The recent trend in outdoor living design, such as porches, features movement toward bringing the comfort of the indoors outside.
This may seem like a new concept as you flip through the pages of the hottest outdoor living magazine or surf through the home improvement channels, but the concept has been around quite sometime. The goal has traditionally been to “bring the outdoors in,” but in recent years homeowners have begun focusing on reversing this and “bringing the indoors out” by carrying the indoor comforts into the natural beauty of our backyards. A custom backyard retreat serves to extend the outdoor season, adds living space to the home and creates a versatile yet casual space for entertaining. This is what Archadeck is known for, and has been since 1991 throughout Greensboro, Winston Salem, High Point, and the surrounding areas.
Here at Archadeck, we are seeing clients request these type of outdoor living spaces like never before. It’s no wonder you’re itching to transform your old-school patio or cookie-cutter deck into an impressive and functional space. However the space alone will not result in the creature comforts for creating the ideal “bring the indoors outside type of space.” Start by looking at trends that fit your lifestyle and have the potential of making the space irresistible; an area that becomes a destination rather than just a space.
- Optimal outdoor room placement
Good planning and placement of the structure will help turn your addition into a successful project. Where should your structure be placed? A good design is one where the structure complements your backyard.
If you’re lucky and have a fantastic view, you could take advantage of it! Perhaps you want your space to make the most of a shady spot or a sunny southern exposure. Is privacy from neighbors a concern? Are you close to a busy street where noise a problem? If so and if your area is limited, think about the use of landscape materials, partitions or fences to address the problem.
- Making the outdoor living connection
Will your addition be connected to your home? If so, are you taking into consideration its proximity to the family room? A path through a family room could be an issue if foot traffic will soil your carpets and disrupt anyone watching TV or conversing. As an alternative, placing the structure adjacent to, or with easy access to, your kitchen will make it easy to move food and dishes back and forth when dining in your new outdoor living space.
- Understanding scale between your home and outdoor living space
How will your new outdoor living space be used? If your home is small and you don’t anticipate entertaining a large number of guests at any one time, you probably won’t need a huge addition. Your plan for an outdoor living addition, such as a porch, needs to strike a balance between your home’s size, size of your household and functional requirements of the space you’re trying to satisfy.
- Have a seat!
Tops in the comfort category are seating clusters. Thick, comfy cushions and strategically placed outdoor furniture arrangements can spark conversation and help build relationships with family and friends. Designers are big on outdoor furniture that brings people together, stands up to the elements and showcases personal style.
- Go with the flow
It is important to have a good notion of how visitors will flow onto, within, and back out of your addition in relation to your home and backyard. Think about how family members, guests, and pets will be walking from the entrance of the residence to the backyard, from
the garage to the kitchen area, from the greenhouse or tool shed to the garden and so on.If you are likely to want a space solely for relaxation, you really don’t want all the visitors coming out of the property to merge into this area. Again, getting this right is a hallmark of good design.
If you are planning an outdoor living space and aren’t 100% sure what you want, it’s important to start asking yourself some questions, like how are you going to use the space? What views are important to you? Archadeck of the Piedmont Triad can help guide your thinking and prepare you for your dream outdoor project. And, as always, feel free to contact us.
Call: (336) 664 – 1332
Email: piedmonttriad@archadeck.net