8 Outdoor rooms Just because an outdoor space doesn’t have walls, that doesn’t change the basic principles applied to any design project inside your home. With a few simple fundamentals to guide you, you’ll soon see how easy it is to create a beautiful outdoor room you’ll love entertaining and relaxing in throughout the warm days and balmy nights of summer. Key considerations include style, function, lighting and mood. Remember that your outdoor room ought to be an extension of the look you’ve created within your home, which reflects your personality and lifestyle. Focal point Beginning, as with any room of the home, a space must always have a focal point to anchor the space. For some, this may be a bar or barbeque area, a large dining table, or a chill-out zone with couches or loungers. Outdoor fireplaces are becoming more and more popular as our living areas blend seamlessly between indoor and outdoor entertaining throughout the changing of the seasons. They can serve not only a practical purpose of somewhere to gather around to warm as the day turns to dusk and the nights get shorter, an outdoor fire can make a stunning feature or room divider for any outdoor living area. Water features, like a pond with beautiful koi fish, can also serve as a great outdoor focal point, creating tranquil environment in which to relax and unwind in, or create a meditative Japanese rock garden which your outdoor area can overlook. In the zone If you already have a large terrace or outdoor area, a blank canvas is a great place to start. If you have a particularly large outdoor area, dividing the space into zones makes for a more functional and aesthetically pleasing space. You can do this by using a number of different elements, such as contrasting flooring materials or by creating different levels of decking. However, if you’re after a seamless indoor/outdoor flow or wish to create the illusion of more space, use the same flooring materials indoors and out. Divisions can also be made with the clever positioning of furniture. Use modular seating to create walls and separate spaces. Plants are a cost effective and eco-friendly way to create divisions between zones, and are also an ideal way to camouflage ugly walls, create privacy and soften sharp angles. Living walls, an ever-increasingly popular vertical plant system, can be either freestanding to create different outdoor areas and can be on wheels to easily transform your outdoor space at a moment’s notice. Play with height and scale with various types of planters, whether you use hanging planters to draw the eye upwards, or oversized planter pots to add drama. Go with the flow Creating a great indoor/outdoor flow is easily created by opening up your kitchen with bifold doors or windows to create a servery or bar area for easy entertaining. If you are building your home from the ground up, you may want to design an outdoor room which lies at the epicentre of the building, with rooms opening onto the communal courtyard with bifold doors. Function over form Consider what you intend to use your outdoor space for. If you don’t plan on eating outside, there’s no need for a dining table, but buy some comfortable outdoor seating instead. If you only intend on sitting outdoors during the evening, then don’t waste money on awnings and umbrellas, and invest the money in an outdoor fireplace which you will actually use. Atmosphere Create unique and personalised outdoor decor with textiles and homewares from your travels or your favourite antique shop, or make your own shell garlands or wreaths from beach holidays. String up fairy lights or lanterns to create a festive mood in the evenings. For Sale Darfield 10 Ritso Street 1,012m 2 Springfield Rilco Lane 1,084m 2 - 1,232m 2 Price $379,000 Price From $148,000 Contact Kerin Pitkethley 027 698 7453 Contact Grant McIlroy 027 345 9262 Nest, Nest Or Invest. A tidy home that will appeal to many - three bedrooms plus sleep-out with a neutral decor, modern drapes, updated insulation, log fire, heat pump plus an HRV. Enjoy a barbecue on the covered deck or sheltered spot behind the sleep-out. A single garage plus garden shed complete this property. | Property ID DA1710 Torlesse View Subdivision. Stunning mountain views from these serviced sections on the western edge the township. Within walking distance to Springfield school and there is a bus from Springfield to Darfield High school. Darfield is only 25 minutes’ drive away with a medical centre, supermarket, and a variety of shops. Easy commute to Christchurch/airport via the Old West Coast Road. | Property ID DA1659 Southbridge 58 High Street 1,902m 2 Price Offers over $499,000 Sheffield 12 Wrights Road 3,554m 2 Price $549,000 including GST Contact Penny Dadson-Clausen 027 895 5943 Contact Kerin Pitkethley 027 698 7453 Extras, Extras - Read All About It! Three bedrooms, master with walk-in wardrobe and en suite. Generous open-plan living areas - beautiful decor throughout. Open up the doors and enjoy the private, outdoor barbecue area under the shade sail surrounded by beautifully established lawns and gardens. Extra double garage for the toys. Close to shops, pool, school and sports ground. | Property ID LE1573 Space For All The Family. Four bedrooms (two upstairs) plus office nook home with large, open-plan living (log fire on wet back). Renovated throughout with a modern kitchen, floor coverings and curtains. Double garage plus garden shed and hobby room, commercial glasshouse of approximately 10 metres x 30 metres with hydroponics equipment. Mature trees and easy-care lawns. | Property ID DA1715 Licensed under REAA 2008
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