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Northwest Style: Staying Cozy Outside
These Great Outdoor Rooms Scoff at Drizzle, Rain and Clouds
I started JASON BALL interiors out of a passion for the design and building process. For me, it's all about learning about my clients and creating a personalized space that fits the way they live.
I started JASON BALL interiors out of a passion for the design and building... More »
Yes, I know, it rains quite a bit here in the Northwest! However, the concept of outdoor living is gaining some serious traction here, and we're seeing more and more homeowners wanting this type of life. Here are 10 examples of how great outdoor living spaces can be accomplished in locales with less than optimal weather.
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| Warm it up. This is a complete outdoor living space with a kitchen, seating area and fireplace. Built-in heaters in the ceiling allows for three-season living. |
| Celebrate stone and wood. We like our rocks and we like our wood here in the Northwest. This is more than just a fireplace. It's a fireplace wall serving two purposes: keeping some weather out and making this patio more like a living room. |
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| Cover a destination spot. This covered pergola provides a nice area for entertaining and enjoying the built-in fireplace. By separating it from the house, it becomes a destination spot in the yard. |
by kim E. rooney
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Add an extra barrier. By nearly closing up the wall on one side, this outdoor entertainment area becomes more weatherproof. Speakers, a built-in TV and all-weather furniture complete the design.
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Build for the entire family. A rustic picnic table, large stone fireplace and hearth make this all about gatherings. I can just imagine summer evenings with the adults hanging out around the table and children roasting marshmallows in the fire.
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| Use light to extend your time outside. Warm summer evenings outside are much less fun when you can't see the person sitting next to you. This outdoor living room is lit incredibly well, from a light on the table to landscape lighting around the stairs and fireplace, especially useful for cloudier days (of which we have quite a few). |
| Cover a hot tub for year-round soaking. A simple structure with copper roof is used to make this hot tub usable all year. There's something particularly invigorating about hot-tubbing in the winter. |
Bring the inside out. This raised patio area alongside the back of a home is covered with a frosted glass panels to allow light to come through. Even on a gray day, it will still be a good place to hang out by the fireplace. And because it's not too deep, this is a great way to accomplish outdoor living spaces in more urban settings.
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| Bring the outdoors in. Sometimes spaces limitations don't allow for expansive outdoor entertaining areas. By using glass garage doors or even a window wall (imagine a full wall of sliding glass doors), the outside seems to flow effortlessly inside. This is another great alternative in more urban surroundings where space is limited.
Next: Browse more photos of patio designs |
Comments
sandy larsen I love the frosted glass panels to let light inside. If you live in the North-'wet', a covered outdoor area is a must. We recently moved into a home with decks but no covered area and that's going to be one of the first changes we make. Thank you for the ideas!
2 years ago · Like
Pangaea Interior Design, Portland, OR My dream is to have a Nana Wall (brand of the entire glass sliding wall) along my entire family room. I've thought about a covering over the top of my deck, but don't want to block any of the light. The idea of having frosted glass panels as the roof is a great one!
2 years ago · Like
Ideabook published on April 7, 2011.
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