GARDEN DESIGN
THE ULTIMATE GUIDE FOR CREATING INDOOR-OUTDOOR FLOW IN YOUR HOME
If there’ s one trend in the home design space that doesn’ t seem to be slowing anytime soon, it’ s the interest in indoor-outdoor flow and openplan living. A 2024 survey by Houzz found that 46 % of respondents had their kitchen opened to the outdoors. Rightmove also found that the proportion of property listings mentioning bi-fold doors increased by 589 % over ten years, in its 2022 analysis.
So, how do you go about achieving that indoor-outdoor flow look in your home? I’ m Costel Radescu, founder of CR Group and here is the guide …
Start with how you actually use your home Before you make any changes such as looking at doors, extensions, or expensive renovations, think about how you actually want to use the open space. Do you want a brighter kitchen that has lots of natural light and opens straight into the garden, or do you want somewhere you can have dinner parties where there’ s lots of space to entertain? Perhaps you just want to keep it simple and want to be able to open the doors on a warm morning and enjoy your coffee with a view of the garden.
One of the great things about achieving indoor-outdoor flow in your home is that there is no strict rulebook to follow or one way to get it right. It doesn’ t always mean undertaking a huge project like an extension to achieve it either. Sometimes, changing the layout of a room, improving the natural light or making better use of an existing patio can completely change how connected your home feels to the outside.
It’ s also worth thinking about what happens when the weather turns. We don’ t get endless sunshine in the UK, so your space needs to work with the doors closed as well as when they’ re wide open. The best designs feel comfortable and practical whatever the weather happens to be doing.
Choose the right doors Doors are often the biggest feature in an indoor-outdoor design, so it’ s worth spending some time working out which style suits your home and needs best. Bi-fold doors are a popular choice because they fold back to create a wide opening between your home and garden.
Sliding doors are another good option, especially if you’ re looking for plenty of glass without needing space for the doors to fold back. They also offer uninterrupted views of the garden and can be a practical choice for smaller patios where you don’ t want doors taking up valuable space.
If you prefer something with a little more character, Crittall-style doors can give a home a more traditional feel while still allowing plenty of light through. Whatever you choose, pay particular attention to the frames and thresholds. A low threshold, for example, can make moving between the house and garden much easier, while a well-chosen frame can help maximise the amount of natural light coming into the space.
Get your layout working harder People often think of open-plan living as knocking down walls and making everything one big room, but this is a common misconception. You still need different areas for cooking, eating, relaxing and spending time together, particularly if several people use the space at once.
A kitchen island is one thing I recommend as a link between the kitchen and garden, especially if it faces towards the doors rather than towards a wall. It gives whoever’ s cooking a view of the garden but means they can still chat to guests sitting nearby. A breakfast bar can do a similar job, offering somewhere to sit with a coffee or keep an eye on the children while they’ re outside.
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