2011 - Indeed, this is the month we start dreaming of transforming our backyards into tranquil oases. The key to doing so lies in seamlessly blending the great outdoors with interior rooms. To keep the two spaces flowing and free of harsh distinctions, a designer must consider all aspects of a home, from its architectural lines and furniture to its amenities, plantings and smallest personal details.
"If you have a terrace coming off of a living room graced with wood floors, formal furniture and fine fabrics, then the terrace materials ought to complement those," says Kristopher Dabner, owner of The Greensman, a Kansas City garden design and installation business.
"I have used some great Sunbrella fabrics from the biggest design houses for terrace drapery," Dabner says. But why stop there? Outdoor-friendly fabrics can also be used to upholster traditionally indoor furniture-a Louis XV settee, for example, or a favorite leather armchair.
Maintaining a smooth transition from interior to exterior also is dependent on the selected vegetation. Ultimately, a client's personality and intentions for a space are essential in planning, says The Muddy Gardener's Kevin Yates. "I've learned to be fluid [in order] to create environments that the clients like," he says.
Urban terraces, support drought-tolerant plants that don't require much water. Perennials, which do not need to be replanted, and durable containers that rarely need to be replaced are other popular and low-maintenance options.
In more suburban areas, garden designers like Bergamot & Ivy in Westport or Lawrence-based Reed Dillon & Associates select well-trimmed plants that draw inspiration from a home's surrounding architecture and overall aesthetic, further blurring lines and making the space appear larger.
After all, a truly chic terrace looks beyond plant life, taking into consideration the lives of those who spend time there. "When I think of my ideal use for an outdoor space, it involves friends, food and drink, and a feeling of comfort," says Lauren Moore, a landscape designer with Miller's Landscaping. "When I picture myself in that type of setting, the inspiration comes naturally."
Moore says that unique accents such as patterned cushions, an old metal tub to hold drinks, or high-quality flooring like cut limestone- add personal flair and reflect her clients' priorities.
Outdoor Environments Inc. and Portfolio Kitchen & Home focus on similarly "user-centered" design philosophies. Beyond accents and plants, most of these companies' projects are structural additions to existing homes-from Outdoor Environments' multi-tiered decks to Portfolio's outdoor kitchens-so it is important to maintain that "seamless blend" with the architecture already in place.
Outdoor Environments has constructed more than 1,000 decks, arbors, porches and patios throughout the Kansas City metro. Its largest project was a cantilevered deck built over a lake. "The challenge was to place footing piers within the lake surface that would stand the test of time and support a five-level, 3,500-square-foot deck above," Devuyst says. "We drained the lake by five feet and dug the footings to solid rock. We then raised the piers to three feet above the lake's high-water line, built a sea wall ... and constructed a paver patio area behind the sea wall. [We] built the deck from that point up."
But even those who don't own lakefront property can have a water feature: Whether a simple fountain from the sculpture yard at Van Liew's or a koi pond stocked with plants from Water's Edge in Lawrence, 50 percent of Dabner's clients usually end up with some sort of water feature, the designer says.
And there are plenty of options for those who dream even bigger and want to cast a pool in a starring role of their outdoor fantasy.
When it comes to pool design- infinity, or vanishing, edge, which is constructed so that water flows over one side into a catch basin and then recirculated back into the pool; it's particularly popular in yards situated on hillsides with a beautiful view.
But the infinity edge is starting to give way to a new innovation-the perimeter overflow. With this type of construction, which lends an ultra-luxe atmosphere, the water level in the pool is flush with the edge of the decking. Wet decks and shallow lounging areas are also popular trends. A wet deck gradually slopes from the pool deck into the water, much like a beach, while a shallow lounging area is actually a shelf submerged in 4 to 8 inches of water that is quickly heated by the sun. Perfect for lounging chairs, these areas let less aquatic adults cool off in the pool while supervising their more deeply submerged offspring.
Materials and construction are other keys consideration in pool design. Many local dealers-including Esther Williams Pool & Spa in Olathe and Above & Beyond Pools in the Northland carry pre-fabricated, in-ground pools with vinyl and fiberglass liners. According to the experts at Esther Williams, however, gunite offers a much more elaborate, customized pool design. Reinforced with concrete and plaster, gunite pools are enhanced with tiles, native stone or a pebble-like, decorative concrete aggregate. Glass tiles arranged in elaborate mosaics are especially popular right now; local companies like International Materials of Design can source them in any color, with any kind of detailing or construction-including recycled glass. Even more exciting, recent innovations in aggregates mean that glow-in-the-dark and iridescent pool materials are coming soon.
The final trend in pool construction is an especially appropriate option in the current climate. Shallow lap pools-about 10 meters long by 2.5 meters wide-are winning fans among homeowners who have renounced gym memberships and taken their fitness into their own hands. More economical and easier to maintain due to their smaller size, they can also double as beautiful reflecting pools-especially when due attention is paid to their aesthetics.
And after all, isn't quiet reflection what having an outdoor terrace, patio or pool is all about?
"If you have a terrace coming off of a living room graced with wood floors, formal furniture and fine fabrics, then the terrace materials ought to complement those," says Kristopher Dabner, owner of The Greensman, a Kansas City garden design and installation business.
"I have used some great Sunbrella fabrics from the biggest design houses for terrace drapery," Dabner says. But why stop there? Outdoor-friendly fabrics can also be used to upholster traditionally indoor furniture-a Louis XV settee, for example, or a favorite leather armchair.
Maintaining a smooth transition from interior to exterior also is dependent on the selected vegetation. Ultimately, a client's personality and intentions for a space are essential in planning, says The Muddy Gardener's Kevin Yates. "I've learned to be fluid [in order] to create environments that the clients like," he says.
Urban terraces, support drought-tolerant plants that don't require much water. Perennials, which do not need to be replanted, and durable containers that rarely need to be replaced are other popular and low-maintenance options.
In more suburban areas, garden designers like Bergamot & Ivy in Westport or Lawrence-based Reed Dillon & Associates select well-trimmed plants that draw inspiration from a home's surrounding architecture and overall aesthetic, further blurring lines and making the space appear larger.
After all, a truly chic terrace looks beyond plant life, taking into consideration the lives of those who spend time there. "When I think of my ideal use for an outdoor space, it involves friends, food and drink, and a feeling of comfort," says Lauren Moore, a landscape designer with Miller's Landscaping. "When I picture myself in that type of setting, the inspiration comes naturally."
Moore says that unique accents such as patterned cushions, an old metal tub to hold drinks, or high-quality flooring like cut limestone- add personal flair and reflect her clients' priorities.
Outdoor Environments Inc. and Portfolio Kitchen & Home focus on similarly "user-centered" design philosophies. Beyond accents and plants, most of these companies' projects are structural additions to existing homes-from Outdoor Environments' multi-tiered decks to Portfolio's outdoor kitchens-so it is important to maintain that "seamless blend" with the architecture already in place.
Outdoor Environments has constructed more than 1,000 decks, arbors, porches and patios throughout the Kansas City metro. Its largest project was a cantilevered deck built over a lake. "The challenge was to place footing piers within the lake surface that would stand the test of time and support a five-level, 3,500-square-foot deck above," Devuyst says. "We drained the lake by five feet and dug the footings to solid rock. We then raised the piers to three feet above the lake's high-water line, built a sea wall ... and constructed a paver patio area behind the sea wall. [We] built the deck from that point up."
But even those who don't own lakefront property can have a water feature: Whether a simple fountain from the sculpture yard at Van Liew's or a koi pond stocked with plants from Water's Edge in Lawrence, 50 percent of Dabner's clients usually end up with some sort of water feature, the designer says.
And there are plenty of options for those who dream even bigger and want to cast a pool in a starring role of their outdoor fantasy.
When it comes to pool design- infinity, or vanishing, edge, which is constructed so that water flows over one side into a catch basin and then recirculated back into the pool; it's particularly popular in yards situated on hillsides with a beautiful view.
But the infinity edge is starting to give way to a new innovation-the perimeter overflow. With this type of construction, which lends an ultra-luxe atmosphere, the water level in the pool is flush with the edge of the decking. Wet decks and shallow lounging areas are also popular trends. A wet deck gradually slopes from the pool deck into the water, much like a beach, while a shallow lounging area is actually a shelf submerged in 4 to 8 inches of water that is quickly heated by the sun. Perfect for lounging chairs, these areas let less aquatic adults cool off in the pool while supervising their more deeply submerged offspring.
Materials and construction are other keys consideration in pool design. Many local dealers-including Esther Williams Pool & Spa in Olathe and Above & Beyond Pools in the Northland carry pre-fabricated, in-ground pools with vinyl and fiberglass liners. According to the experts at Esther Williams, however, gunite offers a much more elaborate, customized pool design. Reinforced with concrete and plaster, gunite pools are enhanced with tiles, native stone or a pebble-like, decorative concrete aggregate. Glass tiles arranged in elaborate mosaics are especially popular right now; local companies like International Materials of Design can source them in any color, with any kind of detailing or construction-including recycled glass. Even more exciting, recent innovations in aggregates mean that glow-in-the-dark and iridescent pool materials are coming soon.
The final trend in pool construction is an especially appropriate option in the current climate. Shallow lap pools-about 10 meters long by 2.5 meters wide-are winning fans among homeowners who have renounced gym memberships and taken their fitness into their own hands. More economical and easier to maintain due to their smaller size, they can also double as beautiful reflecting pools-especially when due attention is paid to their aesthetics.
And after all, isn't quiet reflection what having an outdoor terrace, patio or pool is all about?
No comments:
Post a Comment