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Interview: 10 Secrets to a Stunning Outdoor Room
Designer Sandy Koepke Shares Her Tricks for Mastering Outdoor Living Spaces
It makes total sense that Sandy Koepke started her career in interior design — her outdoor spaces all feel so comfortable and inviting, they're like a true extension of the home itself. After drooling over Koepke's extensive portfolio of backyard kitchens and retreats, we knew we had to find a way to pick her brain on what makes a great outdoor entertaining area. Luckily, she obliged our pleas and graciously shared how she does it. If you're in the midst of planning your patio, deck or yard for lots of festivities this spring and summer, here are some tips from the master.
by Sandy Koepke
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1. Consider the infrastructure. When starting an outdoor project, Sandy says the first step is introducing infrastructure such as a gas line, water, or electrical work. If you're planning an outdoor kitchen this is especially important, but even a well-lit garden needs a little consideration for the energy source.
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2. Look to the lights. Here's the same garden shown in the first photo, at dusk. Sandy used five different light sources here, including the barn light fixtures above (attached to a conduit running across the pergola), strings of big lights on a sensor timer that turn on at dusk, and vintage lanterns that have been rewired to low voltage for use outside.
Sandy advices to be experimental with your light sources, and don't be afraid to keep adding new elements to get the right glow for different times of the night or evening.
Sandy advices to be experimental with your light sources, and don't be afraid to keep adding new elements to get the right glow for different times of the night or evening.
by Sandy Koepke
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You can have chandeliers, vintage lights and other indoor fixtures rewired to low voltage for use outside. The look is wonderfully unexpected, and continues to blur the lines between a home's inside and outdoor spaces.
For a similar lantern to the one pictured, try Circa Lighting's Star Lantern.
For a similar lantern to the one pictured, try Circa Lighting's Star Lantern.
by Sandy Koepke
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3. Aim for accessibility. When it comes to making an outside area work as an extension of the home, Sandy recommends upping the accessibility. Make it easy to get outdoors, and work towards good flow by using lots of windows and doors.
Sandy raised this patio to meet the house's lanai doors. By doing so, access to the outside looks completely effortless.
Sandy raised this patio to meet the house's lanai doors. By doing so, access to the outside looks completely effortless.
by Sandy Koepke
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4. Go for a grill. The number-one way to get people over to your house this summer? Fire up the grill. It's truly an outdoor entertaining necessity. Koepke prefers building in a gas line for added convenience, rather than using propane.
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If possible, Sandy also recommends a water line — even if it's just for cold water — to rinse things off and grab a drink without having to go indoors.
You can even set it up so that the runoff drains right into the soil, watering your plants while you entertain!
You can even set it up so that the runoff drains right into the soil, watering your plants while you entertain!
by Sandy Koepke
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5. Create an enclosed space. "An enclosure — be it a pergola, walls or salvaged windows and doors — gives a sense of place without taking away the fact that it's outdoors," says Koepke.
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With a fireplace, plush seating and hanging lights, this secret garden-like "room" melds the comfort of the indoors with the beauty of nature.
by Sandy Koepke
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Sandy loves to hang things from above in trees or from pergolas. It also adds to that sense of enclosure, while at the same time providing a touch of whimsy and an engagement with nature.
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6. Find a focal point. The fireplace in this yard is the center of outdoor activities, thanks to its large-scale presence. If you're on a budget, a fire pit could work well too.
by Sandy Koepke
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7. Opt for outdoor fabrics. When Koepke started working on outdoor spaces, the fabric choices were slim. Today, we're lucky enough to have a slew of options to choose from, like sheers and woven textiles, bright colors and more subtle tones. Whatever you choose to use on your patio furniture, make sure it's solution-dyed acrylic, insists Sandy. That way it will be able to stand up to to whatever weather comes its way.
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A few touches of vibrant outdoor fabrics and a punchy palette of paint provide dramatic color in this outdoor kitchen.
by Sandy Koepke
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Koepke used Portola Paints here. "The paints have a chalky finish, almost like stucco," she says. Even the concrete counters got a coat to give it that lavender-gray finish.
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8. Lean towards local plants. Sandy uses lots of succulents and drought-tolerant plants in her designs, but she recommends getting acquainted with the native species in your own area. Not only will they require little effort to introduce into your landscape, they'll thrive far more easily than their non-native counterparts.
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Hearty succulents grow over and around well-aged antique finds in this Koepke-designed garden area.
Tip: Koepke also like planting edibles throughout the landscape. That way, you can easily pluck some rosemary to add to whatever's cooking on the grill!
Tip: Koepke also like planting edibles throughout the landscape. That way, you can easily pluck some rosemary to add to whatever's cooking on the grill!
by Sandy Koepke
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9. Mix it up. When it comes to furniture, Koepke is all about the mix. Instead of picking one matching set and calling it a day, try using furnishings from different sources, including estate sales or flea markets. The result will look more uniquely yours.
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Sandy works salvaged materials into many of her designs. Items with wear work well outside because you already have an idea how they'll weather and you don't have to be too precious with them.
Inspired by the little town squares in Mexico, Koepke used salvaged spigots and a horse trough to imbue this outdoor space with old charm.
Inspired by the little town squares in Mexico, Koepke used salvaged spigots and a horse trough to imbue this outdoor space with old charm.
by Sandy Koepke
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If you buy stuff you love, you'll find a place for it — even if it might not be where or how you originally intended. This bench became a perch not for people but a collection of potted cacti and succulents instead.
by Sandy Koepke
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10. Most important, have fun. The great thing about outdoor entertaining is that it should feel more casual and relaxed than indoors, so loosen it up! Have fun with the design and don't sweat the small stuff — spills can be hosed down and the dog will eat up anything dropped from the grill.
Thanks to Sandy Koepke for sharing all the wonderful insight and advice!
Tell us! How are you decorating your outdoor entertaining spaces?
More:
Your Spring and Summer Party Checklist
How to Turn a Carport Into an Instant Outdoor Room
Inspiring Outdoor Kitchens
Thanks to Sandy Koepke for sharing all the wonderful insight and advice!
Tell us! How are you decorating your outdoor entertaining spaces?
More:
Your Spring and Summer Party Checklist
How to Turn a Carport Into an Instant Outdoor Room
Inspiring Outdoor Kitchens
Ideabook updated on April 25, 2011.
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I was just doing a search for outdoor fabrics and thought I'd share the following tips offered by one site I visited:
Hint: To prolong the life of your cushions, spread a towel over the cushion when using baby oil, suntan lotions or oils. These products tend to breakdown the U.V. factor in the fabric and can cause premature fading.
Hint: Spilling food or drink onto your cushion can cause bacteria to be trapped between fibers and th reads, causing mold to grow. Periodically clean your cushions with mild soap and water to safeguard against this. Fabric itself does not support mold, but the bacteria can become trapped between weaves.
Having said that though these pictures are absolutely gorgeous with some great ideas that could be used in doors as well! Beautiful work and photography.
I am a property owner & I have found a lot of beautiful designs ideas that I am keen in using while designing my own house, however I would appreciate & I think It would be useful if under the photo of each design you include measures of the space i.e. kitchen what was the space of the design (length & width of the area) of it’s a house picture what is the building space cause these are the first thing that come to my mind when I look at a picture that information would be of great use.
Regards