. People adjusted to an entirely new way of living, with home at the heart of their lives.

 While it’s felt differently by people of different ages, household sizes, incomes and nationalities – and not always for the better – globally, the vast majority of us feel closer to our homes than we did before the pandemic. Now, many of us are making plans to protect this newfound closeness by creating spaces that really fit our emotional needs during a lockdown.  It is important to create a space you love and can relax in. And that's where we come in.

 We want our customers to know that we are here to help make your home a haven during these times.  We have new items arriving every week and can special order to customize items to fit your needs.  Our team of talented designers and sales consultants are here to walk you through the entire process and we also offer free in-home design service. 

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2020 Interior Design Trends We Love Seeing

Classic Interiors As we move into a new decade you will see a return to the classics. Interiors free from the rigor of the prevailing modern taste. Life is tough enough as it is, does your sofa need to be too?

Curved Sofa Frames

More and more designers and homeowners are opting for the soft, romantic feel of curved furniture. They look so warm and inviting, and we know that after this year, our focus is going to be on creating homes that are intended for us to stay home and enjoy.

Made-to-Order Pieces

It appears consumers are growing tired of the same old thing offered on sites like Amazon and Wayfair, prompting more buyers to want handmade, customizable items. Ready-made, mass-manufactured pieces have come so far aesthetically that good-looking is not enough to cut it for people anymore. It needs to be unique, special, and they want quality.

Layering Old and New

More and more people are taking the design of their homes to the next level by getting comfortable with mixing and matching old with new.  This is a great way to mix in family heirlooms, antiques, and souvenirs from your travels.

Classic Blue

The 2020 Pantone Color of the Year is Classic Blue. Fortunately, it's totally versatile and sophisticated. Navy blue provides a great amount of contrast for interiors and exteriors in both traditional and modern home styles.  Plus it’s a perfect color for coastal Virginia!

Performance Fabrics

Performance fabrics are a must—they have changed the way we live by making every room functional for the entire family. They could be used in the messiest of family rooms, but also in luxurious living and dining rooms while maintaining a fashionable aesthetic.

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4 Reasons to Love Leather Furniture

1. Longevity

Leather furniture is something you can enjoy for years to come if it is properly cared for.  Since leather is a natural product, aging brings out its natural patina making it even more beautiful over time.

 2. A Smart Investment

You don’t have to be rich to enjoy leather furniture – just smart. Since leather is a product that lasts four times longer than fabric, leather furniture is a great investment for your home that you can enjoy for many years to come. After all, don’t you deserve beautiful comfort that lasts?

 3. Easy to Care for

While leather initially repels most spills, liquids will be absorbed if not treated properly. Blot any liquid spills immediately with a clean, absorbent cloth or sponge, and then allow the leather to air-dry.  If the spill is absorbed, it will dissipate over time as the leather naturally diffuses the stain. Practicing regular preventive maintenance is key to keeping your leather looking fresh. Leather’s resistance to soil will improve by treating its surface with a leather cleaner or polishing product. Special attention should be given to high-use areas like seats, arms, and backs.  Leather should also be fully cleaned and re-protected every 6 months.

 4. Great for Kids and Pets

Unless your dog thinks your new leather couch is a chew toy or your cat thinks it’s a scratching post, your leather furniture is as safe as any other furniture in the house. For more peace of mind, buy furniture with a pigmented finish coat. It helps protect the leather so you can let your pets and your kids sit on the couch with no more than the usual worries.

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Willis Furniture’s Top Living Room Design Ideas for 2020

If you’re spending more time at home lately, you may be taking a fresh look at spaces where you relax and unwind, especially your living room. To inspire a remodeling or decorating project in your living room, consider these standout ideas from Willis Furniture.

Calming Color Palette

Focus on using neutral, calming color palettes that come from the beach – sand tones, soft blues and greens, whites and creams. Get out in nature and be inspired by the beautiful colors Coastal Virginia has to offer.

Gallery Wall

Creating a gallery wall is a wonderful way to personalize a living room and pull together a color scheme. Try using a variety of frame finishes, which add visual interest to the arrangement and prevent an overly formal look.

Warm Neutrals

Warmer neutrals seem poised to overtake popular cooler grays and whites. Try using a palette of creams, beiges, greiges and browns that exemplifies how fresh and restful warm neutrals can be.

Relaxed Furnishings

We all live in a more casual way, and fortunately, we have many options to furnish our homes with stain resistant fabrics and beautiful distressed finishes that allow us to enjoy our furniture more in care-free way.

Coastal Living

A house by the water - The idea conjures so many different destinations, but always the same sense of beauty and nature with a view. The oceans, lakes, and islands, have always been desired locations, spots to dream of for both first and second homes.

There’s warmth to the beach house that finds its way to homes of all kinds, from the mountains to the city, west to east. We love the mood of airy, open rooms with generous, simple furniture and a spirit of indoor-outdoor living. A home that brings an elevated yet relaxed coastal style, through unique offerings of textural appeal, neutral tones and modern silhouettes.

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Furnishing and Enjoying Your Home in Time for the Holidays During the Pandemic

Plan ahead

It’s hard to imagine, but now is the perfect time to start planning your home for the upcoming holidays.  With many delays and disruptions occurring due to COVID-19, it has certainly changed the way we shop and how we spend our time at home.

Casual Comfort

We all live in a more casual way, less clutters, simpler but it does not mean that it has to lack style and smart sophistication. Customize and personalize your seating selection and don’t settle for the first thing you see. Collaborate with someone who is knowledgeable and an experienced guide. This will help save time and money. But don’t wait too long because many have had this same idea and this year factories are busier than anticipated and orders are taking longer than normal.

Home is your Haven

Your home is your sanctuary and now, more than ever, a place we are all spending most of our time.  Setting up spaces like the home office is suddenly a priority for people now working from home or children needing a space for virtual learning.  If you do not have a space for a home office, you may want to consider a new dining table that can work for family dinners and a makeshift office or homework station.

Coordinating the Room

If you are anticipating spending more time at home it would be well to consider the coordination of your room. A rug is a great place to start because it acts as the foundation of the room. One of the advantages of working with our store is that once you select a rug it is easier to coordinate the other colors, textures, and styles of the pieces in the room and it will save time since you are already here (selecting in one place, with one collaborator and it can be delivered at one time) coordinate the finishing touches in the room like lighting and artwork. We are here to help you save time!

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The American Leather Comfort Sleeper Difference

The Holidays are on Their Way

For many of us, that means out-of-town friends and family are, too. If you're planning to host loved ones in your home, now is the time to ensure it's in tip-top shape.

 For those without dedicated guest rooms – or those who host many people during the holidays – a sleeper sofa like the American Leather Comfort Sleeper is an ideal solution. Known for their unprecedented comfort when open as a sleeper, these sofa beds are also comfortable and beautiful as sofas in their own right.

 Smart Engineering

Smart engineering, along with perfectly proportioned cushions and great scaling make the fold-out mechanisms undetectable when closed in sofa form. With styles ranging from more transitional to modern, a Comfort Sleeper can be an ideal anchor for living rooms, family rooms, and even home offices!

 Invest in Comfort

You will likely spend most of your time using your sofa sleeper in sofa form. It stands to reason that you should invest in additional furniture. We're talking about accent chairs, side tables, ottomans, and a coffee table to create a welcoming, comfortable sitting area.

Choose Functional Accents and Convenient Storage Options

 It makes sense to look for furniture that is easy to move and can also serve dual purposes. For example, choose a coffee table and ottoman with built-in storage – perfect for hiding bedding or even hiding the remote. We even offer a few coffee tables and ottomans on castors. A side table with a shelf makes for an ideal nightstand! 

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How to Prepare for Your First Appointment with an Interior Designer at Willis Furniture

Whether you are starting from scratch with an empty room or simply accessorizing, we provide a custom and personal service that will meet your every need. Our dedicated designers will guide you through the entire process so you get the home you want and love!

We feel the relationship between designer and client is one of collaboration. We will listen to your ideas, make suggestions, sketch our concepts. As a team, we will work together in the selections of furniture, accessories, art, flooring, window treatment, or whatever is needed to reach your dream. We work on all levels of projects from re-staging a home with the client’s existing items to assisting in new construction to designing the total home.

We find that once client’s schedule an appointment with our interior design team, they are filled with excitement and anticipation. We would welcome you to put that energy of yours to good use. Doing so can speed up the design process and help us, help you! Here is a checklist of what to prepare for your upcoming interior design consultation appointment:

Clarify Your Style

Let us know which style of design you’re gravitating towards. If you don’t know what the name of your style is, think about what styles inspire you in general: share your favorite fashion designers with us, think about hotels or restaurants with decor that blew you away, or try out our style quiz.

Prepare a Mood Board

You can do this by using torn out magazine clippings to show us spaces and colors that inspire you or try creating Pinterest board full of ideas you can collaborate on with your designer.

Think About Your Lifestyle

Style is important, but even more important is how you live in a space. We need to get to know your lifestyle as well as your preferred decor style, but make sure to notify your designer if something doesn’t get brought up otherwise.

Budget & Investment

Be honest with your designer about what you want and what you can invest in your project. Once we understand the scope, goals, and priorities we can talk to you about how those investment dollars would fit into your project.

Our design services are complimentary to all clients who purchase through Willis Furniture.

Once we decide on your furniture pieces, colors, fabrics and finishes, your order will be placed. Upon arrival of your furniture, we will schedule our Red Carpet Delivery and furniture set up.

The home of your dreams is our goal, and we at Willis Furniture are committed to helping you realize that dream. For years, the design staff at Willis Furniture has been involved in creating some of the most beautiful homes in the Hampton Road area.

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5 Benefits of Indoor/Outdoor Living

1. Indoor/Outdoor Living Areas are the Ultimate Open Floor Plan

If you are lacking square footage in your home or would like more space to entertain, expanding your indoor/outdoor space is something to consider.  This is a great way to expand your home without investing in an addition or expensive remodel.  Homeowners can easily entertain and enjoy the indoors and outdoors without feeling limited with a versatile, multi-use space.

2. Indoor/Outdoor Living Spaces are great for Your Health

Invest in your health and overall wellbeing by creating a beautiful indoor/outdoor living space.  Being more connected with nature has many health benefits like reducing stress and stimulating cognition and memory.

3. Increased Home Value

Make your home stand out to potential buyers by adding an outdoor space.  Not only is it an affordable way to increase a home’s living space, it will help your home stand out among the competition.

4. Additional Options for Entertaining and Hospitality

An indoor/outdoor space will help accommodate more guests while entertaining instead of cramming them into one area.    Outdoor kitchens are becoming even more popular and people are incorporating premium grills, sinks with full plumbing, gas lines, and even pizza ovens.

5. Indoor/Outdoor Living Spaces are a Great Reason to Stay Home and Stay Safe

Creating a backyard retreat is a great way to save money and safely social distance.  Consider adding an all-season sunroom, fireplace or firepit, an outdoor television or projector, comfortable outdoor furniture, and even a pool or spa.  These are all things the whole family can enjoy together safely at home.