Outdoor Rooms

by Sheila

Our outdoor room has misters for the hot summer months and a fireplace for cooler winter months making it great year-round

There is nothing like enjoying the great outdoors with all the comforts of home at your fingertips.  In the desert climate, we enjoy our outdoor space year-round.  It is truly an extension of our home.  Outdoor rooms have become more popular in the last few years, for good reason.  It can be a great place to entertain and relax in a magical setting.

I think there are some "must-haves" in the creation of your outdoor room.  A sense of enclosure is important.  This may be walls on a few sides, the posts of a pergola, curtains, or a living wall of potted plants, to name a few options.

A buffet from a thrift store; painted and used for storage and serving

 

Another key is comfortable seating.  Think about how you will use this space.  Dining al fresco? Relaxing with a good book?  Entertaining friends around the fire pit, or watching the kids swim or play?  Arrange your seating according to the activities you will most enjoy.  We re-arrange our furniture according to the seasons.  In the winter, our outdoor seating is turned toward the fireplace with the curtains drawn around to keep in the warmth of the fire.  In the summer, we turn it to face the pool.  We also have a round dining table that we use as often as our indoor table.  I love to eat outside!


My front garden

 Lighting is also important in your outdoor space, as you will often be using this area in the evening.  I am not a big fan of overhead lighting, so a little creativity helps.  Candles are an obvious choice, but twinkle lights and some of the other outdoor string lighting provide great light at an affordable price. Don't overlook the low-voltage landscape lighting- very easy to install.  I also like some solar lights, but hate the "blue-toned" ones.

 

Consider going bold with color.  Outdoor light saturates it anyway, so a bright hue doesn't have quite the same punch as it might indoors.  Love turquoise?  Buy some bright pillows and accessories and liven things up.  I have painted the walls of my outdoor room a bright red.  Go all-out with an outdoor rug, a curtain or two and anything else that strikes your fancy, making it cozy and comfortable and really feel like a "room".  Just be careful - you'll have a hard time tearing yourself away once you create the perfect outdoor spot to relax and entertain friends!