How to create a great outdoor room
Outdoor rooms are becoming more and more popular. What was often an after thought or alternative to an extension is now built into the design of many new homes. And for good reason. The flow from indoor to outdoor works well when the climate is right and creating an outdoor room is the perfect way to get maximum use of your living space.
If you're thinking about incorporating and outdoor room into your new home or renovation there are a few things to consider:
1. Access
This is critical to the success of an outdoor room. You want to be able to keep the doors open from the inside to the outside whenever possible so you need to protect the openings against wet weather and equip them to cope well with prolonged exposure to the sun.
2. Shading
To make sure the space is comfortable, inviting and private throughout the day, you need to manage the sun. You can do this with an awning, umbrella or a pergola but the best and simplest way is with mature trees and plants. So think ahead!
3. Lighting
Good landscape and deck lighting at night can be the making of your outdoor space as the less picturesque elements fade into the darkness. If it’s properly lit it will not only be safer, it’ll feel like an extension of the inside rather than a separate space.
4. Cooking
An outdoor kitchen will save you making trips to and fro between your entertaining area and your stove or fridge. Inbuilt seating will also add to the feeling of permanence. And don’t forget… a garden is not just for entertaining; it’s also a beautiful place for solitude. Just as you might want a study area in an active living space, so too you might relish a bit of privacy outside. So factor this in at the planning stage and give yourself somewhere to hide.
