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Wednesday is the first day of summer and the longest day of the year. How will you ring in the new season? If you live in the very warm south, summer means escaping the heat – typically with water. Pools, spas, lakes – even a splash park at a nearby amenity center. If you live up north – summer means super long days and enjoying the sunshine. Regardless of where you are in the country, summer is made better with outdoor grilling and family vacations. Let’s look at how all of things relate to home design.

Beating the heat

When it’s hot and humid, water is the perfect escape. I’m guessing more pools are sold in the summer than any time of the year. Florida and California have the most pools if we’re talking about sheer volume. But when compared to the state’s population, Florida, Arizona, and New Mexico have the most swimming pools per capita (Wyoming has the least number of pools). Pools provide relief from the heat, but they have many other qualities. The sound of moving water is very soothing and can drown out unwanted noises of a nearby road or highway. Moving water when illuminated at night takes on a magical quality, enhancing any outdoor space at night!

Capturing the sun

Long days and warm nights mean lots of outdoor activities. Outdoor living continues to be a huge sales driver and remains a competitive advantage for newer homes. Of course, you can offer a covered back porch (or lanai as we call them in Florida), but don’t forget outdoor living can extend beyond the roof line of your homes. This is especially important in areas that don’t get too hot. Warm nights are also inviting for evening outdoor gathering.

Grilling season

To me, summer means outdoor grilling. This is a great opportunity to capture the attention of the man of the house since we so often focus on the woman and her wants and needs. But everyone enjoys a summer bar-b-que. One builder capitalized on the unmistakable and nostalgic smell of burgers on the grill as they planned a weekend summer grilling event. If your grill is under cover of the porch or lanai, consider adding a hood to capture the smoke.

Built-in free-standing grills are also popular without the worry of the smoke.

Staycation

Summer also means family vacation. For some, that means trips to visit grandparents, aunts, and uncles. Or it could mean a trip to some amazing destination like Tuscany.

But for the times that you are home, why can’t your own backyard be a vacation destination?

Indeed, since the pandemic, travel has become expensive and less convenient. Creating an awesome backyard with pools, putting greens, or waterfalls, and landscaping is a great way to seal the deal with upgrades.

How do you plan to make the most out of summer’s weather and long days?