Better living—outdoors: make the backyard part of the house

Pool & Spa News, Dec 24, 2004 by Georgie Kajer, Scott Uriu

Thanks to Southern California's mild, dry climate, outdoor living and entertaining have always been popular here. In the past, those sorts of activities often took place on a simple backyard patio. But in recent years, there's been a trend toward more elaborate, better-designed outdoor living spaces.

In part, this may stem from a corresponding trend toward smaller building lots. Homeowners want their houses to "live larger" than they are, and one way to achieve that is to replace underused, undifferentiated yard space with areas that have been specifically designed for sitting, eating, and socializing. Depending on the situation, this can involve anything from tweaking an existing patio by providing shade and improved access to the house to using reinforced concrete to create a multi level terrace on a steep slope. But the same basic design considerations apply to all outdoor living spaces, no matter how simple or elaborate they may be.

Developing a Master Plan

We find that many of our outdoor living space design projects are spinoffs of an indoor project of some sort. As part of the design process that goes into developing a new kitchen or master suite, we encourage clients to take a step back and consider the bigger picture of easing the connection between indoors and out. The response is almost always enthusiastic, even if it hasn't been a specific goal of the work.

In many cases, there's no way to stretch the project budget enough to do the outdoor work right away. But that's why this sort of master planning is such a good idea: It allows you to do preliminary work that will save the customer a lot of time and money later on.

For example, even if there's no money to install that set of French doors leading to the future patio, it may make sense to frame the door opening, document its location with a photograph, and run the wall finish over it. The plumbing, gas, and electrical connections to an outdoor barbecue area can be roughed into the outside wall so they'll be there when needed.

Access and Traffic Flow

Usually, the connection between the house and the outdoor living space should take place through a semipublic area. This can be a challenge in a home from the 1920s or '30s, in which the door to the backyard is ordinarily reached through the utility room. Today's homeowners don't want to escort their cocktail party guests past the washer and dryer. More contemporary homes generally have some orientation toward the outdoors to begin with, which may make it possible to work around an existing patio door from the living or dining room.

If there are children in the house, it's best to avoid routing traffic through a formal living room. Locating the door in the family room is a good compromise. Like a family room, most outdoor living areas are fairly relaxed, informal spaces, so the two flow naturally into one another.

A Sense of Enclosure

It's convenient to think of outdoor living spaces as outdoor rooms or series of rooms. And like all rooms, they have walls, ceilings, and floors.

* Walls. The exterior wall of the house often forms one wall of an outdoor living space. To create a comfortable sense of enclosure, consider adding one or more walls of wood, masonry, or even ornamental plantings. In general, wall heights should be kept fairly low to avoid blocking sight lines. From a practical standpoint, outdoor walls can also serve to block the wind, screen traffic noise, and provide shade.

* Ceilings. Outdoor living spaces are often left open to the sky, but spaces that face west or south may call for a solid robe or at least a partial one, for protection from the sun. If the orientation of the space makes a solid roof unnecessary, some sort of trellis roof can help provide a cozy feel. A trellis roof and its supports also make it easier to provide overhead lighting.

* Floors. Just as indoor flooring doesn't have to be the same throughout a house, patio surfacing can be varied to create the feel of different outdoor "rooms." Stone, brick, and concrete are all popular patio surfaces. We like poured concrete with score lines and a water-wash finish because it's inexpensive (about $7 per square toot in our area) and can be tinted almost any color.

We've also had great results with "poor man's stone"--recycled slabs of concrete sidewalk, which are available from the city free for the hauling. They're a consistent 3 1/2 to 4 inches thick, making them easy to work with, and when they're closely fitted and laid like stone, they look great. Another option is washed gravel, placed over landscape fabric to prevent weeds from taking root.

Outdoor Conveniences

All outdoor living spaces have to provide at least one comfortable seating area. If space permits, it's best to distinguish casual conversation areas from dining areas. Dining tables are typically tied to the location of the barbecue and kitchen.

* Cooking. Outdoor barbecue areas can be plain or elaborate. With a simple barbecue counter, easy access to the kitchen is important. A barbecue area that includes sink, refrigerator, and other conveniences may become almost a kitchen in its own right and can be farther away. The barbecue should be convenient to use, but avoid making it part of the view from the living room.