1. Home
About.com
Pool & Patio

Discuss in my forum

Pool & Patio New Year Polls: Assessing the World Outside Your Back Door

Next Up: DIY, Hire Someone to Do It, Make-Do or Do Without

By , About.com Guide

During the past year, what have you added to your outdoor living space? Has it gotten smaller? Or somehow larger? Take the following polls to help you assess your past and present outdoor living space. From there, you can make plans for the future. Good luck!

Has Your Outdoor Living Space Changed?

patio picturePhoto by Lisa Hallett Taylor

Your outdoor living space could have changed for an obvious reason -- like you moved. Was your property the victim of an act of nature or disaster? Or, maybe you added-on to your house, decreasing the size of your outdoor areas.  Take the poll

.

Did You Build or Install a Hot Tub?

Photo of Hot Tub at LA Garden ShowPhoto Copyright Lisa Hallett Taylor

Hot tub, spa -- call it what you like. It's that smallish human-made body of water on your property that warms you up, relieves sore muscles, gets you relaxed after a stressful day, and is a destination for socializing. Did you build or install a hot tub? Take the poll

.

Patio Poll: What Did You Do With That Space?

liz taylor house in mexicoPhoto by Thomas Taylor
A patio can be the center of your backyard universe. What's it made of? Brick? Concrete? Interlocking pavers? Something else? Please, do tell. And take the poll.

Among Other Things, Did You Lose Your Lawn?

photo of grass manPhoto by Lisa Hallett Taylor
Loss is unavoidable and unplanned. Sometimes, however, it's intentional and for a good reason and outcome. "Lose the Lawn" is a term and movement that sprung up around the turn of the 21st century to get rid of thirsty grass in drought-stricken regions or arid climates.

So, what do you replace that magnificent green carpet with? Native-to-your-area plants, shrubs and trees; hardscaping or faux turf. Did you do it, or do you plan to? Not over-your-dead-body-sprawled-out-on-the-Kentucky Blue Grass? Take the poll.

Did You Build or Repair a Deck?

Redwood Deck PhotoPhoto Copyright Lisa Hallett Taylor
Decks -- if you treat them well and keep them tuned-up and splinter-free -- can create a warm, rich surface that can last for at least a couple of decades. Whether it's wood, composite or a combination, what's been happening with that deck out there?

Take this poll.

Did You Create an Outdoor Privacy Screen?

hollywood wall outdoor privacy screen at dwell on designPhoto by Lisa Hallett Taylor

Outdoor privacy screen has become an actual term (just Google it) to describe something that creates privacy or hides a bad view in your outdoor living space. Privacy screening can be made of traditional fencing and wall materials, hedges and vines, or even an outdoor curtain. Apartment dwellers might need a privacy screen for their balconies, while a homeowner with an average-sized backyard might need privacy screening for their pool or spa area. Take this poll to assess your future needs:

Future Plans: Would You Like to Build a Pool in the Next 10 Years?

Pool Excavation - Photo of Building a Backyard PoolPhoto by Lisa Hallett Taylor
An inground pool has been in the backyard dreams of many homeowners since they began surfacing in the 1950s. Were you planning to build a pool when the recession hit? Is it still a goal? Take the poll.

©2013 About.com. All rights reserved.