You likely already have an outdoor living area where you and your family may congregate, entertain, relax, and dine. Creating a natural flow between the inside and outside living areas can create a sense of unity. This allows more natural light to enter the home, while also improving passage from one location to the other.

If you don’t already have an outside living area, perhaps it is time to contact a proven and experienced design build company to create an exterior space. This can enhance the enjoyment and use of your home. 

Enhancing the Indoor-Outdoor Flow

Homes older than a few decades are usually not designed to facilitate indoor-outdoor flow. However, with most of today’s lifestyle and architectural focus turning to outdoor living and entertainment spaces, architects are adapting to the movement. They are doing this by creating seamless traffic flows from the interior to the exterior of the home.

According to a recent Polycor blog, the demand for new outdoor living projects has increased by 65% in recent years. These often feature outdoor kitchen installations, sitting areas, sunrooms, or decks. All of which offer families an alternate dining and living area.

A reputable, experienced design build professional can help you visualize their dream of an open plan design to connect existing indoor space with a new or existing outdoor entertainment area.  

Creating an Open Plan Design

Homeowners who love outdoor entertaining often seek an open design that enhances the indoor-outdoor flow and flexibility. The easy transition from one section to the other allows guests to move freely even though one part happens to be outside. 

Improving the flow also makes carrying food or objects as natural as moving from a kitchen to an indoor dining room. 

Having additional light and air flow from the exterior to the inner spaces also brightens the whole environment. This creates a sense of spaciousness your home may not have at the moment. 

By minimizing barriers and widening the accessway, the outdoor living areas also increase the home’s usable square footage. This increases the resale value of the home substantially while providing the homeowner considerably greater enjoyment.

Using Complementary Materials

One way to enhance the natural transition from indoor to outdoor living space is to employ the same or similar natural materials in both areas. Blending your stone, tile, natural wood, or other material eliminates the obvious indoor-outdoor crossover. This can help make the whole environment seem like a single room when doors are open.

Maintaining the same levels of luxury, technology, and lighting in both areas will further enhance the unity between the two areas.

Creating Easy Two-Way Physical and Visual Access

In Eastern Pennsylvania, when wintry weather restricts the use of an outdoor entertainment area for any three-season or other open-air space, these outdoor areas will need to be shut off from the inside. 

Homeowners can open or close as desired by installing easily adjustable bi-fold windows and doors, French doors, or ranch sliders. These allow for secure closure while still admitting plenty of natural light.

• Bi-fold Doors, when open, add breadth to the access point by folding back on themselves. This makes them a compact option. These are perfect for doorways where a simple double door is not sufficient.
• French Doors are usually a pair of doors that provide a wide, double doorway. These economical, easy-to-install doors allow one or both doors to be left open as needed.
• Ranch sliders are simple sliding doors with large glass panels in metal frames. The advantage is that these will slide open into a cavity rather than opening inwards or outwards.
• Stacking doors open up an entryway by disappearing and stacking into a cavity. These systems allow for even more open space to allow for the maximum indoor and outdoor flow.
• Bifold Windows connect the kitchen to an outdoor dining area. Also known as a “server’s window,” these provide ample fresh air to the home’s interior.

Many families can enjoy the benefits of visually opening their homes while also keeping an eye on their kids that may be playing outside. Additionally, more air can be admitted into the house to create a healthy, well-ventilated home.

Contact Master’s Design Build Group

Headquartered in Eastern Pennsylvania in Hatfield, the Design Build Group professionals have provided top-quality design, construction, and remodel work for over a decade.

To discuss an upgrade to your outdoor living and entertainment areas, contact Master’s Design Build for a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss ways to economically improve your space while adding to the value and enjoyment of your home.

Visit the Master’s Design Build Website Gallery to view some of the hundreds of beautifully completed projects.

To schedule your consultation, complete the brief Contact Form on the website or call Master’s Design Build at +1-215-723-6162.