An outdoor living area adds beauty to your property and also adds more living space to your home. You can create an outdoor living room and kitchen combination that's perfect for family meals and entertaining. Coming up with great ideas and how to implement them in your available space can be daunting. Consider working with a custom outdoor living area designer so you can maximize your space and create a living area that's a perfect match for your lifestyle. Here are some tips. 

Plan The Utilities First

You'll probably need to invest a lot of time into planning a custom outdoor living area since it's a lot more involved than just pouring a concrete slab. If you're going to have a kitchen, lighting, fans, and heat, you'll need to run power to specific points in the living area.

If you want running water in your outdoor kitchen, you'll also need to run plumbing and put in a drain. This should all be planned out with the help of a contractor before the slab is poured. The rest of the living space can be built around the large kitchen pieces and outlets for lights and fans.

Consider A Ceiling

You may want a ceiling over part of your living space to provide comfortable shade and to protect your kitchen and upholstery from sun damage. A contractor can help you choose the right material for a ceiling and ensure the kitchen has plenty of ventilation.

A ceiling can also hide wiring so you can hardwire fans, lights, and ceiling heaters. Other areas of your living space can be uncovered so you can soak up the sun in the winter or just enjoy the natural lighting.

Think About A Fireplace Or Firepit

A firepit has to be a certain distance from your home to meet building codes, and it also needs to be away from trees. A fireplace may have different requirements since the fire is contained. A firepit or a fireplace would be perfect for setting a romantic mood or for keeping your guests warm on a chilly evening. You may want to talk to your space designer about the best place to install a fireplace to get the best use of it.

Consider A Hot Tub

A hot tub is a nice addition to an outdoor living area. You can place it on the slab or bury it partially in the ground. You should decide before work begins if you want a hot tub since the slab may need to be reinforced to hold the heavy weight of a tub filled with water.

A hot tub could make for romantic evenings or be used as a dip pool during the day for the whole family. Plus, a hot tub that's lit up with colorful lights adds a dramatic touch to entertaining at night.

Contact a local contractor to learn more about custom outdoor living area design.

Share