Traditionally, the kitchen and living room are the favorite hangouts in most homes. But by adding comfortable backyard living, cooking and dining spaces, homeowners are opting to take all the fun outside. Just the right combination of inside comfort and outdoor fun,“ backyard rooms” create multipurpose outdoor living spaces, complete with sinks and countertops, fireplaces, built-in seating and more.
YEAR-ROUND RESPITE“ Today’ s backyard spaces are usually created as outdoor living and entertainment areas,” says Kurt Lovell, president and coowner of Lovell’ s Nursery Inc. of Hagerstown. Familiarity with the inspired outdoor spaces showcased on popular networks like HGTV has fueled an interest in outdoor rooms, notes Ken Wagester, landscape architect at Poole’ s Stone & Garden in Frederick, Md. The staff at Poole’ s transformed the once unattractive and unused backyard of Tom and Lisa Caponiti’ s Frederick home into a private wooded retreat with a natural-looking stream and adjacent dining area.“ And a fire pit,” Lisa adds,“ to warm the air on cooler nights— and, of course, for making s’ mores.” The couple delights in sharing their peaceful setting. Every spring, they host a family Easter egg hunt followed by a cookout, plus outdoor gatherings for friends and neighbors throughout the summer.“ Everyone loves [ the space ],” Lisa says. The secluded spot is perfect for reading or enjoying a weekend brunch, and on Sundays in the fall, they even take the TV outside to watch football.“ It’ s great to come home from work and enjoy dinner in our backyard, surrounded by such a beautiful setting,” Tom adds.
Many homeowners enjoy their backyard spaces year round.“ Several of our customers have hosted company holiday parties at their homes, enjoying their outdoor living and kitchen areas,” says Troy Yingling, sales manager at Waynesboro, Pa.-based L. T. Rush Stone and Fireplace Design Center, a custom stone contractor that installs outdoor kitchen spaces. During the winter months, an outdoor stone fireplace creates a cozy atmosphere perfect for gatherings.“ These outdoor areas have become more popular during the recent economic downturn,” Troy adds.“ It’ s like vacationing in your backyard all year round.”
DESIGNED TO DELIGHT Though a vacation in the end, a lot of work goes into creating such an oasis. The planning of an outdoor room is a collaborative effort, with input from both client and designer to ensure the homeowner’ s style preferences are respected and that the plan fits the yard. The space must be sized appropriately for the intended use.“ Some outdoor rooms are meant to be intimate while others need to be more generous,” Ken says.“ The space also needs to be visually enticing and an extension from the home so that people can be drawn into the space.”
“ A focal point is always good,” suggests Abbey Workman, design associate at Clearwater Landscape in Ijamsville, Md.“ It can tie a space together and keep the space from getting too cluttered.” The focal point can be anything from a water feature like a fountain or waterfall, a statue or a large tree. A fireplace or other fire feature can anchor the living space, similar to an indoor living room.“ Outdoor kitchens, bars and TV entertainment areas are also popular,” Kurt notes. Homeowners are including appliances, storage areas, kitchen sinks and BBQ islands. Outdoor lighting can extend the use of the space beyond sunset and enhance the existing features.
Outdoor living areas typically combine hardscape areas such as patios, sitting walls and pergolas with landscape features including plants or flowerbeds and water features.“ Pathways can connect the different rooms,” Abbey adds,“ and the strategic placement of plants can break up the space and create a feeling of intimacy.” Landscape enhancements include terracing and edible gardens to grow vegetables and herbs.“ And one of our favorites is living walls,” says Mike Yeomans, principal designer at landscaping design and installation company Through The Garden Inc. in Harpers Ferry, W. Va. With all the options available, homeowners are able to create a custom outdoor space that truly complements their lives. Says Ken:“ People just want to get as much use and enjoyment out of their outdoor spaces as they can.” § www. hagerstownmagazine. com | HM @ Home 2013 H11