When the weather cooperates, outdoor space can add valuable extra square footage to your home. But rather than relegate a backyard patio, deck or terrace to occasional gatherings, you can make it a room you frequent just as much, if not more, than the others inside your home.
We asked a few interior designers with a penchant for exterior design about pulling off a seamless transition between indoors and outdoors. Here are six practical tips for enhancing — and expanding — your space.
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1. Design Outdoor Focal Points
One of the easiest ways to connect the outside with the inside is to draw your eye to something attractive outdoors. “Creating strong focal points outside also enhances the connection, drawing the eye outward and making the transition feel more natural,” says Annie Obermann, co-founder and principal designer at Forge & Bow in Fort Collins, Colorado. She recommends arranging potted plants, a fountain or water feature or creating an otherwise “well-defined pathway that invites movement between the two spaces.”
2. Take Advantage of Thresholds
Windows and French doors allow for natural light and visibility to the outside, but if you have the home and the climate for it, wider thresholds like folding glass walls or pivot doors “invite nature to be part of daily life,” says Margarita Bravo, founder of the eponymous design studio Margarita Bravo in Denver.
For a recent project for a Colorado homeowner, Bravo and her team designed a “floating” dining area between the kitchen and a covered terrace. “The space transforms when the glass walls slide away, but the feeling remains consistent,” she explains. “There’s no sense of ‘going outside’ — you’re simply living, and the boundaries blur.” This, coupled with consistency in design choices, leads to what Bravo defines as a “continuity of mood.”
3. Layer In Earth Tones With Natural Materials and Textures
“Consider a mix of materials in your outdoor furnishings such as rattan, concrete and upholstery,” says Elle Cantrell, owner and lead designer at Elle Du Monde in Atlanta.
Textured materials not only offer a tactile experience, but also “bring a connection with the earth,” said Carmen Henriquez, interior designer at BoConcept Paramus in New Jersey. She also likes incorporating earth tones in indoor/outdoor design, including shades of yellow, orange and green. The earthy mocha mousse, Pantone’s color of the year, works well in this scheme, too. Plants and flowers — even faux plants and dried flowers, says Henriquez — can add the natural pops of color to the scheme.
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4. Select Outdoor Furnishings With Indoor Appeal
While outdoor furniture should be chosen to withstand the elements, it doesn’t mean you have to prioritize function over form. This means upholstery can and should be included in your outdoor design scheme. “With innovations in materials, you no longer have to sacrifice comfort or beauty for outdoor seating,” says Cantrell. “Many manufacturers now offer fully upholstered outdoor seating that is built to stand the test of time, even in full exposure.” Rugs, pillows and draperies also apply, she adds.
Bravo agrees. “When chosen carefully, performance fabrics and tactile textiles can soften outdoor furnishings while echoing the warmth of interiors,” she says.
5. Strive for Continuity in Flooring
Using the same or similar flooring material “creates a seamless visual flow and enhances the connection between the two spaces,” says Obermann. Natural stones, especially limestone and slate, are good for interior-to-exterior transitions.
Granted, this design philosophy might not apply to, say, wall-to-wall shag carpeting, but area rugs certainly have their place in outdoor design. Kerith Flynn, principal and founder of Margali & Flynn Designs in Long Island, New York, says she uses indoor/outdoor rugs in the main living space, especially in households that have pets and young children.
6. Enhance the Natural Lighting Scheme
Sunlight and moonlight offer natural illumination, but be sure to incorporate more distinct lighting. “Lighting is one of the most overlooked tools in outdoor design,” says Bravo. “We approach it just as we would an interior — layered, warm and intentional.” She suggests fixtures that might already be installed indoors, like sconces, concealed strip lighting and even overhead pendants.
Flynn takes advantage of natural light by avoiding heavy drapery and opting instead for lighter window treatments. “You do need to be mindful that if the windows aren’t dressed properly, they can look naked,” she says. To avoid indecent exposure, she’ll choose woven shades or perhaps side curtain panels that allow for privacy when desired.
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Things to Consider, and Mistakes to Avoid
Your design choices will largely depend on personal preference and the size of your home, of course. But here are some things to keep in mind when designing the optimal indoor-outdoor space.
Don’t crowd the space: To maximize indoor-outdoor flow in smaller spaces, it’s important to be mindful of the available space and work within its limitations, which means skipping oversized furniture to avoid overcrowding, says Obermann. “Instead, opt for smaller-scale pieces like bistro table sets and tall, potted column trees to maintain an open feel,” she recommends.
Replicate layouts and lighting: Bravo says, “In compact settings, we often mirror furniture layouts or lighting fixtures on both sides of a glass wall. The continuity creates the illusion of one unified room that just happens to enjoy the open sky.”
Don’t forget the fifth wall. For covered outdoor areas, treat the ceiling as the fifth wall, just as you would indoors. “We also pay attention to ceiling treatments, bringing in wood slats, beams, or plaster to reinforce the architectural connection,” Bravo says.
While the visual aesthetic is important, Bravo says indoor-outdoor design also needs an emotional connection. “When we design for this continuity, we’re not just expanding a physical space but also a lifestyle.”
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6 Ways to Create Indoor-Outdoor Spaces You’ll Love originally appeared on usnews.com
