Take a look out your window and watch a chirping mother bird teach her hatchlings how to fly in your outdoor space. In the garden, perennial bulbs that’ve been fast asleep begin to grow and poke up green from the hard winter soil. You can smell the sweet dewy grass, and the world is imbued in sudden color. It’s undeniable: it’s springtime. And this time of year, everyone yearns to be outside.
So why not open up your home to the great outdoors? Today on the blog, we’re giving our insider KKH tips on how to forge a connection between your indoor and outdoor rooms for a home that feels expansive, inspired, and full of light and energy. Whether you’re remodeling or just looking to refresh an outdoor patio, these six design ideas are a great starting point for any outdoor living space.
Design Credit: Matthew O’Dorisio | Photography Credit: Karyn R. Millet
1. Go With The Flow
Whether it’s as dramatic as opening the side of your home with floor-to-ceiling glass doors or it’s as minimal as a private entrance to your backyard, the flow between the indoors and the outdoors is of utmost importance. The key is to create traffic patterns so guests can easily travel back and forth between the indoors and out. First, you’ll want to create a list of outdoor furniture with dimensions so you can size your outdoor space appropriately. Keep in mind that the average space for an outdoor living room patio is approximately 16 by 18 feet. For good traffic flow, make sure there is a 3-foot clearance around each furniture piece.
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2. Define Zones
Even though you’re outdoors, it’s important to adhere to several of the rules you’d follow for decorating an indoor space. Most importantly, you want to define zones so that every area of your porch or patio has a purpose. Separate areas for activities such as cooking, conversation, and relaxation.
How do you define zones? Shifts in hardscape materials, trees, shrubs, and planters can all be used to establish corners and borders. Outdoor rugs are another great strategy for defining a specific area: Place one rug with a dining table and chairs to form a dining area, and place a second rug in an area with benches and a coffee table for a casual conversation spot. When situating your outdoor room, don’t forget to also consider the natural elements such as prevailing winds and sun orientation—you don’t want the sun to be in your guests’ eyes all day long!
Design Credit: Andrew Howard Photography: David Land | Design Credit: Studio Lifestyle
3. Provide Shelter
The biggest challenge to designing an outdoor space is also the most obvious one: the outdoors. You and the furniture you specify is going to be exposed and subject to the natural environment of your location. To offer protection from the elements, provide a sheltered retreat for guests to take refuge. Awnings, umbrellas, gazebos, and pergolas are all design-forward ways to shelter your outdoor guests from harsh sunlight and light rain while creating intimacy. Speaking of weather worries, need advice on selecting outdoor materials? Read our outdoor materials guide here.
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Design Credit: Alicia Lund |Design Credit: Brian Woodcock
4. Plan For Privacy
Without walls put up or curtains to close, your outdoor space is not only exposed to the elements—it’s exposed to the neighbors too! If privacy or noise level is a concern for your space, you’ll need to install a fence or tall landscaping between you and the neighbors. For design continuity, one strategy is to install a precast concrete fence or screening wall with a decorative stone or brick pattern that complements your patio.
Design Credit: Amanda Barnes|Photography Credit: Alyssa Rosenheck
5. Go Chic with Teak
When it comes to choosing outdoor furniture, we cannot stop talking about teak. Why teak? Most importantly, teak has the ability to withstand all types of weather. Its natural oil repels water, keeping it from warping, cracking or becoming brittle. So be it spring downpours, winter snowstorms, or summer sun—teak shares the US Postal Service creed. In addition to thwarting harsh conditions, the same natural oils and resins protect the wood from bugs and other pests. With such a low-maintenance and lifelong material (unlike other woods, it never rusts when it comes into contact with metal), its use in outdoor furniture and the most luxury cabins and lodges is no surprise.
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Of course, durability isn’t the only attribute we want in our homes. The real selling point for teak product is that it’s beautiful, and it stays beautiful. New teak wood furniture will have a honey brown color, and over time, it will age naturally into an elegant patina grey. And in either state, the natural teak wood will complete your outdoor space with a touch of luxe.
Design Credit: Studio Lifestyle | Photography Credit: Nicole Franzen
6. Fire It Up
Nothing creates intimacy in your outdoor space like a roaring fire. Installing a fire source will bring guests together, serve as a focal point, and (of course) it will provide heat, which allows you to use your outdoor space tri-seasonally. If you have the space and budget, consider a full-size custom built fireplace; if not, research smaller, portable fire pit options, which provide flexibility and affordability. A word to the wise (especially if you’re based in New York City like we are): check your local building codes to verify fire-safety and placement rules regarding outdoor fireplaces and fire pits before you invest in one.
25 thoughts on “6 Design Tips for an Invigorating Indoor/Outdoor Space”
Thank you for sharing this informative article about patios. I hope there are a lot of contractors who could read this and be guided accordingly.
Thank you for reminding me that I should separate my outdoor spaces and designate areas for cooking, relaxation, and other outdoor activities. I’ve been to my friend’s house over the weekend and we held her birthday party on her front lawn, so I really got amazed at how they decorated their area so they can make it a livable space. In my case, I also want a place where my family members can relax so it might be a good idea to shop for some custom furniture and start from there.
I like how you said that we should define zones with different natural elements. I would love to get an outdoor bird feeder for my yard. I love birds.
I loved how you talked about how a fire in a backyard can bring people together and create intimacy and closeness. My husband and I are wanting to decorate our backyard and make it a place we gather with friends and families to hang out. For us, I think an outdoor candle lantern could be a fun, safe, and fire-like decoration.
A friend of mine is getting ready to decorate their patio, and we wanted to help them out a bit. I really like that you say to make sure that you define the zones so every area has a purpose. It would be nice to know that everything will be able to do something good for you.
It’s interesting to know that outdoor rugs are a great strategy for defining a specific area. My husband and I are thinking about remodeling our patio, and we are looking for advice. I will let him know about your recommendations to help us remodel our patio properly.
Beautiful space!!! Love your new Outdoor space.
Such a beautiful outdoor area you have created! It looks so comfortable and relaxing!
Thank you for your share.
It’s interesting that you mentioned that we should create a flow between the inside and outside of our home. My husband and I have been thinking about changing our patio deck and making it look more modern. In my opinion, by changing the furniture and adding some outdoor rugs as you said, we can give it that edgy modern look we are trying to achieve.
I liked that you said that one thing to consider when you are thinking about having your outdoor living space remodeled is to have a fireplace installed in order to create intimacy for you and your spouse. I have been thinking about having my outdoor living space remodeled but I have been worried that I wouldn’t know how to design it correctly since I don’t have a background in this industry. I will be sure to consider hiring a professional to design and remodel my outdoor space in order to create a cozy, comfortable, and intimate place for my husband and I.
This is so sweet! I’m so happy you found this post helpful!
I would love to help create an intimate place for you and your husband to feel comfortable and cozy in.
Do you mind if I have someone send you an e-mail with details?
Warmest Regards,
Kathy Kuo
My mother wants to open her garden and make it more inviting. I think she should buy a decorative ceramic outdoor stool from a store so that she can create traffic in her garden. Thanks for the idea that she should create a list so that she can get ideas on what other furniture she should buy.
I absolutely love your first picture. The wicker couches mesh so well with the trees. It feels so homely and lovely. I think maybe having some form of storage cabinet out there too could even add to the function.
Hi Johnny,
Yes! Every space needs to be just as functional {if not more) just as it is gorgeous. We have this stunning outdoor wicker trunk which I think is absolutely perfect for this space in terms of storage options.
As my husband and I move into our new house, I wanted to make sure I’m decorating the outside of my house right. I didn’t think of defining zones for conversation in my backyard by shifting trees, shrubs and hardscape materials to establish corners and borders. I’ve had trouble with what area in my yard is going to be the “sitting corner” so this tip was really helpful and as I buy more decor, I’ll make sure to keep this in mind!
Hi Sarah,
Congratulations on the new home! So excited for you during this time in your life. If you need help with space planning in terms of what areas serve best for different types of conversations (sitting, dining, relaxation) we have free interior/exterior design services when you buy product from Kathy Kuo Home. You can learn more about this here: https://www.kathykuohome.com/designservices I’m so happy to hear this blog post helped you with your home!
I like how you mentioned that durability is an important part of outdoor furniture as well as something that also looks good. I’ve been looking for ways to spruce up my patio to make a comfortable space for hanging out with friends and family. I’ve been looking at some chair covers to assist with providing some longevity to my outdoor furniture. I’d love to incorporate some of these other tips like adding a fireplace to help make it more of a unique hang out.
I couldn’t agree with you more. Everyone loves a drop dead gorgeous space, but durability is the cherry on top. Please let us know if we can assist you in designing and finding the perfect pieces for you home!
I like what you said about having an outdoor area sheltered from the elements to increase the guests’ comfort level. I host a lot of parties and with the weather turning warmer, I’ve been considering expanding my party space to the outdoors, but I have no furniture out there. Thank you for the information on how awnings, umbrellas, and gazebos are all good options for this.
I like your tip about getting awnings to protect your guests against harsh sunlight. We are thinking about renovating the backyard to make room for more guests and should definitely make sure that we have more cover from the sun for them. I’ll have to make sure that I remember your tips so that we can accommodate our guests.
Great tips! You are providing the best info to buy furniture online. I found these tips very helpful for me because I am planning to buy furniture online. Thanks for sharing.
I really like the idea of designing zones. In a larger open space, it really helps to have furniture that creates “spaces”. Although, you do have to remember to think about privacy too. Hopefully, once my cobalt mortgages are approved, I can get a new space to redesign!
I loved your designs. They look so fresh and perfect, like spring. Many thanks for sharing these lovely ideas with us.
One of the many advantages of Invigorating Indoor and Outdoor Space is that they allow you to maximize your use of a small garden space. Thus, they are perfect for small apartments, balconies, patios, tiny yards, schoolyards, community gardens, and rooftop gardens.Most people appreciate that a single houseplant can brighten up an indoor space. Just think about how much inviting an indoor space would be with an entire garden. The advantages of vertical garden systems is that it is easy to implement and equally easy to maintain.
That’s a good tip to define space. Making definitive shapes is aesthetically pleasing. I bet you could use that to make a space seem larger, too.
I like the recommendation to provide shelter for the outdoor space. It makes sense that something like an awning would be helpful to protect the furniture and people from harmful UV rays. I’ll have to keep this in mind when looking to redesign my space because it could also help keep the inside cool be blocking more of the sun that would normally get in.