Outdoor spaces
1. Consider putting a small swimming pool in a screened-in porch; you can enjoy a refreshing swim while still being protected from the sun.
2. Think about creating outdoor space up high for a different perspective on your property. Perfect for stargazing!
3. Add a fireplace to a covered deck for an outdoor room you’ll enjoy even on the chilliest nights.
4. Add a ceiling fan to your screened porch or covered deck to keep air moving when you can’t count on a breeze.
5. Plan outdoor lighting to suit each area’s function. Cooking areas should be well-lit, with ambient lighting in seating areas.
6. Using log and branch railings blends your deck seamlessly into the environment.
7. Build benches alongside deck or porch railings to increase seating capacity without crowding your space with furniture.
8. Create a mix of covered and exposed decks that will allow you to choose between sun and shade, depending on the season.
9. Make your outdoor space your play space! A porch is a great place for table tennis or foosball—even a pool table if you have enough room.
10. Enjoy the outdoors all year round in a sunroom with windows on three sides.
11. Make the most of a sloping property with terraced patios that blend into the environment.
12. Consider a contemporary silhouette for a patio firepit and seating area.
13. Incorporate a water feature that comes right up to the edge of your patio.
14. Create outdoor living spaces away from the house. Wander down a garden path to a patio nestled in a grove of trees or tucked into the lakeshore.
15. Think outside the box: Curved, even circular patios and decks are a softer, more natural fit in many environments.
16. Try backing your fire pit with a waterfall or setting it in a semi-circular pond. Fire and water play off each other in dramatic fashion.
17. Don’t let inclement weather stop you from cooking outdoors. Build a roof over your outdoor kitchen
Photography by Roger Wade Studio