Here in South Florida it’s the season for spending time outside: temperatures are balmy, humidity is low, and most bugs seem to have taken a hike! Featuring inviting patios, all five of Lennar’s communities in Broward County—Cascata at MiraLago in Parkland, The Edge on 15th in Fort Lauderdale, Horizon at Celebration Pointe in Margate, and Palomino Lake and Magnolia Trails in Davie—offer perfect spaces for making the most of our heavenly weather. A few simple tips can help you personalize your patio, creating the perfect backdrop for memorable get-togethers, or lazy Sunday mornings sipping coffee.
The first step is to take stock of what is currently in your patio. Do you have furniture? If not, evaluate how many pieces can be comfortably accommodated. At Cascata at MiraLago, Lennar’s stunning new estate home community, backyards are very spacious, permitting you to include both an oversized sitting and dining area as well as a large swimming pool, if you so wished! Although smaller and more intimate, the patios at the townhome communities of The Edge on 15th and Magnolia Trails will lend themselves to several comfortable chairs, a coffee table, and of course that all-important barbeque grill!
Once you decide how much furniture you need, next consider the best material for your family. Teak and synthetic wicker are durable and attractive choices, while aluminum is lightweight, making moving pieces around a breeze. Plastic furniture is easy on the wallet and readily stackable, but it tends to break, warp, and stain quickly. Evaluate pros and cons and choose what makes the most sense for your lifestyle.
If you already have furniture and it’s looking a bit lackluster, the fix may be as simple as buying new cushions and an outdoor area rug. This year, on-trend colors and prints run the spectrum from neutral and Zen, to bold and vivacious; pick those that best capture your unique personality and style, keeping in mind that your exterior décor should be a seamless continuation of your interior.
Also reflective of your individual tastes is the lighting that you choose for your outdoor space. String lights add cozy charm and are available in a great variety of designs, from flickering lanterns to colorful globes and stars. Flameless candles of different sizes add an elegant touch and the use of outdoor spotlights is a striking way of illuminating beautiful plants or accents.
Speaking of accents, a water fountain is a soothing element that can double as a bird bath, attracting grateful feathered friends. Another option for people who appreciate musical tones is a windchime, but they’re not all created equal: for example, metal windchimes have a playful, tinkling quality, while their bamboo counterparts deliver deeper reverberations.
Finally, consider your plants—or lack thereof! The whole family will enjoy a planting project, and the fun begins with a trip to your local nursery. Be prepared to show pictures of the outdoor space you have available; their expert advice can help avoid unwelcome surprises. For example, some plants, like bamboo and banana trees, reproduce rapidly and can begin intruding on surrounding areas. At a minimum, you can incorporate color and greenery with potted and hanging plants, or lay decorative pebbles, mulch, pavers, and tiles, all of which add visual interest.
Just a few steps, thoughtfully chosen and applied, can transform any outside area into a welcoming haven you won’t soon want to leave! But when you do, all three Lennar Broward communities offer other outdoor enticements that are difficult to resist—including such amenities as sparkling pools, sundecks, and more, designed to enhance South Florida living. After all, at Lennar we believe that life in paradise should be experienced to the fullest, especially so at home.
