Seattleites can often be heard telling others that the summer months are the reason they live here. Pacific Northwesterners love the outdoors, and get as much fresh air as they can when the weather is warm. Some residents, however, have found ways to increase their enjoyment, extend the season or just “get away” without leaving their backyard. These people have created
outdoor living spaces, and with the plethora of new furniture, textiles and gadgets available for use outdoors, the spaces are as unique as the families themselves. Terry Draheim of the Terris Draheim showrooms in the Seattle Design Center, says the market in the Seattle area has only picked up in the last five or six years although exterior furnishings have been available for 15 to 18 years. The trend, he believes, started across the ocean, “Europeans have been doing this for so long. They had a leg up on all of this,” he says. That idea of dining al fresco has been gaining popularity in the United States, and evidence can be seen in the number of homeowners creating outdoor kitchens in addition to outdoor dining areas or living areas.
Ellen Ahearn and her husband, Eric Markell, included an outdoor kitchen and bar when they decided to turn an unattractive concrete slab into a usable space. Ellen says at first, she and her husband couldn’t agree on how much to include outside. In the end, they put in a grill, a couple of burners, a small refrigerator and a sink, as well as countertop space and a bar to sit at. “I really think that (we) made the right decision. You never have to go into the house once you’re there,” she says. The family enjoys dining outside, and Ellen says her husband will even make their daughter and her friends pancakes outside after a night of sleeping in the fresh air. “We’ve all really enjoyed it,” she says.
Photo by John Granen Photography
John and Maureen Shaw also
enjoy their outdoor kitchen,
although they didn’t build it.
Instead, says John, he happened upon the house listing on the Internet. “They had done literally all the remodeling we were going to do (on their previous home), plus they had this killer outdoor room that was probably double the size of what we were planning,” he says. They now enjoy a space that includes a grill, sink and refrigerator, plus a large table that seats 12, and enough room for around 30 people. John says they use the area three to four times a week in the summer, at least. “It’s what sold the house,” says Maureen.
Even if outdoor cooking doesn’t appeal to you, eating al fresco might. In fact, dining tables and chairs are some of the most popular furnishings to place outside. For Barbara Carrigan, dining outdoors at her and her husband’s Bainbridge Island home is a great way to spend time. “We have this beautiful green lawn surrounded by gardens on the water,” she says. Instead of building a large outdoor structure, the Carrigans kept things very simple and purchased a table and chairs from a craftsman in North Bend. The rustic furniture fits nicely with the Carrigan’s land, which includes a garden and orchard. “The fun part about it is you can have a family there, or friends (can) eat there. It can be fancy or casual. Kids can play on the lawn, they can swim right there. It’s really conducive to having a party,” she says. In addition to the handmade table and chairs, Barbara says they’ve placed antique chairs and a table on their dock, so they are able to enjoy that part of their property, also. No matter what type of dining set fits, there is something that can be used outside. Club member Stella Gausman, owner of Stella Gausman Design in Bellevue, says there is a large market
for luxury outdoor furnishings that many people don’t know about. The technology for creating little- to no-maintenance furniture is steadily improving, with more choices available every year. “Because of technology they’re able to do a lot more different shapes,” says Stella, both for dining and other furniture. At the Terris Draheim exterior showroom, the only exclusively exterior showroom in the center, furnishing choices include products made from teak, resin and aluminum. These, says Terry, are the most common choices. Furniture makers are now taking traditional interior elements and recreating them with exterior materials. Now, a circular table for outside includes traditional-looking claw feet, but the table is made from aluminum and can be left outside year-round.
Dining sets aren’t the only things available. There are sectionals, love seats, rockers, coffee tables, side chairs and more, all available in materials that allow them to be outside all year. And to accompany the furniture, there is a wide selection of umbrellas, outdoor rugs, and fireplaces or other heating elements. There are also numerous outdoor pillows, drapes and cushions in almost any pattern imaginable. The outdoor textiles market is also booming. Sunbrella is the most familiar name in outdoor materials, as it is available at stores such as Restoration Hardware. No matter what brand it is sold under, look for outdoor materials created from synthetic materials that are
solution dyed. This means the color is an integral part of the fabric. These textiles will not fade and are incredibly durable. They can be cleaned with soap and water. Available colors and patterns range from neutrals to neons, and come in stripes, polka dots, solids, florals and more. There are even some that feel like terry cloth or chenille. Cushion and pillow fills, says Terry, are mildew and water-resistant. He says he leaves his out all summer, finally bringing cushions and pillows in sometime in October. For Stella, the only thing lagging behind is outdoor lighting. Because the lighting has to be specially designed and tested for safe use in the elements, there is not as much selection as a family might want. Even so, slowly, as the demand increases, more lighting options are becoming available.
No matter what you might choose for furniture or textiles, Stella says it is important to carry some elements from inside to your outdoor space. “Some of your materials in your fireplace (inside), you continue that outside too. That gives a feeling of transition from one room to another, and not feel like this is outside; this is inside,” she says. Stella recently worked with another Club family, the Vander Hoeks, to help them create two outdoor spaces, a patio and the backyard. “The flooring in the outdoor patio is a patterned natural slate,” says Stella. “This slate is used in the interior as well.” This, she says, is one of the things that help the inside and
outside flow together, something Karen Vander Hoek says was important. “Our house has kind of a great room effect. We knew we wanted lots of spaces for people to move to when entertaining. It’s a nice flow.” The Vander Hoeks worked with both Stella and an architect to create their spaces.
“We started with our list of wants and they got together and translated it,” says Karen. For Ellen Ahearn and her family, they enlisted the help
of a landscape architect and an interior designer. “It really was a combination of the four of us working on it. We all sat down and give input into what we wanted and what they felt could be built,” she says. Ellen says for her, it was hard to judge how much space they would need. “When we first laid it out I thought, ‘Oh my goodness, this is so big. We will never be able to fill this thing up.’ And that’s not the case at all.”
For Catherine and Dan Lowell, their outdoor space was really a labor of love. After moving from Brookside Country Club to a small, working farm in Duvall, they decided they wanted to put a swim spa in their backyard, which already had a small deck. Dan had a background in construction, and enjoys landscaping, so, over the past three years, he has built the family a large outdoor space in their backyard. In addition to the existing deck, he has added the swim spa, as well as an extension of the deck to include a seating area, fire pit and arbor, and extensive landscaping in the backyard.
Dan also converted an old backyard playhouse the Lowells’ daughters didn’t use into a henhouse for their chickens. “We probably spend virtually every weekend on the back deck, weather permitting,” he says. “A lot of guests come over and we barbecue. Every morning we have coffee (on the deck).” The Lowells furnished their space with an extended sofa, a propane fire pit, some additional seating and a table with a fire pit in the center. They found, however, “The fire pits in those (tables) don’t work quite so well. They burn your fingers and your hands ...” says Dan. Catherine adds, “It’s actually best to put ice, and then a tray on top (of the fire pit table). It keeps all of our cheeses cold if we do hors d’oeuvres, and the tray will spin in it. It’s almost like a lazy Susan on ice.” The Lowells say that their space is meant to be and it is a gathering place.
Stella says the process for creating an outdoor space needs to start with identifying how you are going to use the space, and how you plan to entertain there. That can then become a kickoff point for what features go into the space: a fireplace, a dining area, an outdoor kitchen and a place to lounge. It also helps determine how large the space is going to be. Karen suggests paying attention when visiting friends. “Write down when you go to someone’s house and you like the layout. Come up with likes and dislikes ... know what you want and don’t want.” In addition to that, Ellen says it’s important to know what your budget is, because it can quickly add up. “I think the biggest thing is really just scope out what you can afford to do and what you’re going to be comfortable spending. They’re not inexpensive, and I think you really have to prioritize what you want.” She also says it’s important to stay flexible and patient, because it is a
building project. Although the outdoor spaces that Club members have created are all very different, each has one thing in common: a tranquil
atmosphere where the family can “get away” without leaving their home. Catherine Lowell explains, “We used to, before we moved out here, be able to go on vacation. Now with all the animals we can’t really do that. My goal was to make (the outdoor space) like the hotels that we would stay at, where it would feel like you were in a suite and you could walk out and be teleported somewhere else. In our bedroom when we have the (French) doors open, we look out at the swim spa, we look out at the trees and the pots, we look out at all of that and we aren’t looking at a neighbor or work that has to be done. In fact, the neighbors come over because they say it feels like a hotel. And that’s kind of what I wanted.” For Barbara, their entire Bainbridge Island home is a retreat.
“It’s just incredibly relaxing—
it’s beautiful, it’s quiet,”
she says. “It’s the type of place where all of our children love to come, all of our
grandchildren love to
come ... you just have this sense of great peace.”
