Outdoor Gazebo

What is an outdoor gazebo?
It is an outdoor structure that can be used as either a garden shelter, outdoor room, or viewing pavilion. Gazebos go back 5,000 years in history to Ancient Egypt. The modern outdoor gazebo, however, is based on the combined design motifs of Japanese teahouses, Chinese garden shelters, and small Dutch buildings.

What types are there to consider?
There are several different types that you can choose from. There is the conventional style that is basically an outdoor room with a floor, supporting pillars, and a ceiling. Some people, however, prefer to have a custom patio substituted as the floor, or to have the gazebo itself built on top of a courtyard patio.
You can also have a portable gazebo constructed that can be moved from point to point within your yard.
What shape are they built in?
They can be built in hexagonal, octagonal square or rectangular designs.

Why should I consider an outdoor gazebo?
It is a great way to enjoy a view of your home, garden, and the surrounding Houston landscape. The covering gives you shelter from the sun on hot days, and it gives you shelter from rain on cloudy days. A screen can even be built around the sides to keep out mosquitoes.

What are these structures made of?
They are almost always made of wood. Cedar and pressure treated pine are the two most common wood types used. Cedar is much more expensive. Pressure-treated pine can be stained and painted to make a strong, sturdy structure that will last and that looks good near any garden, pool, pathway, or natural pond.

Can any other materials be used to build an outdoor gazebo?
Yes. In contemporary gardens, such a structure can be built out of metal, reinforced concrete, or even stone. The roof can be made from copper, slate, or some other inorganic material to contribute to the Mentalist themes of contemporary landscaping and contemporary gardens.

What are a few features to consider?
Outdoor lighting is always a good thing to have in any outdoor structure. It will not only make it easier for you and your guests to see each other at night, but it will also make the gazebo itself a notable landscape element in its own right.

You can also have a small bar installed, complete with an electrical outlet so you can plug in a blender for mixing drinks. Most Houstonians also want a ceiling fan installed in the top of their gazebo.

What is the best architectural style for an outdoor gazebo?
To a certain extent, the style is flexible. The only absolute here is that it has to compliment the architecture of the home. Beyond that, anything from an Amish design (which you typically see in garden pictures) or a wrought iron Victorian style will work with a variety of outdoor landscaping themes.

Try not to restrict yourself to a preconception of style, however. What we prefer to do is to create a landscape master plan that reflects the entirety of your dream of an outdoor lifestyle. The many elements of your landscape will both individually and collectively create this experience. The actual style of your gazebo will ultimately be determined by its location. If it is built near the home or garage, it will compliment building materials in those structures.

If, on the other hand, it is built in or near a garden, or setback among the trees, it will reflect a more organic theme and geometry. The colors and stains used will also support these motifs, so that when you look at your outdoor gazebo, you see an extension of the landscape itself in the form of a structure that both pleases the eye and invites your attendance.

Outdoor Living Space Design

What is the purpose of outdoor living space design?
It connects the home, outdoor rooms, and outdoor buildings to the environment. This link between the inorganic and the organic results in a fusion we call outdoor living space.

What are some considerations in outdoor living space design?
You want to subdivide your lot into zones of activity and special interest. This will make your landscape an outdoor equivalent to a house with many rooms inside. Without this process of subdivision and allocation, your yard will remain only a yard that lacks the structural complexity needed in a true living environment.

What types of zones do you create?
Generally we create zones that enhance mood or zones the serve a specific function. We can also blend mood with function with many of the elements that we design. Outdoor kitchens, for example, create a feeling of fine dining outdoors. They also serve a very practical function by making it possible to cook and enjoy an entire meal without ever once having to go inside. Play areas for children are another example. Play creates a feeling of fun for kids. A professionally designed play area can be built that gives them a place to practice for a sports team they may belong to, and it gives them a safer place to do it than simply playing in an open yard or a park without supervision.

How important is vegetation in outdoor living space design?
It is the heart and soul of everything. You can think of architecture and hardscape as the body of the design, and the organics of gardens, lawns, and trees as the spirit within the body. It is very important to develop organic element with as much care and deliberation as possible. The more of a feeling of life you have in your yard, the more apropos it feels as a living environment in its own right.

What types of vegetation do you plant?

• Special grasses more vibrant and attractive than San Augustine
• Vines and creepers that cover iron and brick with living matter
• Hedges of all kinds, ranging from tiny boxwoods to man-sized topiaries
• Trees of all sizes, ranging from trees barely taller than a child to towering oaks
• Flowering plants to add color to planters and patio edges
• Traditional and highly sophisticated garden designs

How do gardens contribute to outdoor living space design?
Gardens focus the eye onto geometric patterns that are formed out of multiple shades of green and many different colors. These patterns are formed as direct compliments to your home architecture and surrounding residential landscape design. Gardens also attract wildlife. You will see more butterflies, birds, squirrels, and even wild rabbits if you plant something that provides food and shelter for these creatures.

How do tree contribute to outdoor living space design?
Trees play a major role in two respects. The first is curb appeal through vertical impact. Because the Houston landscape is so flat, anything that rises up perpendicular to the ground is going to make the entire yard look uplifted to some degree.

The other role that trees play in your yard is providing you with shade. Just think about how hot it gets in the summer here and how important shade is to us all. We want the sun, but not too much of it. However, too much shade blocks out the sun in the winter time so you freeze if you go outside.

One of the marks of a good landscaper is the ability to judge where the sun will be travelling through the sky during the summer versus where it will be during the winter and plant trees according to the sun’s path. That way, summer sun is blocked, while winter sun is allowed to break through and warm the ground.

Garden Pergola

What is a garden Pergola?
It is a garden feature that provides a shaded walk through a passageway of pillars. The pillars support cross beams and sidewalls of lattice that give you a place to train vines that will provide additional shad and greenery.

How will a garden pergola compliment my residential landscape design?
First of all, it will give your home curb appeal by creating a bit of extra character. People always love the blend of architecture and greenery these remarkable structures add to a property. It will be an excellent way to add dimension to your patio or garden outdoor courtyard and make it into a major point of interest.

What are some other benefits of a garden pergola besides curb appeal?
The first thing it does is add a vertical dimension to your garden design. Climbers make it look as the garden was reaching upward from the ground. The blend of pillars, cross beams, and vines now create a partly shaded area that gives you a place to sit. If you are looking to turn one of your gardens or courtyards into a central outdoor focal point, then having a pergola built will definitely establish its significance.

Does a garden pergola have to be built only over a garden?
No. Sometimes it is built this way, much like a gazebo, when a small garden in the yard needs added appeal. However, many pergolas are built along walkways. These walkways can lead to any point on the landscape where a sense of entryway is desired. One very popular way to use a garden pergola like this would be to build it between a patio and a courtyard to help transition the mind from a predominantly hardscape environment to a much more organic and lush setting.

Can these structures be customized in size and style?
Yes. The geometry can be either angular or curved, depending on your residential landscape design and the elements of your yard we are building the structure to enhance. There is a famous pergola in Salzburg that looks almost like a tunnel of pure green, with just enough light filtering in to guide your path.

Are garden pergolas ever used as entrances to outdoor rooms?
Yes. In fact, this is often the best way to build an outdoor room, because the tunneling effect of the structure focuses the senses on a new realm of experience that waits just on the other side of the passageway.

Can you decorate a pergola?
Absolutely. Plant-friendly outdoor lights can be installed in the interior if you want low-level ambient lighting at night time. You can also hanging plants and flowers from the crossbeams, and outdoor artwork can decorate the interior side walls. Any wood in the structure can be stained and finished to give it a high-end look.

Garden Outdoor Room

What is a garden outdoor room?
A garden outdoor room is an outdoor room that directly connects to the back of a home. Many of these rooms are built with wings that connect on either side to the walls of the house itself. A custom stone, concrete, or brick patio provides a surface area for people to gather, relax, recline, and relish moments of conversation. A glass sliding door is almost always installed between the garden and the home interior.

What type of feeling should a garden outdoor room have?
Your garden outdoor room should look comfortable and inviting to those inside your house. This is why we almost always connect the two areas with a sliding glass door so people can see everything in the garden and eventually be drawn outside. It blurs the boundaries of interior and exterior space. People in the garden can see kitchens and living areas inside, and people in the house can see outdoor furniture, greenery and custom hardscape, and lighted fountains.

Is a garden outdoor room an important part of landscape design?
Yes. Adding a landscaped place so close to the house does several things for your yard. It brings nature right up to window, so to speak, with a convenience and immediacy that are literally only a few steps away. It also creates a transition area where indoor living turns into outdoor living. When you hold engagements at your home, your guests will appreciate being able to shift so quickly between the two without having to walk that far outside.

How do you determine how large a garden outdoor room should be?
The most important consideration we pay attention to is home architecture. The garden should be built to scale with the size of the house and the size of the yard.

What types of furniture do you put in a garden outdoor room?
That depends on what you plan to use the room for. If you want it to be more of a gathering place where people stand around and mingle, then a few stone benches are apropos. If this is going to be a central hub of conversation, you will certainly need more of a living room effect and a lot more comfort than stone seating provides.

Our design team will help you accessorize and color coordinate any number of outdoor furniture sets with the surroundings of the courtyard. Decorations can be a blend of indoor and outdoor motifs, including flowers, flower pots, planters, lighted fountains, and fine statuary. Patio design is always custom and made to support decorative themes without diminishing human comfort.

Can a garden outdoor room improve my property value?
Yes. The fusion of indoor and outdoor space creates a synergy between personal lifestyle and luxury outdoor living. Prospective buyers will immediately see the advantage of buying a home that already has extended living space, organic vitality, a connection to Nature, and personalized entertainment.

Patio Outdoor Room

When we design a patio outdoor room, there are certain common denominators we adhere to. These commonalities are intended to create structure and a sense of special purpose.

Why does an outdoor room need a patio?
A patio is an outdoor room’s equivalent of an indoor floor. People need some type of surface to stand and walk on because no matter how flat the Houston landscape is, the soil is too muddy and clumpy to provide the same stability as a patio does.

What types of patio outdoor rooms do you build?
We build everything from simple garden seating areas to elaborate outdoor kitchens, and everything in between. Many patio outdoor rooms have fireplaces, courtyard gardens, luxury furniture, and arbors. Architectural style, detail, and size of structure are based upon the intended use of the room and the number of people expected to use it.

What do you build outdoor patio rooms from?
Both organic and inorganic building materials can be used. The boundaries of the structure can be made from something as basic as a row of hedges or low-growth trees, or they can be physical walls made of sophisticated masonry much like that used to build a custom home. Again, it’s what the room will be used for and how it compliments both the home and the landscape that determines all of this. The most complex patio outdoor rooms are actual buildings that have three walls and ceilings, so you have one side open to the world, and the rest of the room sealed off in a controlled environment.


How do these rooms compare to rooms inside the home?
Other than having one side left open so you can view the landscape, they can be built almost identical to indoor rooms. Climate controls and lighting systems can be added to bring creature comfort to summer night outings. In fact, even open-aired rooms with no ceilings will always have some kind of lighting in order to create visibility and establish emotional tone. Summer kitchens with walls and ceilings will have modern appliances, living room areas, and dining areas. Kitchen areas are just like those found inside, and can include ovens, stoves, pizza ovens, and cocktail bars.

What about patio rooms built around gardens?
Such rooms are often called entry gardens and are ideal developments for unused property to the side of larger homes. They provide a warm, inviting setting for conversation under the trees, moon, and stars and can designed with a fusion of artwork and softscape. Planters, pottery, and garden elements keep the senses grounded in Nature, while fountains, bird baths, and statuary seamlessly blend with the best representations of human creativity at its finest.

As multitudinous as the possibilities are here, one thing is absolute. A patio outdoor room by Exterior Worlds is an outdoor lifestyle extravaganza that remains accessible throughout the year and at any time of night. It will give you luxury living that is never more than a few steps away from the vast world of Nature that surrounds you.

Houston Landscaping Creates an Outdoor Dinner Room

What is an outdoor dining room?
An outdoor dining room is an environment that is created through landscaping elements that creates a special space where dining feels appropriate and meals can be enjoyed in comfort. Traditional walls are typically not the norm for enclosing such spaces, although low-level architectural walls made from custom masonry may at times be used. More common enclosures are typically built from hedges that are low to the ground or from columns that set the space apart with a sort of “invisible wall between them” appeal that appears at once both contrasted from the surrounding landscape and simultaneously open to the full view thereof.

What are common furnishings in an outdoor dining room?
Common furnishings include chandeliers, fireplaces, and ceiling fans. Gas lanterns are also popular. Larger outdoor rooms can be decorated with curtains that partially enclose the space and still leave some space open to view the Houston landscape.

What does Exterior Worlds do to make this actually FEEL like an indoor room?
We make sure that the dining room tables have adequate space between the chairs. We set the room up on an axel basis to give it a sense of balance and proportion so that any vantage point looks equivalent to all others within the space. This contributes to a feeling of intimacy in the midst of open spaces.

We also sometimes add decorative stone mosaics beneath able to emulate the patterns seen on indoor rugs. If the room is designed between columns, these stones can also be placed between columns to create a feeling of grand entrance from either of two directions.

Where do you normally build these rooms?
Outdoor dining rooms are normally built near an outdoor kitchen or just behind a house.

Are they usually a part of an outdoor kitchen?
Yes.

Do they always have ceilings and hardscape walls, or can they be courtyard style surrounded by trees and hedges?
When it comes to using the term walls, we want to clearly define this term as meaning more than what you think of when you think of the walls inside your house. Walls that surround outdoor environments can never block the view of the Houston landscape. Instead, they have to be skillfully constructed to actually magnify its appeal by sectioning off a unique area which in turn provides a unique vantage point onto the rest of the Houston landscape.

What are common flooring materials?
We want these environments to be as comfortable as possible. Formality is something that nine times out of ten the homeowner prefers we avoid. Since a more casual environment is therefore preferable, any number of simple materials can be used to build a solid, attractive, floor surface that is workable and aesthetic enough to create mood—but never so overdone as to draw attention away from the moment and down to the ground.

What would be the point of that?

Do you place climate controls in these?
Normally we do not place climate controls in outdoor kitchens. Outdoor buildings like summer kitchens and entertainment rooms are better suited for AC and Heating. There have been exceptions to this per homeowner request, with the understanding that cooled air in such an enclosure is immediately lost to the environment.

Do you have restrooms in them?
Sometimes, yes.

What entertainment media, if any, goes into these rooms?
We can easily configure audio distribution centers, iPod connections, and television sets with all weather equipment.

Outdoor Fireplace Design

The fireplace has long been a symbol of intimacy, warmth, and domestic harmony. Fireplaces are very ancient and have existed in homes of all types in most cultures for millennia. Now, with outdoor fireplace design, you can enjoy one of the most treasured amenities of classic home interiors as a key element to the pursuit of quality outdoor living.

Outdoor fireplace design offers more aesthetic diversity than its indoor equivalent. This is because the firebox and chimney are built independently of a large, primary wall. A fireplace that is built outside normally is not a part of a wall of any real size. The firebox and chimney rise up from the ground as unique architectural elements.

By this we do not mean that all outside fireplaces are stand-alone landscape elements. Much to the contrary, outdoor fireplace design is a major part of many custom hardscape themes. As outdoor rooms such as entertainment rooms and outdoor kitchens become increasing popular, a fireplace is a common center point for the back wall of any such structure.

Such a wall, however, is typically very different from the wall within a home. The wall inside a house must support the roof and adjacent walls. Outdoor rooms, however, are usually built as open-air structures that do not need the same structural supports that houses require. Because of this, the rear wall of a summer kitchen living room area can actually be designed around the aesthetic of the outdoor fireplace design, rather than the other way around.

The landscape architect consequently enjoys a tremendous creative freedom that allows him or her to match fireplace aesthetic to the exterior architecture of the home and compliment the geometry of softscape elements.

Other hardscape designs that often include outdoor fireplace design are courtyards and entry gardens. Both of these elements often use a lighted fountain as a central focal point of design. However, many Exterior World clients want fountains built in other places, and for this courtyard or entry garden would rather have the charm and warmth of a fireplace instead.

Such patio-fireplace hardscapes again offer tremendous latitude for design freedom provided a few basic principles are observed. Home architecture has to be respected in every form and size. We never want to build a chimney that is taller than the house or a firebox that completely eclipses the entirety of the house.

We have to make certain that regardless of whether or not we build with brick, stone, or decorative concrete that we remain consistent with other materials used to build other structures on the landscape. Certain elements complement one another very well, while other elements simply do not work all that well with some residential architectural designs or landscape design themes.

Outdoor Living Designs

What is outdoor living?
Outdoor living designs by Exterior Worlds bring the inside world of the home into the outdoor realms of social opportunity and natural wonder. Conversation and relaxation are always to be found somewhere in an Exterior Worlds landscape master plan. Mobility is essential so people can move from point to point freely and escape the feeling that often accompanies being confined within four walls of a room. Special activities such as dining can also be integrated into a landscape design so that creature comforts and luxury transform the outdoor world into a world of refined Houston outdoor living.

How does it differ from indoor living?
Outdoor living designs differ from interior design in a number of respects. To begin with, they are far more organic in terms of sense. Even in the more modern landscape designs where vegetation is minimized and contained within geometry and abstract forms, living presences are still more common in the world outside the house than they are inside the house. Other, more traditional landscape designs are even more abundant in life force. The green elements of French, Italian, English, and Mediterranean gardens punctuate areas of growth and vitality that form the organic softscape constructs of superior landscape design.

Outdoor living designs are also more open than indoor equivalents and therefore give you far more. There is always a view of the sky, the many different elements occurring throughout the yard, and the trees, hedges, flowers, and grasses of the lawn. Even when residing in the enclosure of a so-called outdoor room, you are far less confined than you are inside a typical house. Outdoor rooms normally have at least one wall open to the rest of the landscape, and some do not even have walls per se at all. What we call a wall in such as structure can be a row of boxwoods or special planter with year-round blooming flowers. With outdoor structures, geometric focus is the intent more so than surrounding and complete enclosure.

What landscape elements are necessary to create differentiation?
To make outdoor living designs interesting and engaging, we have to break up the monotony of too much of any one thing. We avoid devoting too much of any one section of the yard to any one form. Instead, we like to build patios near gardens, and outdoor buildings under trees. We prefer courtyards to be integrated into entry gardens, and ornaments like statues and fountains to occupy otherwise empty space to provide unique focal points along transit areas that link the various gathering places that are designed around homeowner lifestyle and preferred activities.

How do we maintain comfort?
Comfort is a relative term when it come to outdoor living designs. The biggest complaint that Houstonians voice is the searing heat and humidity we experience for most of the year. There are a variety of ways we can compensate for this, including ceiling fans, AC in outdoor buildings, and outdoor fireplaces that can provide heat during cold and damp winter months.

Fine furnishings can be place d in both indoor and outdoor rooms regardless, and transit areas can be built to mimic the rhythm of the human footstep. Forms can be built around activities and personal preferences. For example, small seating areas can be built in a circle around a disappearing fountain or lighted garden area to create a sense of privacy and isolation for a few select guests chosen to be removed from the jostle of the crowd.

Outdoor Garden Design

Outdoor garden design is one of the most important pieces to creating a truly superb Houston landscape.
One thing to keep in mind when discussing your new Houston landscape with your professional design team is that you do not have to limit yourself to only one garden.

There can be many different gardens installed in both your front and back yards, and there are many different roles these gardens can play. A few of these new forms will ultimately occupy positions of central importance and significance. Others will work in a deliberately supportive fashion to accentuate specific structures and landscape elements.

Perhaps the most significant supporting role of this type could arguably be the aesthetic contribution it makes toward accenting home architecture. With the right vegetation and form, home architecture can be extended beyond its inorganic boundaries and given organic expression and added dimension. The actual style of the garden will be based upon the intended tone of the landscape in general and on the necessary forms and colors required to support surrounding architecture.

Many architectural designs have a specific cultural origin or reference a specific historical period.
Many outdoor garden designs also reference specifics of historicity and culture. For example, there are French, Italian, and Mediterranean styles. These specific garden types help establish the visual motif of the home as the predominating thematic component to the landscape. A French home supported by French garden design becomes a French landscape.

Other outdoor garden designs may not be intended to support architecture. English gardens reflect the order and symmetry of the British rural countryside. Knot gardens turn backyards into reflections of Celtic and Renaissance embroidery, making the landscape itself into a fabric of utility where herbs and spices can be grown as well as used for decoration. Zen gardens create quite retreats for meditation and reading in the private corners of the yard. Shade gardens help center growth and activity in areas beneath stately trees.

Outdoor garden design can occupy a more central role in residential landscape design. In front yard landscaping, it can lead the way to the front door of the house, establish boundaries between a home and neighboring residences, and create dimension in the open areas of the lawn. In backyard landscapes, gardens can center divergent elements on a common focal point.

In contemporary landscape design, the modern outdoor garden is used to create pockets of organic presence in a landscape of geometry and inorganic hardscape structures. In other forms of professional landscape design, the organic presence is much stronger than it is in contemporary landscaping. Outdoor garden design is even more important to these developments because it accentuates the vitality and diversity of vegetation and provides the much needed sense of vitality that is so vital to differentiating the amenities of outdoor living from the comforts and enclosures of indoor lifestyle pursuits.

Houston Covered Outdoor Kitchen

If you are looking to create a new realm of Houston outdoor living for your family and friends, invest in a covered outdoor kitchen designed and built by Exterior Worlds. These all-purpose outdoor rooms are nothing less than fine indoor living space inverted and transformed into outdoor luxury areas that are constructed with everything a custom indoor kitchen or living room can provide.

In addition to convenient and dependable functionality, we can build your outdoor kitchen with any number of special features, amenities, and luxuries that you desire. Furniture and media systems that you would typically associate with living and family rooms can also be added to your outdoor floor plan in to give your landscape a central hub of fine food preparation, comfortable dining, luxury repose, quiet conversation, and high-tech entertainment.

Many of the features we build into our covered outdoor kitchens are standard, functional features that are essential to the function of the structure. These features designed first and are intended to make the room completely self-sustaining. There is no point in building an outdoor living environment that is dependent on the world inside. Instead, our outdoor rooms are so constructed that it is possible to begin and end an afternoon or evening outside no need to return to the house.

This high-level of convenience is made possible by a wise choice of essential appliances and conveniences.

Refrigerators Rated for Outdoor Use Separate Freezers to give you plenty of storage space Side burners for soups and sauces so you do not have to use us precious stove space for liquids Full-feature ovens Weather-resistant, attractive, stainless steel cabinetry Ice makers Granite or Marble countertops for food preparation Dining room areas Lighting systems and controls

There are also a great many custom options that can be added to any covered outdoor kitchens. Much creative license can be taken here, and the power of that license lies in the hands of you—the client. We want this room to be a room that you feel you personally customized as an expression of your core values, lifestyle, and personal taste. Provided nothing added violates safety regulations of interferes with the functionality of appliances, you practically have free reign in selecting the options that best meet your home entertainment needs.

Side grills for barbecuing on rainy Labor Days, Memorial Days, or Fourth of July Holidays Custom maple, oak, or mahogany cabinets and drawers Living room areas with couches, fireplaces, or fire pits Entertainment systems with the finest audio, visual, and mood lighting you can imagine.

Visualize fine living and ultra-convenience when you picture a covered outdoor kitchen by Exterior Worlds. This is one of the wisest investments you can make in landscaping design and personal luxury living. It is also one of the better ways to improve your property value should you ever decide to sell your home and move on.

Houston Outdoor Living

When developing the organic aspects of a Houston outdoor living environment, we focus on creating geometric forms that communicate the energies of Nature without violating the sense of order and system that has been ingrained in human consciousness for the past 10,000 years. This is why we put such a great deal of effort into garden services and tree maintenance. Plants need to be contained within the boundaries of a recognizable form whose style reflects the aesthetic of the landscape proper, and whose geometry and color scheme reflect the architectural style of the home. Tree maintenance protects number of parasites, diseases, so other elements of the landscape such as wooden arbor and shade gardens can be richly enjoyed both as gathering places and purely decorative elements when viewed from afar.

Once organic elements have been thematically developed, the focus of our work normally shifts toward landscape design for entertainment. Swimming pool remodeling often plays a major role in this because of the central position that the pool takes in so many events. More often than not, we find that the swimming pool the client either bought with the home or installed at a previous time does not quite fit the architecture of the home or surrounding landscape architecture. Redesigning a new custom swimming pool is the first step toward creating a more balanced and amenable back yard that creates an immediately noticeable upgrade in Houston outdoor living quality.

Other structures, of course, will be needed beyond the pool to create an environment that is more attractive to the visitor than the interior of the house. Hardscapes are also very important to comfortable Houston outdoor living because they provide areas for people to stand and sit on a solid surface. Think of a patio, walkway, or motor court as an outdoor floor, and you will immediately realize how important something as elementary as stone or concrete suddenly becomes to outdoor landscape design. Without attractive, well-constructed solid surfaces, people are left standing in the grass or the mud on spring and summer evenings—something you don’t want at your next party.

In fact, you do not want your guests to ever feel the need to go inside once they are outside. Outdoor rooms can be built that rival anything a living room or game room has to offer. Not every outdoor room has to have four walls and a ceiling, either. Some may have a fire pit, or be built in a courtyard design as part of a private entry garden. Others may be built alongside of a pool, near a fountain, or next to a natural pond to put activities an arm’s length away from nature.

Certain activities will require more than hardscape and residential landscape lighting. Things such as cooking, dining, playing video games, watching movies, and listening to music will require outdoor buildings such as summer kitchens, game rooms, and fully-functional outdoor living rooms can be built to make every aspect of Houston outdoor living a veritable rival to any conceivable experience you can have inside.

Houston Arbor

Regardless of the style Houston home is accentuated by old and stately trees, an arbor built by Exterior Worlds can create a similar sense of shelter and protection that one receives when sitting under the shade of an old, great tree. It mimics the effect of overhanging branches, and it gives a three dimensional presence to gardens and hardscapes. Any Houston home, regardless of architectural style, can be complimented in this manner, and outdoor buildings that populate the backyard will appear more differentiated as specifically outdoor elements with such a structure nearby.

A truly impeccably constructed arbor does several things. Not only does it provide the utmost comfort as a place to sit in the shade, but it also provides a panoramic view of the surrounding landscape. Residents should be able to sit in its shelter and admire the most distinguishing features of their yard. The structure should also ornament the landscape as part of a larger, specific theme. Houston homeowners can sometimes be very eclectic in their tastes, so custom design is imperative in order to get the structure to work with both traditional designs and derivative styles that require an individual approach.

There should also be some concealed creature comforts built into the arbor as well. Houston gets very hot in the summer can suffers from sporadic blasts of cold, damp air in the early months of the year. Climate control should be built into the structure so its vantage point can be enjoyed regardless of external conditions. Interior lighting and hidden lighting controls should also be installed in places where the homeowner can easily and discreetly adjust the lighting for guests without having to get up.

Houston landscape designers build arbors somewhat differently than do other manufacturers. Exterior Worlds, for instance, develops the structural design for the facility in relationship to home architecture and surrounding landscape design. If the property has a stately, European look and features iron fencing, we may build the structure out of iron in order to reinforce a classic, Old World look. This is can also be done in parts of the yard where dark stone hardscapes are blended into gardens and custom fountains.

More commonly, however, we tend to build wooden arbors out of pressure treated pine. While some of our competitors would argue that cedar is a superior building material, we feel it is both too expensive and features too short of a lifespan to adequately serve the needs of our clients. Pressure-treated pine is much less expensive and lasts a great deal of time longer than cedar.

One of the main reasons so many Houston landscaping clients commission us to build them an arbor is because it can compliment so many adjacent landscaping elements. One of the favorite locations for these remarkable structures is at the far end of a patio directly facing another structure, such as an outdoor fireplace or outdoor kitchen. Or, it can be built adjacent to a pool and spa, providing an alternative seating area for swimmers who want something different than patio chairs to relax in. One other popular location is near a meditation or Zen garden, where a person can relax and look out into carefully sculpted greenery and a tranquil fountain that stills all thought.

Outdoor Kitchens

Exterior Worlds was contacted by a client with a unique landscaping challenge. Between one wing of their home and their garage, there was pie-shaped area of the yard that had never been used. This area was too large to ignore, but it was also too small to build a structure of any considerable size. At first the challenge was a bit perplexing. What were we to do with such a unique and difficult space? Fortunately, thanks to our in-depth consultation process aimed at finding out as much as possible about the client’s interests, we learned that this couple loved to host dinner parties at their home. We asked them if they would be interested in having an outdoor kitchen built in this spot. To this they heartily agreed, excited at the possibility of combining outdoor entertainment with the very best in culinary experiences.

In order to make the outdoor kitchen both aesthetically sensible and fully functional, we had to make the most of the limited space we had available. Following the example of interior architects, we decided to build the outdoor kitchen along the side wall of the garage. It stretched from the side door all the way to the corner of the garage. A smaller segment was built at a right angle to this, creating both a sense of enclosure around the patio area, and offering additional surface area for use as a wet bar or food storage area. Cabinets and drawers were then installed in both segments, and a granite counter top was added to provide a durable, and also very ornamental, surface area upon which to work.

The intent was to make this outdoor kitchen a completely self-sustaining area that would never require the owners to run back inside to retrieve or prepare anything. A number of high-end appliances that are standard to custom indoor kitchens were installed to make cooking outside convenient and quick. There was a freezer and a refrigerator which could be used to store food for indefinite periods of time, just as indoor models can do. We also installed an ice maker to keep drinks cool on hot summer afternoons. For cooking, we built our clients a stove with a special side burner that they heating up sauces so the homeowners when cooking spaghetti and chili for their guests. To keep smoke from annoying our clients’ neighbors, we also installed an overhead exhaust vent. All of these appliances were designed for electrical operation on dedicated circuits. The only exception to this was a small, gas-powered grill we installed to allow the homeowners to cook hot dogs, hamburgers, and barbecue in the same area they prepared other foods outside.

We then added a travertine patio to the outdoor kitchen, and used the remainder of the space adjacent to it for a few organic touches. To liven up the appearance of the wall, we built a custom iron trellis with suspended plants growing in the middle. This added a nice contrast of green and black to the white backdrop of the white brick wall. The plants were individually lit as well, so at dusk and nightfall they appear to rise out of the wall and create a superb three-dimensional, organic presence. Near the smaller segment of the countertop, we planted a small herb garden and framed it with a lemon tree and an orange tree on either side. This garden not only added a more robust aesthetic to the area, but it also allowed our clients to grow the herbs they normally cooked with and pull them straight from the garden when preparing meals.

We then enclosed the entire garden area and trees with a special fence made from pressure treated pine framed by iron around the edges. This had the effect of enclosing the patio area with a sense of life and growth that gave the outdoor kitchen a much greater sense of life and vitality than many kitchens of similar design builds found indoors.

Custom Outdoor Fireplaces

I’ve been reading a lot about outdoor fireplaces. What can you tell me about them?
Outdoor fireplaces are a perfect outdoor luxury for the Houston climate. Wherever they are positioned—as a stand-alone, part of an outdoor kitchen or in a garden gazebo—are beautiful architectural elements. And they quickly become the central place where everyone gathers. Practically all of our clients want to have one, especially to take advantage of the mild winters we have in this part of the country.

If you are serious about installing an out-of-doors fireplace or fire pit, we suggest you consider the following design issues:

• Consider the views from the house. Are there privacy issues? Where are your focal points? Consider the view from the yard and take advantage of any outlook over a greenbelt, bayou or water way.
• Just as in a house, break up your landscape design into “rooms.” Often the outdoor fire element anchors an outdoor room.
• Large structures, like outdoor fireplaces, tend to alter the flow of traffic, so design accordingly.
• If you have a theme already established, work within that overall landscape intention. Perhaps you’ve selected a modern landscape design or Mediterranean landscape design, two very distinctive residential garden styles. If so, you want the fireplace to be of the same design and material.
• Incorporate the fireplace with other hardscapes. For instance, landscape lighting adds drama. Out-of-doors fireplaces and fire pits are all about ambiance. We recently built a dining area that is situated in front of an outdoor fireplace. Now we’re training a tree limb to grow over the dining table so that when the limb gets big enough, we can wire a chandelier to hang from it.
  

What do I need to know about zoning and permitting?
Most zoning regulations restrict how closely you can construct an out-of-doors fireplace in relation to all other buildings. Most regulate side and rear property line setbacks and have rules regarding slope setbacks and height restrictions. Check with your local authorities because regulations vary from city to city. A landscape architect or landscape designer can help you navigate through the zoning issues.

Tell me about some of the safety issues.
While fire pits and fireplaces enhance any landscape design, they must be used safely. Exterior Worlds advocates these safety measures:

• Always have fire extinguishers on hand.
• Use fire screens to keep logs from rolling out of the fire and limit air-borne soot and cinders from flying about.
• Keep all outdoor furniture safely away from the fire.For wood-burning fireplaces, it is a good safety practice to schedule regular professional chimney cleaning. A good rule of thumb is to base the spacing of the maintenance on the amount of wood you burn. As long as you have no problem with birds’ nest and other debris, you need to get your chimney cleaned after burning two cords of wood—however long it takes.
• If using a fire pit, follow the manufacturer’s directions and obey all city regulations.

Patio Design

How does my patio, a ubiquitous feature of the Houston home, fit into my landscape design?
Patios belong to the group of landscape elements called hardscapes—the non-plant material of your landscape design. In general, when hardscapes are combined with greenery, they create an outdoor living environment that everyone and anyone can enjoy. In this way, a patio is an extension of your home that is both functional and visually appealing.

Our clients have used patio designs that run the gamut from an understated, airy greenhouse to an inviting outdoor room. Thus, an outdoor patio expands the living space of the house and can create a memorable view out the window. A patio makes for a transition—an interval—between the house and the yard and adds a personal touch to the overall look of your property. It affects the physical space and emotional content of the landscape with the way it shows your personal aesthetic.

What are my first considerations when thinking about my patio design?
Exterior Worlds encourages our clients to begin with an overview:
• What is the existing view from your patio?
• Where does the sun hit it at different times of the year?
• Do you want or need a focal point? A focal point, such as an outdoor water fountain, will draw the eye to it. It literally gives the eye something to focus on. Or perhaps you have an unsightly feature or an odd spot in your layout. If so, a focal point will draw attention away from it.

Popular garden structures on patio deck designs include garden arbors, outdoor gazebos and pergolas. They can provide shelter from the elements, frame a focal point or form a decorative entrance. These architectural elements are attractive ways to add interest to your landscape and make a strong statement.

How do I connect the patio to the rest of my landscape?
We encourage our clients to make design choices for their landscape architecture that complement their home’s architecture. At the same time, you also want the selections to reflect your personality.

By their nature, garden pathways connect the patio to the rest of the landscape and finish off the patio design. Paths direct the eye and create interest across the expanse of green grass.

Landscape lighting also can tie your patio design to the rest of the yard. It turns your landscape into a 24-hour delight and serves as a security measure.
What are my flooring options?
The most common patio in Houston is a concrete pad attached to the house, a feature that creates a blank canvas on which to build. Your flooring options include:
• Concrete. This durable choice can be colored, stained or textured to create long-lasting beauty.
• Stone. Cut limestone, sandstone, quartzite and slate are popular choices among Exterior Worlds’ clientele.
• Cast stone. This masonry product gives the appearance of natural stones such as granite, slate, limestone, travertine or marble.
• Pavers. A man-made brick that recalls old world charm, patio pavers can be installed in intricate patterns, such as cobblestone.

Courtyard Landscaping Design

Courtyard design helps establish a relationship with Nature and the main structure of a home or building. They are essential elements of many forms of commercial landscaping, particularly restaurants. Commercial office parks use them as outdoor break areas, and residential properties tend to see the courtyard as a special place set apart for meaningful conversation. While virtually every courtyard is unique in terms of its size and the materials used to build it, most share certain common elements that contribute to the sense of being in what amounts to an outdoor room built for special purposes and special moments.

Scale is the most important thing to consider in courtyard design. We want the scale of the courtyard design to be proportional to that of surrounding trees. This allows us to build the courtyard itself in any number of ways. A courtyard may be constructed out with three or even four brick walls, nestled under the branches of the overhanging canopy. Or, we can build a patio area surrounded by two or three arbors where trellises and vines intermingle with the iron work with the leaves and wood of the trees. We often build a custom fountain to act as a focal point or a centerpiece for conversation. The intent in all of these forms is to create a feeling of warmth and invitation that draws people to the courtyard at all times day or night.

In both residential and commercial environments, planters are often used to line the perimeters of courtyards. The design, materials build, and positioning of these planters is determined by the nature of the structure itself. If it is an open-air structure constructed out of trellises or a grouping of arbors, then sufficient light will penetrate to the ground and allow us to build the planters are frames around the patio and fountain. This is also true if the courtyard has standing walls but is open on the top to allow sufficient sunlight to reach interior plantings. However, we may choose to use planters as exterior elements around smaller structures and garden patios. Particularly in restaurant design, a courtyard surrounding by lush vegetation appears lively and inviting to guests who have recently arrived.

One very popular method of courtyard design in private, exclusive neighborhoods such as River Oaks, Rice Village, and Tanglewood is to build a patio surrounded by hedges that act as walls. In these parts of Houston, this provides one of the most effective compliments to the Old World aspects of home architecture and the magnificent trees that line the streets. Hedges can be made from Japanese yew, larger species of boxwood, or even smaller poplar trees to form the perimeter of an outdoor courtyard seating area within a garden or near a private entrance to the home.

In all of our courtyard designs, perhaps the most important thing to consider next to the importance of scale is lighting. No matter how large or open a structure is, it will only receive natural light for a number of hours during the day. In early morning, evening, and nighttime, even open-air structures will be shrouded in shadows unless special lighting is installed. These specialty fixtures can range from tree lights that are ingeniously concealed in the overhanging canopy, feature lights that highlight outdoor furniture, or underwater fountain lights that disperse illumination through the prism-like effect of water droplets.

Courtyard landscape design can play a pivotal role in establishing the theme of the landscape by creating a truly unique outdoor structure whose utility is equivalent to its aesthetic. For businesses and homeowners seeking to create a tangible link between the comforts of indoor living and the expansive sense of freedom that the outdoors brings, a professionally planned and constructed courtyard can be the defining point of the home living experience.

Backyard Landscaping

The intent of backyard landscaping is to design an outdoor living experience that rivals indoor space. To do this, we must do more than work with organic elements alone. As important as trees, shrubbery, and gardens are, structural components are equally necessary. The building of swimming pools, patios, arbors, shade structures, and outdoor rooms adds completion, depth, and dimension to the aesthetic of any backyard.

This process must be treated as both a science and an art. We must first measure the backyard and identify its physical points of differentiation. This data helps us create a landscaping design that works with the existing topography and architecture of the property.

Backyard landscaping plans must also be done with a balanced blend of egress (going out) and ingress (coming in), and open lawn area. Every house has at least one point of entry into the backyard. Such areas cannot be treated as mere transit areas alone. Every egress/ingress point must establish a new experience that creates a new frame of mind for people walking outside. As people transition both in mind and body from indoor space to outdoor space, they need to feel a sense of openness and freedom.

Open areas in the lawn will help maintain this sense regardless of the size of the backyard itself. When outdoor rooms, patios, and gardens are positioned at appropriate vantage points, they work to proportionally balance as parts in relation to the whole. Irrespective of actual acreage, the lawn and surrounding elements will look magnified, if not expansive, if the geometry of landscaping has been calculated correctly from the beginning

Throughout all of this, backyard landscaping must also be done with some practical considerations in mind as well. Draining the land is very important for any type of garden because every structure is going to create a dam effect that will block water runoff. Some sort of drainage system must be installed in these areas to prevent the soil from getting supersaturated with water, and to prevent sensitive vegetation from being damaged by mud and standing water.

Most of our clients are people who use their backyards as outdoor gathering places for events that begin in the early evening and continue into the night. With professionally installed outdoor lighting, every element of the landscape will not only be visible, but it will also have its own unique ambience associated with its specific purpose and contribution to the surrounding design theme. It also helps magnify to the sense of egress into a new dimension by expanding the vista from the rear of the living space into the outdoor space of lawn, structure, and garden.

Hardscape Design

When we use the term hardscape, we are referring to landscape structures that are made from inorganic materials.. These structures include many things such as driveways, patios, walls, fencing, and drainage and intertwine with organic elements to contribute to overall landscape design. Hardscape must always be treated as a very critical and precise science. Because the human mind is naturally drawn to order and system, nay man made structures on the landscape has to be carefully engineered to compliment organic essence and resident architectural style. It must always work to develop the aesthetic of the home and the terrain; it must never clash with its surroundings.

Professional hardscape design requires careful choices in material selection. Different materials will create different states of mind when viewed by residents and guests. The sense we get from a brick walkway is not going to be the same as the impression we receive from a concrete sidewalk. Materials should be used in hardscape design that will ultimately unify the home with the landscape and work to establish a corresponding theme between the two. Wood is often used to contribute a simple, traditional sensibility in structures like outdoor rooms. Concrete patios are often used to establish the stark sense of contrast that characterizes contemporary design. Various types of stone work ranging from cut stone to limestone and tile are used to suggest any number of thematic connotations ranging from a formal Old World entryway to a sense of wilderness in the spaces that surround a natural swimming pool.

Drainage is another important element of every hardscape design project. Every structure built in a front yard or back yard will act like a dam for rainwater, so we must build a mechanism of some sort that will prevent water it from encroaching into the structure or collecting around its walls. Drainage design must accomplish this at a functional value while simultaneously upholding the aesthetic. Different techniques are used to balance these two demands, such as hiding drain inlets and building custom decorative drain grates that conceal their function behind ornamentation. In some cases we may need to pitch drains in order to lessen the number drain inlets. In instances where it simply will not work to have any visible drain built into the hardscape itself, (such as we see in certain patios, walkways, and motor courts), then we will have to build these structures a very subtle slope (albeit unnoticeable slope) that causes water to drain without impediment.

Hardscape design also includes the construction of other structures such seat walls, retaining wall, columns, and curbs. These elements are built either as components of irrigation systems, or barriers to water encroachment coming from areas outside of the landscape proper. Again, building these features must be done very carefully so as to maintain balance and harmony with their surroundings. This usually results in hardscape design becoming the most expensive line item on an invoice due to its complexity and high demand for only the best of materials. This being considered, this is definitely one element of landscape design you never want to contract yourself or leave in the hands of anything other than the very best and most experienced landscaping architect. Any attempt to take a shortcut will only result in poor results that cost more money down the line to go back and do over again.

Patio Landscaping

Patios are actually architectural forms that contribute special areas of interest to yards. When Exterior Worlds adds a patio to the landscape, we take several points into consideration in order to appropriately design it. First, we take a careful look at home architecture in order to build a patio that will truly compliment its size and form. Another thing we pay close attention to is garden style. Because gardens are frequently planted near patios, the two have a direct bearing on one another. Patio landscaping also has to be done in a way that accommodates specific outdoor structures that will develop the form and essence of the landscape.

In a very real sense, patio landscaping works to both extend and compliment the architecture of a home. After people leave interior space and enter outdoor space, they step out on a patio that creates a new experience for them the minute they set foot on it. Depending on its design and intent the patio will do many things. It can serve as a central hub that unifies garden design, swimming pool aesthetic, and the corresponding structure of the house. This makes a patio more than a utilitarian tool in landscaping design. The patio may be something you walk on, but it is also a work of art. We often build patios of interests to magnify specific traditional or contemporary architectural and landscaping themes.

Patio landscaping should also be treated as either a component of or a compliment to garden design. Plantings around patios work to bring them better into scale with surrounding natural elements of the landscape. The garden design plan we develop will often determine which type of materials we use to build the patio. If we are planting linear gardens near contemporary style homes, we will often use concrete or concrete aggregate to build the patio. This helps differentiate organic elements and inorganic elements—a contrast very common in contemporary landscaping. On the other hand, more traditional landscape designs require materials that appear more natural, such as stone.

Finally, patio landscaping is a very important component of a number of outdoor structures. Seating areas are required around points of interests such as French fountains and Zen gardens. Such smaller patios help separate the landscape into divisions of public space and private space. These allow residents to have a special part of their yard set aside only for themselves. Areas that require seating for large gatherings will require constructing a larger patio that is specifically scaled to the number of anticipated guests at these events. We do this a great deal around swimming pools, but we also see it in places like outdoor rooms and special outdoor elements, such as outdoor kitchens, outdoor fire pits, and outdoor fireplaces are other structures that typically require a surrounding or adjoining patio to give people who use them a place to sit, and to contribute a sense of décor to their appearance.

Garden Arbor

We want to add an arbor to our landscape design. Is that something that Exterior Worlds can help us with?
Yes! We have built and installed garden arbors for many of our clients. A type of garden structure, arbors give vertical depth to your garden landscape. Our clients like them because they can be either functional or decorative. When used as a functional structure, garden arbors support vines, climbing roses, and other plants. You can also use them purely for aesthetic reasons, for example, serving as an invitation to your guests to enter the landscape.

We’d like to be as prepared as possible before buying. What more can Exterior Worlds tell us about garden arbors?
Garden arbors dress up any space. Your landscape designer or landscape architect can help you integrate the arbor into your total landscape picture. For instance, you may want to pair it with an outdoor water fountain, place it over a path that leads to an outdoor room, wire it with landscape lighting or combine it with other hardscapes in your yard. If you have a themed garden such as a Japanese garden, Mediterranean landscape design or English garden design, you can find arbors with Asian, Moorish, Victorian or Art Deco influences.

Sometimes called a garden arch, an arbor comes in many shapes—squared, rounded or as an arch over pathways. Arbors can be made with decorative ironwork, giving your garden a timeless and graceful appeal. Some are gated. Others have built-in benches.

You have a wide range of choices with materials, too. A sturdy tubular steel construction covered in a black powder coating makes for a durable, weather-resistance arbor. Other choices include vinyl, copper and wrought iron. If your arbor is to be a stand-alone element, then consider using a high quality thick-timber redwood frame. Other woods in this category include cedar and willow.

Because we want our landscape to be special, how does Exterior World suggest using an arbor?
Landscaping ideas with arbors include pairing them with a garden gazebo that creates a focal point that draws the eye into your yard year-round. When used as a gate to your garden, an arbor issues an especially warm welcome to your guests. They can provide shade during Houston’s long hot months or serve as an entrance to a special section of your garden. As an added bonus, arbors make the perfect setting for photo ops on special occasions like children’s parties, family gatherings or business entertaining.

If your priority is gardening, your arbor can provide support to a particular kind of plant by giving them a secure place to grow. They can be used as a showcase for your beautiful flowers and, since they are displayed at eye level and above, make them more easily seen. Plants that work well with arbors are ivy, clematis, roses, grapes and wisteria.

The best use comes at the end, when you get to sit back and enjoy the vista you’ve created with this simple structure in your landscape garden design.

Garden Gazebo

What is a garden gazebo?
As a focal point, a garden gazebo gives the viewers of your yard a place to visually rest—the mind can go there and take a breather, even when the body is running out the door to the next appointment. At Exterior Worlds, we think a garden gazebo is one of the ultimate outdoor structures within your landscape design, whether your property is all about urban landscaping, is a small garden design, or is multi-faceted.

What materials are used in the construction of garden gazebos?
Your material choice for gazebos runs the gamut from sturdy to whimsical. When making your choice, you can always turn to Exterior Worlds for advice. We’ve been building garden structures for more than 20 years. Popular choices include:
• Treated wood. Whether painted or left natural, treated wood is one of the most traditional options for gazebos. Nothing looks more pristine and wholesome than a white, wooden gazebo, especially when combined with a garden arbor covered in roses or wisteria. These elements work particularly well within an English garden design.
• Hardiplank™. A proprietary product made by the James Hardie Company, Hardiplank™ has become very popular in Texas in the last decade. It is made of stone, quartz, sand and fiber, materials that can withstand our fluctuating temperatures and humidity levels. Its planks come with a 50-year limited warranty.
• Stone or brick. A robust material like stone or brick makes a beautiful gazebo. Stone and brick gazebos look especially fitting in an Asian-themed or Japanese garden, since what we now call “gazebos” have been a core feature of Asian gardens for centuries.
• Metal and painted aluminum. Wrought iron, steel and aluminum are good choices for gazebos. Their properties make them a durable option for the Houston climate—resistant to decay and able to endure our coastal weather.

What are the dimensions of garden gazebos?
When choosing a shape, let the architecture of your home and the topography of your property be your guide. The traditional eight-sided gazebo is pleasing to the eye and to the imagination. And while the octagon is the classic shape for a gazebo, other geometries work, too. Square or rectangular gazebos speak of simplicity and elegance. An oval gazebo appears soft and inviting.

What else do I need to know about building a garden gazebo?
You may think that you want to act as general contractor when building a gazebo—or for any other landscaping project—in order to save money. Unfortunately, this choice can be expensive. Misunderstandings can arise about scheduling and coordination issues, terminology, permitting, unique job peculiarities due to selection of materials, installation techniques, construction methods employed and material availability. A subcontractor will respond much better to a seasoned general contractor, like Exterior Worlds, who understands the work to be performed and with whom they have a good relationship based on past experience. As one of the best landscape service and design companies in Houston, Exterior Worlds has years of experience to make sure the end results exceed your expectations.

Outdoor Rooms

We are new to Houston and have just realized that, in this climate, we can enjoy the out-of-doors year ‘round. What does Exterior Worlds suggest to make that happen?
An outdoor room is a wonderful way to make Houston’s climate work for you. You can use it to bask in our mild winters. And you can construct it so that you can still enjoy the outdoors even in the heat of summer—by covering it, installing overhead fans, screening it in to keep out the bugs. An array of creative solutions can be used.

The most enjoyable and functional outdoor rooms use the basic design principles so that your interior space and exterior space harmonize beautifully. To achieve this affect, most people benefit from the services of landscape professional and landscape architects with a project like an outdoor room. We remind our clients to keep in mind that the more complex the project—the more sophisticated the design—the more important your designer and contractor become. Design professionals will put the principles of good design to work and help you integrate the room with your home’s architecture, address permitting issues, and make the best use of available space.
What are some of the elements we should consider for this outdoors room?
Here are some ideas for you to use:
• Outdoor kitchens are also hugely popular, whether you entertain extravagantly or host family gatherings. They create a natural gathering spot. Plus they let you slow down and enjoy family and friends by putting all the ingredients for outdoor cooking and dining close by.
• An uncovered patio can be transformed into a year-round sun room by adding an outdoor fireplace, a roof, and sliding walls that can enclose the room during inclement weather.
• Or you can define a space simply by covering it. Pergolas and garden arbors help create lovely settings and are especially attractive when covered with vines.
• An outdoors room doesn’t have to be attached only to the house. You can use other structures, too, such as a pool cabana or detached garage.
• If you have a small backyard, you can use a small garden design and turn the whole space into an outdoor living room.
• Outdoor water fountains add visual and auditory pleasure.
• Don’t overlook your front entryway. The front of your house can make a lovely out-of-doors room—using such landscaping features as a tall fence or dense hedge for privacy and a water element to camouflage street noise.

Give us some ideas about ways to coordinate our new outdoors room with the other elements of our landscape design.
Luxury swimming pools, which have become an expected feature of high-end homes, are often the next logical step beyond an outdoor room. You can tie your outdoor living space into your drainage system with attractive French drains, which aid, in a subtle way, in defining the space.

You can integrate pathways leading to and from the outdoors room with your material choices. Retaining walls can double as built-in seating.

Outdoor Design

Is outdoor design the same thing as landscaping?

It is a complimentary, but also a very separate discipline. While outdoor design does pay close attention to the standard landscaping elements of fountains, gardens, and ornamentation, it also adds a much more robust aesthetic that extends residential living space from the interior of the house into the surrounding greenery. This is much more complex than creating landscapes that compliment architecture. It is actually a synthesis of landscape and architecture, earth and brick, light and water.

Only a few companies exist in the world of landscaping offer this type of service to the homeowner, and Exterior Worlds is premier among them.

What are the primary elements of outdoor design?

Outdoor designs consist of manmade and natural elements. It requires the systematic creation of separate elements that flow together one single, harmonious aesthetic. Most of these elements can only be created by artisan contractors specializing in that particular science. A few examples include the following features commonly installed in and around custom home landscapes:

• Swimming Pools

• Water Fountains

• Outdoor Lights

• Patios

• Outdoor Kitchens

• Masonry and decorative stone work

• Ornamental iron fencing

Can I create my own outdoor design?

We do not recommend this. It will be very difficult for you to find all the various experts in the above specialties and forge a cohesive team that functions as a unit. Contractors in any discipline work in very specific ways and are very schematic-oriented. Without a landscape plan managed by an overseeing, landscape general contractor such as Exterior Worlds, it is difficult to communicate the ultimate intent of the outdoor design to one or subcontracted entities.

The various components of any outdoor design must by laid down correctly in layer in order to create a sense of blend and harmony with the architecture of the house and Nature itself. Attempting to coordinate this without experience in architecture, remodeling, landscaping, and specialty disciplines, is like making lasagna with all the proper ingredients, but not knowing how to create the correct size and arrangement of the many layers that constitute its form.

Instead, we recommend that homeowners contract Exterior Worlds to act as general contractors and project coordinators.

What advantages do you offer as a overseeing, general contractor?

We will first develop a landscape plan which you participate in creating and ultimately approve. We the handle the basic elements of outdoor designs that are specific to landscaping with our in-house crews, and next bring in whatever appropriate subcontractors are required to complete the specifics of the project.

This is exactly how large, general contractors work in construction and other commercial markets, only we do it on an individual level for private homeowners in a special niche market. We know who in our business network are the best home builders, architects, pool specialists, lighting designers, pond and fountain companies, and masons to call on for a particular project. By then systematizing the entire outdoor design process from start to finish much like an assembly line functions, we can ensure both the fine details and the overall outcome exceed homeowner expectations without delay or unforeseen and costly mistakes.

Call us now for a free estimate.