Create an Outdoor Room: More Space. Less Cash.

By Marianne Binetti
Looking for a simple, affordable way to gain more space? Forget building permits, contractors and big budgets. You can transform your outdoor spaces by creating a gorgeous, welcoming outdoor living area.

Choose your style: From Old World to New Age

The first step in creating your outdoor room is to consider your style. Here are some ideas:

English Country: An inviting space framed with potted roses, mixed perennials in containers and drifts of flowering vines.  Continue the theme with artful bird prints and dishes and deep, comfortable seating.

Tuscan Villa: A rustic retreat filled with Italian-themed art and tableware and outdoor furniture with an old-world feel.  Using tidy sheared or compact plant material complements this classic garden style.

Modern Zen: A contemporary oasis defined by clean lines, pots of bamboo, soothing lighting, and natural fibers.

The choice is yours, and once you make it, it will help guide all your design decisions.

Fabrics & Furnishings: The Forecast Calls for Beauty and Durability

In our Northwest climate, fabrics and furnishings that weather well are a must. Cushions, table cloths and umbrellas made from Sunbrella outdoor fabric won’t mold, mildew or hold moisture after a rain, and they can turn even old patio furniture into a comfy and colorful outdoor lounge. A giant market umbrella is another nice touch, as it shades large outdoor spaces from the sun, and protects us from the rain.

Fire pits and Water Features: Gather ‘Round.

Nothing draws a crowd like the warm glow of a fire and the latest decorative and useful fire pits do just that. Even the smallest patio or deck can fit a tiny but toasty fire feature and summer nights were made for drinking wine, roasting marshmallows and telling ghost stories. Turn of the computes and light up the fire. Water features are another attractive patio feature, and they’ve become more efficient and easier to add to your outdoor space. From tabletop fountains to ponds-in-a-pot, the sound and sight of water will soothe even the most savage week as you relax and unwind in your soothing outdoor room.

Fragrant Plants: Grow "Scenti-mental"

Beautiful fragrances always linger in our memories. That’s why I recommend adding fragrant plants to your outdoor room. Honeysuckle vines come in many varieties and grow well here in Western Washington. Fragrant roses, lavender and herbs will not only add scent, but also provide garnishing and cut blooms for outdoor entertaining. Plant patio tropics like mandevilla and hibiscus in containers so that you can move them indoors during the winter and continue to enjoy their wonderful scent. Potted houseplants are a great way to decorate your patio table when you're entertaining outdoors.

Living Walls: Privacy is a Beautiful Thing

Creating the walls of your outdoor room is what brings privacy, peace and plants to the outdoor space. For large rooms, using evergreens such as Italian cypress, tall and narrow junipers and even fast-growing hedges can provide almost instant screening. For smaller scale environments, look to the creative use of vines and potted plants.
One of my favorite ways to build a living wall is to add flowering vines as a gardener’s version of lace curtains. Building a pergola or support system alongside a patio or deck for a clematis or akebia vine provides shade and privacy in the summer, but allows for the rays of the winter sun to warm the outdoor living space.
You can also arrange pots filled with small-leaf Japanese maples and arrange them along the outer edge of your outdoor room. There are hundreds of varieties from which to choose. The Acer palmatum ‘Sango kaku’ or coral bark maple is one of my favorites. Its rich, coral bark makes it a winter standout. Pot it up in a shiny, chocolate-colored container and you have a perfectly behaved garden diva that demands the spotlight without demanding maintenance.

Creating an outdoor room is a wonderful summer project. It’s a simple, affordable way to extend your living space—and create a gathering area that the whole family will love.

Marianne will be speaking at Molbak’s on “The Outdoor Room,” July 24 at 10am. For more information see our Events page.