Food Network has had on this nation’s need to grill and dine in divine spaces.

Furnishings naturally begin with a grill, many of which are apparently being put to good use. It’s estimated that Americans will cook three billion meals outside this year.

While some folks are happy with a $300 grill, others can’t resist the urge to super-size and spend $30,000 or more for snazzy accoutrements such as a built-in warming drawer, side burner, beer dispenser and gas-fired space heater.

The proprietors of Barbeques Galore, Lake Forest, Calif., call the high-end grills “backyard bling,” because they make such a bold statement in a yard. Stainless steel grills remain popular and make an attractive centerpiece for an outdoor kitchen or family room.

And since the great grilling debate that pits gas against charcoal continues, the folks at Barbeques Galore say some families add a ch

The same backyard that used to be a sun-soaked slab of lawn in need of mowing has now become a trendy gathering place as living rooms and kitchens break out and expand the imagination.

Gone are the days when a few flimsy chairs on a patio with a charcoal barbecue represented a wholesome way to spend some quality time outside. Now hear this! The new indoors is outdoors, as everything from upholstered furniture and waterproof LCD televisions to pizza ovens and, yes, even air conditioning, are moving out.

The backyard’s generational makeover, experts say, is the result of homeowners downsizing their house-hopping expectations and making better use of the space they have. And by expanding indoor comfort to the outdoors – without actually adding on a new room – homeowners have found a fab and stylish way to embrace energy conservation.

As if creature comforts and energy savings weren’t enough, the backyard bonanza has the potential for even greater benefits, such as raising the value of your home. In other words, dreaming up ways to add structural interest to your backyard, deck or side yard may be a way to expand more than just your livable square footage.

The Al Fresco – or Open Air – Lifestyle

The trend of transforming shimmering lawn into sumptuous comfort zone may only be a few years old, but already some guiding principles have developed.

When designing an outdoor area, try to blend the end of one space with the beginning of another. A simple way to achieve this is to match interior/exterior wall colors, furniture or kitchen appliances. After all, the unification of indoors and out is actually a movement to extend living quarters by blurring the boundary lines.

Alternatively, an outdoor living space may be improved by defining cozy, intimate areas, especially if the expanse of the sky or a panoramic view feels overwhelming. Don’t hesitate to temper the vivid, unyielding force of nature with hedges, small trees, awnings and even drapes, which can be an elegant way to seclude. Think Lawrence of Arabia in Sherman Oaks. A good real-world example of how drapes can dramatically alter a property can be found at Santa Monica’s Huntley Hotel.

The paradox of the al fresco way of life is that homeowners want shelter as well as freedom. The marriage of these seemingly contradictory concepts is what makes this new trend sublime – and very popular. Last year 48 percent of 600 architectural firms surveyed said that upscale landscaping – decks, porches, patios and courtyards – was on the rise.

Homes constructed now often include an outdoor kitchen. And while the open-air trend began in high-end homes, it has migrated now to starter homes.

If the idea of converting your lawn into the ultimate backyard seems daunting, start your project by considering three basic components: ambiance, defined sense of place and furnishings.

Ambiance is what draws you to your favorite spot, inside or out. Get personal. Do flower gardens and water ponds set the proper mood? Or would cobblestone pathways and a gazebo be better? Maybe you’re athletic and see a swimming pool with outdoor spa as the focal point. Or maybe your biggest consideration is young children. PlaySkool and primary colors send a message few can misread.

Choosing a well-defined sense of place is easy for most families. The winner is the kitchen, which should come as no surprise. How many times have you been at a party and noticed most guests like to gather in the kitchen?

Add to that the huge impact experts say the Food Network has had on this nation’s need to grill and dine in divine spaces.

Furnishings naturally begin with a grill, many of which are apparently being put to good use. It’s estimated that Americans will cook three billion meals outside this year.

While some folks are happy with a $300 grill, others can’t resist the urge to super-size and spend $30,000 or more for snazzy accoutrements such as a built-in warming drawer, side burner, beer dispenser and gas-fired space heater.

The proprietors of Barbeques Galore, Lake Forest, Calif., call the high-end grills “backyard bling,” because they make such a bold statement in a yard. Stainless steel grills remain popular and make an attractive centerpiece for an outdoor kitchen or family room.

And since the great grilling debate that pits gas against charcoal continues, the folks at Barbeques Galore say some families add a cha

eren’t enough, the backyard bonanza has the potential for even greater benefits, such as raising the value of your home. In other words, dreaming up ways to add structural interest to your backyard, deck or side yard may be a way to expand more than just your livable square footage.

The Al Fresco – or Open Air – Lifestyle

The trend of transforming shimmering lawn into sumptuous comfort zone may only be a few years old, but already some guiding principles have developed.

When designing an outdoor area, try to blend the end of one space with the beginning of another. A simple way to achieve this is to match interior/exterior wall colors, furniture or kitchen appliances. After all, the unification of indoors and out is actually a movement to extend living quarters by blurring the boundary lines.

Alternatively, an outdoor living space may be improved by defining cozy, intimate areas, especially if the expanse of the sky or a panoramic view feels overwhelming. Don’t hesitate to temper the vivid, unyielding force of nature with hedges, small trees, awnings and even drapes, which can be an elegant way to seclude. Think Lawrence of Arabia in Sherman Oaks. A good real-world example of how drapes can dramatically alter a property can be found at Santa Monica’s Huntley Hotel.

The paradox of the al fresco way of life is that homeowners want shelter as well as freedom. The marriage of these seemingly contradictory concepts is what makes this new trend sublime – and very popular. Last year 48 percent of 600 architectural firms surveyed said that upscale landscaping – decks, porches, patios and courtyards – was on the rise.

Homes constructed now often include an outdoor kitchen. And while the open-air trend began in high-end homes, it has migrated now to starter homes.

If the idea of converting your lawn into the ultimate backyard seems daunting, start your project by considering three basic components: ambiance, defined sense of place and furnishings.

Ambiance is what draws you to your favorite spot, inside or out. Get personal. Do flower gardens and water ponds set the proper mood? Or would cobblestone pathways and a gazebo be better? Maybe you’re athletic and see a swimming pool with outdoor spa as the focal point. Or maybe your biggest consideration is young children. PlaySkool and primary colors send a message few can misread.

Choosing a well-defined sense of place is easy for most families. The winner is the kitchen, which should come as no surprise. How many times have you been at a party and noticed most guests like to gather in the kitchen?

Add to that the huge impact experts say the Food Network has had on this nation’s need to grill and dine in divine spaces.

Furnishings naturally begin with a grill, many of which are apparently being put to good use. It’s estimated that Americans will cook three billion meals outside this year.

While some folks are happy with a $300 grill, others can’t resist the urge to super-size and spend $30,000 or more for snazzy accoutrements such as a built-in warming drawer, side burner, beer dispenser and gas-fired space heater.

The proprietors of Barbeques Galore, Lake Forest, Calif., call the high-end grills “backyard bling,” because they make such a bold statement in a yard. Stainless steel grills remain popular and make an attractive centerpiece for an outdoor kitchen or family room.

And since the great grilling debate that pits gas against charcoal continues, the folks at Barbeques Galore say some families add a ch

ining cozy, intimate areas, especially if the expanse of the sky or a panoramic view feels overwhelming. Don’t hesitate to temper the vivid, unyielding force of nature with hedges, small trees, awnings and even drapes, which can be an elegant way to seclude. Think Lawrence of Arabia in Sherman Oaks. A good real-world example of how drapes can dramatically alter a property can be found at Santa Monica’s Huntley Hotel.

The paradox of the al fresco way of life is that homeowners want shelter as well as freedom. The marriage of these seemingly contradictory concepts is what makes this new trend sublime – and very popular. Last year 48 percent of 600 architectural firms surveyed said that upscale landscaping – decks, porches, patios and courtyards – was on the rise.

Homes constructed now often include an outdoor kitchen. And while the open-air trend began in high-end homes, it has migrated now to starter homes.

If the idea of converting your lawn into the ultimate backyard seems daunting, start your project by considering three basic components: ambiance, defined sense of place and furnishings.

Ambiance is what draws you to your favorite spot, inside or out. Get personal. Do flower gardens and water ponds set the proper mood? Or would cobblestone pathways and a gazebo be better? Maybe you’re athletic and see a swimming pool with outdoor spa as the focal point. Or maybe your biggest consideration is young children. PlaySkool and primary colors send a message few can misread.

Choosing a well-defined sense of place is easy for most families. The winner is the kitchen, which should come as no surprise. How many times have you been at a party and noticed most guests like to gather in the kitchen?

Add to that the huge impact experts say the Food Network has had on this nation’s need to grill and dine in divine spaces.

Furnishings naturally begin with a grill, many of which are apparently being put to good use. It’s estimated that Americans will cook three billion meals outside this year.

While some folks are happy with a $300 grill, others can’t resist the urge to super-size and spend $30,000 or more for snazzy accoutrements such as a built-in warming drawer, side burner, beer dispenser and gas-fired space heater.

The proprietors of Barbeques Galore, Lake Forest, Calif., call the high-end grills “backyard bling,” because they make such a bold statement in a yard. Stainless steel grills remain popular and make an attractive centerpiece for an outdoor kitchen or family room.

And since the great grilling debate that pits gas against charcoal continues, the folks at Barbeques Galore say some families add a ch

s, it has migrated now to starter homes.

If the idea of converting your lawn into the ultimate backyard seems daunting, start your project by considering three basic components: ambiance, defined sense of place and furnishings.

Ambiance is what draws you to your favorite spot, inside or out. Get personal. Do flower gardens and water ponds set the proper mood? Or would cobblestone pathways and a gazebo be better? Maybe you’re athletic and see a swimming pool with outdoor spa as the focal point. Or maybe your biggest consideration is young children. PlaySkool and primary colors send a message few can misread.

Choosing a well-defined sense of place is easy for most families. The winner is the kitchen, which should come as no surprise. How many times have you been at a party and noticed most guests like to gather in the kitchen?

Add to that the huge impact experts say the Food Network has had on this nation’s need to grill and dine in divine spaces.

Furnishings naturally begin with a grill, many of which are apparently being put to good use. It’s estimated that Americans will cook three billion meals outside this year.

While some folks are happy with a $300 grill, others can’t resist the urge to super-size and spend $30,000 or more for snazzy accoutrements such as a built-in warming drawer, side burner, beer dispenser and gas-fired space heater.

The proprietors of Barbeques Galore, Lake Forest, Calif., call the high-end grills “backyard bling,” because they make such a bold statement in a yard. Stainless steel grills remain popular and make an attractive centerpiece for an outdoor kitchen or family room.

And since the great grilling debate that pits gas against charcoal continues, the folks at Barbeques Galore say some families add a ch

Food Network has had on this nation’s need to grill and dine in divine spaces.

Furnishings naturally begin with a grill, many of which are apparently being put to good use. It’s estimated that Americans will cook three billion meals outside this year.

While some folks are happy with a $300 grill, others can’t resist the urge to super-size and spend $30,000 or more for snazzy accoutrements such as a built-in warming drawer, side burner, beer dispenser and gas-fired space heater.

The proprietors of Barbeques Galore, Lake Forest, Calif., call the high-end grills “backyard bling,” because they make such a bold statement in a yard. Stainless steel grills remain popular and make an attractive centerpiece for an outdoor kitchen or family room.

And since the great grilling debate that pits gas against charcoal continues, the folks at Barbeques Galore say some families add a charcoal grill as a companion to the gas unit. Purists say the taste of food prepared on a charcoal grill cannot be beat. But gas grills heat faster and burn cleaner. An electric grill is ideal for small spaces and gatherings.

If you have the budget and prefer a cozy extension of the living room, you might consider adding a MirageVision 32” HDTV to your outdoor scene. Designed for outdoor use, it’s much brighter than a traditional set, and the all-weather design keeps it safe from rain, dirt and extreme temperatures.

There are advances in other areas of outdoor living as well. Backyard furniture need not be restricted to aluminum frames with nylon seats and backs. Companies like F. Schumacher and Scalamandre have developed weatherproof fabrics with a wide assortment of patterns and colors. In fact, designers are seeing a movement away from the merely utilitarian to a more sophisticated and elaborate out-of-doors environment.

Even so, if you’re starting from scratch and don’t have a big budget to create what is essentially a series of outdoor rooms, think focal points. For example, a new patio or deck quickly defines space. And a trellis, arbor or table-and-chair set strategically placed under a tree can be a gratifying way to launch you into outer space.

The award for mind-boggling over-the-top conversion, however, must go to the Houston-based interior designer who reports that some of her clients beat the heat by installing air-conditioning vents outside.

Outer Space Creates Home Sweet Home

If all this seems too grand or complicated, remember that the concept of found space is really only an attempt to make your property more usable, experts say. And making your space work for you is consistent with another trend. It is that Americans are spending more time at home.

A survey conducted by the Propane Education & Research Council showed that 50 percent of survey participants now spend more time at home than they did five years ago. And home-dwellers put relaxing outdoors – not indoors – at the top of their wish list.

So open your mind and your back door and do a little survey of your own. Isn’t it about time you cleaned up the clutter in your yard? Rid your outdoor space of scraggly or sickly plants, and trim overgrown trees and shrubs. This is your first step to creating your new outer living zone.

Maybe this will be the year you finally ditch that rusty swing set or bench and that crooked basketball hoop no one uses anymore. Summer is the season of possibilities, and there’s no better time for making room for something new.

Copyright 2007