Creative Ways to Expand Your Outdoor Living Space

Sammamish Backyard Retreat
Feb 16 2021

Creative Ways to Expand Your Outdoor Living Space

What is the most fun and versatile way to upgrade your home and expand its living spaces?

 

The answer is not to increase the square footage of your home by adding extra rooms or bathrooms. Even though these additions create more space they are one-dimensional and essentially give you more of what you already have.

 

On the other hand, improving the space outside your house will introduce whole new ways of enjoying your home. It will let you blur the boundaries between your indoor and outdoor areas, or winter and summer.

 

At the same time, the outdoor space does not become just another indoor space. Although it acquires the functionality of your indoor areas, it retains its distinct quality as an outdoor area. It is not as confining as being indoors and it is as comfortable and relaxing as only outdoor spaces can be. Creating a space with these capabilities will increase your enjoyment of your home and improve its value, according to WRents.com. Here are some ideas on how to do it.

 

When designing an outdoor living space, four elements are fundamental. Seamlessly integrating these four elements in your space is how you create an outdoor living area that beautifully extends your home and is highly adaptable and immensely enjoyable. These four elements are.

 

  • Earth and greenery
  • Water and water features
  • Lighting and heat sources
  • Comfortable seating

 

These four aspects should blend into one another so well that the space remains fully-functional, regardless of what use you put it to.

 

Enclosure or outdoor rooms

 

Kirkland Modern Backyard

 

Make the area comfortable by protecting it from the elements. If you have an extended patio, adding a roof and wall – even a single privacy wall – can transform it into an outdoor room. The walls and roofs may be permanent or completely retractable. You can also augment this with a garden trellis.

 

The outdoor room does not have to be attached to the side of the house. Attached rooms are easier to access, but a standalone structure could be better if you have space. Other options for an outdoor room include a pergola, yurt, shed, or summer house.

 

Furniture and seating

 

Clyde Hill Residence

 

If people can’t find comfortable seating in the room, it is going to be a lot less useful than it could be. Furniture for an outdoor room should be flexible, ultra-comfortable, weatherproof, and preferably dual-purpose.

 

They should be small enough to fit into the room without crowding it. Seats should have people facing each other and the arrangement should give you the option of creating a focal point in the space. Flexible outdoor furniture includes ottomans that double as coffee tables or footstools that convert to side tables.

 

Entertainment

 

Making the outdoor space into a place for entertaining is not that hard. There are entertainment systems designed for this exact purpose depending on your use. An outdoor TV or outdoor projector system is great for watching sports or movies.

 

Outdoors speakers will also boost the sound output of your TV or projector system. One important aspect to remember when choosing outdoor entertainment systems is to go for options that let you preserve the authentic outdoor look of your space.

 

An outdoor kitchen

 

Sammamish Outdoor Living

 

Just as with your indoor space, this can be the heart of your outdoor living area. You can go with the basics by including just an outdoor grill and a small refrigerator. Or you can add a fully-equipped kitchen, complete with a dining area.

 

The options for building an outdoor kitchen are inexhaustible; the only limits are space and budget. If your outdoor room is attached to the house, you can get by with a basic kitchen, since you can easily move food from the main kitchen to the outdoor room. But if you have a standalone structure, a full-fledged kitchen is the better option.

 

Lighting and a heat source

 

Newcastle Outdoor Room

 

Adding a heat source in the room serves two purposes: it creates a central focus and provides warmth. People will gather around a fire and having a fire pit in the space is a great way to make it cozy and get people chatting.

 

Lighting fixtures are also important; they let you use the room at night and during the darker autumn months. But you should also plan to illuminate the areas around the room, people need to be able to see the adjoining areas. It will also make the approach to the room safer to walk at night.

 

Add a water feature

 

A water feature is the final element that will help to complete the outdoor living area. This could be a decorative feature like a fountain, waterfall, or water wall. It could be a purely ornamental pond or a fish pond. Other options for a water feature include a water garden, outdoor hot tub, or course, a swimming pool.

 

Your choice ultimately depends on space, budget, and your intended use for the outdoor area. But, ultimately, including a water feature adds serenity and class to your outdoor area.

 

There you have it! Simple yet creative ways to expand your outdoor living space.

 

Share Post


Previous Next
Close
Test Caption
Test Description goes like this
Skip to content