Use the following outdoor room design ideas to help you come up with the perfect setup for yours:

• Focus on fun. Give your outdoor room a truly natural feel by using grass as the floor instead of wood or stone. Set out some rocking chairs and consider including a swing or two for a whimsical touch that kids and adults alike can enjoy.

• Make it multifunctional. Instead of just focusing on seating, get more use out of your outdoor room by including a fireplace, big-screen TV, kitchen area, a dining table and chairs, and a counter with a row of bar stools. This makes the room a great spot for relaxing or entertaining.

• Create an outdoor sleeping area. Turn your outdoor room into a place where you can enjoy sleeping under the stars in comfort on a suspended bed.

Ready to discuss your outdoor room project? Contact TAB Associates, and follow us on Facebook.

Here are some ideas for designing a home that blends seamlessly with its natural surroundings:

• Turn the views into artwork. A large, wide window on one wall can reveal a stunning panoramic view that serves as natural artwork. Frame the window with curtains, a curtain rod, and bookshelves for an even more picturesque effect.

• Make rooms appear more spacious. By installing wall-to-wall windows, you can include gorgeous views of the surrounding area. This can make smaller rooms seem much more spacious and inviting. This effect is enhanced even more when the room’s design is minimalistic.

• Combine formality with a traditional domestic quality. Include characteristics that make homes look domestic, such as a gabled roof, while using carefully aligned features, such as an outdoor pool lining up with a fireplace, to create a formal look.

Need more ideas on designing a home? Contact TAB Associates, and follow us on Facebook.

• Materials: The materials that you choose for your home play an important part in determining if your home is suitable for snow. A wooden roof with steel supports and reinforcement is one way to make a flat roof possible.  The key is to provide an acceptable membrane for waterproofing.

• Insulation: The engineer and architect can work together to design a roof that has adequate insulation to support snow. In fact, the required insulation for your home may well be just what’s needed to support the snow, depending on the design.

• Preventing leaks: It’s a common misconception that flat roofs leak more than other roof types. The truth is that any improperly designed or damaged roof can leak from time to time.

• Easy to maintain: Like any roof design, flat roofs do require maintenance. A suitably designed flat roof will also have drainage features.  Proper drainage is one of the keys to an appropriate flat roof.

Are you designing a home? Contact us at TAB Associates to discuss the roof and other design elements to enhance your property.

• Winter-friendly Porch. Even in snowy climates, you can extend the porch’s lifetime well beyond the chilly fall and spring months. Employ the use of a wood burning stove or fireplace, plush seating and warm throws to entice your guests with an enclosed porch. Floor to ceiling windows give the illusion you are outdoors, and do so without the chill.

• Entry-way. Recreate the entry way to your home and emphasize the natural beauty of your surroundings. Emphasize architectural elements of the home that resemble a natural setting, such as wood, stone, water and other elements.

• Ample windows. Using ample windows in your home opens up the interior to different natural views on the property. Work with your building design professionals to create window space around the scenic views on your property. Enjoy year-round natural views from the comfort of your home.

• Sliding Glass Doors. Using large sliding glass doors that pocket into a wall provide a large opening in a wall to bring the outside inside.  This can open to a deck or a patio, covered or not.

Are you interested in a building design that emphasizes nature and sustainability? Contact us at TAB Associates.

• Stone walls. Stone walls are a fascinating building material because they store and release the warmth of the day in the evenings when homes are cooler. Stone walls on the patio with slotted openings block out the sun while allowing light and wind to illuminate and provide a much needed breeze on the patio.

• Solar Paneling. For a unique and sustainable option, employ the use of solar panels that will re-purpose heat as useful energy in the home. Make use of the natural shade this “solar panel canopy” provides by designing a rooftop seating area under the panels.

• Extended walls. Extend the roofs for proper overhangs and walls of your home beyond the windows to elongate your indoor space while simultaneously enjoying shade from the sun’s heat. You may want to build these extensions into your home’s structure or incorporate a retractable awning into your building design.

If you would like to discuss controlling the sun in your home’s building design, contact us at TAB Associates.