From outdoor kitchens and furniture to color choice and location, learn how a landscape architect can help you create the ultimate outdoor room. It’s early morning, and the sun is brightening the sky overhead. You’re waiting for the coffee to brew, preparing yourself for a new day. To pass the time, you gaze out the window that overlooks the back of your home… and what do you see? If you’re like me, you see potential. Yours, like many luxury properties, may already feature a tennis court, pool, terrace, and formal gardens. But perhaps you are ready for something else, something that will expand your living and entertainment space. After all, when guests come over or you are hosting a large family gathering, everyone, it seems, wants to be outdoors, enjoying the weather. So why not extend the terrace… why not have an outdoor dining area… why not construct an outdoor kitchen … and a firepit or an outdoor fireplace? Or, maybe you envision more walkways or steps to connect what are now separate areas.
Don’t worry, you’re not alone. In the last ten years, we have seen a metamorphosis take place (and it’s still evolving) fueled by this kind of dreaming and the vision and talents of landscape architects and designers that are turning the outdoors into exotic (and extensive) living environments.
If you’re feeling a little intimidated by the size and scope of your dream project and you’re not sure where to start, may I suggest you enlist the expertise of a professional landscape architect. Not only do they have the experience to design your new outdoor living space, they can assure that what gets designed ties in to the architecture of your home and the existing landscape. Formal, traditional, contemporary, natural… each dictates its own direction and a landscape architect will recommend a design that fits your property.
The process usually begins with a conversation on site. Your chosen professional will listen to what you want to create and critique your specific property and its various opportunities. Most landscape designers begin with an overall plan, showing how each area connects or relates to the next and what features will help tie it all together. Often the design begins with the inside of the house: the location of the kitchen, the view from inside the front door, or even the family room or great room and how they all relate to your new outdoor living spaces. Depending on your property, your designer may incorporate architectural elements such as pergolas, arbors, decks, verandas, retaining walls, and steps to define the spaces and provide a separation or connection as called for in the plan. Outdoor entertainment rooms with a TV and sofas, an outdoor kitchen, and possibly an outdoor dining room are usually set close to the house, linking with the existing structure. For some homes, a conservatory could be a consideration. Not only does it connect to the outdoors, but during bad weather a conservatory can be the next best thing to being outside.
Once you and your landscape architect finalize a budget and a plan (which may take numerous back and forth attempts), the next step is to put together a team to get the work
completed. Often a landscape architect can assist in this process. Most have connections with interior decorators (to recommend and place furnishings), landscape contractors, carpenters, masons, and nurseries. Many will also offer to manage the entire project. Some will do the design work and suggest an experienced project management firm to execute the plan. Locating a landscape architect is an easy task. You may already know one, of course, or one may work with your architect. But if not, friends and family may recommend one or you can visit websites like the ASLA (American Society of Landscape Architects) at www.asla.org and click on the “Professional Practice” tab and scroll down to “Firm Finder.” You can also use this magazine as a resource. Many landscape architects work in any area of the country regardless of their headquarters office location, so don’t feel like you need one from down the street.
So what else can I tell you that will give shape to your dreams?
Let’s Talk About Interior Design and Furniture
Now some of you are saying, “Why should I have an interior decorator work on my outdoor rooms?” Well, first of all, you need the services of a decorator to finish and furnish all these outdoor spaces that the landscape architect designed. The walls and floor are there, but the furniture, the artwork, the décor, draperies (yes, some outdoor spaces call for draperies), colors, etc., all need to be coordinated. Knowledgeable decorators will listen to ideas, study how the inside of a home is furnished, make their own suggestions, and then develop a plan that will produce a room that will not only look fantastic, but which will also provide years of enjoyment. A decorator should be familiar with the new advances in outdoor furniture and that can change your design opportunities considerably.
Outdoor furniture has seen some significant improvements over the last few years. The manufacturers have been investing in innovative materials. They are using new fabrics, finishes, metals, and fill materials that make high-quality furniture withstand the outdoor elements. (No more worrying about leaving the furniture outside during bad weather; most can withstand rain, snow, and extreme cold.) And today, outdoor furniture can be just as stylish and comfortable as indoor versions—and much of it can remain out all winter long with nothing more than a simple cover.
Bon Appetit!
Nothing keeps guests more engaged than good food and good conversation, which is why many designers recommend kitchens during the planning stage of an outdoor space. Imagine: guests gather around the kitchen table, laughing and talking as a pizza is put in the oven or mouth-watering aromas waft around them from the barbecue. As the sun sets, the ambiance notches up as soft lights pop on and a fire is started in the fireplace. Everyone is feeling good and nobody wants to go inside.
Barbecue grills have come a long way from our father’s generation. Today’s grills are high-tech, sophisticated in style, sport the sleek good looks of stainless steel, and feature a variety of options that most professional chefs would welcome. These powerful grills usually run on gas or propane, but since many cooks prefer charcoal or different types of wood in order to achieve a smoky flavor, many manufacturers are accommodating these types of fuel as well. In fact, some units are hybrids that combine fuels so cooks can have the best of all worlds.
Outdoor kitchens give homeowners options because a great outdoor kitchen is the heart of the backyard. Think about it: when a party is set indoors, where does everyone congregate? The kitchen! And when the kitchen is outdoors, everyone gravitates to its warm and inviting atmosphere. Designers will recommend that a homeowner put together a wish list for their outdoor kitchen. Outdoor kitchens can sparkle with style when they include elegant stainless steel cabinetry, full-service bars, glass tile accents and granite countertops, as well as a wide variety of professional equipment, such as stoves and ovens, refrigerators and wine chillers, sinks, and even pizza ovens.
Get Out and Play
Another great quality of outdoor rooms is their entertainment value. State-of-the-art technology allows homeowners to include systems that can withstand harsh weather and extreme temperatures. Weatherproof big-screen TVs are durable because their screens are anti-glare, impact resistant, and scratch-resistant, allowing guests to enjoy the latest film while lounging under the stars.
There is also a wide variety of wired and wireless speakers and sound systems that can accommodate an audio input for iPods and MP3 players. The sounds of music can completely surround the setting with a background ambiance that will elevate a get-together with friends into an energizing party or a Zen experience—all based on whatever playlist is selected.
Just about any kind of sporting field or leisure activity can be incorporated into an outdoor space’s design. Many homeowners ask their designers to include swimming pools and putting greens, as well as tennis, basketball, and volleyball courts.
When it’s all said and done, it comes down to this: outdoor space is valuable space that can become everything you ever imagined, and with the proper investment, it’s proven to add value to any property. So talk to your friends. Call a landscape architect. Make your dreams come to life. And then, when you gaze out your back window… just try to stop yourself from smiling and feeling satisfied that you did the smart thing.
Photo 1: AMS Landscape Design Studios; Photo by Jeri Koegel (www.jerikoegel.com)
Photo 2: Photo courtesy of Summer Classics
Photo 3: AMS Landscape Design Studios; Photo by Jeri Koegel (www.jerikoegel.com)
Photo 4: Photo courtesy of Walnut Hill Landscape Company; Photography by LandmarksPhotography.com
Photo 5: Photo courtesy of AMS Landscape Design Studios; Photo by Will Hare, Jr. (www.willharephoto.com)