Have you dreamed about a custom indoor-outdoor living space for years? An updated outdoor living space can expand your home’s footprint, giving you more square footage to enjoy throughout the day.
Creating the outdoor living space of your dreams is more affordable than you might realize. By making a few strategic updates, you can start to enjoy your backyard and porch living space now. Keep reading to learn how to create an indoor-outdoor living space you’ll love!
Why Invest in an Indoor-Outdoor Living Space?
There are so many benefits to investing in an indoor-outdoor living space. Think of this as a transition zone, designed to draw you outside into a space where you can enjoy the sunshine and fresh air more often. Here are a few of the top benefits of upgrading your outdoor space:
- Exposure to vitamin D
- Access to fresh air
- Expanded living space
- Room to entertain
- Increased joy in your home
Research shows that spending time outside, surrounded by fresh air and greenery, can significantly improve your health. By extending your living space outdoors, you can take advantage of the green space closest to home.
5 Tips for Indoor-Outdoor Living Space
Shelter is a basic human need, but many of us spend far too much time inside our homes. What if there was a way to extend the comfort and safety of your house into your yard? With indoor-outdoor living spaces, you can enjoy the beauty of nature and the shelter of home all in one place.
Here are five tips to help you design the ideal space for your property:
1. Write Down the Purpose
What would you like to do outside? Not everyone desires poolside dining, a backyard putting course or a volleyball court. Your outdoor living space will be much more functional and enjoyable if you start by identifying its purpose.
Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Dining
- Entertaining
- Exercising
- Gardening
- Reading
- Sunbathing
- Swimming
Think in terms of action verbs, and choose between three to five descriptors for your perfect space. Ask yourself how these activities would fit into your current lifestyle — how much time do you spend at home, and how might a renovated backyard living space change your schedule?
Depending on your design choices, you can move many daily activities outside. Consider having your breakfast on the patio, swimming instead of heading to the gym, and watching TV in an indoor-outdoor living room.
2. Think About Sight Lines
When you renovate your outdoor living space, it’s important to think about what you’ll see from inside. How can the natural sight lines in your home draw you outside so you’re motivated to enjoy the outdoors more?
Common places to consider and build on natural sight lines include:
- Windows
- Glass doors
- Corners
- Paths
- Screens
Sight lines have two purposes. They ensure people inside and outside your home feel connected and can enjoy time together, even though they’re technically in different spaces. The other purpose of sight lines is to encourage people to move between these different zones.
For example, when someone is inside your kitchen, they might look out the window and see cozy seating they want to go out and enjoy. If the furniture is backed up against the window, they might not be drawn to go outside. Here’s another example — a pathway winding around the corner of your house entices people to follow it to a new space.
3. Create Multiple Destinations
There’s no point in going on an adventure if you don’t have a destination — a new place you want to see or experience. When people step out of your home into an indoor-outdoor living space, they should catch this sense of adventure.
You can create a natural flow in your space by designing several different destinations. Think back to those action verbs you choose to define the purpose of the space. How can you create three to five unique places in your yard to do those activities?
Once your first destination invites people outside, the next one hooks their attention. By creating several unique destinations in close proximity, you’ll create a natural sense of connection between people enjoying different parts of your living space.
4. Tie It Together With Color
If you’ve never decorated an outdoor space before, it might feel challenging to know what style and color palette to choose. Why not start with what you already love inside? Working with the same colors and textures will make your outdoor living space truly feel like an extension of your indoor home.
For example, maybe you love neutrals with one bold accent color. You can easily take that color palette outside with neutral furniture, plenty of greenery and a few bright pillows and pots. Your outdoor furniture doesn’t need to be fancy to extend your living space.
Looking at photos of outdoor living spaces can help you identify the style you love. However, remember that this is a space you want to live in, not just look at. Choose comfortable items that will last a long time and make you happy to see and use.
5. Plan for the Weather
Before you get too excited about buying cushions and installing planters, think about the weather where you live. How much of the year will you be able to enjoy your outdoor space? Will you need to store any of the furniture over the winter?
One of the best investments you can make is a cover for your indoor-outdoor living space. With a louvered roof system, you can enjoy style and protection from rain or the hot midday sun. Another great option is a patio cover that permanently protects you from weather.
If you’d love to enjoy your patio space day and night, consider building a Liferoom — it’s like a sunroom with retracting screens so you can quickly connect your outdoor and indoor spaces. Liferooms bring mood lighting, climate control and much more to your indoor-outdoor space.
Get a Free Estimate From PAsunrooms
At PAsunrooms, we can help expand your outdoor living space with three- and four-season sunrooms. To meet your goals for a functional indoor-outdoor space, consider our traditional sunrooms, Liferooms, patio covers and more. We have a solution for every outdoor space!
For over 35 years, we’ve served families in South Central PA. We’re familiar with the weather and customer concerns and can help you advance your vision of a comfortable indoor-outdoor space. Contact us today for a free estimate so we can start building your dream outdoor living space together.
