Technically, outdoor spaces are not really “interior design.” However a good interior designer may be an excellent first step.
As with any room or space in the home, theme and continuity of theme are important. Are you contemporary, traditional, Mediterranean, country or modern? The outdoor space can be all of that too.
It will be important – and here is where your designer will pay off big-time – that your outdoor space either complements or coordinates with your overall home theme. If you re eclectic or contemporary, the western outdoor room likely will not look or feel right.
However (and this is a big “however”), this is not to say that you as an designer and your professional designer, decorator or architects can’t push the bounds of design and incorporate looks with which you might want to experiments and which fit well with your region. Contemporary design and a western space might be out of place in the Northeast but not in the Southwest.
Just as designers were inspired by the opportunity, so you can be. Let your imagination flow and take in the influences of nature around you.
Perhaps you can consider a graphite stone in your conservatory room that leads the way to an outdoor pool. Use some glass style stones as transitioning from an “outdoor” room onto a pool deck. The possibilities are endless.
This concept is all about expanding your living space. You may want to add a pergola for shade and to define a space in your yard. You can build a raised platform which is the flooring under the pergola. This is reminiscent of ancient stone pergolas you will see if you visit norther Italy. Take inspiration from the grapevines that are intertwined and cover the pergola.
When it comes to flooring to use in outdoor spaces and natural stone options amongst others, visit your local flooring retailer, they will certainly be able to offer options that will work for you and your budget.
