Designing outdoor rooms is elemental

Published 9:00 pm Wednesday, July 7, 2004

Summer sunshine and fresh air are great reasons to turn an outside space into a “living” room. Well-planned and thoughtfully furnished, it will function as if it were another part of the house – with sheltering walls and comfortable seats.

Create spots to nap, eat and rest your feet, and you can live in your outdoor room quite happily, doing most of what you would otherwise do indoors.

This idea is hardly new. The ancient Greeks and Romans lounged in garden rooms. And since the 1950s, Southern Californians have developed an architecture for their homes that includes practical and functional outdoor spaces to provide shelter, seating and storage. Often set right behind the house, these rooms often have wings wrapping around them and sliding glass doors that encourage indoor-outdoor flow, enticing guests to drift between them.

When creating your own outdoor room, consider extending your indoor decorating themes – colors, shapes and styles – to emphasize that seamless harmony. Most important, you’ll want to make sure the setup is comfortable, convenient and sturdy enough to weather the elements.

Outfit your room with necessities from the house, such as tables that can store glasses and trays, and candles for nighttime. You’ll soon find yourself living outdoors on beautiful summer days and nights.

Sensible spaces

First, you need to choose the right spot for your outdoor room. It could be a paved patio, a trellis-covered terrace or even a porch. Selecting an area directly next to the house is a good idea, since a wall (or two) can serve double-duty.

Shrubs and trees can also become “walls,” offering protection and decoration at the same time.

Shady covers

Train vines around a pergola or other garden structure to grace your room with an elegant natural cover. You might also put up a temporary awning over a terrace. Use a canvas-weight solution-dyed acrylic, a sturdy, water-resistant material. Take the awning down when you want to see the stars.

Comfortable seating

Chairs with broad arms provide a place to set beverages, plates or books. A garden stool is likely to fit in with the surroundings; it can be turned into a footrest, a small table or a seat.

Teak or metal furnishings and water-resistant cushions can be left outside, rain or shine. To decorate and protect wood furniture, give each piece a coat of latex paint or an oil-based lacquer.

Adaptable tables

Whether you’ll be snacking outside or throwing a dinner party, it’s important to have a spot to place food and drinks. One idea is to make a side table from cinder blocks and a slab of concrete, which will blend in with the surroundings and withstand the elements.

Consider using a wheeled sideboard of galvanized metal to add storage and flexibility to a tight space.

You could also create a table out of a hollow-core door by covering it with water-resistant fabric and resting it atop painted trestles. Or transform a low coffee table of ample size into a dining table, and set cushions on the floor for seats.

Decorative touches

Set the table with sweet touches: shells placed here and there, bowls filled with flowers and fresh fruit.

Plants in containers can be moved around the space easily, and they’ll look good with any color scheme. Potted succulents and urns filled with flowers will add rich texture to the space.

Rugs will soften a paved area and emphasize where the room starts and ends. Try a fiber floor mat, which can be left outside all season long.

Light and warmth

Candlelight gives the room a natural, magical glow. Use hurricane lamps to protect flames from the wind. Set out citronella candles to keep insects away.

Even when it’s hot all day, the evening can be a bit chilly – but that’s no reason to go back inside. Consult with a contractor about installing an outdoor fireplace to take the edge off the cold and provide a welcome amount of light.

Small outdoor room

If all you have is a tiny terrace or space, you can still create a lovely garden atmosphere. Build a plywood-wall panel that incorporates a foldout table and bench, or simply arrange a small sideboard and a few chairs. Add a plant or two and some candlelight, and you’ll have a little outdoor oasis.

Questions should be addressed to Living, care of The New York Times Syndication Sales Corp., 122 E. 42nd St., New York, N.Y. 10168. Please include your name and daytime telephone number. Questions can also be sent via e-mail to: living@nytimes.com.