OUTDOOR LIVING ■ DESIGN TRENDS
Five pillars of design
for outdoor living
Beautiful, functional outdoor living spaces reflect elements
of balance, nature, longevity, details and convenience
By Jonathan Parks, AIA
A s an architect designing
high-end custom homes in
Florida, one advantage of
working in this climate is the opportuni-
ty to design outdoor living spaces as an
extension of the indoor living space. We
executed. So set a budget, stick to it and
in the end you will be happy you did.
Relating to design, what started
out as an internal office checklist for
designing exterior landscaping became
a journey into what makes a properly
PILLAR 1:
Invent within the rules
The design language of every great
outdoor living space is documented
in a common set of rules that have
shaped the designs of generations of
find a properly designed outdoor living designed outdoor living space. Harmony projects. These rules are tools to guide
space works on two scales: getting the could be measured in terms of a roman- the conceptual layout of the outdoor
big picture right and making sure small tic balance with natural elements and living space, govern the way details go
details come together. If a client wants a mythical Mother Nature. together and determine the appropri-
covered area outside and you do not pro- We divide these guidelines into five ate materials to use.
vide it, the big picture is incorrect. pillars of design, which are presented While studying the historic shapes
Putting together a list of “must-haves” in an order that represents the natural and decorative details of existing out-
is important; every project has a budget design process. Once these are under- door spaces can reveal what makes
and if you do not properly account for stood they can be applied to projects of them work, designing a new outdoor
cost, the design will never be properly any size, scale or budget. space is not simply the act of copying
the past. Ideas for new designs spring
from the rules of traditionalism.
Match the • Does the outdoor living space
list of must- demonstrate style, proportion and
haves with consistency?
the budget
and then • When viewed from any angle,