BUILD AN OUTDOOR LIVING ROOM

When building your outdoor living room, consider:

1. Ambiance. Look at your surroundings and arrange furniture to create a cozy atmosphere. Control noise with wind chimes or trickling fountains.

2. Privacy. In a suburban yard, build a privacy fence and plant sunflowers next to it. In an urban area, a big market umbrella can block onlookers from above.

3. The elements. While your umbrella provides shade and cover, a propane tabletop heater (only 2 feet tall, heating 5 feet in diameter) provides warmth. And space permitting, a propane fire pit can be used during spark bans.

4. Comfort. A porch floor with propane radiant heating will keep you cozy. And if you're near water, a mosquito chaser can keep pesky insects away from your family and guests.

5. Cooking and dining. Today's propane grills come with all sorts of accessories that make creating appetizers and a main course a snap. You can get a rotisserie, a grill with a burner next to it, even woks.

6. An underground propane tank reduces visual intrusion, allows for landscaping, and you'll never run out of fuel during your barbecue.