Alfresco dining rooms

Sunset, July, 2000 by Peter O. Whiteley

Portable to permanent, six romantic backyard retreats

* Dining outdoors is one of the delights of summer, when fresh air, the fragrance of flowers, and perhaps the sound of a fountain can create a reflective mood. So, what's your midsummer night's dream for a garden dining room? Something simple that can be put up quickly and easily moved? Take a look at our "portable room," defined by flowerpots, bamboo poles, and gauzy mosquito netting. (To learn how to build this structure, turn to page 102.) Or do you envision something a little more complex, like a two-person gazebo with built-in benches and a table, or a lanai-like porch, or a larger structure with a roof, lights, a fan, and curtains? To help you make your choice, read on.

CONSIDERATIONS

* Location.

An outdoor dining room should be placed where you'll use it, but that doesn't mean it must be adjacent to the house. Some of the most appealing outdoor dining rooms are designed to be focal points or destinations in the garden. However, a permanent structure such as a large gazebo--anything over 10 feet square--may require a permit from the local building department and is subject to height and setback requirements. Temporary structures like our portable room don't need permits and can be placed anywhere on your property.

* Construction and complexity.

Permanent structures may require engineered footings and concrete pads. A more elaborate room will probably also call for power and water lines. You may want to enhance the room with underfoot decking or an overhead structure, the design of which Will be affected by span limitations.

* A sense of enclosure.

An outdoor room needs defined boundaries. They can be actual walls (high or low), semitransparent fabric, or simply a set of posts. A ceiling--a full roof or just a hint of something overhead--may be added to impart a feeling of containment.

* Furnishings.

You can use standard outdoor furniture or built-in tables and chairs, or carry pieces from inside the house for special occasions. To make an outdoor space even more roomlike, add a buffet table, a serving cart, and centerpieces.

* Lighting.

Try hurricane lanterns, candles, string lights, or built-in down-lights on dimmers. (For other suggestions, see "Summer Nights, Summer Lights," page 130.) Keep the lighting of equal intensity so it is balanced. If you have porch or other exterior lights, make sure that they don't overpower the scene with their glare.

How to build our portable dining retreat

Four large, plant-filled pots form the corners of our 10-foot-square open-air room. Each pot holds a vertical section of PVC pipe in the center, which forms a sleeve for a bamboo pole. (When the framework is removed, the planted pots can be placed anywhere.) Seven-foot-long panels of mosquito netting hang from horizontal bamboo rods to create a sense of intimate enclosure. At night, soft candlelight or twinkling string lights make the walls glow with a satiny sheen.

TIME: Two to three days

COST: About $200; varies with type and size of pot and type of netting

MATERIALS

Base

* Four 24-inch lengths of 1 1/2-inch schedule 40 PVC pipe

* Four 1 1/2-inch T-couplings for pipe

* PVC glue

* Four 6-inch squares of 1/2-inch plywood or scrap lumber

* Eight 2-inch deck screws

* Four flowerpots 16 to 20 inches tall and wide

* Potting soil and plants

Sides

* 32 yards of 54-inch-wide mosquito netting. (We paid $3.50 a yard at a camping supply store. You can find other sheer fabrics, such as tulle, at fabric and sewing centers.)

* 120 feet of standard-weight no-sew fusible bonding web tape (about $2 per 20-yard roll)

* 54 feet of lightweight chain

Frame

* Eight 12-foot-long bamboo poles, 1 to 1 1/4 inches in diameter. (We paid $3.00 per 1-in.-diameter pole; Bamboo Accents; 800/783-0557.)

* Wood for shims or 16-penny nails

* Sisal twine

Optional

* Brown spray paint

* Four wire coat hangers

* String lights

TOOLS

Tape measure, hand saw, drill, Phillips head screwdriver, scissors, iron, wire cutters, needle, and white thread

DIRECTIONS

1. Using the PVC pipe, the T-coupling, and the PVC glue, assemble four sleeves for the bamboo poles as shown in sketch. Making sure that the pipes are vertical, secure each sleeve to plywood or scrap wood base with two screws. (When covered with potting soil, the base will keep the pipe from tilting.)

2. Center a sleeve in each pot, fill pot with soil, and tamp. Add plants. (As an option, you can paint the exposed end of the pipe before adding plants.)

3. Cut mosquito netting into 12 8-foot lengths.

4. Fold under 6 inches at top and bottom of each panel; iron in place. Secure raw edges with the fusible bonding web tape to create a pocket. (You should have 12 sections.)

5. Cut 54-inch lengths of chain. Slip a length into the bottom pocket of each panel and tack in place with needle and thread. (The chain keeps the lightweight panels from blowing in light wind.)

6. Cut four of the thickest bamboo poles to 8-foot lengths.

7. Position pots so sleeves are at corners of a 10-foot square. Insert 8-foot poles in sleeves, checking that poles are vertical. Shim in place with slender wood wedges or 16-penny nails. Mark a point 6 inches from top of each pole.