What is an Outdoor Living Area?
Replacing the typical backyard of the past, outdoor living areas are the new trend in exterior home design. Outdoor living areas are meant to be functional, decorative rooms that extend your home’s interior space to the outdoors; they create the illusion of an interior room in an exterior setting where landscaping, lighting, and outdoor furniture function as accessories in your outdoor room.

Imagine Your Space
Whether you are wanting to keep your outdoor living area connected to the house by transforming your already covered back-patio or would like to construct a unique outdoor living space away from the home – using exterior landscape and complimentary outdoor features to enhance the transitional space between – you can dramatically alter the visual aesthetic and functionality of your backyard. If you don’t have them already, backyard patios and decks are the most common installations for homeowners because they frame and set the parameter of your outdoor living space. Depending on the existing style of your home, you may consider refreshing the intended exterior space with a new patio surface of exposed aggregate, stamped or acid-stained concrete, salt-finish, or custom stone.

Design Your Space
When designing your outdoor living area, it is important to first consider how you intend to use the space. An outdoor living area can be engineered to serve a variety of purposes including entertaining, cooking, and relaxing. The next thing to consider is how you would like your outdoor living area styled. Which style would best compliment your home: A pleasant patio or quaint courtyard? A modern arbor or stylish gazebo? A country-style back porch? Or a design of your own? Also, be sure to choose colors that integrate well with your home and exterior landscaping.

The Ultimate Outdoor Kitchen
Some of the most popular and interesting outdoor living area designs include stainless steel grills or fully functional outdoor kitchens, depending on your budget. For the ultimate outdoor cooking experience, an outdoor kitchen can include all of the elements of your home’s interior kitchen. You can install concrete counter-tops as a weatherproof surface perfect for all of your outdoor cooking; sinks, cabinets and stainless-steel refrigerators, ovens, propane grills, and dishwashers optimize the functionality of an outdoor kitchen. If you are wanting a gourmet kitchen, specialty features such as drop-in coolers, Big Green Egg smokers, power burners, and custom brick or concrete pizza ovens are also popular options.

Entertain Outdoors
A grill or outdoor kitchen can be easily integrated into a larger outdoor living area to create a more complex space for entertaining. For those who enjoy throwing summertime parties, constructing a fully stocked wet bar in your outdoor living area is another popular feature.

For a more dining-room feel, concrete bars are a smart alternative to outdoor furniture and they offer your guests and you options for seating. An outdoor table and other outdoor furniture, however, can be strategically placed to compliment the architectural style of your outdoor living area. Accessories like televisions and built-in sound systems are a great way to bring some of your interior living room features into your outdoor living area.

It also is important to incorporate your vision for your outdoor living area with your already existing or imagined outdoor features such as swimming pools and gardens.

The Outdoor Lounge
Your outdoor living space can also function as a relaxing retreat complete with comfortable outdoor couches, chairs, coffee tables, and ceiling fans. Decorative pillows are a simple way to style your outdoor lounge. For lighting, specialty features like brick fireplaces, fire pits, and fire bowls create a warm, intimate ambiance and provide a focal point to gather around in your outdoor living area. Water features and pondless water features are also a great way to incorporate natural sounds into your outdoor living experience.

Written by Christina Gaona
www.onespecialty.com