An Outdoor Oasis

BPI Outdoor Living Can Create the Ultimate Escape Right in Your Backyard

Story & Photos Provided by BPI

BPIIf you live in the Midwest, you have probably enjoyed a warm sunny day followed by a cold, rainy one the next. Your outdoor entertainment dreams don’t need to rely on the weather when you can rely on BPI Outdoor Living.

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“As homeowners realize how important it is to connect both with nature and each other, the outdoor space is a cost-effective way to add living space to an existing home,” says J.D. Durst, President and Owner of BPI Outdoor Living. “Homeowners are now aware of their options and looking to create a cohesive connection between inside/outside living.”

Homeowners these days dream of much more than a simple patio, deck or porch. They want high-end finishes and features that bring the comforts of indoors to stunning outdoor spaces. Cooking areas take the form of an outdoor kitchen. Heating sources include gas and wood-burning fire pits, fireplaces and electric overhead heaters.

Cover is now achieved in many forms, from pergolas and shade sails to detached and attached roofs. The outdoor living room is completed with outdoor audio and video, allowing homeowners to gather and watch their favorite show or sporting event while also enjoying the outdoors. These offerings provide the comfort needed outdoors that allows homeowners to brave the elements year-round.

“As modern homeowners focus on spending more time with friends and family, the desire to have a great outdoor kitchen and lounge area to congregate is equally as important as it is inside the home,” Durst adds.

BPIThe BPI team designs dream outdoor spaces tailored to individual homeowners’ aspirations. They have been honing their craft for more than 24 years in the business. With a core focus on designing and building luxury outdoor living spaces, the team focuses on asking the right questions to help clients maximize their spaces and budgets. With skilled artisans and Expert canopy specialists who focus on timeless building techniques and materials, they ensure clients have spaces that they can enjoy year-round and for years to come.

Stick to the Plan

When it comes to creating an outdoor oasis it’s best to think it through and develop a comprehensive plan. A well thought out design solution yields not just a better result, but a better overall experience.

“I’ve seen it time and again,” Durst says. “When people don’t use a comprehensive master plan, the finished project often doesn’t look cohesive. Spending time on the front end not only gets you a better result but could potentially save you a lot of money and heartache down the road.”

The team at BPI Outdoor Living consider themselves landscape architects first and skilled artisans second. With multiple landscape architects and designers on staff, the team believes that design is paramount. They pride themselves on creating an immersive experience for their clients, and they do that with their unique approach.

In most cases, a landscape company will come out to your house, walk the property, then sit down with you at your kitchen table and go through a stack of pictures. At BPI’s initial meeting, however, the design team utilize a customer questionnaire.

“It’s really more of an interview process so that potential clients can determine if we are a good fit for them and their type of project,” Durst adds.

By the end of that first meeting, which typically lasts 45 to 60 minutes, BPI has provided the client with a broad idea of what their space could include and approximately how much it could cost. Next steps involve talking about if the project will be done all at once or in phases.

Clients are then invited to BPI’s design studio where they are walked through a design discovery process that honors their goals, ambitions, and needs. Durst and his team discuss opportunities and constraints for the process and advise clients throughout that process, in terms of solutions, investment and return on that investment.

At the design studio, they utilize physical materials and vignettes as well as CAD 3D modeling software, fly-thru videos, and programs like SketchUp to show their clients exactly what a project will look like and how it’s going to feel in that space before they ever put a shovel in the ground.

BPITrust the Process

The process when working with clients is simple. It’s all about having conversations and asking questions because through dialogue comes education and understanding.

According to Kyla Scheuermann, design associate at BPI, with every project they tackle, BPI Outdoor living is focused on building timeless experiences both for now and into the future.

“By honing all of our talent as a team, which includes build artisans and landscape designers, we come together to make a home’s outdoor living spaces more usable, more memorable, and more intentional,” she says. “And we want those spaces and elements to last.”

The BPI team follows a three-step design process that considers creativity, aesthetics and investment. During the first step, they consult with the client on the conceptual design.

“This phase sets us apart because the first thing people may ask about is not necessarily the key issue, which is why we prescribe a design process that addresses the client’s root needs and desires, Scheuermann says. “We also determine what we can and cannot address as far as build and site conditions.”

To efficiently facilitate step one, the team presents the client with a series of questions to better understand the purpose and intention for the space. They then get into more detail in the second step where they present a 3D model of the outdoor living space to help clients more clearly visualize the design solution and overall plans. Step three involves discussing material choices. At this point, they have honed in on the final design package as well as the client’s investment level.

Throughout the entire process the BPI team continually makes necessary revisions to stay within the client’s desired investment level. The team talks through feasible options and identifies ways to achieve certain styles that check all the boxes without breaking the bank.

The goal is to erect timeless projects that are accurate, buildable, and achievable. BPI puts in a lot of background work (i.e., construction plans, framing plans, permits) to make this happen.

If you are ready to begin designing and building your ideal outdoor living space, learn more and request a consultation at bpioutdoorliving.com.

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