Outdoor room seating under a shade tree.
Would you like to have a place outside where you can entertain, have a cuppa tea in the morning, or comfortably sit and read? An outdoor room is a designated area in your yard with a self-styled floor, open but lush walls, and even a subliminal ceiling.
Whether you have full sun or full shade, you can create an outdoor room with a few details and of course, right plants, right place.
First, look for existing “walls” (aka tall shrubs, trees, or fences) already in your yard, that you can use visually to enclose your “room.” Comfortable sizes for your outdoor room depend on the number of people you would like to accommodate. For one or two persons, 8’ to 10’ area should be adequate, for five to six people, 15’ to 20’ will work. It can be rectangular, round, or square.
If you don’t have any walls, consider adding trellis panels, single paneled fences, vintage screen doors, or doors with windows, inexpensive china hutches, or garden workbenches, found at flea markets. Think about the area and available air circulation. Allowing the breeze to blow through will be appreciated in the summertime. If you would like to plant shrubs that will grow large, like camellia, native firebush, bamboo, or ligustrum and viburnums. Determine the size of mature plants for amount of plants to buy. Space them at half their mature width, so that they fill in nicely over two-three years. Install correctly so that your “walls” will be stable and withstand wind or can be put away before a storm.
Second, is your floor. This can be mulch, patio pavers, brick, pea gravel, or even an outdoor rug. Make sure it’s level. Mulch can be the least expensive material for the entire area. You can always install hardscape pavers or bricks later.
To simulate a ceiling, or to provide cover from sun or rain, a patio umbrella, shade sails, or awning. Place a real candle chandelier or try a modern LED candle chandelier.
Add your favorite furniture, seating, coffee table, end tables, bar set, outdoor patio lamps, garden tools to complete your setting. Increase the size of your outdoor room by hanging a vintage mirror.
Now it’s time to enhance your room with more plants. Raise the roof by hanging baskets of glorious annuals or blooming vines, ferns. This can be done using strong shrub branches, tree limbs, metal hanging basket poles, or right from the trellis. Add more plants for color and pizzazz with containers, any style that fits your fancy or theme.
Let your design style flow freely. Make it your own.
