Every outdoor living space is unique to its environment. When we design an outdoor living area, we not only incorporate the materials used on the project, but we are also bringing in the home’s natural setting.
Jonathan Parks’ recently wrote an article called Five Pillars of Design for Outdoor Living for Residential Design & Build magazine. Take a look below and see if your outdoor living space is following the rules.
Pillar 1:
Invent within the rules
- Does the outdoor living space demonstrate style, proportion and consistency?
- When viewed from any angle, is it a unified solution?
- Does it give evidence of its quality and care over detail?
- Is it inviting?
Pillar 2:
Respect, complement nature
- Is the design responsible to the environment?
- Does the outdoor living space respect and complement views from within the yard and from within the dwelling?
- Does the new ground plane show careful integration of natural and manmade elements?
- Is existing landscape material utilized?
- Is new material sensitive to the natural terrain?
- Are colors, styles and materials comfortably distinct — ensuring individuality without offending the senses?
Pillar 3:
Build for the ages
- Is the solution long-lasting?
- Will the design date the house or will it appear as appropriate tomorrow as today?
- Does the design follow through to the smallest detail?
Pillar 4:
Detail for authenticity
- Does the outdoor space respond to the individual intimately?
- Does the design process follow through to the smallest detail?
- Does the construction involve a need for craftsmanship?
Pillar 5:
Incorporate convenience
- Does the plan encourage a quality of lifestyle?
- Does the design capitalize on features of volume, scale and functional relationships?
- Is it technically “state-of-the-art” to ensure gracious outdoor living?
What do you think of Parks’ pillars?
