1 . Resort Style
One trend that will continue to gain ground in 2017 is the focus on resort-like outdoor living spaces at home . Many residential architects and designers are even taking cues from the hospitality industry , where much attention is given to creating beautiful outdoor settings where people can relax and unwind . Desiring to create that same vacation lifestyle at home , affl uent homeowners are adding outdoor pavilions — sometimes with a full bathroom and shower — to their backyards . They also like the idea of having two living spaces , one shaded and one unshaded .
“ When you look at the Miami hotels , for instance , there is a pool that ’ s uncovered , and then there are usually covered cabanas if guests don ’ t want to lay out in the full sun ,” says Weremeichik . “ Homeowners want that same resort feel at home .”
2 . Made in the Shade
Building off of the resort design movement , Keene says “ comfortable shade ” is a hot-ticket item right now .
“ What this entails is a separate structure that is designated just for outdoor lounging and often includes the outdoor kitchen and a bar ,” he says . “ These shaded structures typically range from 18 to 20 feet wide , and 28 to 30 feet long , to make it feel like you ’ re outside and yet you ’ re still comfortable in the shade . You ’ re more likely to see this in ultra-high-end residences in areas such as Boca Raton and larger estates in Miami .”
3 . Indoor Meets Outdoor
Maintaining a seamless indoor / outdoor connection is another key component for creating an attractive outdoor living space today .
“ Designers are blurring the lines between indoor and outdoor as much as possible ,” says Weremeichik . “ Many homeowners also view the outdoor space as extra footage .”
Like Keene , he is using wider openings to connect un-air-conditioned outdoor space to air-conditioned space . He is also seeing a lot of glass or use of accordion glass doors , which open up to the outside .
“ The idea is that the two spaces are completely open to each other and fl ow seamlessly between each other ,” he says . “ Your friends or family can be lounging in the living area , watching TV , while you ’ re cooking in the outdoor kitchen , and it ’ s all open .”
Keene agrees : “ The overall design fl ow is how it relates to the inside of the home . From an aesthetic perspective , I want to design a space so it looks bigger . But I also want to make sure the vantage point of the outdoor space can be seen when people walk into the house — so people are pulled outdoors .”
Keene says it ’ s important to keep the placement of the outdoor living space in mind , “ so you ’ re not making 10 trips back and forth from your interior kitchen to your grill when you ’ re entertaining .”
Weremeichik says it ’ s also really important to pay attention to proportions .
“ It ’ s vital to design those outdoor spaces for the right dimension , as you would a living room or a dining room ,” he says . “ You might have large outdoor living room furniture or dining room furniture , so you must design the circulation around that furniture for comfort . You can ’ t have a 10-foot patio and call it an ‘ outdoor living room ’ if you can ’ t walk around the furniture comfortably .”
6 | Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate