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February 13, 2011

3 Must-Haves for Designing an Outdoor Living Space in Canada (Part Two)

Planning an outdoor living space for the harsher Canadian climate is obviously a bit more challenging than designing one for the sunny south.

In order to get the most use from your outdoor living space, you'll want to incorporate these three elements into your design.
photo courtesy of Weber

1. An Outdoor Fireplace
Designed to take the chill off any spring or fall evening--as well as add ambiance to a beautiful summer night--outdoor fireplaces can be freestanding or built into your patio. They use either wood or gas as their primary fuel source.

2. A Patio Heater
photo courtesy of Napoleon 
Used alone or in combination with your outdoor fireplace, you'll be able to stay outside longer with gas, propane or electric freestanding heaters that come in a variety of styles and heating capacities. Find them at Home Depot, Canadian Tire or any independent outdoor home and leisure retailer.

photo courtesy of AWE East
3. A Fully Covered Patio
Offering your grills, fireplace, furniture--and you!--protection from rain and snow, a fully covered patio extends your season outdoors. Whether you choose a pergola, awning or canopy, these covered areas help complete the look of a fully functional outdoor living space.

Next up: Choosing the right appliances for your outdoor kitchen