Living outdoors? No way
Outdoor living. For so long, that phrase was just about as oxymoronic as I thought it could be. Living outdoors?
Sure, screened-in porches, decks, and patios were in my vocabulary but stone fireplaces, waterfalls, Japanese cooktops, flat-screen TVs, copper-lined showers, wood-beamed ceilings?
Outdoor living. For so long, that phrase was just about as oxymoronic as I thought it could be. Living outdoors? Sure, screened-in porches, decks, and patios were in my vocabulary but stone fireplaces, waterfalls, Japanese cooktops, flat-screen TVs, copper-lined showers, wood-beamed ceilings?
It wasn’t until I began scouring Charlotte for the best homes to feature in the magazine that I found that outdoor living is one of the most important aspects in home design here. My estimate would be that eight out of every ten homes I scout, the homeowners, architects, or interior designers took into consideration the home’s outdoor living space. Whether it was a custom-designed pool with waterfall and adjacent one-bath cabana, gourmet kitchen, or two-story covered patio with fireplace, it was clear that bringing the indoors out was high on homeowners’ priority lists.
Exemplifying the outdoor living rage, on page 38 you’ll find Lynn and Skipper Beck’s amazing backyard. Designed knowing the Becks planned on entertaining in their yard year-round, the space was created with a seamless transition from interior to exterior. The result is a spacious outdoor living area that feels so open and well laid out (two covered open-air rooms, two dining spaces, and a gorgeous pool area) it’s hard to imagine why you’d ever want to go inside.
And since this issue is all about getting outdoors, we also wanted to show you on page 54 how architect Peter Wong and wife Pamela Grundy designed one of the most interesting properties in Charlotte. Though amazingly different from the Becks’ yard, this Plaza Midwood home still latches on to the same premise—a backyard that was built to be lived in, entertained in, and relaxed in all year long.
If that weren’t enough, on page 58 we’ve also compiled a guide of more than fifty area landscape architects, landscaping services, hardscape and softscape installers and suppliers, and pool design and supply companies. This extensive list will help you get started on creating your own backyard oasis.
For me, after seeing these homes, my outdoor living lingo no longer stops at decks, grills, container gardening, and kidney-shaped pools. Now I see that as much as Charlotte homeowners want their home’s interior to be a well-designed retreat, they also truly want an outdoor living space that means just that—a place to live outdoors.
