Outdoor living goes luxe

Welcome to the age of “outdoor rooms.” For years mostly the domain of the kids’ trampoline, the backyard is now earning its due as a great gathering place. Divvied up into “rooms,” it’s as well-furnished and equipped as the indoors. That includes rugs, six-burner ranges, chandeliers and big-screen TVs.

“It’s the outdoors with creature comforts,” said Becky Simeral of Simeral Construction in Lititz. “People love the concept. These days, a porch, deck or patio are among the three most-wanted home features, and the sky is the limit when it comes to outfitting them.

“A full-fledged kitchen and masonry fireplace are just the starting points. Then come furniture and audio-visual features and all the accessories we’re used to in inside rooms. Elaborate outdoor rooms can run $150,000 and up, but, of course, you can create an outdoor living area for a lot less. A good grill, outdoor furniture and a chiminea or fire pit could probably be had for under $10,000.”

A trend is born

Lancaster builders say that the outdoor living trend dates back to 9/11. People began focusing on closer ties with family and friends and improved their homes to make that happen. Pools, decks and grills moved into backyards, and nice landscaping, lighting and furniture followed, creating the right environment for at-home vacations, entertaining and family fun.

Over the years, backyards became ever more elaborate, but inevitably Northeasterners bemoaned that their outdoor fun was limited to summer. So chimineas and fireplaces moved in, and now the outdoors is celebrated year-round.

Michelle Perelka of Stone Barbecue Supply in Lancaster is one of the all-year outdoor chefs.

“We cooked our Christmas dinner outside,” she said. “Prime rib, roasted potatoes and asparagus. It was delicious.”

And Mike Fruin, president of High Hotels, held his holiday party for 70 people in the yard of his Lititz home.

“Our gas grill kept the food warm and the Rumford fireplace warmed the guests. The Rumford is especially good for outdoors because it’s tall and shallow to reflect more heat and has a streamlined throat that carries away the smoke.”

Outdoor elements

Homeowners’ ideas of the perfect outdoor space vary widely, of course, but landscape designers and other pros have identified the most important trends,

That all-America pastime, outdoor cooking, is the central theme. No surprise there. What is surprising is the wide variety of cooking equipment. The humble barbecue has been elevated to the status of “appliance” and available features include side-burners, rotisseries, warming drawers and heaters. Perelka said she believes that infrared technology is the future of grilling.

“The intense heat provides at-home cooks with the taste of restaurant-quality grilled meats,” she said. “And in half the time as traditional grilling.”

State-of-the-art ranges by such manufacturers as Viking, Wolf and Dacor have been joined by refrigerators, dishwashers, ovens, wine coolers, ice makers and even stainless steel cabinetry. The appliances can simply be lined up, said Becky Simeral, but the most ambitious al fresco kitchens are installed in masonry. Cabinetry built of weather-resistant woods is another option.

Fab furniture

Garden furniture has segued into high style. Tough, exotic woods like teak, cedar and eucalyptus have replaced the plastic set, and fabrics for cushions are indoor-inspired.

Antique looks are seen outside, too. Why, shabby chic farm tables for outdoor dining are practically a staple.

Area rugs help define garden rooms. Natural fibers, such as sisal and coconut, are much used, but it’s the manufactured fibers that let rugs in conventional designs lend luxury to the outdoors.

Accessories include hurricane lamps, pottery bowls and even art. Paintings featuring weather-safe ink and pigments, can add great character to fences and walls of porches and pergolas.

Heating and electronics

Brick and stone fireplaces are popular high-end choices, but less informal masonry pits are well-loved, too.

“They remind us of childhood camping trips,” said landscape designer Drew Dvorchak of Erb Brothers Landscaping, Lititz.

However, some of the big names in indoor fireplaces are now going with the trend. Heat-N-Glo, for example, has designed a stainless steel fireplace with concrete “logs.”

And don’t think that you have to miss the Penn State games just because you’re outside. Every electronic component now comes in weather- and moisture-proof varieties. Think they look out of place in the garden? Then hide speakers inside rocks or flowerpots and go with retractable screens, Dvorchak said.

Lighting up the night

“Without proper lighting you won’t get enough enjoyment from your outdoor spaces,” said Cindy Chillas of Outdoor Lighting Perspectives. “On long summer evenings, you might be OK with just some hurricane lamps, but what about the other seasons?

“What’s new in lighting is improved LED technology that provides nice warm whites for the kind of ambience you want when you’re entertaining. Ask for LEDs in the 2700-3000 range.”

Chillas also recommends “moonlighting,” a technique where fixtures are placed high in a tree and angled downward.

“It looks like moonlight shining down through the branches,” she said. “It creates lovely shadows and the effect is very natural.”

Strategic landscaping

“Just like we’re putting in heat sources so we can enjoy the outdoors year-round, we should plan the yard for four-season beauty,” said Dvorchak. “Don’t lose interest just because spring’s tulips and summer’s roses are finished. Fall flowers and shrubs can provide a carnival of color and for winter put in evergreens, bushes with berries, and shrubs with interesting colors and textures. Red-twigged dogwood is a good example.

For winter interest, Dvorchak also likes structural features, such as lattice and pergolas, bird baths and feeders, and even boulders.

“Finally, plant for privacy, shade and shelter from wind,” he said. “It’s nobody’s business who you’ve invited for dinner.”