An effective exterior design increases your overall living area

    Most of us want more living space in a home than we can afford.  We can increase our living space by effectively designing outdoor space that costs considerably less than  indoor space.  It can give us much enjoyment and keep us more connected to our natural environment and our community.

    There are two ways we can use outdoor space.  The first is through increasing the perception of outdoor space in our indoor spaces through the use of some general design principles.  This does not actually involve adding physical space and therefore costs little or nothing.  Yet the results can be very dramatic. The second is through the effective design of the outdoor spaces themselves to maximize their use and enjoyment.

    To give the perception of increased space first consider the shape of your home.  While a square house may be slightly cheaper to build, creating a longer, thinner house gives more rooms a direct relationship to the outdoors in two ways.  More rooms are on outside walls and have a better relationship to the outdoors.  It also allows for greater penetration of sunlight, also increasing the feeling of space and the aliveness of the rooms themselves.  Make those areas that tend to be filled with sunlight a special feature.  In all but hot arid climates, orientation along an east/west axis can actually reduce energy costs.        

Next, increase the perception of space through effective window placement.  Try to ensure that most rooms have windows on two sides.  This gives more and varied views and reduces the shadows inside which tend to make spaces feel smaller and less appealing.  It also reduces glare and helps clarify perception.  Corner windows are even more desirable, increasing the apparent depth of a room.  Window seats allow us to be within a room and yet have a feeling of being more directly connected to the outdoors.  Skylights can also bring the outdoors in and improve internal lighting conditions.  Even small windows, which frame a special view such as a single shrub or other feature, can draw the eye to it and into the outdoors.

This brings us to the actual outdoor living spaces.  It is not enough to simply provide outdoors spaces.  Studies have demonstrated that poorly designed outdoor spaces don’t get used and well-designed ones do.  To be successful the outdoor spaces should be fully integrated into your design, both the floor plans and elevations.   It should not be simply an after-thought.  That doesn’t necessarily mean that all spaces and each piece of vegetation need to defined ahead of time.  I a firm believer in a flexible and organic approach to space planning.  But the general placement of outdoor spaces, the size and shapes of porches and decks should be thought out in advance.

    Specifically, give ample thought to the approach to your home.  That will set the mood each time you return home or each time a guest visits.  Can you place the garage to the rear?  This allows for more flexibility in approach and for larger and deeper front porches.  This gives not only a greater feeling of security upon arriving, but also encourages lingering and a greater sense of connection to the neighborhood and community.  You might even create an outdoor foyer, a place of transition from the hectic outside world to the tranquility of the home.

    Additional structures such as gazebos and storage sheds should be integrated into the overall planning, including the use, size and finish of materials.  If there is no garage, I often design a large storage area for bikes and outdoor equipment and into the main house floor plan but accessed solely from the exterior.  Built-in barbecues and fireplaces contribute to wonderful outdoor living.  You may even consider a summer kitchen complete with cooktop and sink.  Of course, all outdoor functions need to be placed so that their relationship to interior spaces is both functional and aesthetic.  Barbecues need to be placed close to the kitchen and dining rooms.  Firewood storage needs to be close to the fireplace, perhaps with an outdoor pass-through.

    Integration with the indoor spaces should come right down to the materials.  I often carry ceiling treatments through to the soffits and porches.  Certain types of flooring, such as slate, can also be carried from the interior to exterior. If it is not too humid, traditional interior furnishings right down to decorations can be used on a covered porch.  Plan an exterior lighting scheme that is flexible by providing all types of lighting: ambient, task and decorative. 

Here are some general principles I use when designing a home.  I highly recommend a book entitled, A Pattern Language by Christopher Alexander, et al to learn more about these and other planning principles.

    Outdoor spaces generally should face south.  In all but hot arid climates, outdoor spaces to the north rarely get used, especially if you have to cross through a shady area to get to them.

Outdoor spaces should have positive shapes.  By this I mean the space should be protected on at least two sides such as an “L” shape or alcove.  For the same reasons that indoor nooks are so popular, put jogs and indentations in your outdoor areas.  We prefer to sit in places where our back is not exposed.  Having covered shelter to one side as well increases our tendency to use a space and our enjoyment of that space. Vegetation can also be used.  It can provide a visual and sound baffle, and the fragrances and sound of rustling leaves can enhance your outdoor experience.

    Allow for a series of inter-related outdoor spaces.  Step down from a larger deck or patio to a smaller one and finally to a small protected alcove.  Feng Shui design suggests we terrace up so that the rear of our yard serves as a buffer.  Separate outdoor uses as you would indoor uses.  Provide a children’s area well away from adult areas but make sure the common shared spaces are roughly near the center.

   

    If possible, try to provide a private outdoor space for each member of the family.  Even a small patio off a bedroom but it allows the opportunity to step outside into nature without giving up a sense of privacy.

    If you design a courtyard or other enclosed outdoor space make sure it really lives.  Courtyards by their very shape satisfy the definition of positive outdoor space and also increase the perception of interior space.  To make them function effectively, provide several doors onto it so that people are always passing through it.  Provide transitions at the doors such as small porches or sitting areas and make sure there are views through the courtyard to beyond.  Place something near the middle of the courtyard such as a fountain, a tree, or a small gazebo.

    An outdoor room allows us to use the outdoors when weather conditions may tempt us to stay indoors.  It also provides a focal point for activity.  The popularity of the covered porch is obvious.  This comes back to our natural desire for protection, to feel part of the action without actually being in it.  It also allows for a more natural transition between the private realm of our house and the public realm of the street or yard.  Make sure the roof edge is kept low.  Ensure covered porches and balconies are at least six feet deep. 

    If possible allow a few steps that people can sit on.  We naturally wish to have a vantage place where we can overlook activities yet allow us to feel part of the action.  Stairs encourage this in ways that traditional chairs often do not.  Sometimes, I will put a window seat on an interior stair landing, creating a ‘new room’ with only the inclusion of a few square feet.

    When you are faced with trying to fit additional living space into a squeezed budget, don’t panic.  Dissolving the boundaries between indoor and outdoor spaces and paying attention to how we use outdoor space can yield dramatic results in designing a home that effectively incorporates outdoor areas.