Create your own backyard oasis

RONA has everything you need from solar lights to shrubbery and swing sets to stepping stones help you make your outdoor living space the envy of the neighbourhood.

Summer’s here and to many Winnipeggers, this means that it’s time to get ready for that long-anticipated summer renovation project – re-working the backyard.

Yes Winnipeg, it’s time to repair the fence, paint the side of the house and stain the deck… or at least that’s on our to-do list.

But let’s face the real fact of summer renovations. The jobs we enjoy doing most outside the house are the ones where we get to put something new on our property. Those 30 year-old 25-year shingles can wait until the fall. We’ve got more important things to worry about!

Generally speaking, those who come to investigate the possibilities of what to do in their backyards will not know right off the bat what they want to do. Rather, they will look to first do a consultation and explore their options before coming in and detailing a plan with a RONA rep.

“Quite often, they’ll pay us one or two visits before they nail down exactly what they want, and then we’ll sit down with them and lay it all out, giving them quantities and all the necessary pieces to get the job done,” Ward Hinton, branch manager of RONA’s Sargent location, remarks.

And even if you are a careful planner, this initial consultation can open your eyes to all sorts of new and exciting possibilities. “They kind of have an idea what they want, but quite often when they come in with an idea, they leave with something different,” Hinton says. “Typically, they’ll find something that they like even more than what they had in mind. Quite often, what they start with isn’t what they have in the end.” 

Specifics
Once the ball gets rolling, the possibilities truly are endless.

For starters, there is perhaps nothing that is more satisfying than walking out of your air conditioned home straight onto a beautiful stone patio, and here, Hinton denotes that Barkman and CCI have both hit the market this year with strong sellers.

Hinton reports that the vast majority of people coming into RONA looking at these products are renovators, rather than first-time homebuilders, stating that three to four per cent are new builders.

Hinton further notes that other Barkman products have become popular with Winnipeg homeowners.

“We also sell kits for Barkman that are pillars, fountains and bars that are made of stone,” he remarks.

For those who are looking to relax in comfort in the great outdoors just outside the back door, solariums and day beds are popular, as are other outdoor structures.

“We’ve got one particular gazebo that comes in three different sizes, so it would fit a smaller or larger back yard,” Hinton says, adding that colour options also vary so that customers can match it up to their furniture. “There’s just a wide range.”

For shoppers who are looking to add a deck instead, Hinton notes that Trex has become the brand of choice. These come in a variety of colours and finishes and ensure that your feet will not suffer from any splinters or other pieces that could give potential issues such as fasteners.

Of course, a lot of the customers looking to accessorize their back yards are families with younger kids, and here, Hinton remarks that there are a number of options available as well. In particular, he points to some of the traditional outside structures like swing sets, rings and slides that kids love to climb on during the hot summer months.

“People are coming in every weekend, looking for kits or accessories to build for their kids,” he says.

Whichever addition you choose for your back yard, know that you’re picking something that will give you lots of enjoyment over the summer, long before you have to start on those major fall projects.