How to Creat an Outdoor Living Space

Create an Outdoor Living Space You Will

Enjoy Year After Year . . .

The rise in casual outdoor entertaining has made having an Outdoor Living Space a must-have for many areas of the country.  And with the warmer weather and lingering days upon us, what better time than now to create an oasis in your own backyard or patio/deck.

When you are designing an outdoor space remember to think of it as a room, using the same design principles you would use for an interior room plan.  Just as there are design elements for the interior of your home, outdoor living design needs to consume the same impression.

Elements of Outdoor Living:

 1.  Create Unity

When you decide to design your outdoor living space, you need to consider the rest of your home and yard, and create visual unity between the indoors and out through your color scheme and furniture style.

2.  Set the Mood with Color

What kind of mood do you want to create in your outdoor living space? Just as paint or wallcoverings make the interior room unique and create a vibe, so can the use of color personalize your outdoor space. This is the time to look at your yard and consider the elements that you intend to keep. Then you can build off of that.

For example, if you have flowerbeds full of wildflowers, formal lawn furniture will look out of place, as would rustic outdoor furniture set among formal hedges.  While a Japenese "zen" garden looks best with teak or bamboo furniture.

 

3.  Create “Walls”

While outdoor walls can be retaining walls and such, they are more often than not, something entirely different. The function of the "walls" is to define or divide the outdoor spaces. Outdoor walls can be trees that line a certain boundary, or that mark the corners of one of your outdoor rooms, etc. They can be fences, rock, wood, vinyl, picket, wire;  or even can be patches of grass leading to an outdoor "room".

4.  Divide your outdoor space into rooms

It’s not much different than the interior of your home - each room (area) serves a purpose.  Do the same with your outdoor spaces:

• Create a "kitchen" area for grilling/cooking that would lead to an outdoor dining room.
• A beautiful flagstone walkway that leads you and your guests to an outdoor living  room complete with a fireplace.  
• While another walkway could guide you to a private seating for reading.

You want to encourage conversation so arrange your furniture in an interesting and inviting way, avoid lining up your seating against a railing or wall. Lamps, accessories and something hung on a wall all help to give your space the look and feel of a room. An outdoor rug can anchor your seating or dining area and give some warmth and color to your space.

Are you looking for a private retreat or do you do a lot of entertaining? This is another element that will influence your outdoor living design.

5.  Choose the right lighting

Lighting creates atmosphere and ambiance.  Even a small amount of lighting can change an outdoor space dramatically.  It should be subtle to enjoy the evening, but you want to be able to see, also.

Take note to how the rest of your home’s décor is.  Are you formal?  Eclectic?  Rustic?  Lighting has come a long way for outdoor spaces.  Is it so crazy to hang a chandelier outside? 

Probably not.

6.  Accessorizing

No room is complete until you have accessorized, and the outdoors is no exception.  Ideally you want to bring the indoors out. By choosing furniture, pillows and accessories that are similar in color and weight with your interior décor. 
 

Beautiful pergolas or gazebos will get the maximum look by adding outdoor drapes. Outdoor sheers on porches and cabana areas will add a bit of whimsy as well as privacy.

Adding colorful cushions to the seating will add drama, as will candlesticks, area rugs, vases, lamps and more.  Just be consistent with quality. Ultimately the outdoor furniture and accessories you select should be compatible with the overall quality of your landscape and home.

Not only have you created a beautiful extension of your home, you have also increased the usable space of your home, and are likely to increase the value of your home as well.