Rooms are usually defined by their four walls and are meant to keep the elements at bay, but modern designers are finding a way to bring the inside outdoors. Landscapers, interior designers and Realtors in the Black Hills said they are seeing more outdoor living rooms, dining rooms and kitchens that weather the seasons as homeowners opt to add open-air living spaces in which to entertain and relax.
It's more than just the standard-issue firepit with folding chairs: large front porches with amenities, gazebos, pergolas, breezeways, water features and romantic little hideaways are all available to homeowners seeking to expand their horizons.
Jeremy Walla, landscaper and owner of Aspen Ridge Lawn and Landscape in Rapid City
Walla designs and builds outdoor spaces. He said the building industry has done a good job of creating materials that can be used outside.
“If you’re going to build an outdoor room, you have nearly the same choices as if you were adding a room on to your house,” he said.
Outdoor kitchens are one of his biggest sellers, he said.
“We build them just like (we would) for inside,” Walla said, with granite, steel and tile materials and gas grills with power-ventilated hoods.
Outdoor fireplaces are also popular, he said, adding that many people enjoy the combination of fire and water and will construct a fireplace or fire pit close to a waterfall, hot tub or pool.
Walla said when he designs outdoor rooms, he creates separate areas for outdoor living.
“We try to define the spaces. Using seat walls and pergolas and things like that, we can kind of 'close' the rooms. You still get the sunshine and air and everything else and it gives you some definition to the space," he said.
Jennifer Orris, designer and owner of At Home Design in Rapid City
When Orris decorates and designs outdoor rooms, she said she looks for materials that can stand up to the elements.
“Fabric technology has really changed. You can use fabrics that are indoor/outdoor and are really quite soft,” she said.
Orris said she incorporate fabric sofas and chairs, ottomans, footstools as well as drapes into her outdoor spaces.
She said another popular trend is roller shades that can be kept outside permanently. The shades can tolerate wind and water and they are made from recycled materials.
“We are going a lot greener with what we do outside,” Orris said.
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