Spring outdoor dining spaces are becoming a priority for homeowners and buyers as temperatures rise. A terrace near a family room can create seamless indoor-outdoor flow to patio dining while protecting privacy and safety for children and pets. Fenced outdoor areas can connect to pergolas and include practical amenities such as an outdoor kitchen and fireplace. Strategically placed evergreens can block unwanted views without reducing neighbor sunlight. Planning should start with dining table size and how the space will be used from different perspectives. Outdoor cooking choices should match actual routines, since complex appliances require prep time, energy, and space. Simple gas grills and insect-deterring plants can help keep the area comfortable and visually engaging.
"The task: Create a seamless indoor-outdoor flow to patio dining at a home with views of National Cathedral. The challenge: Make the upper-level space private, plus safe for a toddler and dogs. The solution: The DC landscape-architecture firm built a fenced-in terrace just off the family room, where multiple sets of doors open onto a pergola and a simple outdoor kitchen and fireplace. Strategically planted evergreens provide privacy without blocking the neighbor's sunlight and views."
"“Think about how you're going to use this space from two perspectives,” says Joseph Richardson, the firm's founder. First, scale: “I tend to get to the root of that by asking folks, 'Hey, how big of a dining table are we planning for?'” And function: When it comes to outdoor cooking, he recommends clients consider their cooking routine."
"“Unless you already use a grill, a pizza oven, and a green egg, he believes it's unlikely you'll start after building one into an outdoor kitchen. “People tend to underestimate, aside from a simple gas grill, how much time and energy it takes to prep some of these things.” Plus, the contraptions take up valuable space. Richardson suggests keeping it simple."
"Another tip: He likes planters of flowers with color and texture for visual interest, plus plants from the mint family-nepeta, calamintha, thyme, rosemary, and mint itself-to help deter insects."
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