outdoor rooms
Add a touch of whimsy. Get creative and try hanging a group or mirrors in fancy frames on a wall or fence. The mirrors will create an optical illusion and make the garden seem larger than it really is. The eye is tricked into thinking there’s more to see just around the corner or on the other side of the wall. The fun frames will add a unique touch and make the space all the more inviting. Who wouldn’t want to spend a sunny afternoon here?
Pizza ovens are operated by burning wood. They have a flat brick or ceramic surface inside a cave-like shape. The wood is placed in the rear of this compartment. Radiant and reflected heat cook the pizza. Modern Landscape by BrickWood Ovens BrickWood Ovens SaveEmail Make certain that this type of fixture is allowed in your area before you begin. Places prone to wildfires and congested locales may not allow these ovens. It’s a good project for you if: You really enjoy cooking with friends; making simple, rustic foods; and entertaining outside. Wood-burning ovens are known for baking tender pizzas with perfectly crisp and bubbly crusts. Who to hire: You may need to just buy a manufactured unit. If you opt for a masonry oven, you will need to learn how to build it or find a landscape contractor or a construction business.
Botanical name: Agave vilmoriniana Common name: Octopus agave Origin: Native to the northwestern regions of Mexico, including Sonora, Sinaloa and Durango Where it will grow: Hardy to 25 degrees Fahrenheit (USDA zone 9; find your zone) Water requirement: Drought tolerant once established but does best when watered deeply twice a month in the summer and once a month in spring and fall Light requirement: Full sun to light shade; avoid areas with reflected sun Mature size: Up to 3 feet tall and 4 to 5 feet wide Benefits and tolerances: Drought tolerant When to plant: Fall or spring from plantlets produced from its flowering stalk
bean bag chair Directly in front of the house, where a garage formerly stood, is one of the gems of the property — a chill-out area with a sheer 12-foot drop down to the beach. The retreat consists of a simple room, which seats six, with full-height doors that open to a little balcony, paved with local stone and fitted with a glass balustrade. It’s the perfect place to sit and relax, have a barbecue, play some board games and even stargaze — a retreat within a retreat, if you like. With wheels, the barbecue can easily be taken outside before it’s lit. Barbecue, hurricane lights: John Lewis; beanbag: Fatboy; coffee table: Loaf; tiles: Henley Cool, Topps Tiles
Harrison's Landscaping SaveEmail Backyard bliss. A nap-time spot that straddles the indoors and out is the perfect setting for a snooze, as it allows you to enjoy the calming sounds of gentle bird calls and rustling leaves, but in an area that’s protected from the elements. With a pillowy lounger, a plush cushion for extra comfort and a gorgeous leafy backdrop, this inviting indoor-outdoor setting is my idea of heaven
Mixed paving. The wide range of sizes and colors allows us to mix and match types within a design, providing great contrast between the differing surfaces. The mixture of stones here not only includes rectangles of gravel and pebbles between the pavers but also pebbles set within concrete, but with their surface exposed. This is achieved by allowing the concrete and pebble mixture to almost set and then washing off the top surface to expose the top layer of pebbles.
Ground cover. Low-maintenance gardens have become a priority for many of us, and garden designers are looking for interesting materials to replace lawns and borders that can fit the bill: low cost, easily installed and maintenance free. Pebbles and cobbles can be used as a low-maintenance ground cover in both traditional and contemporary gardens. The stones in this garden add texture to the design and contrast against the smooth concrete paving, while also providing a permeable mulch for the planting.
Adirondack Chair, from ACE Hardware Details: These homeowners cleverly sourced a pair of inexpensive wood Adirondacks from their local ACE Hardware store, then painted them a lovely spring green. Why they work here: The cheerful color and peaked shape of the chair backs make these chairs the perfect focal point in this outdoor space.
Adirondack Chair, by Loll Designs Details: Design duo Greg Benson and Jeff Taly created these chairs using recycled plastic made from postconsumer waste, so you could be sitting on a plastic milk jug you once tossed into your blue bin. Why they work here: The Adirondack’s low seat helps minimize volume in tight porch spaces.
Cooking enthusiasts entertain in Boston. “We grill, smoke and bake just about everything out here, including chicken dinners, casseroles, breads and pizzas,” says Cheryl Grant about her family’s revamped back patio. This decked-out space includes a bar, pizza oven, grill and fireplace, and plenty of gathering areas so friends and family can join for holidays and backyard pizza parties.
Cover an imperfect patio with a colorful rug. Cheap and cheerful plastic outdoor rugs are perfect for covering up less-than-perfect brickwork or cracked cement. 4. Hunt down a used outdoor fireplace. These homeowners found the cool outdoor fireplace shown here for $100 on Craigslist. Keep an eye out — you might get lucky! Also try searching for used fire bowls, patio furniture and big planters. You won’t know what’s out there unless you look.
Hang outdoor curtains. Look beyond the catalogs to find ideas for whipping up your own outdoor curtains on a budget — painter’s drop cloths, cute shower curtains and tablecloths can all work. If you don’t want to sew, purchase a grommet-making kit and pop in grommets along the top side of your fabric, then simply hang it from any curtain rod.
Use a coffee table and poufs in your backyard hangout. Poufs on sale can be quite a bit cheaper than dining chairs, and they make for a fun twist when entertaining. Less formal than a dining table and chairs, and more convivial than an outdoor living room, the intimate setup here encourages chatting, snacking and sipping.
Beach Gear and Toys 7. Equipment sheds. If you already have a screen or cover hiding your garbage cans, having another built to match can be a handy way to keep those beach chairs, balls and sand toys out of sight.
13. Give guests a healthy option with fresh flavored waters. Fill a big drink dispenser with ice water, flavored with fresh ingredients for a healthy thirst quencher on hot days. Try lemon, lime or orange slices; fresh mint leaves; cucumber rounds; or berries.
9. Seat everyone at one big table. Who wouldn’t love coming into a backyard set up like this? Put two or three tables together if you have to — the dramatic effect will be worth the effort.
outdoor sectional sofa & fire pit
When building the house, Dankner made sure to include an outside space that felt like an extension of the interior. She spends a lot of her time on the covered porch, which she furnished with a ceiling fan and curtains. “The covered porch is everyone’s favorite, because I created an indoor space outside,” she says. “It’s comfortable and a wonderful space to entertain [in].” Outdoor furniture: Janus et Cie, Dedon, Crate & Barrel, Frontgate
Pin Table, Black - $82.50 Wobbly table legs on the grass or sand will no longer be a problem with this table. Just pop the peg into the ground and you have an instant side table. Designed in Norway, this wood table is painted in one of five high-gloss colors
Use different materials to define zones. Create distinct areas in your backyard by varying the type of hardscaping. For instance, try using pavers closest to the house, concrete around a fire pit and gravel in between.
Square daybeds are ideal for entertaining, providing space for daytime sunning as well as communal seating for an evening soiree.
Colorful succulents in varying heights and textures can transform a minimalist planter box into a low-maintenance statement piece. They’re a great option not only in dry climates, but also for planting areas that you’d otherwise have to water by hand.
Employ lighting to create festive drama. The appropriate use of outdoor lighting can influence moods and create the vibe you are seeking for your space. Small spaces feel larger and spring to life with well-designed lighting. Spotlights can create interest and seductive drama. Lighting can wash across surfaces to highlight textures and shapes. And finally, lights strung overhead create a festive mood for evening cocktails and themed parties. If you are not confident in your technical and aesthetic abilities with regard to designing and installing lighting, an outdoor lighting professional could save you time and money.
Create a garden theme that complements your style of entertaining. Perhaps you are known in your social circles as a great Italian cook. Why not design the entertaining space of your garden around this theme? Appropriate plants, candleholders, table linens and tableware can add your personality to your space. Don’t forget the wine.
Although this pretty bath has a wintry feel, with its many shades of cream and white, it’s in Arizona. The room opens up to an adjoining stone patio with a set of narrow folding French doors. Other pluses: a Duravit Philippe Starck soaking tub, a cushy armchair with ottoman, and lighting courtesy of a large Hicks pendant.
concrete fire pit
As we pass under the pergola, an outdoor dining space is to the right, and a 90-degree turn to the left leads to the home’s main entrance. This house offers thoughtfully designed spaces for outdoor living that truly extend the floor plan. Out front, different zones are designated by plants and multilevel ipe decks. Both the outdoor lounge and the dining room enjoy the fire pit. Alper’s biggest move was opening the side of the house and adding the new flexible entry space. (The entire left section of the house underneath the slanted roof is the new addition.) “The house was very dark and awkward, and my clients wanted to be able to get a new roofline while using existing framing,” she says.
Cushions, seating AFTER: See the opening in the previous photo in the fence to the right of the garage? That’s about where this pergola now stands. The new entry sequence is an experience, transitioning from street to driveway and into the front yard’s series of relaxing outdoor rooms. Extending the living space outdoors was a priority for the Harmons. In fact, there’s a play on enclosed and open spaces, and public and private ones, throughout the entire property.
6. Foster the unexpected. Create a unique feature using art or vertical gardening, much like this wonderful display does. Whenever you can stoke surprise in a landscape, you create wonder and opportunity to expand expectations and challenge preconceived notions. I think any landscape designer would appreciate this.
picnic table in the backgroud
Planting guidelines: Choose a spot in full sun with well-drained soil; amend if your soil is heavy or too sandy. Bare-root trees are the most common and should be planted in late winter or early spring once the ground is workable and the frosts are over. Container plants can be planted from fall through spring. Care requirements: Fertilize a week after planting with a complete fertilizer, then fertilize heavily with a complete organic fertilizer every spring. Provide added nitrogen if needed. Water deeply and regularly. Adding mulch around the tree (but not touching the trunk) will help preserve moisture while keeping the ground soft so falling fruit doesn’t get bruised. Most peaches and nectarines will naturally drop fruit in early summer, but you’ll have to supplement that natural thinning with more rigorous thinning on your own to space out fruits and keep branches from becoming overloaded and breaking. Leave 3 to 5 inches between fruits. Also, remove fruit from the ends of smaller branches to keep the branches from breaking.
Yes, this is more than a work of art; it is also a grill. This marvelously planned and executed design has concrete and rusting steel plates that contrast a simple stainless steel grill. A monolithic and elegantly defined side surface completes the sophisticated design.
This marvelous wooded setting has an equally marvelous configuration with its grill. There is even a cutting surface to the right and other surfaces to set trays and utensils on. (Notice the built-in shelving under this grill.)
Viewpoint LightingSave to IdeabookEmail Photo Backlight a shape. Light objects in the distance to celebrate their details and forms. The small tree here has an uplight, and the bench in the background is backlit. A sumptuous effect is achieved by two simple landscape spotlights
Add the comfort of fire. Outdoor fireplaces have become very popular in recent years. The primal attraction to the flame is irresistible, and the soft yellow glow is comforting. This is another view of the previous example; the playhouse in the distance now glows red from its clever lighting
This stucco-framed fireplace by JWT Associates shows that the ribbon concept isn’t limited to the interior. Fire meets water in this outdoor poolside application
Your pizza oven can become the focal point of your outdoor kitchen. This cylindrical design is nicely tucked into the corner of this layout. Notice that the stone wraps the pizza oven and makes a nice contrast to the stuccoed base of the rest of the kitchen setup. Typical project length: If you are buying a portable unit, you only need time to find your favorite oven, order it and have it shipped. For custom ovens, allow at least a month for planning and building
Sorenson Oven 2The theme of adobe walls has been carried into the design of this Southwestern-style pizza oven. Tile mosaic details in vivid blue tones smartly contrast the reddish brown of the surrounding architecture, and play off the color of the gate in the distance
Giannini Garden OrnamentsSave to IdeabookEmail Photo Pizza Oven 2Should you be able to build a custom unit for yourself, consider that this is an opportunity to get creative. Stone finishes and gargoyles guarding the oven door make this oven quite a statement in the landscape. Permit: Check with your local building department to make sure you are allowed to have a pizza oven on your property. It will make a difference whether it is a portable or custom-built unit. A permit might or might not be required, depending on your choice.
MODE CONCRETESave to IdeabookEmail Photo Fontana Forni Wood-Burning Oven 2Here is a good diagram of some of the components that make up a portable manufactured pizza oven.
This is a good example of a custom-built masonry pizza oven. Its design is individualized by the mosaic stone shards on the base.
New Year, New Projects New Year, New Projects 2 Top IdeabooksHow to Get a Pizza Oven for the PatioHow to Build a Greener DrivewayHow to Get a Built-in Outdoor GrillConsidering Wallpaper? Here's How to Get StartedAppears inRemodelingPatios Patios 2 Top IdeabooksFind the Right Glass Door for Your PatioStep Right Outside20 Sublime Outdoor HavensHow to Pick the Right Floor for Your Garden RoomAppears inOutdoor LivingOutdoor Accessories Outdoor Accessories 2 Top IdeabooksHow to Get a Pizza Oven for the PatioHow to Get a Built-in Outdoor GrillBargain Pieces Take a Sunny Outdoor Room High EndMake a Cute and Low-Cost Rolling TableOutdoor Living Outdoor Living 2 Top IdeabooksFind the Right Glass Door for Your PatioBid Bad Garden Bugs Goodbye and Usher In the GoodGet Backyard Privacy the Subtler, Stylish WaySee a Soothing Backyard Bathhouse Born From a Salvaged TubSee alsoGardening Landscape Design Backyard Escapes Decks Patios Paths Pools Porches How to Get a Pizza Oven for the Patio New project for a new year: Light a fire under plans for an outdoor oven and claim the best pizza in town Steven Randel Houzz Contributor. Steven Corley Randel has practiced architecture in Califor...
New Year, New Projects New Year, New Projects 2 Top IdeabooksHow to Get a Pizza Oven for the PatioHow to Build a Greener DrivewayHow to Get a Built-in Outdoor GrillConsidering Wallpaper? Here's How to Get StartedAppears inRemodelingPatios Patios 2 Top IdeabooksFind the Right Glass Door for Your PatioStep Right Outside20 Sublime Outdoor HavensHow to Pick the Right Floor for Your Garden RoomAppears inOutdoor LivingOutdoor Accessories Outdoor Accessories 2 Top IdeabooksHow to Get a Pizza Oven for the PatioHow to Get a Built-in Outdoor GrillBargain Pieces Take a Sunny Outdoor Room High EndMake a Cute and Low-Cost Rolling TableOutdoor Living Outdoor Living 2 Top IdeabooksFind the Right Glass Door for Your PatioBid Bad Garden Bugs Goodbye and Usher In the GoodGet Backyard Privacy the Subtler, Stylish WaySee a Soothing Backyard Bathhouse Born From a Salvaged TubSee alsoGardening Landscape Design Backyard Escapes Decks Patios Paths Pools Porches How to Get a Pizza Oven for the Patio New project for a new year: Light a fire under plans for an outdoor oven and claim the best pizza in town Steven Randel Houzz Contributor. Steven Corley Randel has practiced architecture in Califor...
Portable ovens are made by a few manufacturers, some of which are, appropriately, Italian. Cost: If you are an experienced DIYer, you can build a custom pizza oven for less than $1,000. Portable units range from $1,500 to about $4,500, depending on size and quality. Custom-built pizza ovens with significant masonry construction can easily approach $10,000. Best time to do this project: You will likely want to do this project in time for summer, but these ovens can be used in cold weather if you are wiling to bundle up and don an insulated chef’s hat.
e are all familiar with the big masonry oven at the neighborhood Italian restaurant that yields the tastiest, piping-hot pizza we could wish for. We may even have a friend who built a pizza oven right into a new kitchen. But did you know that you can get your own pizza oven easily and relatively inexpensively installed right on your own patio? Rejoice, pizza connoisseurs. Here are several options for you. BrickWood OvensSave to IdeabookEmail Photo Pizza ovens are operated by burning wood. They have a flat brick or ceramic surface inside a cave-like shape. The wood is placed in the rear of this compartment. Radiant and reflected heat cook the pizza. BrickWood OvensSave to IdeabookEmail Photo Make certain that this type of fixture is allowed in your area before you begin. Places prone to wildfires and congested locales may not allow these ovens. It’s a good project for you if: You really enjoy cooking with friends; making simple, rustic foods; and entertaining outside. Wood-burning ovens are known for baking tender pizzas with perfectly crisp and bubbly crusts. Who to hire: You may need to just buy a manufactured unit. If you opt for a masonry oven, you will need to lea...
Roadside discoveries and DIY spirit go hand in hand with an eclectic look. Salvage-loving decorator Shannon Quimby found the blue chair on a roadside, the three white ones at a discount store and the brown one at a garage sale. She painted the salvaged table’s base legs using a mix of all the green paints she found in her garage. And she made the bottle lights by cutting off the bottoms of beer and wine bottles she found on her property during reconstruction, spray painting them with a frost spray and installing pendant lights from Lowe’s
Just don’t light it! This example shows that a fire pit does not necessarily have to be lit to be a striking feature. With a rust patina that evokes warmth, the wide and shallow Cor-Ten steel bowl makes an understated base for the artful pile of logs.
Log Alternatives What if you already own a wood-burning fire pit? Try logs made from alternative materials. Today these are made of renewable resources that release up to 80 percent fewer emissions than regular wood when burned. Not only does this mean less carbon monoxide and residue in the air, but less creosote build-up on the walls of your fire pit. Options include logs made from non-petroleum natural wax, recycled sawdust, used coffee beans, soy and switchgrass.
Topping materials. This gas fire pit contrasts the casual, organic feel of a fire ring with a contemporary-feeling glass topper. Several manufacturers now offer eco-glass, which is made of post-industrial glass that has been melted down and dyed to achieve brilliant colors. Other possibilities for topping media include lava rock and treated river stones. Never substitute with untreated stones or unapproved materials, which could shatter in the fire.
Natural Gas With their ease of operation, fire pits fed by natural gas have been a popular option for several years. This one has been placed to draw people to the edge of the garden to enjoy the property’s stunning views. Because natural gas is fed to the fire pit by a gas line, your pit will need to be stationary (although many fire pit manufacturers also offer their designs in propane, resulting in a more portable unit).
The bathroom floor is a natural slate with a Chiclet-style porcelain mosaic inlay. While Pizzale emphasizes the rustic touches in her descriptions, the way she’s balanced color, finishes, materials and textures has resulted in a comfortable, refined space. The basement hits the right note whether the owners are entertaining wine connoisseurs on Friday nights, hosting a birthday party for a first grader on a Saturday or having family movie night on a Sunday.
Buy on HouzzSave to IdeabookEmail Photo Char Broil Trentino Outdoor Fireplace - $95.99 This outdoor fireplace is made from durable steel treated with a protective porcelain finish. Four mesh side screens contain sparks and provide a view of the fire from every angle; they’re easily removable for stoking the flames or roasting marshmallows. The fire chamber includes a built-in log holder and is elevated to protect the surface underneath.
A fixture made from bottles, old or new, absolutely nails my thesis that lighting makes or breaks a room. It’s hard to imagine anything that would dress and serve this outdoor table better than this bottle-happy chandelier.
Nap-worthy daybed. A protected porch is the best spot for a daybed — somewhere tucked away where you can relax, read or nap to the sound of birdsong and the touch of a gentle breeze. Go for a ready-made daybed or rig up your own using a metal twin bed frame and plenty of outdoor cushions.
Q