Outdoor rooms can be useful all year round. They provide a cool shaded place for entertaining in the summer, and can be nice and cosy for winter as well. Here’s how you can construct your outdoor room for year-round comfort, and make it warm and inviting for the winter months.
At the construction stage
When it comes to the initial construction of your outdoor room, it’s a good idea to incorporate insulated roofing, which will contribute to keeping the room cool in summer and warm through the cooler months.
There are a couple of other factors to consider at this stage as well – paint and window treatments. You won’t be changing these with the seasons, so make sure the styles and colours you choose can work equally well for summer and winter.
Even if you opt for white when it comes to paint, make sure the underlying tone is from the warmer cream end of the spectrum, rather than the really crisp white that screams summer.
Plantation shutters are one example of window treatments that work for year-round comfort. These are very on-trend at the moment, and for good reason. They can be used to direct outside light to reduce glare in the summer, and to help insulate from the heat. During the cooler months, you can use them to keep the warm in, and if you use natural timber, the tones of the wood can give a lovely warming effect.
How to make your outdoor room welcoming in winter
When the cooler months arrive, it’s time to switch the décor of your outdoor room. Here are a few tips for making it a warm winter space your family will love.
- Soft furnishings. These offer you a wealth of flexible options that can be changed from season to season to completely refresh the look of your outdoor room. When winter comes, think about changing cushion covers and throws to wools and corduroy in richer warmer tones. Use slipcovers on larger furniture items like couches and armchairs to create a focus to work the other pieces around.
- Rugs. During the summer, you will no doubt find that an expanse of bare hard flooring is both cool and gives an expansive look. However, for winter, anchoring your furniture with floor rugs can add warmth and help create spaces that are much more inviting when the weather closes in.
- Lighting. Consider adding lamps which will create warm pools of light, rather than using the harsh overhead light all the time. Again, this is a cheap and effective way of creating a cosy atmosphere.
By using accessories to alter the look and feel of your outdoor room from summer to winter, you can create a cosy space without spending a lot of money. You can also ensure you’re making the best possible use of your outdoor room year-round.