| An outdoor room uses the basic design principle of | | | | Sometimes you can define a space simply by |
| harmony. It is where your interior space and the | | | | covering it. Pergolas and arbors help create lovely |
| exterior can harmonize most beautifully. One is the | | | | venues. They are especially attractive when covered |
| extension of the other, seamless, flowing, blending. | | | | with vines. |
| An outdoor room is a wonderful way to make | | | | Don't overlook your front yard. Your front |
| Houston's fickle and unpredictable weather work for | | | | entryway could make a lovely outdoor room-using |
| you. You can use it to bask in our mild winters. And | | | | such landscaping features as a tall fence for privacy |
| you can construct it so that you can still enjoy the | | | | and a water element to camouflage street noise. |
| outdoors even in the worst of summer (an overhead | | | | Harmonizing with Other Hardscapes |
| fan here, a screened-in porch there...) | | | | Balance is another basic design principle. Use it when |
| Ideas and Inspiration | | | | balancing your exterior living room against the other |
| Outdoor rooms have become the latest necessity | | | | hardscapes, the non-plant components, of your |
| for an up-to-date home. Here are some ideas for you | | | | landscape. For instance, luxury swimming pools, which |
| to use: | | | | have become an expected feature of high-end |
| Outdoor kitchens have become immensely | | | | homes, are often the next logical step beyond an |
| popular, whether you only do family gatherings or | | | | outdoor room. |
| entertain extravagantly. They allow you to slow | | | | Pathways leading to and from the space need to |
| down and enjoy family and friends by putting all the | | | | blend with your other material choices. You can use |
| ingredients for outdoor cooking and dining close at | | | | retaining walls to good effect by having them draw |
| hand. A natural gathering spot. | | | | lines in the open space and therefore create the |
| An uncovered patio can be transformed into a | | | | "walls" of the room-or have them double as built-in |
| year-round sun room by adding a roof, an outdoor | | | | seating. You can coordinate your outdoor living space |
| fireplace, and walls that slide and enclose the room | | | | with the drainage systems by using attractive French |
| during inclement weather. | | | | drains, another subtle way of defining space, or |
| Don't forget under-utilized spaces, as can be | | | | installing decorative drains in the flooring. |
| found on the side of your home. Already well-defined | | | | Picking a Pro |
| by the property line and your home's boundaries, | | | | Most people will benefit from the services of |
| these spaces can readily be turned into an outdoor | | | | landscape designers and landscape architects with a |
| living room. | | | | project like an outdoor room. These professionals will |
| Do you live in-town and have a limited backyard? | | | | put the principles of good design to work and help |
| Use a small garden design and turn the whole space | | | | you integrate the room with your home's |
| into an outdoor living room. Use planters to add | | | | architecture, make the best use of available space, |
| touches of green. Outdoor water fountains can add | | | | and address permitting issues. Jeff Halper, landscape |
| visual and auditory pleasure. | | | | design specialist with Exterior Worlds, says, "Keep in |
| These rooms don't have to be attached only to | | | | mind that the more complex the project-the more |
| the house. You can use other structures as | | | | sophisticated the design-the more important your |
| backdrops, too, such as a detached garage or pool | | | | designer and contractor become. |
| cabana. | | | | |