Discover Safetech Hardware, a company that specializes in designing and manufacturing patented, market leading gate and fence hardware such as pool gate latches, self closing hinges, gravity latches and other innovative products. Learn more about how Safetech Hardware can help give your gates that WOW factor in “Revolutionary Gate Slamming Solutions from Safetech Hardware”.

Tom Cordeiro is casaGURU's chief GURU. He’s always interested in finding out what’s new and what’s going on in the world of homes. If you’d like to connect with him, be his friend and write on his wall.

Discover how Cutek’s ProClean can restore the lustrous look of your gray and weathered exterior lumber in a piece entitled “Exterior Wood Cleaning with Cutek ProClean”.

If you’re interested and want to try the product, enter for your chance to win Cutek’s ProClean through the Spring Deck Cleaning contest from Deck Masters of Canada which is running on SteveMaxwell.ca.

Tom Cordeiro is casaGURU's chief GURU. He’s always interested in finding out what’s new and what’s going on in the world of homes. If you’d like to connect with him, be his friend and write on his wall.

We at casaGURU are always pleased when members of our community go above and beyond; those who make efforts to be green and environmentally friendly, those who support the community in which they work, and those who offer their services to those in need. We have one such story we’d like to share about our friends and partners at Deck Masters of Canada...

Deck Masters of Canada teamed up with Nu-Tek Electric and other contractors to do an extreme backyard makeover, which will air Thursday, May 10th on The Marilyn Denis Show.

It is a very touching story about a single mother from Wasaga Beach who has endured a long battle with a spinal tumor, undergoing numerous surgeries. Her 14 year old daughter wrote Marilyn and shared her mother's story. Marilyn then called up Deck Masters who, inturn, involved Nu-Tek Electric, Benchmark Building Services and Your Deck Company. Together they transformed a small, rotted deck into an ultra low maintenance, elegant and spacious living area. The backyard landscaping transformation was completed by 3 Oaks Landscaping from Wasaga Beach.

Be sure to tune into The Marilyn Denis Show this Thursday to see how the backyard space was transformed and how a little light was brought to a much deserving family.

Tom Cordeiro is casaGURU's chief GURU. He’s always interested in finding out what’s new and what’s going on in the world of homes. If you’d like to connect with him, be his friend and write on his wall.

Regal Lighting & Design and casaGURU are giving away a Landscape Lighting Package. This lovely outdoor prize package consists of a Landscape Lighting Makeover valued at $2,000.

If you’re the lucky winner, you will receive $2,000 in materials and services from Regal Lighting to be used towards a Landscape Lighting Makeover, using low energy LED lights.

Enter daily to upgrade your outdoor lighting.

If you like the lighting contest, please “like” it via the Facebook icon that rests to the left on the contest page.

It may have been snowing outside, but inside the Interior Design Show it was all seasons a go. Here’s a trio of Outdoor Living objects we found fascinating:

Bubbly Block-o-Fountain

We absolutely loved this distinctive landscape design. It is very modern, linear and block-like, offering a sense of solid serenity. This outdoor tableau was designed by Earth Inc, a Canadian company which thoughtfully blends architecture and horticulture in their award winning landscape design. We also have to mention that we think their booth was one of the finest at the show!

Cooler Central

A cool idea is a cooler in the middle of an outdoor table, like this one from Source Outdoor. The debate over this idea was its potential for inducing laziness. Once you’ve sunk into a comfy outdoor chaise lounge on a beautiful, sunny, summer day, the need to go inside to retrieve another cool beverage is sometimes your only excuse to move. Is taking that away worth the convenience of this? Personally, I think so!

Egg-cellent Outdoor Chairs

Want a wee bit of shade? But also want to get some sun? This egg-like shaped chair from Hauser allows one to lean back out of the sun for facial relief from glaring sun or easier reading (now we just need George R. R. Martin to hurry up and finish the next Game of Thrones book so we can sink into one of these chairs and delve into fantasy this summer). A quick lift and turn can keep you surrounded by shade. Re-angle yet again and you’re back in the sun. Good for following/avoiding the sun or the indecisive.

Emer is a web editor and writer for casaGURU who always has her eye out for fun home furnishings, accessories, products, trends, and tips. If you have ideas for me, find my profile, be my friend, and write on my wall.

Thank you to everyone who entered the casaGURU Outdoor Living Giveaway Contest. Hundreds of you entered online and many tagged yourselves on Facebook for bonus entries. Unfortunately, we were only able to draw three names to go on to receive a $100 Rona giftcard each. The 3 lucky winners are...

• A delighted Debbie Wilkinson who entered from Edmonton, Alberta
• A joyous Joy Mulder out of Oro-Medonte, Ontario
• A jubliant Jason Meisner hailing from Halifax, Nova Scotia (pictured below)

After shaking ourselves out of winter hibernation, one wants nothing more than to bask outside under sunny skies (after slathering on proper sunscreen, of course). There are numerous ways in which to enjoy the outdoors in the comfort of our own backyard, garden, or deck, and the follow are some of my favourite ways...

• Outdoor games
• Garden entertaining
• R&R (reading and reclining)
• Movie under the stars
• Chillin'

Read more in "Optimize Outdoor Enjoyment".

Patio season is my favourite season! It’s wonderful to do everything you would normally do, but now be able to do it outside while breathing in fresh air (or, if you’re living in a city, as fresh air as you can). What makes being outdoors even more enjoyable and enticing is comfortable furniture that’s not only pleasing to sit on or use, but aesthetically pleasing also.

I found a great line of outdoor furniture called Viva Designs. Their collection includes umbrellas, daybeds, sectionals, sofas, tables and more. Viva Designs has two stores, Fiber Living, both located in Ontario (Haliburton and Toronto). Don’t live near either location? Don’t worry! You can contact them directly and have your Viva Designs item of choice shipped to you.