October 2011 Newsletter
 Outdoor Oasis: Cool Breeze in Carmel
Wanna get away? It’s gonna be easy for this Carmel family. Check it out. This is their Outdoor Oasis featuring the best of the best in today’s outdoor living: a grilling station, Caribbean style shutters, hot tub, fire pit, outdoor eating area and new landscaping. Relax and enjoy!
A special thanks to Steve Gray Renovations partners for supplying awesome items to make this project unique… Gary Nance, Tremain Tile Marble and Granite, Sundown Gardens and Hallum Plumbing.
  Thinking about creating your own Outdoor Oasis complete with a grilling station? Here are some tips from our professional craftsman partners to help think through how to create a grilling area with form, function and style.
 Form… Think about how you cook outside. Gary Nance, the conceptual architect who designed this project, says homeowners should think about how they entertain outdoors. Make sure the grilling area has enough countertop space to hold trays and grilling tools. Do you need countertops for a table or buffet with food, plates utensils and so on? Do you want people to gather and have a sitting area? When placing the grilling area consider how the smoke and smells will blow from the grill. Does it need to be positioned away from the house?
 Function… Make sure the area can stand up to the elements of Indiana weather—winters and summers. Jesse Tremain, owner Tremain Tile Marble and Granite, says more homeowners are using granite for outdoor workstations and grilling areas because the stone holds up during the summer months in the sunlight and rain. It also will withstand cold and snowy winters. Moreover, it is better than concrete or other surfaces that may rust.
 Style… Tremain says there are hundreds of granite slabs to pick from. Key here is to choose your style based on the complete look the project is going for. Do you want a complementary color or a contrasting color? Think about the edge profile—simple or boldly unique? The stone you choose will be outside, so may appear different than in a showroom’s lighting. Bring a sample outside to be sure it’s your style and what you expect.
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