Plan your Outdoor Living Space

Plan Your Outdoor Living Space

Colorado is a perfect place to plan your outdoor living space. The weather is very mild, we are outdoorsy kind of people and there is no need be cooped up inside. You can extend your livable portion of your property by creating rooms in the backyard.

The biggest obstacle for most people is breaking the backyard down into rooms. Once you decide what you really want to get out of your outdoor living spaces, the design considerations can quickly follow. Locations of outdoor kitchens and gathering spaces with fireplaces and comfortable seating are becoming more and more popular. Planning a water feature close to the rooms for sound and tranquility is always another nice addition to consider. Other ideas for outdoor rooms is creating a meditation or serenity room, or play areas for children or adults who want to play games like bocce ball, basketball, horseshoes. The rooms  completely tailor to your taste, hobbies and desires.

As you begin to identify the rooms you want, then many other considerations start to form. You always want to strive for unity across your landscape as well as function and aesthetics. All this happens because you are planning every detail. Let’s start to talk about some important details of each outdoor room.

Outdoor Kitchen – Having this room close to the house means hooking up gas, electricity and water for your appliances is less expensive then taking those lines out into the yard somewhere. The proximity to the indoor kitchen can also make bringing food in and out easier and less time consuming. One thing to consider is having the two kitchens adjacent means possible smoke coming inside so consider a spot that is sheltered from the wind. Other things to consider is is counter space.  No matter how small your outdoor kitchen is  you always want at least a little counter space to be able to work. You want everything to be within reach but not cramped for the maximum performance. There are many bells and whistles too that can be install if space is allowing. You can add a small refrigerator. drawers, sink, back splashes and a roof.

Refrigerators  are unplugged on cold days or for he winter, The sink would have to be drained just like your irrigation system. As far a roofs there are many to chose from – tents, awnings, pergola’s and etc.

When finding the perfect place for your outdoor kitchen you will then need to think about the perfect spot for your table. Proximity to the house is important, so that you are able to get back inside to fetch items. Also consider the view from the table. These could be water features, fireplaces,  oceans, or mountains. A shady spot is ideal for dining!

Flooring – A close look at the floor of an outdoor room will tell you a lot. For a more traditional space, oftentimes a uniform rectangular paver stone pattern is used. For more causal areas, you will want random patterns using flagstone. Decking and concrete is another avenue.

Outdoor entertainment area is another room for relaxing or entertaining your family and friends. Outdoor fireplaces and fire pits are becoming more and more popular across the country but heavily in Colorado because of the ability to be outside almost year round. The fire unit can be gas or wood burning with many different textures. You should consider matching to your outdoor kitchen. Stone veneer, stucco, or a blocking unit will create any of these units for you. There is no right or wrong just a personal preference and budget. Again in this area you will want to plan the location of where you are putting the fireplace and furniture to sit and enjoy. Also what kind of seating. Will it be built in or will furniture be purchased?

Garden room as a destination – finding the best spot for a garden room depends on your home and the layout of your yard. If you have enough acreage, you can create a garden room that is farther from the house than some of your other outdoor living areas. Unlike an outdoor kitchen or dining room, where you want the convenience of being able to go in and out of the house easily, a garden room can be an escape from the everyday and a place where you are physically  and spiritually separated from the tedium of daily life.

The sights, sounds and fragrances in a garden room will be completely dictated by nature, rather than what is coming from the house. No ringing phone, no visual reminders of chores: just birds chirping and butterflies landing on nearby flowers.

Water features – Water allures. It is no surprise that many  people want to carry a water feature throughout their property with water features and fountains of all shapes and sizes. This adds visual interest and attracts the eye. You can select by the theme in your yard what types of water features you want.

If you have mountainous yard a long stream with large boulders may do the trick, formal gardens come with hedges and water statues, contemporary yards come with straight lines features or bowls for water features. There are so many options here. A simple bird bath with water can add a little feature in the garden. The options are endless and fun!

You can see with a little planning your outdoor space can become a wonderful extension of your home and give you the opportunity to enjoy life a little more each day.