A fireplace, grill, bar, and ample seating set into lush plantings provide everything a homeowner could need to entertain beneath the stars. Courtesy Beazer Homes.
Mid-Atlantic homeowners are requesting spaces that give them the tranquil views of the outdoors without sacrificing the amenities of the indoors.
To satisfy the growing interest in comfortable and sophisticated outdoor living spaces, area landscape architects and designers are creating screened-in porches and alfresco living rooms that achieve an entirely new level of outdoor function and style. Recognizing the interest in these outdoor spaces, homebuilders like Beazer Homes and Clark Turner Signature Homes are also getting in on the act. Beazer Homes Maryland recently partnered with Amenity Resources at Home to provide new homeowners with custom outdoor spaces that are constructed concurrently with their new homes. Whether the luxury outdoor living environment is part of a newly built custom home or is landscape improvement for an existing home, the trend is for these spaces to be multi-season, resort-like, low-maintenance, and unique.
According to Jay Brown, AIA, vice president of Baltimore’s Levin/Brown and Associates, the number one request from his customers is for screened porches that look, feel, and act like indoor spaces. “Because they look like indoor rooms,” Brown says, “they’re being treated just like indoor rooms from a finish perspective. Lighting, wall and ceiling finishes, floor finishes, custom built-ins, they’re all an integral part of the design and space.”
The same is true of open-air living rooms, and manufacturers across the country are carrying high-end product lines created with sophisticated outdoor rooms in mind. “The reality is the backyard has become an extension of the home,” says Barry Schneider, president of Surrounds Landscape Architecture and Construction in Sterling, Virginia. “There are different levels, artwork, flooring, furniture. There are different rooms, kitchens with huge grills, warming ovens, wood burning pizza ovens, blenders, and refrigerators.”
Opportunities are boundless when it comes to constructing outdoor rooms. Courtesy Clearwater Landscape.
And, while the styles of these rooms vary, they have a common purpose: “Clients are looking for something original that allows them to reflect their personalities,” explains Abbey Workman, landscape designer at Clearwater Landscape in Ijamsville, Maryland. “Furnishings and accessories are very popular now, too. There are all kinds of choices—from planting urns to all-weather pillows, every detail is very important.”
A Retreat for All Seasons
With humid summers, rainy springs, and freezing winters, the Mid-Atlantic’s weather can deter homeowners from spending time out in their yards. The idea of these outdoor rooms is beginning to change that. “Because of our climate, we in the Mid-Atlantic have considered outdoor areas as just ‘trimming,’ and that’s shifting,” says Maryland-based landscape architect John Vasiliou. “Americans put a lot of stock in their homes, and this is the next evolution of home appreciation.”
For outdoor rooms that are not completely enclosed, installing fireplaces is the difference between a summer hangout and a yearlong retreat. “Our climate … is bearable for only a few months of the year,” notes Brown. “In Maryland, I would say if we incorporate the fireplace option, we can get eight months of use out of these rooms on a regular basis.”
For Steve Wlodarczyk, vice president of Olney, Maryland’s Botanical Decorators, the popularity of the outdoor fireplace is about more than just warmth. “It’s homey,” he explains. “Most homes have gas fireplaces now, and every time we build a wood-burning fireplace for clients, they just love it. They’ve got woodpiles going and sticks for marshmallow roasting everywhere. You have a log that crackles and the smoke that blows in your face and the whole [campfire] experience.”
Local Attractions
“I don’t know if you can call these outdoor rooms a ‘trend’ anymore,” says Paul LeVine of Lifestyle Designs and Landscaping in Finksburg, Maryland. “It’s become a commonality over the last five years.” And because these spaces have become more prevalent, the possibilities are boundless, often incorporating outdoor pavilions, pools, and firepits.
Then there is the project that Schneider and his team at Surrounds are constructing. “[Recently], we were having a discussion about where we should place the outdoor theater so our customer could watch the Redskins game,” he says. Elegance, like technology, is a top priority. “When you have custom designed elements such as an outdoor fireplace or spa,” explains Workman, “guests will be drawn onto the terrace rather than remaining indoors the whole evening.”
The addition of a poolside bar gives a distinctly resort-like feel to any backyard, while the presence of a fireplace allows for comfortable, outdoor lounging. Courtesy Surrounds, Inc.
A Double Investment
Because of the limitless options homeowners seem to have with outdoor living spaces, the range in price is very wide. Outdoor rooms can be as simple as seating areas near a fountain and a perennial bed. Something like this could be achieved quite inexpensively, but the scope of many high-end outdoor living areas skyrockets as they grow to include pools, patios, walkways, kitchens, water features, and more. According to Wlodarczyk, “You can build just a patio for $25,000, but I’ve seen pool houses for the price of a house.”
Vasiliou believes that his clients are motivated to have these outdoor rooms constructed not only for their aesthetic value but also because they add to quality of life. “When the space is meaningful and there’s a nice social dynamic, that’s what drives people to invest in their properties. And they get an emotional return on their investment,” says Vasiliou.
Outdoor rooms pose a probable financial return, as well. “It’s looked at as an investment,” explains Workman, “because it increases the value of your home just as updating your indoor kitchen or bathroom would.” In fact, many homeowners who do not have money to do everything up front sometimes opt to draft a master plan to prepare for phased construction.
Customizing A Trend
While outdoor rooms are increasing in popularity, it is important to landscape architects and designers and homeowners that projects fit within their unique settings as well as the needs of individual lifestyles. “Creating a sense of place is what is meaningful and important,” asserts Vasiliou. “Truly extraordinary design is connected to the extended landscape and meaningful to the client and their visitors.”
LeVine agrees. “Five years ago, everyone wanted ponds, and then everyone wanted pergolas and structures, and then kitchens, and then after that, it was all about firepits. Now, it’s not about [individual] elements, it’s about accommodating everyday needs and uses. The success of the design is all about texture. The right texture in the right environment will make for a sustainable, enjoyable place.”
Set amid a lush landscape and with various details made to look weathered, this outdoor space blends seamlesly with its environment. Courtesy Beazer Homes.
Urban Oases
While outdoor rooms typically lend themselves to larger rural and suburban properties, urban dwellers may enjoy bringing landscape elements to their outdoor spaces. In fact, Beazer Homes is currently looking into designing outdoor spaces tailor-made for residents of their townhome and condominium properties. For example, “some covenants and restrictions don’t allow open-grill cooking, so we’re working on features that will fit within some of these restrictions,” says Diana Stone, vice president of Beazer Homes.
City landscaping also provides many opportunities for eco-minded homeowners. “Urban areas are very much hubs for the green movement,” says Dean Smouse, co-owner of Baltimore’s Urban Gardens, Inc. As such, these spaces are perfect for rooftop gardens and living walls. “The new development in green roof research and development for commercial design has provided a great test ground for plants that do very well in residential rooftop gardens with limited soils and moisture,” explains Smouse. The city locale also provides an opportunity to juxtapose natural elements with more “utilitarian” fixtures for a modern vibe. Recently, Smouse has seen unique specimen trees in wooden and steel shipping crates as well as bamboo and reclaimed teak raised wood tiles used for flooring. He suggests using vibrant colors and bold textures and furniture on a smaller scale, and adds, “create shade if possible, and consider arbors constructed of steel cable with vines or traditional patio size trees for your roof.”
Finishing Touches
The prevalence of outdoor rooms has brought about the arrival of extensive product lines for things like outdoor kitchens, all-climate television and theater systems, and all-weather fabrics and furnishings. All of these details help homeowners to create places in their backyards that are distinctly their own. It is essential, however, not to get lost in the little things. “There are great amenities,” Vasiliou admits, “but amenities don’t make great landscaping. Great design, well thought-out, meaningful design, that’s what makes outdoor living.”
Annliese Scott is an Editorial Assistant for ChesapeakeHome.
Contacts:
Beazer Homes: beazer.com or 410-901-2961
Botanical Decorators: botanicaldecorators.com or 301-948-6625
Clearwater Landscape: clearwaterlandscape.com or 301-607-4480
John Vasiliou Landscape Design, Ltd.: 410-288-3703
Levin/Brown & Associates, Inc.: levinbrown.com or 800-296-9060
Lifestyle Designs & Landscaping: icreatespace.com or 410-861-3030
Surrounds, Inc.: surroundslandscaping.com or 703-430-6001
Urban Gardens, Inc.: urbangardensinc.net or 410-833-4930
