Building a custom or semi-custom home is arguably one of the most exciting decisions you’ll ever make. While you’re working with your custom homebuilder, picking out the rooms and features you most desire, don’t forget to consider your outdoor space.
This great urban space takes advantage of the view while bringing indoors out with bead board ceiling, a great fan and comfy furniture. (Kenrow Corner, The Nations, Carbine & Associates.)
Outdoor Living Space: No Mere Porch or Patio
In the warm climate of the greater Nashville area, nearly every home features at least one deck, porch or patio. When building your custom home, you have the opportunity to take outdoor living a step further. You can make the most of warm days and pleasantly cool evenings by designing an outdoor living room—or kitchen!
The outdoor living room, connected with accordian doors and doubles entertaining space for the living room.
Your Outdoor Living Room
Middle Tennessee boasts many days of fabulous weather conditions each year. With a bit of planning, you can design an outdoor living room your family and guests can enjoy throughout the year. To get the most use out of this type of living space, consider how you wish to protect it from sun, rain and the chill of winter.
A charming courtyard has adjacent covered space with a wood table for family dining.
Once you decide on where and how large you want your outdoor living room to be, you have several options to keep rain and blazing sun from chasing you indoors. A roof or awning may work well for your space, or you may decide to use shade sails for an “airier” look and feel. A living, or green, roof is an additional option that’s gained popularity in recent years.
Patio heaters are an excellent solution to extend your enjoyment of your outdoor room through the chillier months. For a more traditional way to warm up, a wood or gas fireplace can be an ideal focal point. You can install gas flames nearly anywhere—from torches to tables to a central fire pit.
Watching a game on a chilly night on this outdoor living room is made perfect with a fireplace!
Why Stop at Grilling? Outdoor Kitchens are Hot!
For home chefs, an outdoor kitchen may be just the thing to make you the envy of the neighborhood. A built-in grill, complete with cooktop burners and a countertop, can be the focal point on which to design the outdoor kitchen and dining space of your dreams. Don’t forget to include a fridge or built-in ice chest for your beverages!
You don’t have to limit yourself to the grill in your outdoor kitchen. A wood-fired brick oven could find you hosting legendary build-your-own-pizza parties or experimenting with artisan bread recipes. If baking is your thing, an outdoor convection oven can keep you from heating up your house when the urge to bake cookies strikes you.
Make the Outdoor Room of Your Dreams a Reality
We’d love to help you create the outdoor room of your dreams—and blend it seamlessly with the rest of your new custom home. Call us at 615-661-9995 or contact us online. We can help your vision become the reality you live in.
