California Outdoor Living Space Dec 21st, 2011 As residents of San Diego, we have the opportunity to enjoy something few people around the country can really use: the outdoor room. Our beautiful weather and near-constant sunshine mean that we can be outside as much as we want to. Creating an outdoor living space that is designed as an extension of your indoor space makes your whole house feel like one unit – and it’s great for entertaining! Connecting Outside And Inside Have you ever seen a house in a tropical location that has almost no division between outdoors and indoors? That’s where the concept of the outdoor room first originated. Today they’re known as “California rooms” because they’ve become so common in California. They can range from covered (and even in some cases temperature controlled) sunrooms to expansive and customized room spaces. In many cases, we have built rooms which seamlessly blend outside and inside through the use of large glass lift and glide pocket doors. These doors may even open entirely or move back to permit complete airflow. In some cases, homeowners want to maintain the covered aspect of the indoors for shelter from the hot sun. It’s easy to cover a portion of the outside without fully walling it off. This allows families to enjoy the weather without risking too much exposure to the sun. It’s also great for the occasional rain showers we get in San Diego. Add in a fireplace and flat screen television and this will surely become the “new” heart of the home when it comes to entertaining. Creating An Outdoor Kitchen The outdoor kitchen is a very popular design choice for houses throughout our area. We have come a long way from the old Weber BBQ. If you love to cook, and you love the outdoors, it’s a natural match. When we create an outdoor kitchen, there are a lot of different designs we can use. Today’s trends tend to favor a natural look with plenty of stone. Stone is a great choice for an outdoor living space, and for an outdoor kitchen in particular. When installed properly it is both durable and easy to keep clean. Plus, you can walk on it barefoot much more easily than crushed gravel or dirt. Thinking about creating an outdoor living space of your own? Look through samples of what we’ve done for our clients to get inspiration, and when you’re ready to take the next step, talk with our design experts. We’re here to help make your dream a reality.
