Urbana

Instead of showing you glossy photos of someones kitchen, we would like you to visit our beautiful showroom where we have a wide range of samples to choose from and qualified designers to help you layout a kitchen that is all your own. Urbana has an extensive selection of every doorstyle and a lot of exciting displays to fill you with inspiration. And we can show you lots of glossy pics of Urbana kitchens or better still you can touch and feel the real thing. See you soon.

Michael Black, of Capital Iron says that the days of a simple patio or deck dressed with a round table, four chairs and an umbrella are long past. "I tell people today that there are only two limits to your back yard," Michael says. "Your imagination and your wallet."

But even if your wallet isnt bursting, you can turn your back yard into a vacation paradise. Lets start with patio furniture. You dont have to do what my friends in Yellow Point did and drag your living room furniture out to the deck. You can get the same look and feel with purpose - built patio furniture and heaters that mount on arbours, pergolas and on the side of the house.

Michael points out that his stores, for instance, carry outdoor couches, love seats, low coffee tables and even sun beds. With beautiful furniture, its easy to create conversation groupings. Throw in gorgeous decorative pots stuffed with colourful plants and its easy to create real outdoor rooms. And outdoor living doesnt have to stop when the sun goes down. "More and more people are looking at heaters," Michael says. Heaters come in many shapes, sizes and styles in both electric and gas versions.

The newest rage in outdoor living is the fire pit. Fire pits create natural gathering places at night and come in a variety of styles that are wood burning or gas. Al Jackson, of Jackson Grills in Duncan, notes that the latest version of the fire pit is furniture, such as a coffee table or dining table with a fire pit built in.

If you really want to splurge, the outdoor kitchen is the way to go - and it can be affordable. Ray Cyr, general manager of Ronas four Vancouver Island stores says that ambitious and knowledgeable homeowners are doing it themselves and, armed with the right materials and expert advice, theyre doing an excellent job. Michael Black says he has installed everything from a kitchen that is little more than a four - foot counter with a great barbecue to a full - scale kitchen complete with a fireplace, refrigerator and every gadget a cook could need. "The idea of an outdoor kitchen is lifestyle," says Michael.

Al Jackson recalls that the whole trend in outdoor kitchens started in the Sunbelt. When Al founded Jackson Grills 11 years ago, people thought the idea would never fly in Canada. How wrong those naysayers were! Jackson Grills manufactures and ships some of the best outdoor kitchens and barbecues on the market today across Canada, even to Edmonton and Northern BC. "Its about putting the Canadian spin on it," Al says. "We want to embrace the curb season, so heating plays a very critical function."

Stas

Protection from the elements also goes beyond heating. Al points out that he includes umbrella sleeves in his cabinet designs; even better is an overhead structure that protects against rain and too much sun exposure. Roof structures are very important, he says, and while youre at it, ensure that your outdoor room complements your home. If you have granite counters indoors, bring them outdoors; if your home features a stone veneer, carry that feature through to your cabinets. Devin Norris, marketing manager of K2 Stone in Nanaimo, says that stone veneer is the perfect product for cabinets, pillars and even countertops. What is veneer? Its real stone, cut an inch thick so that it needs no foundation. Installation is easy and the product is infinitely versatile.

Stone is one of the most decorative elements in any landscape, from flagstone walks and stone boulders to pool surrounds, stone shows up everywhere. Says Devin, "Its not often that you see a landscaping award where someone hasnt put a lot of thought into how theyre going to use stone appropriately."

For many people, the ultimate outdoor living feature is water. A backyard pool is a dream for many people that is easily turned into reality with an above - ground pool. Gary Barber, owner and operations manager of Calais Spas & Billiards in Nanaimo, points out that a quality outdoor pool is a thing of beauty, designed to last a lifetime. And, as Gary says, when you have an above - ground pool, youll always know where your kids - as well as the neighbourhood kids - are. A pool can be as large as 18 x 33 feet, and with a full deck surround, it makes a beautiful focal point in the back yard.

The spa is another focus in many yards. Gary says that most people install spas for their proven health benefits, but todays spas can also include a stereo and television for top - flight entertainment.

Spas are available in myriad colours and materials in order to blend into the decor of any home and garden. "Spas today come with fancy LED lighting packages," says Gary. "They provide an ambiance second to none. At night, with the lights on, theyre really quite a nice feature."

Speaking of lights, Ray Cyr says that night lighting is an element people often overlook - and they shouldnt. "The assortment of landscape and exterior lighting now is tremendous," he says.

Want to play Mother Nature and extend your outdoor living season by one or two months? Then consider the Executive Screens by Phantom Screens. These convenient screens allow for full ventilation while providing protection from insects and UV rays.

They even help dissipate the wind into a slight breeze, which in turn can help warm your outdoor living area. This means you can start your patio season a little earlier and extend your season a little longer all the while keeping those pesky mosquitoes away.

Yes, with the amazing new products and accessories available today, even we and those further north can create a summer living room in our own back yard.