8 Outdoor Living Architecture Trends to Make Your Home More Comfortable

Ah, outdoor living. Think barbecuing on a balmy summer evening, hanging out with friends under the stars, and taking in the fresh air. These are just a few of the delights that come with outdoor living architecture.

To make your experience even more special, we’ve compiled the latest trends for outdoor living spaces that can be incorporated into the working drawing plan.

Introduction

Outdoor living architecture has been a growing trend in recent years, but the COVID-19 pandemic gave it an extra boost. Nothing like being cooped up for over a year to help you appreciate some patio living.

Entertainment was (and still is) a big part of outdoor living design, but post the pandemic, the focus has shifted to making outdoor living a regular part of everyday life. Accordingly, these are being incorporated into working drawings in architecture.

It’s all about bringing your indoor comforts and conveniences to your porch, patio or backyard. This will be done with multipurpose add-ons, structures suited to extended use, and smart technology. Think spaces to grow herbs or vegetables for home cooking, shady spots to work or just read your favorite magazine, and areas to barbecue.

With that, let’s go ahead.

Top Outdoor Living Architecture Trends

Blurring the Lines Between Indoors and Outdoors

This trend has been significant in commercial spaces, but is gaining traction in homes as well. With the use of glass doors and folding doors, people are expanding their indoor living spaces into their outdoor areas. This allows for more “breathing room” and more space for entertainment or large families.

A way to do this is by arranging your furniture as if your outdoor and indoor areas are one room instead of two separate spaces. You can also use the same fabrics and materials for continuity.

Outdoor Kitchens

60% of homeowners want to add outdoor kitchens, according to a design trend report by the NKBA. Furthermore, 7 out of 10 consumers say they will continue cooking at home even after the pandemic ends.

There are many types of outdoor kitchen systems you can incorporate into your working drawing plans: 

• Satellite kitchen: An outdoor kitchen that is designed to be a fully functional, independent unit away from your home’s perimeter. It does not share floors, decks, walls or gas and electricity with your house. Satellite kitchens tend to include appliances such as refrigerators and sinks. The goal here is to provide an entertainment area that draws guests away from your house.

• Perimeter kitchen: This refers to a kitchen that is built in line with the perimeter of your home. They tend to share deck, wall or patio space with the house. Hence, this kitchen system may share many of the same water, gas and electric hookups utilized in the indoor space. Furthermore, it might exclude certain appliances, such as a sink, which are often found in satellite systems.

Your choice of kitchen, as well as the accompanying working drawings, will depend on your budget and space, as well as the climate of your location.

Multifunctional Furniture

Convertible furniture or multifunctional furniture performs many functions and often come with hidden features. Outdoor convertible items would include modular tables, nesting tables, or tables with hidden compartments.

Privacy

Consider outdoor drapery panels for overhead structures, or outdoor screens. Even a strategically tilted umbrella or a line of trees can offer some extra privacy.

Natural Materials

Think rattan furniture, bamboo, woven lanterns, and terracotta pots. They add a wonderful flair and interest to your space. Don’t miss out on stone design, either.

The Edible Garden

Fresh herbs, fruits and vegetables, straight from your garden into your kitchen. That’s part of the appeal of edible gardens. However, you don’t have to turn your whole backyard into a vegetable garden, especially if you’re just starting out as a new gardener. Start with one raised bed – the amount of food you can grow, as well as the amount of effort put in, might surprise you!

Don’t forget to plan either. You should ask yourself these questions before you begin:

• Where does the garden get the best light?

• How much time can you spend garden each week?

• How much extra food do you need or want?

Some more tips on how to grow the best edible garden for your purposes:

• Don’t skimp on soil quality. Research, research, research until you find the best organic, compost-rich soil.

• Pick crops that are easy to grow. Tomatoes, zucchini, snap peas, chives, kale, and radishes are generally good choices. However, you should look up the best crops for your regional climate, as these may vary.

• Invest in some high-quality garden tools, but don’t go too crazy. In many cases the best tools at your disposal will be your hands and a pair of garden gloves. Start with a weeder, trowel, pruning shears, and a rake

• Maximize your space with square-foot gardening. This technique divides crops using a grid.

• Don’t forget to label your crops!

Year-Round Use

With the pandemic still ravaging the world, and predictions of more pandemics yet to come, many of us have realized that we cannot indefinitely put off our fun backyard gatherings. There has been anticipation of more investment in products that make our outdoor spaces more liveable in extreme weather.

For winter, think outdoor fireplaces, heavy-duty blankets, pizza ovens, and heat lamps. For summer, go for retractable shade fixtures, ceiling fans, and drop-down screens. 

Backyard living just got a whole lot cozier.

Going Native

As we become more conscious, mindful consumers, we apply the same principles to our outdoor living spaces. Native plants are a great addition for your garden, because they are suited to the local climate and provide many benefits for regional insects and birds.

Conclusion

We hope this article has given you some good ideas for your house plans for outdoor living. Let us know how you incorporated them in the comments below!

If you’re building a new space or renovating an old one, BluEntCAD can provide you with an accurate working drawing plan that will help your project come together seamlessly. We’ve been serving the AEC industry since 2003 and have a team of experienced drafters who can help you get the end result you want.

We serve home design companies, real estate developers, and large architectural and engineering firms. Take a look at our portfolio to see how we’ve helped businesses just like yours.

Ready to make your outdoor living architecture a success with BluEntCAD’s working drawing plans? Contact us now!

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