EXTERIOR DESIGN:

Originally it seemed that man could scarcely wait for the frame of his home to be built and doors and windows installed for him to escape from the world of nature into his indoor refuge. This is most understandable when one considers the blatant reality of mankind once having to routinely share a bed and a meal with a myriad of insects, amphibians, reptiles and rodents – let alone dirt and dust, decay, smells and air-borne and crawling whatever’s that would seep into everyday life! Existence in those times was intensely real; nature was not necessarily a friend to personal hygiene.

A half-century ago, we made somewhat of an arm’s-length stand with nature, and found at first, a sadly dangerous chemical means of separating one world from the other as to intimate meetings. More recent science has been kinder to nature, and has found means to create a healthy division all round that is much better if not actually good for both man and the environment. We needn’t be roommates with the wild, and yet we don’t have to be antagonists either.

As a result, man has found that the concept of sharing those parts of the outdoors that are lovely, calming, non-invasive and safe is a pretty wonderful way to live.

Outdoor rooms, as patios and pergolas are currently being referred, now have an expected place in home design almost as a part of the whole home package. Outdoor entertaining and eating is as regular as cocktail parties and pot-lucks once were.

And the options as to the décor of those rooms are as open and obtainable as any other room design choice.