This is the time of year we all look forward to: Daylight lasts long after our workdays have ended, the weather is balmy, and family and friends are visiting from Arizona and those other hotter climes! It’s a good bet that you’ve got the patio furniture wiped down and the grill fired up by now.

Maybe you’ve also been considering a sound system and pizza oven for your patio, yard or deck. If so, you’d be part of a national trend toward creating outdoor living spaces that rival their indoor counterparts. The great thing is that here in San Diego we get to use ours so much more than other parts of the country with colder winters and crueler summers.

Whether you’re just looking to dress up your space in a weekend project, or create a complete outdoor kitchen and living room, here are ideas from local pros to help you get started.

Seriously speaking, outdoor living spaces can command serious dollars, but if you’re building a home, creating a major addition or completely renovating your space, these new areas are in high demand and can add tremendous value to your property.

Complete outdoor kitchens and living rooms will often have utilities, entertainment and architectural features that need to be handled with skill and knowledge. You also want them to be visually connected to your indoor spaces; so you need a pro who knows which ones work best in covered and uncovered settings. New ideas for outdoor spaces – The San Diego Union-Tribune