BLENDING INDOOR AND OUTDOOR LIVING SPACES
Blending the lines between your home’s indoor space and outdoor space floods your home with natural light and extends your living space. Blending an indoor/outdoor space through the redesign of your home is working with what you already have.
Make the most of your backyard or patio by designing defined spaces. Traffic must flow in and out of your home, where it makes sense to have an outdoor dining space, a lounge area or a firepit. The outdoor dining area should extend from the indoor kitchen or dining area. Food can then flow from the kitchen to the outdoor dining area.
Natural light brings the aura of the outdoors into your home. For an existing home, if you do not need privacy, consider removing window curtains or changing to pull down shades. Bare windows, and those with a black frame, frame the view. It is a beautiful way to bring natural light into the home. Create symmetry between the outdoor and indoor space by sticking with the same design flow. If the outdoor lounge area can be seen from the indoors, use the same textures, upholstery, and outdoor seating so that the indoor/outdoor feels like an extension of your living space.
Use greenery indoors and outdoors to let nature flow into your living space. Dissolving the boundary between indoor and outdoor living areas requires that the flooring flows from the indoors to the outdoors. It may require you replace your existing indoor flooring or find flooring that matches exactly your indoor flooring. The materials may be wood, slate or tile; and there should not be any requirement to step down between the indoor and outdoor flow.
Benches, spaced along the boundary of your outdoor space, is an inviting feature since guests have a place to sit and enjoy your outdoor space. Guests should feel as comfortable in your outdoor space as they would in your family room. Use neutral colors that do not compete with the scenery. If you want more color, dress up sofas and chairs with colorful pillows. Do not forget you can also use potted flowering plants to add even more color. Make it easy to enjoy your outdoor space with a design that blends the indoors with the outdoors with an even flow.
A fountain in a niche along the boundary creates a calming sound and enhances the feeling of being outdoors. The outdoor space as it relates to the land is ultra-important. It should blend in with the landscape. Low growing flowers and bushes add to the feeling of being outdoors. If you want trees, plant them along your outer most boundary. Trees that flower create a great backdrop to your property.
Seamlessly blend your indoor and outdoor living spaces so there is an easy flow between your indoor and outdoor space that doubles your floor space especially if you have sliding glass doors. The opening between the indoor and outdoor living space creates more symmetry. Also, walls can be replaced with large windows creating natural lighting. Being connected to the outdoors with fresh air has great psychological benefits, especially in Spring, Summer and Fall while enjoying the additional living space.
Soft, ambient light is better than bright light. Soft light creates a relaxing atmosphere, adding to shadow and contours and encourages guests to relax. Use light dimmers so you can create the same lighting in both the indoor living space and the outdoor living space.
The flow between the indoor and outdoor living space should draw the eye to the outdoor living space. View matters. Keep the view expansive so the eye is drawn outside to your outdoor living space. There should be no differences in style or décor in your furnishings for both indoor and outdoor living spaces. The transition should flow by a seamless transition from the indoor area to the outdoor living area. Nature should resonate.