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BY SHARON SAUNDERS
Business is booming for the The Outdoor Living Company, Denver, as homeowners in all age and income brackets transform their backyards into functional, spacious extensions of their homes.
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Jon Pierce
The Outdoor Living Company |
Everything seems a little bit better outdoors: Conversation is more intimate by a crackling fire, meals taste better when they are prepared in an open-air kitchen and a glass of wine is just that much smoother under the stars. According to Jon Pierce, senior business development specialist at The Outdoor Living Company, Denver, “Outdoor spaces are maturing and becoming a part of the way we live. They’re not just a luxury anymore.”
The Outdoor Living Company is part of a new breed of premier design-and-build companies that are taking outdoor living to the next level. They work closely with general contractors, custom homebuilders and landscape architects to create functional, beautiful outdoor spaces using innovative materials and design concepts.
“We are filling a void that has existed for some time,” Pierce says. Before specialty firms like The Outdoor Living Company came along, builders and landscape architects were, by default, doing outdoor hardscape design: patios, awnings, fireplaces and outdoor kitchens. “Hardscape design is a discipline all its own,” Pierce explains. “You have to know what makes an outdoor space livable if your clients are going to enjoy it for many years.”
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| The Outdoor Living Company filled in the
pool in this backyard to transform the space into a beautiful, functional retreat. |
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A Focus on Planning
When planning an outdoor retreat, the key is just that: planning. The Outdoor Living Company works closely with clients to determine exactly how they want to use their outdoor spaces and then draws up detailed plans. “We integrate the clients’ wishes with all the elements of good space planning,” Pierce says. An outdoor retreat needs to be designed with function in mind so that people can move around and relax comfortably. Pierce notes that one of the common mistakes is trying to fit too much into a space. Living areas need to be separated enough so that people are not tripping over chairs as they walk across the patio. In addition, each area has to be comfortable in and of itself; at the same time, everything should be cohesive. You do not want to put the spa so far away from the house that no one uses it or situate the conversation area so that guests are staring at the grill. “Little details make a difference,” Pierce says. He adds that a properly designed space gets much more use. Adding a loggia, awning, heaters, a firepit or a fireplace can make an outdoor room usable almost year-round in most climates.
Hot Trends
The Outdoor Living Company has seen and done it all, and there are a few trends that stand out, Pierce explains. In general, people want to maximize the amount of space available for relaxing and socializing. Gone are the days when a swimming pool or lawn dominated the backyard. Pierce recently finished a job where the homeowners filled in the swimming pool that was taking up 70 percent of their yard. The final result was a 1,700-square-foot adult playground, complete with a raised dining area, a cedar patio cover, a full kitchen, a circular natural-gas firepit and a drop-in spa with custom planters. They also integrated radiant heating into the concrete patio to melt the snow and ice when temperatures drop below freezing.
Another trend is the use of fire. Pierce reports that fire, in any form, is one of the most-requested features for outdoor rooms. “Fire is the soul of any space because it’s social at its core,” he says. People gather around a fire to eat, relax and socialize. His clients constantly tell him that they had no idea how much they would use their fire features. Pierce says that he also gets many requests to combine water features with firepits. Both are dramatic elements that play off each other beautifully. “You can get the sound of water and the feeling of fire at the same time. It’s a great conversation piece,” he says. Because the combination water–fire feature is compact, it can easily be added to a yard of any size.
What the Future Holds
On the whole, people are spending more money on their outdoor-living spaces than they did five years ago. Homeowners’ tastes are maturing as they watch home-and-garden shows on HGTV and see what is available to the average consumer. They are seeking out specialty firms like The Outdoor Living Company and the growing percentage of landscape contractors who are now offering outdoor-space planning as part of their construction services. Pierce says that it is rare for a homeowner to contact his firm for a basic concrete patio or deck with a cover. Homeowners want to see everything that they can get for their budgets. They are also realizing that an outdoor retreat can add value to the property, as a gourmet kitchen does for the interior of a home, so they are less hesitant to spend the money needed to create that retreat.
Pierce sees continuing excellence in outdoor products, from both design and innovation standpoints. Manufacturers are making grills, fireplaces, spas and accessories that have more options and added conveniences that appeal to consumers. Since the environmental movement is in full swing, Pierce would personally like to see an increased focus on green products such as solar panels that harness energy to provide power for items like outdoor lights and water features.
Ultimately, Pierce believes that the rising interest in outdoor living is contributing to the well-being of society as a whole. “People need to get away from the television and get outside,” he stresses. “When we create an outdoor space for homeowners, we are giving them a place to live their everyday lives in a way that they never could indoors.”
PHPR September/October 2007
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