If you live in Orange County, you likely appreciate the 280+ days of sunshine we have each year. But, do you truly get to enjoy it? Those homeowners with outdoor living spaces do!
Designing and Building Orange County Outdoor Living Spaces
Today, we’re going to walk you through some of the best ideas for outdoor living spaces for your southern California home.
1. Outdoor Living Room:
Whether you’re entertaining friends or simply want to enjoy the fresh air with family, an outdoor living room can be the perfect home addition. From couches and chairs to large screen TVs, entertainment centers, and surround sound systems, the options for your outdoor living area are just as abundant as those for the inside. For the ultimate experience, we recommend creating a seamless transition between your indoor and outdoor spaces.
2. Outdoor Kitchen:
Let’s not forget that with the sunshine we enjoy, we also get a fair number of HOT days. With a fully equipped outdoor kitchen, you can keep the heat outside while still enjoying a home-cooked meal. It’s also perfect for special events like graduations, family reunions, and holiday get-togethers when you may be cooking for more people and your guests may already be spending time outside anyway.
3. Outdoor Dining Area:
Rather than having to carry food back and forth between inside and out, why not have a full dining area outside? You can keep it casual with bar-style seating or more formal with a full patio table and chairs.
4. Fireplace or Fire Pit:
When there’s a chill in the air or you simply want a warm, cozy place to relax, there’s nothing quite like a fireplace or fire pit to do the trick. It can be its own separate feature or built into your outdoor living room or dining area. Just remember to follow all local rules and regulations regarding open fires or you may find yourself in a hotter situation than you imagined!
5. Water Feature:
While your luxurious master bathroom may already provide you with an indoor oasis, how about an outdoor one? Adding a water feature to your outdoor living space can be exactly what’s needed to create a sense of tranquility in a busy, bustling world. Water features can be small and simple or large and elaborate. The important thing to remember is to incorporate it into the space so that it achieves the desired effect.
Important Factors to Consider When Designing Outdoor Living Spaces
With any remodeling project, there’s a fair amount of planning that needs to happen before construction even starts. Designing and building outdoor living spaces is no exception. There are even a few unique factors to consider that you may never have had to think about when planning a kitchen remodel or other indoor renovation.
Before your outdoor living space design is complete, think about these things:
● Function/ purpose: What exactly do you plan to do or have in this outdoor living space? The answer will greatly impact the size needed for the space as well as specific characteristics such as fixtures and furniture.
● Materials: It’s important to remember that outdoor living spaces are subject to the elements, whether that be rain, sunshine, or even snow. With this in mind, you’ll want to choose materials that are specifically designed for outdoor use. Within that category, there’s plenty to choose from so don’t be concerned that you won’t have many options!
● Setbacks: We can’t speak for other areas of the country but in Orange County, most municipalities have requirements regarding setbacks. In other words, there must be a certain distance between your home or outdoor living space and the street. Find out what your particular town or city requires and you’ll have a better idea of whether or not an outdoor living space is even possible on your property.
● Property features: Do you live on a hillside? Are there large amounts of rocks in your soil? Does your property have wet areas? Geographical features like these may limit where and how you can build onto your home.
● Homeowner association regulations: If you live in a development or neighborhood where homes are close together, remember that your outdoor living space will be visible to others. If your property is governed by a homeowner’s association, there may be specific regulations that determine what colors or features you can have or what materials you can use in your outdoor space.
Who Should Design Your Outdoor Living Area?
Many people believe that a landscape company is best suited for designing and building outdoor living spaces but we have to disagree. Companies like these are equipped to install plants, trees, and shrubs to enhance your space. However, they may not be skilled at designing and building outdoor living areas that include architectural elements that need to seamlessly integrate with your existing home.
At Sea Pointe Design & Remodel, our design and construction professionals attend to every detail. From planning the best use of the space to designing style and architectural elements to suit your fancy to building the space with the highest quality materials and workmanship, we have you covered!
Need ideas and inspiration for your next remodeling project? Register for our upcoming remodeling webinars to learn about current design trends, see before and after pictures of some of our recent work, and hear from our remodeling experts on how to plan and design your project.
If you’re ready to start planning your outdoor living space today, simply give us a call at (949) 861-3400 or fill out the form below to schedule your complimentary design consultation.