Posts tagged outdoor living space
House Plans: Outdoor Living Spaces Popular Feature in New Home Designs
1New home construction is starting to see a slight increase in 2012, while the size of a new house plan continues to decrease as homeowners look to live more efficiently. According to a recent survey by Professional Builder the demand for outdoor living spaces continues to grow as the size of new homes continues to shrink, so homeowners can maximize their living and entertaining spaces.
The majority of The House Designers house plans incorporate an outdoor living design in the blueprints that goes well beyond standard features like porches, patios and decks to include upgraded designs for outdoor kitchens, sunrooms, fireplaces, pools and patio and much more.
Creating an outdoor space is a much more affordable alternative than adding an enclosed area or building a home with a larger footprint. According to the survey, builders identified decks, outdoor fireplaces and landscaping as the top outdoor living features by consumers. More than 16% said a fully functional outdoor kitchen was a top selling feature, which is surprising since it’s traditionally reserved for luxury-sized homes.
One reason for the growth is the availability of high-quality, fully functional outdoor appliances and cabinetry that can withstand outdoor elements. As competition among appliance manufacturers increases to capture this new market, these products will become more affordable.
We’ve picked some of our favorite outdoor living designs from our best- selling house plans to inspire you to update your current property or if you’re looking to build a new home, these house plans are a great place to start.
The Terrebonne House Plan perfectly blends the outdoor living spaces with adjoining indoor rooms making it a natural and functional transition outdoors.
The rear of this two-story luxury mountain house plan features three porches and a covered patio that can be easily accessed from most rooms through retractable patio doors.
The Palladian House Plan features a large covered patio with fireplace and than can easily be accessed from the great room and kitchen nook. There’s plenty of space on this wraparound patio to design an outdoor kitchen, dining and sitting area.
House Plans With Outdoor Living Spaces
3It doesn’t matter where you live – nobody wants to let go of the warm weather where family and friends enjoy outdoor cookouts, chatting by the open fire, winding down in a hot tub or simply relaxing on a patio or deck. You can extend your time outdoors by designing an enclosed outdoor living space like an outdoor kitchen, patio, sunroom, porch or deck. So if you’re building a new home it’s a great to time choose a house plan that features plenty of outdoor living options so you can extend your usable living space and increase the value of your home.
The Terrebonne House Plan has a wonderful outdoor living space that features a full kitchen, stone fireplace and dining room.
French doors from the great room lead you to the covered patio with fireplace, where you can enjoy casual living or entertaining.
House Plans with Pools & Patios
1There is no better time to think about your outdoor living spaces and how to have fun and stay cool in the summer than now. The majority of our house plan collections feature an outdoor living space, particularly a pool and patio. Even if you don’t plan on building your pool and patio right away, it is a great idea to choose a house plan that has the design already on the blueprint so you know it will fit properly and you won’t have to pay extra money down the road to have it designed for you.
This house plan features a great outdoor living space with a gorgeous pool design that is accented by a large covered patio with an outdoor kitchen and fireplace. Enjoy browsing all of our collections and architectural styles, particularly our exclusive ENERGY STAR®/green house plan collection.
Enjoy spending time outside with this gorgeous pool design and covered patio with kitchen and fireplace.
Latest Trends in Deck Design
0As homeowners continue to enhance their outdoor living space with outdoor amenities like kitchens, fireplaces, furnished living rooms and spas, the deck is becoming a major design factor, particularly when building a new home.
Since most people spend most of their day at work, school or in their home, they want another place to go and unwind or have fun. That new place is their backyard and what better way to enjoy all the same great amenities you have indoors than to design an outdoor living space on a customized deck.
Here are some of the latest trends in decks that can help you create an exciting backyard retreat:
The biggest trend in decks right now is the increase in square footage. Homeowners that were once satisfied with a 20 x 10 foot deck for a grill and some patio furniture now want a deck design that rivals their homes square footage.
With all the latest products available for outdoor lighting, appliances, fireplaces and pits, homeowners are extending their outdoor living space well past the spring and summer.
Another big trend is creating and outdoor kitchen that has all the amenities of its indoor counterparts like a grill or cooktop surface, cabinets, countertops, refrigerators and sinks. Many of our house plans purchasers are asking for our designers to add an outdoor living space to their floor plans. See some of our latest home plans, which include an outdoor living space and read up on the latest deck designs and products in this week’s issue of Home Ideas.
The Lodge House Plan
Designing An Outdoor Kitchen
1The essence of outdoor living is to create an extension of your home, but with all the comforts of the great indoors. With the rising cost in gas and travel prices, families are deciding to stay closer to home, but that doesn’t mean you can’t create that great getaway feeling with your outdoor living space, you just have to choose the right elements.
A key ingredient in most outdoor living spaces is a fully equipped and designed kitchen. You’ll find items like sinks, dishwashers, refrigerators, granite countertops, tile backsplashes, gourmet gas and charcoal grills and much more. To further impress, you can add a fireplace, television, stereo system (which I’m sure will all be playing Michael Jackson, to honor the late King of Pop) and high-end teak or wrought iron furniture. A popular design trend is having your outdoor kitchen appliances encased in an island or cooking center constructed of concrete, brick, stucco, slate, limestone or similar counters and bases.
Before you go out shopping you’ll need to decide how you plan on using and designing your outdoor space. Do you want to create a retreat or an entertainment space? Do you need a space for food preparation and storage or will a grill be enough? Is a wet bar or hot tub a must for entertaining? Perhaps a combination of all these ideas can be used to create a special outdoor living space that your family and friends can enjoy.
You can get some great ideas from our latest issue of Home Ideas featuring articles on how to the bring the kitchen outdoors, the latest outdoor appliances by top manufacturers like KitchenAid and tips for building and designing your outdoor living place. Also…get inspired by our collection of outdoor living house plans.
Outdoor Lighting Design Tips
3By choosing the right outdoor lighting you can add curb appeal to your home and get more out of your outdoor living space. Whether it’s a deck, patio, kitchen, pool and spa, gazebo or garden area – express yourself with the latest outdoor lighting styles and trends. You can find some great decorative lighting ideas to help you light up your new home like a professional – no matter what your budget, style or needs in the latest issue of Home Ideas. You can find many more tips and trends for outdoor lighting from the American Lighting Association (ALA).
When it comes time to designing your outdoor lighting, you’ll need to consider the purpose of the lighting along with the basic methods for achieving energy efficiency. Generally speaking, outdoor lighting serves one or more purposes, which include aesthetics to illuminate your home’s exterior and landscape, security near your home’s entranceway and driveway and utility to illuminate your porch, pool, patio, deck and/or driveway. For some great inspiration visit our collection of outdoor living house plans.
Designing a beautiful, yet functional patio
3As the trends towards creating a unique outdoor living space continues to grow, so does the interest in designing a beautiful, yet functional patio. Use your exterior space as an extension of your home by adding an outdoor living room, kitchen or spa. Amenities like fire pits and fireplaces, lighting and furniture and appliances add to your home’s value and time spent with family and friends. Read about some great tips to help ensure your patio is a reflection of your personal tastes and needs in the latest issue of Home Ideas.
And don’t forget about the patio doors. Patio doors are becoming taller and wider, spanning the length and height of whole walls so your outdoor living space feels like a natural extension of your home. When it comes to patio doors, there are many new options for homeowners to choose from, like low-maintenance fiberglass that mimics the look of wood, architectural inspired-styles, decorative glass, custom colors and designs and energy efficient systems. Get inspired by our collection great outdoor living house plans.
Homes Designed With A Mother's Touch
2With Mother’s Day around the corner it is only fitting that we recognize the women who truly make a house a home. From the cozy living room filled with pictures and keepsakes to the sweet smells of a home cooked dinner in a well-designed kitchen to the worn rocking chair in the corner of a master suite overlooking the backyard – these are just a few of the special rooms that mother’s love to spend their time in.
It is no surprise that when it comes to building a home and selecting a house plan that over 60% of house plans are bought by woman. They know how much space they need in their new home to make it functional, yet appeal to their tastes. They know exactly what they need – a large kitchen with cooking area and breakfast counter, a large dining room for special occasions, an open floor plan with lots of room to makes changes down the road and an outdoor living space to host birthday parties. Every mother needs and wants more than one full bathroom so they can expedite their mornings with the kids and privately pamper themselves at night.
Our latest issue of Dream Designs is a nod to our female designers, who have taken their motherly instincts to the drawing board to create some of the most beautiful and practical house plans in our collection.
Great Design For Outdoor Entertaining
3I spoke with a customer the other day, who had been looking for a house plan for a few years and she was finally ready to buy. Her dream home was the Austin House Plan, which has many windows and a beautiful outdoor living space. Part of her dream was to have an in-ground pool so that she would be able to entertain in a home that had an outdoor space that was as beautiful as its indoor space. Inside you’ll find a gourmet kitchen that opens to a two-story great room and breakfast room with patio access. Upstairs there is plenty to do with a home theater, game room and two additional bedrooms with private baths for overnight guests.
The Austin is a Mediterranean style home that features a grand covered patio so you can enjoy outdoor living all year long. This house is the perfect place for entertaining and relaxing. I highly recommend taking some time to look at this house plan, because it is truly inspiring.
Ideal House Plan for Outdoor Living
1This house plan is perfect for a waterfront property and offers exceptional outdoor living and entertaining opportunities. The family room and sunrooms flow onto a covered deck with a spiral staircase that leads to a lower covered deck. If you need to bring the party indoors there’s a large open recreational room on the lower level with a wet bar and wine room. The Portsmouth is just one of many house plans in The House Designers best-selling collection. Looking to learn more about creating the perfect outdoor living space, you can check out several informative articles about creating an outdoor retreat, building an outdoor kitchen, creating a spa retreat and many more in our Product Ideas section.
Outdoor Kitchen Designs
14As they say, the kitchen is the heart of the home – a place where families and friends come to share good food and company. Given the affection for the kitchen and outdoor cooking, it is hardly surprising that outdoor kitchens have become one of the hottest trends in the home building industry.
Gone are the days of fidgeting with hard-to-start, messy charcoal grills and broken starters on an antique propane grill. Today’s outdoor kitchen consists of anything from classic built-in grills on a cozy backyard patio to a state-of-the-art kitchen with multiple appliances that even include the kitchen sink!
Before you begin your product selection for grills, fireplaces, refrigerators and furniture be sure that you have chosen the right floor for your outdoor kitchen area. You’ll want to choose a floor that reflects your style and taste and compliments your home’s exterior decor. But don’t let fashion override safety, particularly if your outdoor kitchen adjoins a pool or spa retreat and is uncovered.
Homeowners want their outdoor kitchen to have all the amenities of their indoor counterpart. In fact, outdoor kitchens are becoming such a specialty in their own right that many architects and designers are including outdoor living spaces as an optional layout in their home plans.
