Outdoor living spaces have become a increasingly popular choice for homeowners. Name any home design or architecture magazine you like. I can guarantee they’ve featured a beautiful outdoor living space on one of their covers multiple times! And it’s no surprise these hybrid spaces are growing in popularity. They have the best of both worlds: the comfort, convenience, and coziness of your home combined with the beauty of nature.
The American institute of architecture reports new findings: Over 70% of the 500 architecture firms they surveyed for their home trends study stated an increase in outdoor living space popularity. With outdoor living spaces on the rise, it is predicted that these spaces will become the norm in all newly built homes. Wayne Visbeen of Visbeen Architects based in Michigan had this to say. “100% of all of the homes I’m designing these days include an outdoor living space. With so many different options that merge the in with the out, any homeowner can find a design that will suit their needs.”
So What Are Outdoor Living Spaces?
While there are many different types of outdoor living spaces, they all have one thing in common: open access to the outside. Whether it’s a completely open patio, or a sunroom with bifold doors leading to your backyard. They both offer open access to the outdoors and are considered outdoor living spaces. They can provide fun and open entertainment areas, or great go-to relaxing spaces for you, your family, and guests! Even a pool is considered an outdoor living space! The options for outdoor living spaces are expansive: any indoor room can be combined with an outdoor one to create a unique outdoor living space experience.
Here Are Just A Few Examples:
There are limitless options for outdoor living spaces. But we went ahead and included a few ideas of the most popular outdoor space designs to get you inspired!
The Patio
A patio can be an excellent area to enjoy the outdoors! It can be attached to the side of your house, or it can be disconnected. The inclusion of a fire pit can cozy things up on a cool night as well as provide a space for roasting marshmallows! You could have a completely open patio with full view of the sky, or have it enclosed fully or partially. Adding sliding glass or bifold doors leading to the patio can greatly add to the open feel from inside the house and allow sunlight to filter through. A pergola is another great option if you need some shade on those extra sunny days. And of course, patios make excellent cookout locations with the addition of a grill. Patios can be very versatile outdoor living spaces.
The Swimming Pool
A swimming pool is everyone’s dream during the scorching summer months. The addition of a pool combined with a paved patio space around it can provide fun for everyone. Adding a pergola to a portion of it can provide a break from the sunlight. The poolside can even be furnished just like a patio.
The Outdoor Kitchen
If you’re looking for a more encompassing cooking setup for your home cookouts, an open outdoor kitchen is fantastic! Outdoor kitchens can include all appliances you would find in an indoor kitchen. But they’re also completely accessible from the outside AND inside for the ultimate cooking experience. Impress guests at your dinner parties by cooking them an amazing meal outdoors! In conjunction with an outdoor dining area, it makes for the perfect entertaining setup for dinner parties! It can also be great for medium or large families that want to enjoy the weather as much as possible.
The Outdoor Dining Area
An outdoor dining area is perfect for having meals with your family in the comfort of your own home while also enjoying the relaxing ambiance of nature. Having a roof or awning over the top is highly recommended so the area can be enjoyed even if it rains. Screens or fences can be used to enclose parts of the dining area if you wants more private feel while providing protection from windy days.
The Balcony
A balcony is an excellent addition to any home, and can be an outdoor space when combined with large sliding glass doors or bifold panels. Balconies are perfect for enjoying privately outside a second floor master bedroom, or to please your guests with an elevated view and comfortable outdoor seating.
The Gazebo
Gazebos are a popular outdoor living space with a variety of functions. They can be enclosed with curtains which can be open or closed. This gives you complete control over the amount of sunlight that enters the space. They can be used as dining areas or seating areas to enjoy an outdoor garden or pool, and offer shade on hot sunny days. Gazebos are a great place for guests to relax in while enjoying the weather. They can also be great for the family if you want an outdoor room with space to unwind away from the house.
…All of these examples can be combined with each other to create even more versatile spaces. So the possibilities really are endless! All of these spaces make great rooms to entertain guests. They also provide beautiful areas for your family to relax, work, or study. And any outdoor living space can be outfitted with appliances like lighting, TVs, and speakers for the ultimate entertaining area.
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