Think about the Australian lifestyle, and outdoor living is one of the first things to come to mind. The smell of a Summer barbeque, soaking up the sunshine in your favourite chair, or throwing a footy with the kids - the outdoor spaces of a home are where we love to entertain, relax and make memories.
So it makes sense to try and perfect your outdoor area before you even begin your build. We talked to Metricon’s experts, Design Director Adrian Popple and Senior Interior Designer Melissa Colley to get their advice on creating an outdoor space to remember.
The ultimate home extension
Metricon Design Director Adrian Popple says outdoor rooms have become a ‘must-have’ in modern homes, with many Queenslanders adopting the alfresco lifestyle.
“The outdoor room is now part of the living space, with many people opting for bi-fold doors to extend their overall living space,” says Adrian.
“These spaces exude style, and are often self-contained with a barbeque, sink and fridge.”
Melissa Colley, Metricon’s Senior Interior Designer, are proud of their beautiful homes, with open-plan designs that seamlessly integrate with outdoor living zones.
“Modern homes now merge indoor living zones with outdoor rooms,” explains Melissa. “They are designed as another living space, and an extension of your indoor living zones.”
Planning makes perfect
“The most important consideration when you’re designing an outdoor space is to allow sufficient area to entertain your friends and family,” advises Adrian.
“You need to take into account the furniture you want to put in the space, and allow room for the traffic that flows around it,” he says.
“Unfortunately, many people don’t consider this during the planning stage, and how it will influence the size of the room.”
Melissa strongly agrees, adding considerations regarding size and function need to be addressed at the very beginning of a build.
“Before the slab is even poured, you’ll need to consider what size area you want and if there are any plumbing or electrical services needed,” says Melissa.
“The addition of appliances is very popular now, with home owners installing barbeques, fridges and sinks so that this area is self-contained.”
Year-round fun
The experts both suggest designing your outdoor space with every season in mind, not just the warmer months.
“To make use of your outdoor room all year, it is a good idea to install louvered screens that can close off a room and make it cosy during the winter months, or can be opened in summer to allow the breeze in,” suggests Melissa.
While Adrian’s a big fan of using a fireplace to help partially enclose your outdoor space.
“Fireplaces can be warm in winter, but can also be great at blocking the sun (if facing west) in summer,” he says.
Queensland living
Adrian tells us the orientation of your block will have a big influence on how you can best capture sunshine and breezes.
“If your house faces west, then the addition of an outdoor room can provide much-needed shade from the afternoon sun,” Adrian says this is an added bonus of outdoor zone planning.
“Generally, an outdoor room is at the rear of the home so you don’t always have a choice what direction it will face,” he says.
“Depending on the orientation, you can be clever with inclusions such as laser cut screens to cut out sunlight.”
And on most Queenslander’s wish-list? “An outdoor room is enhanced when it overlooks a beautiful garden or shimmering swimming pool,” says Adrian.
“This makes the space aesthetically beautiful and totally relaxing.”
Metricon is one of the leading home builders to be featured in Everleigh’s new display village, set to open later this year.
For more information on our masterplanned community in the heart of Greenbank, please register here or call (07) 3859 5960.
You can also visit our Everleigh Sales Team at 146 Teviot Road Greenbank, between 10am and 5pm daily.