Shade Design Trends
Designing The Perfect Indoor-Outdoor Room
An outdoor-indoor room should be easy to reach, comfortable to use and should look and feel like its part of the house. You might think that Indoor-outdoor rooms are just the latest craze, but they’ve really been a feature of the outback home for close to a couple of centuries.
Even in its most rudimentary form, the verandah found its place as an extended living room. It was a shaded, sheltered place that became the obvious place to sit with a cup of tea in the morning or a beer after a long, hot day’s work. Some verandahs were made more substantial by the addition of blinds made of timber or fabric that could be pulled down when extra privacy or sun protection were called for. It can be said thus, that indoor-outdoor rooms are about casual living. They’re adaptable, comfortable spaces that look, work and feel different to a conventional, interior room.
If you are thinking about converting a space into an indoor-outdoor room, you should consider these three main things.
1. Access
If the entry point from the interior space to the indoor-outdoor space is broad enough, the combined rooms may well read as a single volume. This will make your house look and feel bigger. It will also encourage you and your family to think of the indoor-outdoor room as thoroughly livable space.
2. Continuity
In a temperate climate, there’s no reason why an indoor-outdoor room can’t be used all year round. It doesn’t have to look like a conventional space, but it should feel like its part of the house.
This kind of connection is most readily made by using building materials that can flow from the true interior into the indoor-outdoor room. Simply put, it’s a matter of coupling an internal wooden floor with an external timber deck, or an internal tiled floor with an external tiled floor.
3. Comfort
An indoor outdoor-room should be in touch with the elements. It should be possible to sit with the sun on your shoulders, or to lounge around catching a cool breeze. It must be comfortable…The challenge is to source furnishings that will tolerate the exposure of the space yet feel as welcoming as the three-piece lounge in the living room. Conventional outdoor furniture promises durability, but can’t always be described as comfortable. The simplest strategy is to supplement those hard chairs and benches with loads of cushions. To make the space even cozier, choose armchairs and lounges made from timber or wicker, which incorporate seat cushions and back cushions.
Indoor-Outdoor Room Design Ideas
## Think about outdoor cafes that offer comfortable year round dining and you get the idea. Simply enclose your verandah or pergola with a product similar to your local bistro blind and viola! There you have it! Made from heavy duty PVC products, these shade blinds are affordable, and attractive.
## Roller shutters provide privacy and reduce glare. When fully closed, with windows opened inside, air can pass gently through the stutters and into the room. For more information on window blinds, rollers & shutters, visit the Window Blinds Guide.
## Retractable awnings add to the element of indoor outdoor protection for decks and garden rooms. Folding arm awnings provide shelter for patios and decks. They can be pitched from 0 to 35 degrees, have corrosion-resistant, spring tensioned arms and have a wind-lock mechanism for stability in bad weather. For more information please visit the Awnings Guide.
## Many owners prefer a waterproof shade structure as opposed to the conventional shade sail. Waterproof shade structures can be custom-designed and manufactured to suit your needs. Using only the highest grade materials, such as marine grade high polish stainless steels and Ferrari vinyl. The result is an attractive and functional outdoor area.
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