Comments on Things That Inspire: Outdoor Rooms

I just found your blog and this post when I entere...

2010-08-09T11:42:02.403-04:00

I just found your blog and this post when I entered the search term: "outdoor room in a climate that is too hot or too cold." I'm so glad I found you!

My husband and I live on a 100 acre, forested tract (Longleaf pines) near Pensacola, Florida. We have a huge house (the grandkids call it a destination resort!). It's great, but we are considering selling it and building something (or even 2 somethings) smaller: probably one here on another part of the property and possibly one in Western North Carolina.

My conundrum is that if we could figure out how to have more "outdoor room" type living here, we would probably pick a site deep in a section where there are some nice big hardwood trees and build a shaded house with hardly any yard -- just wildflowers and native plants. In Pensacola, it gets crazy hot and humid all summer and then can be quite cold (freezing) in the winter.

Looking at some of your great examples, I am thinking that a room surrounded by glass doors that could be open or closed, combined with a small screened porch and small open deck area might be the answer.

I'll be back -- I can see you have lots of fabulous ideas that we can cogitate upon as we create a new design. . .

I liked your article. Outdoor rooms have always f...

2010-01-17T20:01:30.119-05:00

I liked your article. Outdoor rooms have always fascinated me. There are two things in Atlanta that move me more to a semi-outdoor room with a lot of screens: mosquitos and pollen.

I dream of someday having a room like that in a wa...

2010-01-09T18:52:16.165-05:00

I dream of someday having a room like that in a warmer more hospitable climate.

Work from home India

Great Post! I am with you, they fascinate me also ...

2010-01-09T11:31:02.119-05:00

Great Post! I am with you, they fascinate me also and you have shown us some beautiful images of how to use them in our decor. Love it.I just started a new blog and would love you to visit,Kathysue
http://goodlifeofdesign.blogspot.com/

great inspirations...it's 10 degrees out, and ...

2010-01-07T19:15:11.680-05:00

great inspirations...it's 10 degrees out, and I'm thinking how lovely summer sun would feel. Plus we're about to start working on our Outdoor LIving issue (yes, in the midst of winter...) and this is inspiring.

Ah these are all so exquisite!!!! Outdoor rooms a...

2010-01-07T03:22:45.197-05:00

Ah these are all so exquisite!!!! Outdoor rooms are very common place in South Africa, probably because we have the space, but I guess also because of the climate! they are wonderful spaces, often lived in quite extensively - I've started doing a number of posts on using your outdoor spaces for that exact reason.
Gena @ Inspired Living Spaces
and Vintage Rose Studio

Wow i love this!

2010-01-06T23:34:46.866-05:00

Wow i love this!

There are some absolutely dreamy rooms featured he...

2010-01-06T21:15:26.780-05:00

There are some absolutely dreamy rooms featured here! I think no matter where you live there's a time of year when an outdoor room could be so cherished and enjoyed. I especially love the addition of a fireplace in an outdoor room.

These outdoor rooms are all beautiful. I hinted a...

2010-01-06T20:03:57.489-05:00

These outdoor rooms are all beautiful. I hinted at the one by Jack Arnold right before Christmas. I would love to have a space like any one of these. It's 20 degrees in East Tennessee right now and I would love to beam myself into one of these poolside rooms right now! (Just not in 20 degrees!)

Beautiful selection of outdoor rooms - definitely ...

2010-01-06T15:19:57.180-05:00

Beautiful selection of outdoor rooms - definitely going to keep these on file. Thanks for sharing!

I wish Boston had the right weather for amazing ou...

2010-01-06T15:17:47.251-05:00

I wish Boston had the right weather for amazing outdoor rooms. Between the nasty weather most of year and the awful blackflys, sitting outdoors for any length of time would only last for about 3 weeks out of the year. I guess I need to move to Atlanta :)

Oh, thanks for allowing me to dream. Today marks d...

2010-01-06T12:04:24.740-05:00

Oh, thanks for allowing me to dream. Today marks day 15 of snow, cold, cloudy skies...an outdoor room with a fireplace would be so fun. My little fire pit is covered with snow.

I loved the outdoor cabana by Jack Arnold. It’s a ...

2010-01-06T12:00:53.459-05:00

I loved the outdoor cabana by Jack Arnold. It’s a perfect outdoor entertainment area.

I saw this post and immediately thought of my pare...

2010-01-06T10:38:00.288-05:00

I saw this post and immediately thought of my parents- they built their dream house and have a gorgeous covered outdoor patio with outdoor dining, couches, grill, fireplace, two televisions, the works.

We are from Texas so they get to use it almost year-round and the breeze hits it just right. They get so much use out of it, I would love to have something similar when I have a house of my own!

Great day to dream of outdoor rooms and why not dr...

2010-01-06T09:33:37.484-05:00

Great day to dream of outdoor rooms and why not dream of some of the best!

what a fabulous post! As another resident of Atlan...

2010-01-06T07:41:03.042-05:00

what a fabulous post! As another resident of Atlanta I have certainly enjoyed many a evenings outside- I love the BB example you featured. Alas, our deck outside the great room does not fit the bill but one day we will "finish" the area underneath the deck and create a lovely outdoor space! Some day it will be warm again.

Fabulous post! Loved reading it! The room featured...

2010-01-06T07:34:46.795-05:00

Fabulous post! Loved reading it! The room featured in limestone and boxwood is to die for! This is such perfect timing as on Friday I am introducing my New York client to Mc Alpine Architects who will be coming in from Alabama to discuss the designing of their pool house. After 2 attempts far too modernist for the house by previous architects, i told my clients that only Mac Alpine 'architects would understand the direction we were going for. Cannot wait....

I love outdoor rooms! Here in Belgium it became a ...

2010-01-06T05:44:28.872-05:00

I love outdoor rooms! Here in Belgium it became a real trend to have an outdoor room!
We built a little oak outdoor building a few months ago. It is nearly finished and within a couple of months I will do a post about it!

xx
Greet

Just moved my work table out to what is supposed t...

2010-01-06T01:35:13.069-05:00

Just moved my work table out to what is supposed to be a breakfast room. It has a fireplace and it's own pitched roof, and glass surround.

...so I could spend more time in this indoor/outdoor room. Making the most of what I have, rather than just looking at it from across the kitchen.

I am expecting the best of this space.

Aloha, living outdoors in my neck of the woods is ...

2010-01-06T01:23:04.590-05:00

Aloha, living outdoors in my neck of the woods is a must and I have seen some Fabulous properties along my travels in luxury real estate as a Realtor. Yes it is FAB!!
New Year Wishes
Brandi

Love outdoor living spaces, and yes even though it...

2010-01-05T23:43:28.977-05:00

Love outdoor living spaces, and yes even though it is 4 degrees here in Kansas city

Wow! I would kill for just about any of these outd...

2010-01-05T23:41:29.023-05:00

Wow! I would kill for just about any of these outdoor rooms right now -- my backyard and porches are still COMPLETELY bare (and will be at least until spring). Ah well, that's what dreaming (and blogging) is for right?

And OF COURSE I would include you in my list of supportive bloggers. You've been such an incredible inspiration and supporter from the get-go! :)

I absolutely love outdoor rooms and you've hig...

2010-01-05T23:39:55.309-05:00

I absolutely love outdoor rooms and you've highlighted 3 of my favorites.

Melanie Turner's outdoor room from her personal home is amazing. The scale of it is just right and, as you mentioned, the view of pool is perfect. If you look closely, you'll see that she used a Bobby McAlpine design for the fireplace surround. It's irregular shaped pieces of limestone. They did the same style surround in their house on Lake Martin that was featured in Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles.

Of course I'm quite smitten with the screened porch at the Mediterraean house I recently posted about. The design by Rodolfo Castro and his team at Summerour & Associates is simply stunning.

Finally, the pool and pool house from Phoebe Howard's portfolio is breathtaking. The landscape architecture there is spellbinding as well. I have an upcoming post that includes that same picture.

Thank you for another excellent post. Certainly helps to take my mind off the fact that it's so cold in Atlanta.

Since we live in a colder climate, outdoor rooms a...

2010-01-05T23:28:15.814-05:00

Since we live in a colder climate, outdoor rooms aren't as popular. Mainly b/c between mosquito season and summer - there is really a short period of time to sit and enjoy the outdoors. Having said that - I would absolutely love one, and I work real hard to create an outdoor room on our deck during summer months. And I wish we had the space for an outdoor fireplace. But it just isn't the same..

Now you got me dreaming..;-)

What a great post...our outdoor space has been on ...

2010-01-05T23:24:32.272-05:00

What a great post...our outdoor space has been on my mind lately, and I've been daydreaming of what I'd like to do out there. Wonderful Inspiration! I'm in love with Architect Jack Arnold's yard..a picture of it is even on my desktop :0)