With the flick of a switch, the Lindenbaums can take the “door” out of indoor and outdoor living spaces at their Cherry Creek Country Club home.
A massive glass “slider door” can be retracted into the wall, opening up the kitchen area to an outside deck with a fireplace and barbecue.
“This climate is conducive to having living spaces inside and out,” said DeeDee Lindenbaum, so they designed the house to take advantage of both.
“If someone gets chilly, they can step into the kitchen, or if they want to relax, they can step out under the stars and listen to the waterfall in the backyard,” she said.
Spurred by homeowners such as the Lindenbaums, builders are erasing the line between in and out.
“Today’s most important feature in a home is the covered outdoor entertainment area,” said Steve Neuman of Interior Aesthetic Ltd. “Outdoor living space is becoming a set standard in the building industry.”
It was a highlight of last year’s Denver Parade of Homes and will again have a presence at this year’s event, from July 30 through Sept. 5 at Pradera in Douglas County. A retractable wall in John Laing’s home was the talk of the 2004 Parade. This year’s homes will have party pavilions, outdoor kitchens and other spaces that blur the distinction between inside and out.
The Jewell Custom home will feature a two-story wall of water, Zen outdoor landscaping, a grand circle drive with covered entry and front courtyard with fountain and fire pit.
“In the past, the builder had very little contact with the landscaper,” said Cliff Jones of Jewell Custom Homes. “But as the indoor and outdoor spaces become more integrated, you spend more time working with the landscaper to bring it all together.”
Renaissance Homes’ Parade entry will have six outdoor living areas.
“We’ve found (such areas) … to be very important to the Colorado lifestyle,” said Clarence Hughes of Renaissance Homes. “It really enhances the usability of the home and provides a focal point.”
At least one living space is situated in each compass direction.
“If it’s too windy or too rainy or too whatever, there is always another side of the house to try,” Hughes said. “For example, if it’s too sunny in the front, you can go to the covered space in the back.”
Perhaps the centerpiece of the outdoor rooms is an inner “cordial room” with a wall of collapsible windows that open to a courtyard with a koi fish pond.
“There’s an ambient element that makes this room feel like it’s part of the koi pond,” said Neuman, who did the interior design for the Renaissance Homes entry. “The pond is at the same time an extension of the room and a part of the room.”
“I like to do outdoor spaces with an almost living room-type atmosphere, complete with cushions on the sofas and chairs,” he said.
Other homes in this year’s Parade of Homes go even further to erase the line between inside and out. For example, Burton Customs’ entry will feature an exclusive 90-degree corner, pocket sliding glass door system. Two 8-foot-by-13-foot vanishing windows meet so that two entire walls can open to the outdoors.
“It makes sense in our climate to take advantage of that technology to open up the house and let the fresh air flow,” said Russell Burton of Burton Customs. “You open that door, and you’ve added 400 square feet to the home. It makes the house that much more livable.”
Jewell Custom Homes will also include a 12-foot-wide pocket sliding glass door between the breakfast nook and a covered patio. But Jones said he doesn’t see the “disappearing” walls going mainstream quite yet.
“Once people see it, I know there will be a lot of interest,” he said. “But when you’ve got a door that costs $40,000, there aren’t a lot of people who can afford it.”
Scott Murray is with Sierra Pacific Windows, the company that created “disappearing walls” for Burton, Jewell and John Laing. “It’s slowly catching on,” he said. “We’ve probably done six or eight doors like that since last year’s Parade.”
Murray said he expects the price to go down as more doors are manufactured. “The end result can be amazing,” he said. “You’re able to bring the outside in – it’s a completely seamless transition.”
