Decorating & Design
August 15, 2022
25+ Incredible Indoor-Outdoor Spaces That Extend The Season
With Fall around the corner, you may want to bridge the indoor-outdoor divide with inspiration from these fabulous spaces from the pages of H&H. From glassed-in terraces and roofed patios to screened-in porches, these breezy rooms offer the best of both worlds.
Scroll down and get inspired!
At this lakehouse, an entire wall can be opened up to combine the dining room with a screened-in porch. Glass panels appear almost invisible, giving you an unobstructed view of Lake Huron.
Here, a wood-panelled ceiling extends beyond the living room and onto a porch. When the glass doors are open, the two spaces become one.
This lakeside living room gives cottagers a break from the sunshine without having to head indoors. The L-shaped couch and surrounding lounge chairs can accommodate a crowd.
Full-height windows with minimal frames and glass barriers provide panoramic views of the water, making this indoor-outdoor living room an immersive experience.
The designers took this screened porch to the next level with a dramatic vaulted ceiling. A wood-burning fireplace flanked by floor-to-ceiling windows keeps things feeling cosy and airy all at once.
While indoor-outdoor living and dining rooms have grown in popularity, an outdoor rain shower is another clever way to achieve the lifestyle. The surrounding greenery makes it feel almost tropical.
This home brings a cosy feel to the covered porch with a swinging daybed.
Whether you’re looking to keep insects at bay or breathe in fresh air on rainy days, a screened-in porch lets you take in the outdoors while enjoying the comforts of staying inside.
Ample natural light pours into this double-height living room where sliding doors can be opened for seamless indoor-outdoor entertaining.
At this opulent home, an in-ground pool is surrounded by windows and doors for quick patio access and optimal sunshine.
A pergola and glass roof make this the perfect spot to curl up or entertain, rain or shine. The terrace is spacious enough to include zones for dining and lounging.
Creating an indoor-outdoor living space can be as simple as installing a sliding glass door that connects your living room with the patio. Pro tip: Adding an oversized umbrella will enhance the effect.
This home extends its living space with a wall of sliding doors that open to the backyard. A pergola provides ample shade, as well as an ideal spot for alfresco dining.
Even small spaces can become indoor-outdoor sanctuaries. This designer built a cabana that opens to a bamboo grove, embracing nature and enhancing relaxation.
You don’t always need sliding doors to achieve indoor-outdoor living. In this elegant family room, a few sets of French doors can be opened up to a lush backyard.
Designer John Tong’s west-end Toronto house and courtyard was dictated by his children’s needs, turning an old industrial alleyway into a giant outdoor playroom. Swings were hung from existing steel beams, which created a natural canopy for a seating area.
The back wall features a 12-foot cedar installation that doubles as a backdrop as well as a screen for projecting movies. Bring out a couple of sleeping bags and pillows and movie night reaches a whole new level in this space.
A screened-in porch is the perfect transition space between indoors and out. A low wall anchors the tall windows providing uninterrupted views, while the porch railing continues around the width of the deck, blurring the line between the two spaces.
The pergola in this Toronto backyard provides shade and protection for the built-in seating. Plush cushions soften hard exterior materials like stone and wood. Fresh flowers in a vase on the table echo the look of a more formal indoor table setting.
Paving stone laid in a herringbone pattern creates a rug-like effect and delineates the living space, as seen from the interior of the cabana. A 20-foot sliding glass accordion door delineates the indoor and outdoor areas. The mod furniture would be equally at home in a living room as it is here.
The ikat-style rug was made from weather resistant materials to withstand the elements at this year-round home in the Catskills, New York. This screened-in porch bridges the gap between a century old log cabin on the right and a larger ‘80s house on the left.
H&H’s senior editor Sally Armstrong’s basement walkout was transformed into an entertaining oasis. To create a seamless transition from the inside to the outside, the patio banquette was designed and accessorized to feel like an extension of the interior built-in bench. The concrete floor is also carried throughout.
Seen from basement level, the lush plantings and fabrics soften the concrete surround. A mix of materials, including wood and rattan, will age gracefully. Instead of a big wall of concrete, the terraced plantings provide visual interest — it’s hard to believe this seating area is below ground level!
The varied seating areas, as well as the multi-level bar, truly makes this the ultimate entertaining space. Giving plenty of options for seating is key for a comfortable outdoor experience, and the mix-and-match materials here break up the monotony of typical uniform outdoor seating.
The back terrace of designer Colette van den Thillart’s London home incorporates the best of the English country aesthetic. Mismatched stripes on the armchair mirror the slatted cafe chairs outside. The cerulean pedestal used as a side table evokes a garden bird bath, bringing the outside in.
Designer and artist Jay Hodgins’ long screened-in porch functions rain or shine, thanks to a sturdy roof above. The overhead lighting, soft furnishings and art displayed on the back wall make the space feel like an extension of the house.
Who says outdoor furniture has to be boring? Designer Sarah Hartill brought some glam to her backyard entertaining area with a gold table and chair set. The concrete retaining wall frames the space, giving it a room-like structure, and is topped with pillows for a clever seating alternative.
The central pavilion of this retreat on B.C.’s South Pender Island truly blurs the lines between outdoor and indoor. Two walls of sliding glass doors means ocean breezes come right through. The materials used are all ones that reflect the colors of nature and the furnishings are purposefully low-slung to leave views uninterrupted.