PLANNING YOUR OUTDOOR LIVING SPACE

Planning Your Outdoor Living Space

Our goal is to enhance the client’s style of open-air living and entertaining.

When we help a client plan their outdoor space, we review feature options and budget priorities to help create an environment that is lovely, relaxed, functional, and easy to maintain.

Features for an outdoor living space typically include a cover, a deck or patio, lighting, seating, supply storage, and a barbecue. Optional additions include fireside or outdoor heater, outdoor kitchen, water feature, hot tub, and pool.

Covers
There are many cover options, ranging from retractable/removable umbrellas with in-ground bases, an attractive awning, or permanent cover. Covers can be extensions of the roofline or separate structures such as a gazebo or multi-use pavilions. Cover material can be wood or steel.

Deck or Patio
See https://shireyhomepro.com/blog/best-outdoor-decking-materials/ for a review of the best outdoor decking materials. And for patios, we can work with existing concrete or paved areas or add a new space for you.

Lighting
Options include path light, accent lighting, floodlight, and security lighting.

Firesides or Outdoor Heaters or Built-In Heating Elements
Options range from outdoor patio heaters or fire pits, which can use natural gas, wood or wood pellets, or electricity for fuel. Built-in wood-burning fire pits can be as small as one by two feet or as large as five feet diameter or square. We especially like oval-shaped designs in that they don’t have sharp corners and invite circles of diners and socializers.

If the outdoor living space includes walls or counters, we can add built-in flush heating elements.

Outdoor Kitchens
Ever wanted a “kitchen extension” in your backyard setting? We love helping home-based chefs move their work outside.

Questions to Consider:
Is the kitchen intended to be an extension to your barbecue space, or do you want full support for the executive chef in your family? Full chef support will require making a built-in outdoor kitchen with plumbing for water and waste disposal and electrical for appliances.

Do you want your furniture and furnishings to move from undercover to open sunlight and back quickly? If yes, consider having us make seating and cabinets on wheels that can lock in place. If not, we will want to use weatherproof material that can handle Pacific Northwest temperature and moisture changes.

Water Feature
A pond, fountain, or waterfall helps create a serene space for relaxation and reflection.