Central Texans have always embraced the outdoors as an essential part of their lifestyle.  Now home and garden design is catching up by bringing the outside in and the inside out. For many, the property surrounding a home has become an extension of the home itself.  Homeowners want more than just a grill and a few deck chairs in their outdoor spaces.  This has led to a boom in outdoor design, from building outdoor living and dining rooms, to expansive water features and elaborate gardens.

According to the American Institute of Architects (AIA), 2006 saw a notable rise in the popularity of outdoor rooms, landscaping and other outdoor amenities.  People are now investing more money in enhancing existing living spaces than they do expanding square footage. 

In fact, a recent Better Homes and Gardens survey showed that building a major outdoor project is the second most popular home improvement venture homeowners will undertake before selling their home. 

Why are so many homeowners trading in add-on media rooms or expensive vacations for an oasis in their own backyard?  For one thing, people are spending more time at home than they were a few years ago according to a survey by the Propane Education and Research Council.  Outdoor property is no longer reserved only for entertaining guests either. In today's overscheduled society, people are looking to expand on the functionality of outdoor spaces from using it for the occasional backyard BBQ, to retreating to it every day to relax and de-stress.   

With new outdoor designs, not only are homeowners enjoying the great outdoors, they are also increasing their property value.  Some experts estimate that a well-designed exterior can contribute up to 30% of a property's overall value. 

So whether you are considering adding a small garden or a large outdoor living space to your property, you've come to the right place.   We'll tell you what trends are hot in landscaping and exterior design (and what to avoid), so you can start planning your own outdoor oasis.

Rooms with a View

Outdoor living spaces used to be a luxury purchase that few considered within their budget.  These days however, outdoor rooms are no longer only an option for the very rich.  With a little savvy investing, you can have a beautiful living or dining area in your own backyard. 

The National Association of Home Builders reported in 2006 that the overall size of homes has leveled off and remodeling is on the rise.  With McMansions on the outs, smaller houses with larger properties are coming back in vogue and outdoor rooms are essentially becoming an extension of the interior.  Designers are building outdoor rooms for their clients that range from built-in grills to living rooms complete with fireplaces.

"It isn't enough to offer our clients just ‘decks,'" says James Irwin, owner of Everything Outdoors.  "It's like asking an architect to design a ‘house.' Our clients rely on us to provide them with an extension of their most valued investment: their home." 

Kitchens top the list as a popular design element for an outdoor space. "Our most popular request is the granite clad outdoor kitchen, which in most cases includes a roof or shade structure. These are easily expanded to accommodate a bar and a media source, such as a plasma TV or a projector TV, for movies by the pool," says Irwin.

When it comes to designing a kitchen outdoors, the sky is the limit.  Some outdoor kitchens are rustic and homey, while others are hi-tech and upscale.  For those that plan on doing a lot of cooking in the great outdoors, designers can whip up a space worthy of Emeril Lagasse.  Cooks can prepare a delicious meal using built in cooktops and grills, sinks and supply nooks and even microwaves and refrigerators.

If cooking isn't your forte, then there are other options.  Fireplaces or outdoor firepits are set to be the most popular add-ons for 2007 according to the American Society of Landscape Architects.  What better way to spend an evening than on a comfortable couch next to your sweetheart while the fire roars before you?  Now, you can cuddle up outside just as well as in.  With an outdoor fireplace, you can enjoy your backyard even during the occasional chilly fall night or in early spring.  They also provide a certain cozy atmosphere that adds ambience to outdoor gatherings.

Anthony Muscariello of Anthony's Fireplace & Patio says fireplaces can make the difference in the final look of an outdoor space.  "Fireplaces can really anchor a space and become a focal point in a seating area," says Muscariello.  He recommends a Stainless Steel insert to prolong its life.

While fireplaces are one of the most popular requests for renovations, propane-fueled heaters are also becoming more commonplace to regulate temperature, as are ceiling fans for warmer days and nights.  Scott Bailey of Lighting Inc. says the hottest gadget on his showroom floor is a high-tech fan.  "There's a new fan out by Fanimation that attaches to your umbrella stand.  Or it comes with a base that can attach to a deck.  You can put bar stools around it and keep cool."

If you want your outdoor room to mimic the indoors with "walls" or "ceilings," you can create natural or artificial boundaries.  You can train climbing vines or other plants to grow on trellises and arbors, which provide privacy and protection from the hot Texas sun.  To complete the "room," some companies can even install weatherproof rugs or tiles that mirror your indoor flooring.

However, if you are determined to have solid shelter that can protect you from the sun and insects, Gudrun Skoldeberg of Texas Sun & Shade can help.  "We install awnings and screens that are motorized and retractable.  It's great if you want to sit outside without a screen when the weather is nice and the bugs aren't biting. But when you need a screen or a shade, you can push a button and roll it down.  For a lot of people, motorization is new to them, but it is fairly reasonably priced and so nice to choose when you want the shades up or down."

Of course, outdoor rooms need rugged yet attractive furniture to complete that "homey" look.  Dorothy Duhon of Churchhill's, a furniture store in Austin, described her most popular outdoor furniture as "a new euro dining" base that gives you a coffee table or dining table, as well as lounge or club chairs instead of the traditional dining chairs.  This makes a much more comfortable seating arrangement and serves a dual purpose:  comfortable living room atmosphere as well as a dining setting."

Furniture that stays outdoors has to be weather resistant as well as attractive. Designers recommend not skimping on furniture simply because it will be outside.  Many designers are specializing in weatherproof fabrics and materials which still retain a high end look.  Quality materials mean the pieces will withstand the weather better. 

And if you're thinking of sticking with neutral colors in your outdoor rooms, think again.  Beige is out and bright bold colors are in.  Duhon says "I am seeing a lot of interest in the turquoise family and also reddish-orange."  Consider the colors in your garden and try to find fabrics and accents that match.  You can even change colors with the seasons.

Though outdoor rooms are popular at the moment, some still enjoy the traditional deck or patio layout for their outdoor space.  But even these structures are getting a makeover, with builders using more natural products like native stones or bricks and woods that withstand the elements better. 

"We employ everything from hardwood decking to stone covered patios," says Irwin of Everything Outdoors.  "All introduce a new texture to outdoor living areas while maintaining architectural continuity with the home."

Gardens with a Flair

Many homeowners tell designers they want to get out into their yard, not just sit on the porch.  And designers are accommodating them by placing structures in the garden such as gazebos, benches and even screens.  Simulating European design, these pieces allow one to stroll the grounds, sit under a tree with a book, or just enjoy the beauty of their garden away from the confines of the house.  These features can also help you designate several separate areas in your outdoor space to increase visual appeal and give the feeling of expansive grounds.

Gary Pettitt of Seasonal Living Trading says the trend is really to make the garden into something unique for your tastes.  "The market is much broader than just what you see at your standard garden center," he says. "You can choose a small decorative pot or urn, or put the focus on a set of beautiful large doors.  At Seasonal Living Trading, we provide a lot of unique pieces of art for example.  The point is to consider a variety of different products for different outdoor experiences."

Designers all agree your garden should tantalize all your senses.  Colorful flowers are nice, but foliage can be just as colorful and provides a unique look for your garden.  Fragrant plants can add a lot to the overall ambiance of your garden.  And don't forget to incorporate artful pieces like pots or sculpture to tantalize the eye.  "In Austin, bright colors are popular," says Pettitt. "Glazes on pots can come in aquas, scarlet, watermelon red, tuscan orange, cote d'azur blues or lime green." 

Instead of just florals for your garden, consider more savory options.  Herbs like basil and rosemary have a strong, invigorating scent, with the added bonus of being a great ingredient in your dinner.  A well-placed set of wind chimes will round out the sensory experience by giving voice to the breezes around you.

Fencing is becoming a part of the design equation as well.  "As homes become more integrated with their Hill Country surroundings, homeowners don't want to block their views with wood or privacy fences.  Yards have become an extension of the house and character of the owners.  Outdoor kitchens, pools, masonry work and ornamental iron fencing are "must haves" for upscale Austin homes," says Chris Rodgers of Northwest Fence and Iron.

And if you want to add a bit of unique design to periphery of the garden, Rodgers has a few ideas.  "Homeowners can add a touch of class by adding a 3rd rail to their fence with circles or alternating stars.  Many customers are also using ornamental iron for their decks and patios.  More ornate looks are available for decks and patios without too much additional cost."  Fencing in "camouflage" colors that blend in with the surrounding environment is also popular. 

For added pizzazz, many designers also suggest choosing a focal point for your garden.  Focal points can serve multiple purposes, like drawing the eye away from an unsightly utility pole, or establishing a theme for your garden.  You can use statuary, bird feeders or plants.  Plants like the agave are large yet low maintenance and native to the Central Texas region.  Another way to draw the eye to a focal point is by using large pots of unusual shapes, sizes or colors and placing them in the garden.  You could do this with smaller plants as well, grouping them into clusters around other in-ground plants.

Using Elements to Your Advantage: Water and Light

For many people, the backyard is their playground, their amusement park and their spa all rolled into one.  Well-planned water features and strategically placed lighting can really enhance an outdoor space and help you get more out of your yard, both day and night.

Swimming pools will never go out of style and pool-buyers have more options than ever when choosing a pool.  From shallow waders to lap pools, area designers offer a wide array of shapes and sizes. 

"We cater to many personalities and age groups," says Debbie Pendley of River Oaks Pools, "and they all want and need different things.  For children and older folks, we do beach entries, for teens who enjoy tanning we do tanning lounges in 6-8 inches of water and for adults who like to entertain, we do swim up bars."

The key component of modern pools is continuity.  Pool designers are focusing on ways to make the pool area blend in with the other elements of the property, like mirroring the materials used on the house in pool floors and the surrounding landscape.

"Creating a beautiful pool that blends seamlessly with its surroundings begins with the design.  By allowing the landscape and property to depict the placement and design of the pool we are able to integrate the design with its surroundings and not have it look like an afterthought," says Tracy Mowry of Mowry Pools.

New design elements use color to blend the pool with its environment.  The pool floor, for example can come in many colors and textures.  "If a customer wants a negative edge pool that blends in with the lake behind it, for example, we can choose a stone scape floor that will reflect to match water on water," says Pendley.

"Standard plaster has a nice range of color," says Mowry, "but tends to create and cause an uneven color. The cost of a plaster surface is less than the stone scape products, but the stone product will last twice as long.

Newer technologies in purification are also eliminating the need to hassle with chemicals.  But there is some debate on which systems work best.  Johnny Crites of Crites Pools recommends several different types of purification systems to his customers.  "We're leaning over to ionization and mineral purification systems, which use silver, a natural fighter of bacteria and copper, a natural fighter of algae, to clean the pool.  Another option is ozone.  The ozone is an oxidizer which cleans in a way that reduces the amount of chlorine you use as much as 80%." 

Tracy Mowry says, "We are steering away from the salt water systems because of the erosion caused over time on the masonry surfaces. If a customer wants to install a saltwater system they need to be sure and have it properly sealed."  But Debbie Pendley is a proponent of the saltwater system. "We encourage anyone who considers a salt water system to use very dense flagstone, seal it and combine it with an ozone purification system.  That's the ideal system," says Pendley.

To really create a feeling of relaxation and comfort in an outdoor space, many designers use water features such as koi ponds or fountains.  They provide a feast for the eyes and for the ears as well.  The sound of falling water can serve as "white noise" to block out other noises like street traffic or your neighbor's noisy lawn mower.  Perhaps the biggest advantage of fountains and ponds is the intrinsic calming effect of the quiet pools.  Many people choose waterscapes to help them relax after a hectic day.

Janet Christian of Mermaid Waterscapes says people have a natural attraction to water.  "It starts when we're little and can't resist stomping in every rain puddle or running through a sprinkler, shrieking with sheer joy. And although we mature in how we respond, water never loses its attraction. Water is a natural people magnet; just look at what happens at a party when there is a pool or pond in the yard. Water entertains, soothes, relaxes and comforts. The more complicated and hectic our lives become, the more important a pond or water feature is to our health and well-being," she says.

Designing effective lighting for an outdoor space can be challenging, but the effect of a properly illuminated garden can be charming as well as dramatic.  Well-lit front walkways offer a warm welcome to visitors and provide increased security.  All weather lamps are also becoming popular, allowing night owls to linger outside long after dark in their outdoor retreats.  For a lower tech option, strategically placed candles, chimaneas or torches can create a nice ambiance. 

Well-placed lights around pools, ponds, and fountains can really heighten the beauty of waterscapes at night.  After planned consideration, you may even choose to equip your pool with LED or fiber optic lighting, providing color and light without being too stark and still adding to a safe pool environment in terms of nighttime visibility. "Whether you have a pool for exercise, entertaining or relaxation and therapy, it is important to consider your poolscape and utilize water features and lighting that will elevate your pool from a standard pool into an artistic masterpiece," says Tracy Mowry.

A Space That is Purely You

Clearly, there are a myriad of different ways you can make your exterior living space an inviting, tranquil place.  But before you begin your quest for a personal paradise, make sure you know your limits. How much maintenance are you willing to do? How often do you see yourself firing up that grill or going for a dip in the pool? If you have a koi pond, will you remember to feed the fish? These are important questions to ask, preferably with a trained professional there to help you answer them, before investing a large amount of money on your exterior.

Once you know your threshold for maintenance and what you are looking for in your outdoor space, you can move on to choosing your designs.  As shown here, there are countless options for creating an outdoor space that fits your needs.  Creating the garden of your dreams may not be simple, but a well