The concept of the outdoor room has been germinating for some time, but it appears to be growing on more and more homeowners – and furniture manufacturers.
Designer and television host Joe Ruggiero regards the outdoor room as “the new frontier,” a merging of indoor and outdoor styles. The ambiance is fueled by increasingly sophisticated consumers who have designed kitchens modeled after ones they have seen on European vacations and baths inspired by fancy spas and boutique hotels.
That desire to re-create memorable travel experiences has nurtured a desire for great- looking, well-made furnishings in a lush garden context, especially at the high end.
“From a sociological point of view, expectations we have for our way of life are so much higher now,” says Chicago-based designer Jane Hamley Wells, whose company represents contemporary European lines as well as her own. For many Americans, she says, “basic needs have been met. Our household income has doubled over the last 30 years. People are more willing to spend money on things that make them feel well and look well. They are not compromising on their outdoor environments.”
Even Martha Stewart has jumped on the bandwagon, with a new magazine called Outdoor Living, all about “extending your personal space into your back yard or onto your deck, patio or porch and really living in it.”
Whether it’s creating a “chat pit,” the new buzzword for seating around a fire pit, or erecting a pavilion, not just for a fancy party but to frame an outdoor room, consumers are expanding their shopping lists for leisure furnishings. What you spend depends on how many creature comforts you wish to export, from patio kitchens to entertainment options such as outdoor movies and television.
More than ever, comfort reigns. Seating is more akin to your favorite cozy sofas and chairs indoors in family rooms, but with upholstery that can take a downpour. Also look for plump cushions, decorative pillows and outdoor-safe throws. Technology continues to engage us with convincing synthetic wicker and rattan weaves and wood finishes that rival those indoors. Plush fabrics like damasks, silks, velvets and look-alike leather offer amazing outdoor options.
Creating a hearth has been identified by the American Society of Landscape Architects as a top trend for outdoor entertaining in 2007. A survey last year by the American Home Furnishings Alliance, the largest association of home furnishings companies in the world, indicates Americans most want to add a fire pit (with wells for firewood or fueled by propane or natural gas) or gazebo to their porches, patios or decks.
