Trends: Not Exactly Roughing It
Backyards aren’t what they used to be. Once the neglected domain of plastic patio furniture and forgotten children’s toys, backyards have become the new focal point for homeowners looking to get every inch of space—and fun?—out of their homes.? Many are eyeing their yards with new interest, envisioning dinner parties and poolside cocktails and realizing that an investment in the backyard may enhance enjoyability and resale value.
????According to a recent survey by the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), more and more homeowners are asking for outdoor “great rooms” that incorporate the functions of a living room, dining room and kitchen into outdoor spaces geared for entertaining and family gatherings.
????“Homeowners are reconnecting with their outdoor space, often in creative and imaginative ways,” says Perry Howard, president of ASLA. “It’s no surprise that people want to take elements that work so well inside their home and recreate them outside.”
????A key element to creating outdoor “rooms” is to properly define the space. This need not be as difficult as it sounds?—it just takes a little planning and forethought.?
????One way to define such an area is with hardscaping (think flooring) such as pavers, flagstone, pebbles or brick. For example, use grass or mulch to cushion a children’s play area and flagstone?on the patio dining and gathering area. Connect the two and direct traffic with a footpath of stepping stones.?
????Creating different stations for different outdoor activities makes the most effective use of your available space. Set aside areas for entertaining, gardening, relaxing, cooking and dining. You can even designate an area for pets if needed.
????Lauren Shiner of Tampa Landscape Design says that nearly all of her clients ask her to create outdoor rooms, not just well-landscaped lawns.?
????“People want to be able to appreciate their backyards from different perspectives, so I give them distinct areas,” notes Shiner. “I might do a dining room under a pergola with a romantic candelabra, a simple bench under a shade tree for relaxing or a quiet brick-paved patio to enjoy a cup of coffee in the mornings.” Having distinct enclaves in the same backyard gives people the feeling of being somewhere different for a while, Shiner adds.
????If your budget allows, consider creating a focal point for your backyard. This could be something relatively simple, like a small fountain or koi pond, or something on a grander scale like a custom outdoor fireplace or gazebo.?
????By carefully choosing your plants and furnishings you can even create themes for your backyard, such as a tropical oasis, an English garden or an Asian retreat. Be sure to consider your home’s architectural style to achieve a harmonious finished look.
????According to Shiner, a well-planned backyard can literally double a home’s usable living space. And the options are limited only by your imagination.?
????How about a backyard putting green or a lakeside gazebo? One of Shiner’s favorite projects included a double split-level loggia for the dining and living areas, a stone fire pit, an outdoor kitchen, a fountain, a custom dog run, a children’s play area and a classic pool with a waterfall and spa.?
????And speaking of pools, they’re often the center attraction in Bay-area backyards. Once residential pools were just rectangular holes in the ground filled with water. Now it is possible to create a water-themed wonderland appropriate for a resort.
????Industry experts recommend spending 10-15 percent of the value of the home when installing a pool. According to Michael Green, co-owner of Natural Springs Pools & Spas in Lutz, an average pool without a screened enclosure will cost about $30,000.? But by spending in the $50-$75,000 range, you can kick it up a notch to get a caged pool with a brick paver deck, a spa and a waterfall. Or you can get really extravagant.
????Green recalls one North Tampa pool project that cost $350,000 and included an underwater stereo system, LED in-pool lighting, two enclosed tube slides, a vanishing-edge spa and a huge rock waterfall with a grotto and hidden bathroom.
????“These days, people view swimming pools as extensions of their homes,” Green says. “They want to carry the same look and materials used in their homes out to the pool as far as colors, decking and furnishings.”
????But Green offers all of his clients this caution: “I tell people to think carefully when they’re designing a pool because it’s not like a new car—you can’t return it if you don’t like it.”
????Some of the more popular pool options include real or faux stone accents, waterfalls and grottos and freeform shapes. Travertine is in, pavers are out.?
????One emerging trend is zero-edge pools and spas, which use a design that makes the water appear level with the pool deck. Another up-and-coming option is a “wet deck” system that buries sprayers in the pool deck that shoot bursts of water.?
????A wet deck might be a good option for families with young children who like to play in the water but aren’t ready to swim by themselves.
????Last but not least is the outdoor kitchen. According to the Propane Education and Research Council, adding an outdoor kitchen is among the most popular home improvement projects, costing anywhere from $15,000 to $100,000.?
????Just as the kitchen tends to be the place where friends and family congregate inside a home, the outdoor kitchen is also a major focal point when it comes to entertaining and relaxing outdoors.
Today’s outdoor kitchens can be surprisingly well-equipped with sinks, refrigerators, wet bars, chopping stations, warming drawers and pizza ovens at the ready. Even the grills have gotten all tricked out.?
????According to Doug Driscoll, owner of Just Grillin’ in Tampa, modern outdoor kitchens offer wanna-be chefs the opportunity to do much more than just grill. With the proper options, they can prepare tasty meals using rotisseries, steamers, fryers, skillets, woks and infrared sear burners. “More people are taking advantage of the great weather in Florida by adding an outdoor kitchen to their homes,” Driscoll says. “Our customers ask for everything from grills to refrigeration. If it’s made for outdoor use, our clients want to include it in their outdoor living space.”
????If you’re on a tight budget, there are pre-fab and do-it-yourself kits available.? You just need to plug in the water, electric and gas lines. If you enlist the services of a professional, the sky’s the limit with options for weather-resistant cabinetry, stone countertops, lighting and plumbing.?
????One more thing. By adding a bar and some stools to your kitchen area and installing a wall-mounted outdoor television, you could create the best new restaurant in town right in your own backyard.?
????If only you had a busboy to deal with the dirty dishes.
????According to a recent survey by the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), more and more homeowners are asking for outdoor “great rooms” that incorporate the functions of a living room, dining room and kitchen into outdoor spaces geared for entertaining and family gatherings.
????“Homeowners are reconnecting with their outdoor space, often in creative and imaginative ways,” says Perry Howard, president of ASLA. “It’s no surprise that people want to take elements that work so well inside their home and recreate them outside.”
????A key element to creating outdoor “rooms” is to properly define the space. This need not be as difficult as it sounds?—it just takes a little planning and forethought.?
????One way to define such an area is with hardscaping (think flooring) such as pavers, flagstone, pebbles or brick. For example, use grass or mulch to cushion a children’s play area and flagstone?on the patio dining and gathering area. Connect the two and direct traffic with a footpath of stepping stones.?
????Creating different stations for different outdoor activities makes the most effective use of your available space. Set aside areas for entertaining, gardening, relaxing, cooking and dining. You can even designate an area for pets if needed.
????Lauren Shiner of Tampa Landscape Design says that nearly all of her clients ask her to create outdoor rooms, not just well-landscaped lawns.?
????“People want to be able to appreciate their backyards from different perspectives, so I give them distinct areas,” notes Shiner. “I might do a dining room under a pergola with a romantic candelabra, a simple bench under a shade tree for relaxing or a quiet brick-paved patio to enjoy a cup of coffee in the mornings.” Having distinct enclaves in the same backyard gives people the feeling of being somewhere different for a while, Shiner adds.
????If your budget allows, consider creating a focal point for your backyard. This could be something relatively simple, like a small fountain or koi pond, or something on a grander scale like a custom outdoor fireplace or gazebo.?
????By carefully choosing your plants and furnishings you can even create themes for your backyard, such as a tropical oasis, an English garden or an Asian retreat. Be sure to consider your home’s architectural style to achieve a harmonious finished look.
????According to Shiner, a well-planned backyard can literally double a home’s usable living space. And the options are limited only by your imagination.?
????How about a backyard putting green or a lakeside gazebo? One of Shiner’s favorite projects included a double split-level loggia for the dining and living areas, a stone fire pit, an outdoor kitchen, a fountain, a custom dog run, a children’s play area and a classic pool with a waterfall and spa.?
????And speaking of pools, they’re often the center attraction in Bay-area backyards. Once residential pools were just rectangular holes in the ground filled with water. Now it is possible to create a water-themed wonderland appropriate for a resort.
????Industry experts recommend spending 10-15 percent of the value of the home when installing a pool. According to Michael Green, co-owner of Natural Springs Pools & Spas in Lutz, an average pool without a screened enclosure will cost about $30,000.? But by spending in the $50-$75,000 range, you can kick it up a notch to get a caged pool with a brick paver deck, a spa and a waterfall. Or you can get really extravagant.
????Green recalls one North Tampa pool project that cost $350,000 and included an underwater stereo system, LED in-pool lighting, two enclosed tube slides, a vanishing-edge spa and a huge rock waterfall with a grotto and hidden bathroom.
????“These days, people view swimming pools as extensions of their homes,” Green says. “They want to carry the same look and materials used in their homes out to the pool as far as colors, decking and furnishings.”
????But Green offers all of his clients this caution: “I tell people to think carefully when they’re designing a pool because it’s not like a new car—you can’t return it if you don’t like it.”
????Some of the more popular pool options include real or faux stone accents, waterfalls and grottos and freeform shapes. Travertine is in, pavers are out.?
????One emerging trend is zero-edge pools and spas, which use a design that makes the water appear level with the pool deck. Another up-and-coming option is a “wet deck” system that buries sprayers in the pool deck that shoot bursts of water.?
????A wet deck might be a good option for families with young children who like to play in the water but aren’t ready to swim by themselves.
????Last but not least is the outdoor kitchen. According to the Propane Education and Research Council, adding an outdoor kitchen is among the most popular home improvement projects, costing anywhere from $15,000 to $100,000.?
????Just as the kitchen tends to be the place where friends and family congregate inside a home, the outdoor kitchen is also a major focal point when it comes to entertaining and relaxing outdoors.
Today’s outdoor kitchens can be surprisingly well-equipped with sinks, refrigerators, wet bars, chopping stations, warming drawers and pizza ovens at the ready. Even the grills have gotten all tricked out.?
????According to Doug Driscoll, owner of Just Grillin’ in Tampa, modern outdoor kitchens offer wanna-be chefs the opportunity to do much more than just grill. With the proper options, they can prepare tasty meals using rotisseries, steamers, fryers, skillets, woks and infrared sear burners. “More people are taking advantage of the great weather in Florida by adding an outdoor kitchen to their homes,” Driscoll says. “Our customers ask for everything from grills to refrigeration. If it’s made for outdoor use, our clients want to include it in their outdoor living space.”
????If you’re on a tight budget, there are pre-fab and do-it-yourself kits available.? You just need to plug in the water, electric and gas lines. If you enlist the services of a professional, the sky’s the limit with options for weather-resistant cabinetry, stone countertops, lighting and plumbing.?
????One more thing. By adding a bar and some stools to your kitchen area and installing a wall-mounted outdoor television, you could create the best new restaurant in town right in your own backyard.?
????If only you had a busboy to deal with the dirty dishes.
WHO TO CALL
Tampa Landscape Design
12304 Paddock Avenue
Tampa, FL
(813) 963-1251
www.tampalandscapedesign.com
Natural Springs Pools & Spas
109 Whitaker Road
Lutz, FL
(813) 933-9500
www.naturalspringspools2.com
Just Grillin’
9215 Lazy Lane
Tampa, FL?
(813) 933-7900
www.justgrillinflorida.com