Sep 25, 2019 Football by the fire? Backyard tailgating is the latest trend in outdoor entertaining. Game day moves to the backyard with specially designed spaces that include not only spots to cook and serve. Backyard Flag Football Association is the premier co-ed youth and adult flag football league in the Pittsburgh area.
It’s football time in Tennessee, and although mother nature might not be sharing the enthusiasm of most sports fans who are ready for the big game alongside a fire and some crisp, cool nights, that doesn’t mean you can’t go ahead and get your backyard entertainment space ready for some serious tailgating at the house.
There’s no need to pack the cooler, drive through traffic, fight for a parking space and then spend a fortune on game tickets and snacks just to enjoy an afternoon of football. Instead of going through all that hassle, why not just bring the festivities to your house?
You could simply drag the TV into the back yard, or you can hire a designer to plan and execute the perfect outdoor entertainment space with everything from screened-in porches to TVs with surround sound systems, outdoor kitchens and bars, seating and a fireplace — all outside.
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Brentwood residents Lee and Alecia Seelig spared no expense when planning the addition to the back of their home designed specifically for outdoor entertaining space that could accommodate their large extended family.
They added covered cooking areas, a bar, fireplace, two dining tables, three televisions, a bathroom and a backyard resort pool complete with waterfall, hot tub, beach-entry areas and the state’s longest residential water slide.
“We are outside more than we are inside,” Lee Seelig said. “We have a big family and we entertain a lot. We sit outside and watch ball games constantly. Everyone would just rather be outside — even in the winter. We designed the space to accommodate the family comfortably.”
Taking the TV outdoors
When Thompson’s Station residents Ben and Julie Jordan get ready to watch Alabama football at home, they don’t sit on the couch in front of the TV in their living room. They park it on their back porch lounge chairs by the fire overlooking the new pool in front of the outdoor television set.
“We just love being outside,” Ben Jordan said. “It’s just more calming on the porch. The lighting is softer and it’s just so relaxing out there.”
Julie added that her back porch is purposefully an extension of the inside of the house.
“My goal on this porch was to bring the inside out and not have a bunch of bright and bold stiff outdoor fabrics out here,” she said. The Jordans recently added a pool and patio area to their outdoor entertaining space with hopes that their family and friends can enjoy both a swim and a good football game — all without leaving the driveway.
According to the real estate community, investing in a swanky outdoor entertaining space can be money well spent when it comes to resale value.
Realtor Marabeth Poole with the LCT Team/PARKS, says outdoor entertainment spaces are a must because so many of her clients say they want that inside/out feeling when looking for a home.
“I think people crave the outdoors,” Poole said. “It can become an extension of your home and extend the kitchen and living space right out the back door where people can flow in and out as they want.”
Keller Williams Broker Emily Peckham said having a unique outdoor space adds a wow factor that will likely induce a quicker sale at a higher price than your competition and will absolutely be a worthwhile investment.
Want to upgrade your outdoor space? Develop a game plan
Franklin resident Julie Russell and her husband Tom were looking to buy a home and found a great house that didn’t have any outdoor entertaining space, so they asked their Realtor if they could add on.
“It was going to be a deal-breaker for us if we couldn’t add on,” she said. “We had to get a permit from the city of Franklin to add on and we agreed that if they said no, we didn’t want the house.”
But the city said yes and the Russells added on a screened porch, a fire pit and sliding doors that open all the way to connect the indoor room and the outdoor room.
“We love to have friends over, and the TVs will always have some sort of sporting event on,” she said. “Some people will be inside playing pool, while others are outside watching football or a Preds game. We love the fresh air and being outside. We even bought an arm for the TV so we can pull it out and be by the fire pit and still watch football.”
Signature Homes has incorporated disappearing walls into a few of its homes that make the indoor and outdoor living spaces seem like one seamless area.
“Our homeowners tell us they love having these disappearing walls of lass not only for natural light, but for entertaining,” said Signature sales associate Anthony Aldrich. “From tailgates to birthday parties, these 90-degree doors allow homeowners to completely open up the back of their home.”
Brentwood resident Julie Edwards and her family have nicknamed their outdoor space “Club Edwards” and said they entertain out there year-round.
“In the fall, we sit in front of the fire while cheering on our favorite football teams on TV,” she said. “There are usually hot dogs and smores involved. My husband has mastered the green egg and we grill almost every night. The fridge and ice maker add to making this area a wonderful space for small or large parties.”
So if your backyard entertaining space is seeming less than optimal, Jennifer Smith with JLS Designs in Franklin helped the Russells design their space and has some good advice on how to get started upgrading your own.
She says it’s important to develop a thorough plan for your desired outcome before you execute anything.
“In order to gain the right end-use and goal of any project, the success is two-fold. You have to ask the right questions about the space’s use and then make sure you have the right team to execute,” she says. “Spending the time on the front end will save you time on the back end.”
Backyard Football Game
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