We’ve thrown open the doors and extended contemporary living outside, where the indoor-outdoor connection continues to evolve in style
Words Carrol Baker
Outdoor elegance
Create a soothing and inviting outdoor escape at home with beautiful furniture, shade solutions and green spaces to love. Many modern outdoor kitchens and alfresco areas are iconic style makers, with elaborate furniture, cooking islands, pizza ovens, refrigerators, sinks and more.
Some are simply rooms without walls, while others have roofing structures so they can be enjoyed all year round. They’re decorated with contemporary outdoor furniture that’s designed to withstand the rigours of outdoor use.
Stylish outside spaces also have integrated interior-inspired accents such as decorative outdoor rugs, cushions, pillows and cosy throws. Outdoor fireplaces, heaters and firepits offer a place to gather and spend time with friends and family within the comforts of your own backyard.
Make it yours
Bring the outdoors in with pots of colour and leafy textural plants. An indoor courtyard garden that allows light to filter in is a stunning way to achieve this.
We know that connecting with nature enhances wellbeing. Finding opportunities to do this not only creates beautiful spaces indoors and out, it also affords you the opportunity to be playful and innovative and make a space that is uniquely yours.
Having an alfresco or outdoor entertainment spot opens a whole new world of possibilities. But of course, you also want privacy. There are plenty of screening solutions that not only offer this, they also add a beautiful designer element to your outdoor entertainment zone. Screens can add depth and intrigue, highlight focal points and provide more shade.
Blurring the lines
Indoor-outdoor living is a contemporary design philosophy that’s redefining the way we use our spaces at home. Andy Marlow from Envirotecture says there are many ways to enhance the connectivity between different areas. “The simplest of course is having a large door that allows you to walk from inside to out,” he says. If it’s connected to a beautiful view, that’s even better.
“One of our projects, a strawbale house in a field, has fixed windows to the floor. It’s triple-glazed and no noise can get through. It’s airtight and incredibly calm and quiet,
and the views are spectacular.”
To sit indoors and feel as though you are at one with the view beyond is incredibly therapeutic, especially with today’s busy lifestyles. We rarely pause to enjoy nature.
To make the most of the indoor-outdoor connection, glazing really is king. Edith Paarhammer from Paarhammer Windows & Doors says sliding doors, sliding stacker doors, corner sliders or large bifold doors are crowd-pleasers for modern homes, while fully or partly glazed French doors add a distinctly European flair. “A long-term Australian favourite for accessing the verandah, French doors offer a charming look that we can’t get enough of,” says Edith.
Enjoy the design versatility with inside–opening or outside–opening options, as well as doors with a curved arch for a bit of European glamour. “You can open one of the two doors or both at the same time, depending on the weather,” she explains.
Edith adds that for openings, large lift-slide doors or even “giants” are a popular choice. “They blend the indoors with the outdoors and allow easy access to entertaining areas
or the garden.”
No matter what you choose, Edith says comfort is key and it’s important that door seals are able to keep warmth in during winter and let it out in summer. “A drafty door means that unwanted air coming in has to be heated or cooled, so unnecessary energy is required to stay comfortable,” she says.
Larger expanses of glass, particularly those that look over outdoor patios, entertaining spaces, swimming pools or garden views really do harness light and indoor connectivity. Indoor skylights and well-positioned voids offer opportunities to enhance the connection.
Mirror mirror
When designing and building your indoor/outdoor spaces, it’s crucial to build sustainably. Andy says designing and building with an eco-friendly philosophy is incredibly important. “Sustainable building is ultimately about our health and comfort, it’s about indoor air quality and the health of the planet — we really need to look at the bigger picture,” he says.
Look to nature for your inspiration. Select organic materials outdoors that are the same as those inside. Andy says this helps to create a strong visual connection between indoors and out.
“Whether that is timber flooring transitioning to timber decking, or inside tiles transitioning to outside tiles, or concrete flooring inside that flows outdoors — there are many
ways to use materiality to create a sense of connection.”
It doesn’t have to be flooring either. You could have a stone feature wall inside that emulates the textural elements of the stone in your home’s exterior feature walls, for example. Aim for a cohesive colour palette with a select accent colour; similar tone or pops of colour from indoors and out create cohesion.
Built elements such as a bench in the kitchen can also foster a unified connection with a bench outside. When the window is closed, the bench inside is a separate entity to the one outdoors, but when the window is open, it connects. This could work as a servery, breakfast bar, or even a wet bar when entertaining.
Green room
In the balmy climate zones in Australia, outdoor spaces don’t need to be fully enclosed, but in some cooler regions, things need to be done a little differently. Andy says the concept of outdoor spaces, and how they are constructed, really is climate specific.
by Marnie Hawson. envirotecture.com.au
One of Envirotecture’s projects in chilly Ballarat has an enclosed green room, so the occupants can enjoy outdoor living all year round. “It’s a similar concept to a conservatory, but we call it a green room,” he says. “It’s warmer than outside, but not as warm as inside — it is transitory between the spaces.”
Eco-design in action
When designing a modern home, incorporating elements that serve to connect indoors and out has never been more important. Fiona Dunin from FMD Architects says there are a number of ways to maximise the sense of harmony and flow.
In FMD’s Carcassonne project, the home was quite dark. Adding a rear extension maximised the amount of northern light. “We put living space in the north-eastern corner, created an L-shaped space facing east, the kitchen wrapped around to a north-facing living area, and the pool and outdoor dining areas were off that space,” says Fiona.
Another way to increase the indoor-outdoor connection in living spaces is through extending spaces vertically. “Creating height is also important; with high glazing we could throw light deep into the space,” says Fiona. “It also allows a connection to the sky, which can be cut off at times with busy urban roofscapes. At night you can see the full moon from inside.”
Making the most of your front yard is another clever way to improve connectivity. “Standing in the kitchen of the home, you have a view to the front yard, which is the kids’ playground with trampoline, basketball hoop and vegetable patch. It’s a hard-working front yard.”
Some projects begin with a vivid connection to nature. FMD’s Old Be-al project was one. “It all started with the client wanting to live in a tree house,” says Fiona. The client’s brother owned the house originally and planted a river red gum, which was the inspiration for the home.
“We created a 270-degree effect; from virtually anywhere in the house you can pivot and see the tree outside,” she shares. The gnarled tree also helps to create shade for the home from the west. Its wonky organic branches are replicated in some internal elements, such as the ceiling, entry light and joinery handles shaped like twigs.
Sheer bliss
An outdoor swimming pool or spa is the ultimate in relaxation. The ideal location for a pool is where you can appreciate it from both indoors and out. During the cooler months, it becomes an attractive water feature. In summer it also adds a cooling element to your home.
Spas, hot tubs and swimming pools offer a host of benefits, promoting relaxation and improving your health and wellbeing. There’s also the social aspect. Mike Daish, general manager of Stoked Stainless, says the enjoyment factor points to a great way to have some time out with your partner, friends and family. “We get a lot of feedback from parents who say spending time in the spa pool is the only opportunity they get to really be eye to eye with their teenagers when they’re not on their devices,” he says.
With modern technology, and the right spa, you can also be tuned into technology. “All of our products are Wi-Fi-connected so you can have an app and a smart connection,” says Mike. “The spas and hot tubs are also fully integrated; all you need to do is plug it in and fill it with water and away you go.” One of Stoked Stainless’ most popular tubs in Australia is the 2.2m round spa. “It has eight jets, LED light, and it can heat up to 41 degrees.”
This article was originally published in Grand Designs Australia 14.3.