Nature Calls

When designing their new homes, today's buyers are stepping outside the box-literally. Instead of considering just the structure and what's inside it, they're also planning elaborate outdoor living areas that take full advantage of the region's temperate climate and laid-back ambiance.

"Now they are coming to us at the beginning, when they're making their home plans," says Jordan Clarkson of Pools by John Clarkson. "What's in the back yard is no longer an afterthought."

Unquestionably, the back yard was once "the square footage nobody ever talked about," notes Rita Williams, whose company, Merchandising Plus in Jacksonville, decorates model homes for builders. "But it's popular now because we like to spend so much more time at our homes."

Back yards, then, are no longer simply handy places for storage sheds, swing sets and dog runs. They're becoming elaborate extensions of homes-often including every amenity you'd expect to find inside except perhaps the walls.

And even that's changing. Some leading-edge floor plans include walls of glass that slide completely out of view, further blurring the line between inside and outside.

Some homebuilders are even wrapping homes around interior courtyards, creating privacy and guaranteeing that almost every room will boast views of these well-equipped retreats.

And by well-equipped, we don't mean top-of-the-line plastic lawn furniture and a few tiki torches. Upscale finishes and furnishings once thought to be "too nice" to brave the elements are stepping out.

In high-end homes, travertine marble flooring is marching out the door, onto the patio and sometimes even onto the pool deck. Appliances, from high-tech grills and icemakers to televisions and elaborate sound systems, are being weatherproofed and shipped out to summer kitchens and patios.

"In the new homes we're building, most all are putting an outdoor kitchen in the back as an extension of the living space," adds Williams.

Even outdoor furniture, thanks to the invention of weather-resistant fabrics and finishes, looks and feels much like its indoor cousins.

Building-industry experts attribute the trend to "cocooning" baby boomers, who have figured out how to commune with nature without leaving home.

"People are trying to create a backyard paradise and shut out the rest of the world," says Kimberly Quintal, an owner of Blue Haven Pools in Jacksonville.

There are also practical reasons for creating outdoor spaces for living. Even using high-end materials, outdoor rooms can be a cost-effective way to expand a home's living area.

Not only can you expand your space for less money than an addition, but you can also create an ambiance that couldn't be duplicated inside, adds Quintal.

The Pineapple Corporation of North Florida found out firsthand how much buyers craved private outdoor spaces when the company introduced new models in Villini, a 52-home, Mediterranean-themed neighborhood within Glen Kernan. The company's offerings featured interior courtyards with fireplaces and fountains.

"The courtyards give you the privacy you're looking for," says Terra Kerley, director of design at Villini, which sold out quickly.

Many new homes are being designed and marketed with outdoor living spaces at the forefront, say new-home merchandising experts. That means a grilling porch might feature not only a top-of-the-line grill, but also a sofa, chairs and an oversized table worthy of any interior dining room.

In addition to giving the home a larger feel, such spaces truly make wonderfully relaxing getaways. Imagine, for example, reclining on a cushy chaise, watching the stars sparkle overhead while listening to the sound of your own waterfall splashing from the hot tub into the swimming pool. That's not going to happen in the living room.

Of course, swimming pools remain the ultimate backyard focal point-but they're no longer no-frills concrete craters. Today's pools, while often smaller because lot sizes are shrinking, are increasingly "tricked out" with water features, natural stone and rock, colored interiors and organic shapes, says Clarkson.

"What happened," he adds, "is the pool went from this backyard cement pond that didn't have much style, that was either kidney or rectangle shaped, to something that's a piece of art."

Some homebuyers actually tell Clarkson they don't plan to ever swim in the pool his company is building for them.

"They're going to look at it," he says. "They're building a pool for the sound of the water, the look of it, the statement."

The array of pool features available can be mind-boggling. Options for interior finishes range from traditional white to deep-blue pebbles that make the water surface look like a mirror.

Decks can be acrylic, pavers, tile or natural stone. A wide range of lighting is available, from typical colored underwater lights to complicated fiber-optic light systems capable of creating a light show.

And then there's the fun designers are having with water, creating everything from traditional waterfalls to jets shooting across the deck with synchronized music and lighting. Pool edges that seem to disappear into the horizon-so-called vanishing edges-are popular.

"Sun shelves," three- to 14-inch shallow areas where people can plop down a lounge chair or just sit and soak up some rays, are increasingly being requested, adds Clarkson.

A seemingly unlikely yet dramatic combination of fire and water features has likewise become chic.

"That fire and water mixture right now is very popular," says Clarkson. He describes a recent project that included a pool with a vanishing edge and a fire pit on each side. "The fire streaming up and the water falling down over it are amazing."

Of course, these features aren't cheap. Some pools in upscale homes can cost well into six figures. And not all the cash is going to features you can see. Buyers are also paying for upgrades that make the pool easier to maintain.

For example, there are automated systems that allow the homeowner to turn things on and off or even add chemicals with the push of a button from inside the home. And in-floor cleaning systems that cut down on vacuuming and brushing take much of the drudgery out of pool maintenance.

A previously ubiquitous outdoor staple that has become less popular is the screen enclosure. Many designers have never liked the bulky structures, because they interfere with views of the yard and distract from the pool's design. But homeowners, worried about insects and debris, insisted on them anyway.

However, the recent spate of hurricanes has changed that. The cost of screen enclosures has increased dramatically because of demand spurred by replacing those that were damaged or destroyed and because of new building code requirements that mandate stronger construction.

In some areas, of course, screens are an absolute necessity to enjoy a pool, Clarkson says. However, many homeowners are opting to forgo traditional screens in favor of a new product, disappearing screens that roll up into a box and roll down at the touch of a button, making it possible to have a screen when bugs are swarming, but to roll it out of the way for a better view-and an unobstructed breeze.

Other homeowners are simply learning to co-exist with the bugs or trying new electronic and chemical insect-fighting products that go far beyond the old bug-zapper concept. One product releases a natural insecticide fog through nozzles around the lawn and within the eaves at timed intervals.

With the varmints taken care of and the pool practically maintaining itself, homeowners have more time to just sit and enjoy. And they're buying outdoor furniture comfortable enough to sit in as long as they like.

"Customers are coming in and saying this [outdoor room] is the first room of furniture they're buying for their home," says Joan Shank, an owner of Southern Casual Patio & Rattan. "To people moving down here from up North, this is paradise."

Manufacturers have responded by making outdoor furniture that's both cozy and beautiful. They've figured out how to make aluminum look chic, weave wicker out of outdoor-friendly vinyl and make thick cushions resistant to mildew, fading and water.

"The patio-furniture industry in the last 10 years has changed and evolved," says Shank. "The looks that you can get are amazing."

For example, you can buy a sectional sofa for the back porch. Outdoor pillows are coming with piping and tassels. And there are rugs that clean with the blast of a hose and lanai lamps pretty enough for the living room.

"There are even some pictures that are made for outside," says Shank. "Just about everything you can purchase for inside, they're making for outside."

That includes kitchens. Outdoor kitchens have begun to rival indoor kitchens in their sophistication. Forget about the standard gas grill. Now you can buy grills with ovens, warming drawers, rotisseries and burners for simmering sauces. You can also buy outdoor refrigerators, beer taps and icemakers.

Quality outdoor appliances often cost more than indoor appliances because they have to be sturdier. Still, there's a wide range of price points available. Built-in grills, for example, can range from $600 to $7,000 and up.

Of course, what good is the ultimate outdoor kitchen and living room without some tunes in the background or the ultimate outdoor television on which to watch the game?

No worries. Weatherproof audio and video equipment is available. For example, Mirage Outdoor Systems recently unveiled its AquaVision line of weatherproof 20-, 27- and 32-inch flat-panel LCD televisions.

They don't even need wires to work and can receive wireless transmissions from a satellite dish, indoor cable or DVD player. Suggested retail prices range from about $3,500 for the 20-inch model to about $4,500 for the 32-inch model.

Add a pool bathroom and you may never need to go inside again.

OUTDOOR DELIGHT

You don't have to add square footage to your home to increase its living area. You can just use some design savvy and today's technologies to create incredible outdoor getaways where you can swim, relax, cook and even watch the big game. Here's a sampling of what's new.

In Florida, swarming pests are a fact of outdoor life-and those bug-zappers are noisy, unsightly and not especially effective. A partial solution is Mistaway, a product that releases a natural insecticide fog through nozzles around the lawn and within the eaves at timed intervals. For more information, go to www.mistaway.com.

Outdoor furniture has taken on the look and feel of indoor furniture, thanks to weather-resistant fabrics and finishes.

This Castelle Casual suite, which would look perfectly appropriate in an upscale sunroom, is available at Southern Casual Furniture, 11112 San Jose Blvd., #5A, Jacksonville, (904)288-0300; or 832 A1A N., #5, Ponte Vedra Beach, (904) 280-0121.

Remember the rusty old gas grill that toasted (well, burned) hot dogs and hamburgers? Toss it in the scrap heap. Today outdoor kitchens are fit for gourmet cooks. Viking, for one, offers a variety of top-of-the-line ovens and ranges made to withstand the elements. For more information, go to www.vikingrange.com.

OK, so you can do everything outdoors except watch television, right? Wrong. Mirage Outdoor Systems has unveiled its AquaVision line of weatherproof 20-, 27- and 32-inch flat-panel LCD televisions. For more information, go to www.mirageoutdoorconcepts.com.