Economic woes over the past few years have caused more homeowners to stay put in their houses and concentrate on making them as livable and comfortable as they can instead of looking to buy another home.

When people know they are going to stay in their homes, they are more willing to remodel and spend money on what they already have. One area that has cropped up is something called "Outdoor Living."

Outdoor Living means making your backyard and patio a functional, livable space that fits seamlessly into your life. Essentially it means creating an outdoor space that is considered another room in your home: a place where family and friends gather for food, fun and conversation.

Investing in good quality teak furniture seems to go hand in hand with the steps recommended to create a warm, inviting outdoor space.

According to an article in the Visalia Times-Delta, Master Gardener Michelle Le Strange says that when it comes to picking outdoor furniture, comfort and durability are key.

Teak wood patio furniture is not only comfortable and durable, it is beautiful. And the best part about teak furniture? Even though it may cost more than say, plastic furniture, it is beautiful, comfortable and will last for generations.

According to Le Strange, "Outdoor living means designing your backyard into a space where family and friends can gather and play. If done right, the outdoor area becomes just another 'room' in your house."

Here are some tips Le Strange gives to create a welcoming backyard:

* Connect the outdoors with the indoors by French doors or sliding glass doors that lead to the backyard. In addition, a pergola or awning from the house to the patio help connect the two spaces visually.

Her next tips are about stimulating the senses: touch, sight and hearing.

* Encourage people to be comfortable outdoors by investing in comfortable seating. She says comfort and durability are the key components to consider for outdoor furniture.

* If your backyard gets cold, invest in a patio heater to maximize comfort.

* Put art in the garden, such as a birdbath or statue to increase your backyard's beauty.

* Bring music into the backyard through a stereo system or add other pleasant sounds with wind chimes or a bubbling fountain.

* For time spent after dark, invest in good lighting to enhance the mood and atmosphere of your backyard.

Le Strange says once you have prepared your back yard and created a welcoming, comfortable space, then make sure you use it:

"Enjoy life," she writes. "For most people, outdoor living means casual and fun - not formal and stiff. A cooking grill close to the kitchen, a hot tub or spa off the master bedroom, a lawn area for outdoor games increase the amount of pleasure your yard has to offer. While the weather is pleasant, it's not unusual for people who own a garden designed for outdoor living to spend more time outdoors than in. After all, just about anything that can be done indoors can be done outside, only more pleasantly."