The Design Column – August/September 2008

At last, summer is here and – for a few weeks at least – we can all adopt a more continental, outdoor lifestyle.

I’m sure I am not alone in feeling that if I spend too long surrounded by four walls I start to go a little stir crazy. So when the weather starts to warm up and the sunshine starts to last longer than the showers, then no way am I going to waste a beautiful day, or even a slightly above average one for that matter, looking at the world from behind glass. I’m going to open the doors and let the outside in.

The vagaries of the British climate mean that we can often go from winter to summer in the blink of an eye. By the time we realise summer is here, we’re rooting round in the shed trying to remember where we hid our recliner cushions and parasols. And when we find them, they’re often in too sorry a state to go on public display again or we’ve missed the boat and the sun has gone behind the clouds for a few days.

But a carefully planned, designed and executed kitchen-living room, like the one I recently completed for award-winning chef Giancarlo Caldesi, gives the ability to have ‘instant alfresco’. With the added benefit of being able to retreat safely behind doors when the British summer does live up to expectations!

I’ve always enjoyed entertaining in the summer. There’s something special about eating and relaxing outdoors. The food tastes better, the wine is more refreshing and because going outdoors means more space, we can invite more people so the home feels more sociable. In my experience people also tend to be more relaxed and spontaneous at outdoor functions. It’s easier to fire up the barbecue, prepare some fresh salads and be liberal with the drinks. Even the simplest meals can then become real occasions without any real trouble.

I’ve always like to blur the line between indoor and outdoor space. For Katie and Giancarlo Caldesi, this meant installing a wall of fully retractable doors that opened onto a large decking area. By extending the home this way and creating a seamless passage from indoors to out, the living space outside becomes as much part of the fabric of their home as any other room.

Outdoor living spaces always need to be designed according to the owners’ needs whether the space is going to be used for entertaining, dining, playing, relaxing and in some cases, all four. If clients have a growing family, or like the Caldesis, host plenty of parties then adequate seating and dining space is essential. Furniture choice is crucial as the quality and style of any outdoor furniture needs to be in keeping with the overall style and décor of the home. You should never be afraid to use some colour, after all, gardens are a space where colour naturally belongs so some complimentary or co-ordinating colours will do wonders for the overall feel and ambience of an outdoor space.

When designing kitchen-living rooms that flow naturally into the garden I like to truly analyse and understand how the family will use the space both inside and out. I get to know what they like doing and what they feel is missing. Sometimes, talking to the whole family generates new and interesting concepts and ideas that I can incorporate into a finished scheme. Not only does this ensure that the space meets the needs of everyone in the family, but also that they have a very real sense of ownership and relationship with a space that they helped to design.

And by doing so, this ensures that the space is used extensively and not just in the height of summer.