Outdoor living is skyrocketing in popularity, and it’s not difficult to see why.
A well-designed outdoor living area becomes a true extension of the home, providing a beautiful oasis for a quiet summer night with a good book, a gathering of friends, or maybe a birthday party that has outgrown the living room.
The key to unlocking all of this potential functionality (and style) is to invest time in careful initial planning, reviewing your goals, must-haves, and maintenance considerations.
As you begin your own creative process, keep these tips and questions in mind.
Designing Your Perfect Outdoor Living Area
How Big Does Your Outdoor Space Need to Be?
Let’s plan for your crowds!
By carefully considering your family, friends, and the potential for unexpected guests, you can begin to gauge how best to maximize the space you have. Whether you’re envisioning a dining space, deck, stone patio, outdoor kitchen, pool, sports court, or fire pit, this is the best first step you can take.
What Do You Need from Your Outdoor Living Space?
We discussed size, but how about the features that will help you take things to the next level? For some homeowners, the goal is strictly to entertain, making lighting, layout, comfort, and recreation the top priority.
For others, functionality is important, perhaps having an outdoor cooking space where you can prep a meal without pausing a conversation. Considering these different features, possibilities, and goals will help you literally shape the space to conform to your needs.
Keep Things Bright (and safe!)
Lighting is an easily overlooked, but crucial aspect of your design. From a soft glow by the hot tub for ambiance to essential lighting leading up the stairs, the possibilities are endless.
Thankfully, LED technology has made unobtrusive, bright, long-lasting bulbs possible, allowing the party to carry on far after the sun goes down.
Choosing the Right Materials
We recommend discussing your options closely with your builder, working together to strike the balance between the aesthetics you’re looking for, a material that will blend well with your home and natural environment, and one that meets your maintenance needs too. If you choose a deck, for example, you’ll need to weigh the pros and cons of wood vs. composite, or if you choose a stone patio it’s important to be aware of possible discoloration and fading down the road.
One other feature that is easy to overlook but carries a lot of importance is your choice of railing. There are more options than you might realize, including:
- Composite
- Glass
- Cable railing
- Iron railing
- Tempered glass
- Steel
- Aluminum
- A balustrade design or interlocking patterns
Don’t Forget the Value of Shade
A little sun feels good at first, but too much of a good thing can take the fun out of a summer afternoon.
You may want to invest in a pergola to offer a little relief and welcome shade, while still preserving that outdoorsy feeling.
Talk To Your Local Westchester Building and Remodeling Company
One of the benefits of partnering with an established, experienced professional is that they can make you aware of options and possibilities that you might never have considered otherwise. Take the time to find a trustworthy builder, and then collaborate with them to create the perfect outdoor living space.
If you have any questions for us at Gerety Building & Restoration, we encourage you to give us a call! It would be our pleasure to serve you.
