Until we turned our backyards into extensions of our homes, we may have ventured to sit outside only when entertaining guests or for a relaxing hour at the weekend. Now we want to use our outdoor living space year-round and every day, if weather allows. That is exactly what Emmy-winning actor, writer, and producer Ray Romano and his wife, Anna, have done in their Palm Springs home.
Designed by Nate Berkus, the outdoor living room perfectly encompasses the calm fortitude that the Romanos' wanted to encapsulate in their serene family home.
To make the most of this ‘extra room’, we must think creatively about how to plan, design and decorate. An outdoor space, even if only a small outdoor living room, should offer all the comforts and style of an indoor living room but also be designed with the weather, privacy and surrounding features such as patios, planting, deck ideas, and lawns in mind.
'Our clients are re-evaluating their open-air domains, opting for expanded footprints and year-round bandwidth for entertaining,' says interior designer Marshall Erb, founder of Marshall Erb Design. 'They are now requesting perennial outdoor architecture and design so they can take things outside whenever the mood strikes.'
Most outdoor living areas will lead directly from the house into the backyard or garden. Create a strong connection between both spaces, or you will end up with a disjointed look. The easiest way to achieve this is with confident use of color.
Take your first cue from the dominant shades and styles in the connecting indoor room and echo these outside. 'People want to see a flow from their interiors to their exteriors, and the best way to achieve this seamlessness is through creating an aesthetic that you can carry through both spaces,' says Jonny Brierley, CEO of outdoor furniture company, Moda Furnishings.
In this space, Berkus decorated with beige, cream, and taupes, the dominant colors, to curate a space that is at one with its surroundings. Keeping to a similar aesthetic will help create a seamless indoor-outdoor lifestyle, and make your home feel aesthetically cohesive. Note how even the different materials – stone, timber and linen – all borrow from the same color palette.
