An outdoor kitchen and outdoor living space adds extra functionality, comfort, and versatility to your home, and you can create one at a much more affordable price than an indoor home improvement or addition.

For smaller houses, outdoor space is an essential extension of your home — but regardless of house size, you should make the most of it.

It takes planning to create an outdoor kitchen that’s both beautiful and affordable. Here are some of his tips to get your project started:

Create a budget

Before you can start making real plans, you need to know how much you can afford to spend. Set a budget, and work off of that.

Focus on function

An outdoor space can do a lot compared to an indoor space. Is it a patio or lawn? Will it be used for entertaining, cooking? You can have a built-in gas grill or a full outdoor kitchen, a roof to keep out of the weather, a fireplace. The possibilities are almost endless.

Set your priorities

When you’re working with a budget, it’s necessary to prioritize. There are things that you want and things that you need. You may not be able to afford everything you want, but you want to have your needs covered.

Pick an aesthetic

Aesthetic is an important part of creating any living space, including one that’s outdoors. Be sure to create a style that is a reflection of you and your family. It gives your home that personal touch, like a fingerprint.

Choose your materials

Natural stone is a lot more expensive than synthetic. The good news, if you’re on a budget, is that they both are durable and look good. Today, the engineered product is as good as natural. You won’t even be able to tell the difference.

Design

The design pulls all of these choices together. Your design will help you visualize the finished space and understand what may or may not be feasible with the size you’re working with.

There are lots of options, from small backyard patios to larger rural spaces.

To learn more about designing your perfect, affordable outdoor living space, contact West Sport in Sudbury.

theintell.com

The Clydesdale wood burning fireplace insert made by HearthStone is certified by the EPA for emissions, making this fireplace insert beautiful as well as very clean and efficient. The Clydesdale combines high-end eye appeal and design made from cast iron, with s beautiful large glass door so you can enjoy the fire as it burns.

This wood burning fireplace insert is one of the most attractive inserts on the market, and can fit in with most styles of home décor. Lots of people like their open wood burning fireplaces, but the Clydesdale wood burning fireplace insert will change your ideas about that. This wood insert was designed for beauty and performance. It is made to be eye appealing, and with the large glass window, you will enjoy your evening by the fire. But it is made to be efficient and used as a heat source as well. When you get home and you want to get warm and relax, the Clydesdale is beautiful to look at, inside and out.

This wood burning fireplace insert is also efficient. It can heat up to 2000 sq ft and it can burn for up to 10 hours.  It’s EPA Rating is 3.2 grams of particulate emissions per hour  with an efficiency rating of 79%. That makes this fireplace insert very efficient.

If you are looking for different, better and more beautiful way to heat your home that also adds value and is consistent, reliable and affordable, look at the Clydesdale fireplace insert from Hearthstone. At West Sport save $300 off any Hearthstone product. Contact us for more details.

Fireplace inserts are a great way to update an existing masonry fireplace.

A traditional open-front wood-burning fireplace usually has an efficiency rating of just 5-10%, according to the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association. A new fireplace insert utilizes an insulated closed-combustion system that increases heat output and promotes efficiency.

To be a candidate for a fireplace insert, you must have an existing masonry or factory-built fireplace with a working chimney, and you’ll select the insert’s size based on the existing opening.

The type of venting required by a new insert varies. Natural venting through the existing chimney is possible; direct vent and vent-free options are options as well, depending on your fuel choice.

The cost and availability of fuel in your area, the overall maintenance required, and the desired look are all factors to consider when choosing an insert. Wood, gas (natural or propane), and pellets are the most common fuel sources for fireplace inserts.

Wood burning fireplace inserts

When searching out a wood-burning insert, look for an EPA-certified appliance to help protect the environment and your indoor air quality. Many inserts feature an airwash system to keep the glass panel clean and clear. Others come with a blower with multiple speed options that make it easy to quickly heat spaces ranging from 1,200 to 2,200 square feet.

Gas fireplace inserts

Many gas inserts fit well in modern interiors, but they can fit with any decor. They often have a reflective black glass interior and and can offer wood like fires or linear flames. Direct venting ensures combustion exhaust and fumes are fully removed from your home’s interior, and a smart intermittent pilot ignition system adds an extra level of safety and energy savings.

Pellet stove inserts

Thanks to its use of recycled sawdust pellets as fuel, pellet inserts heats things up in an environmentally friendly way. With a convection blower, auto igniter, and airwash system to keep the glass crystal clear, they have the efficiency of a pellet stove housed in a recessed fireplace opening. The hopper holds pellets, making refueling infrequent. And if you’re worried you’ll miss the traditional look of logs on a fire, an optional decorative ceramic log set is available.

For more information on fireplace inserts for your home, contact West Sport in Sudbury.

BobVilla.com

Here comes the snow. Hearthstone is having its mid-winter sales event, which means you can get $400 off any Hearthstone wood burning fireplace insert, wood stove, gas stove or gas insert. Hearthstone wood and gas inserts are on sale now through February 29th. Get $300 off anything Hearthstone. And the Clydesdale Wood Burning Fireplace Insert may be one of the most beautiful wood burning inserts you have ever seen.

Burning wood is one of the most romantic, beautiful and satisfying ways to heat your home. And, it is very economical, but is also gives you the additional benefits of a beautiful flame, relaxing warmth, a romantic ambiance and increased home value.

With wood you will even stay warm when the power goes out.

Now is the time to consider how to transform your fireplace and your home. At West Sport, we would like to help. In fact, send in your contractor and you’ll even get 15% off your entire home remodeling or home addition project.

Transform your fireplace into a beautiful heat source and enjoy winter again.  The Clydesdale, and everything Hearthstone offer a combination of both power and beauty. Contact West Sport in Sudbury for more information.