In most of our projects, we find the design expanding beyond the house itself, connecting to a range of outdoor living spaces that extend into the landscape. This includes pools, spas, pickleball courts, and the like, but some of the most interesting to design are the partially enclosed or covered outdoor living spaces. While we are designing the modern version of these outdoor rooms, there is a long history of many of these building types that you can find dating back as long as the history of architecture itself.
Partially this is because we enjoy being outside, and a covered outdoor space makes it possible to spend time out in the fresh air, even when the weather isn’t perfect. Partially this is because, before modern heating and cooling systems were available, it was more comfortable to be outside, in the shade and fresh air, with the breeze blowing through.
In this guide, we’ll go through several types of semi-enclosed space, to give you an idea of some common types we work on in our projects. From there we’ll get into tips, ideas and questions to get you started on your way.
What Counts as a Modern Covered Outdoor Living Space?
A modern covered outdoor living space is an area designed for relaxation, dining, cooking, working or entertaining that has a permanent or semi-permanent overhead structure. It can come in all shapes and sizes, be prominent or tucked away, have walls, partial walls, screened walls, or columns. It can be attached or detached. There are many possibilities.
Common examples include pergolas, fully enclosed garden rooms, and pavilions with integrated lighting and heating, outdoor bars, dining areas, and so on.
By ‘modern’ we don’t always mean that it needs to be an ultra modernist design style. This doesn’t work in every project. It means that it’s bringing modern comforts, materials, lighting and climate systems, and construction techniques to a traditional and useful architectural type.
If you’re looking to make something you’ll enjoy spending time in for years to come, your project might benefit from professional input, as outlined in this guide to architectural services. This helps outline the basics of your relationship with your designer.
19 Inspirational Ideas to Create Your Own Outdoor Haven
Covered outdoor living space ideas can range from a small gazebo or folly in a tucked-away spot, to an expansive pavilion, with kitchen, bar, lounge, game area and more featured at a prominent viewpoint from your kitchen or living room. It is an opportunity for creativity and great design. It is a special space, made for uses above and beyond your basic necessities.
Do you need a space to relax and getaway from it all, to throw great parties, to have some laughs and tell stories with your family? Is it for business or pleasure? Do you want to use it year round, or just to make the most of your summer evenings, no matter the weather?
Here are some different project types we’ve worked on in our projects to help you get ideas flowing:
1. Minimalist Concrete & Wood Lounge
This is a great style for a trendy rooftop patio and bar, or alongside your minimalist home, where your kitchen or living room can flow outside through large sliding doors. In the right climate, or at the right time of year, being able to transition smoothly to the outdoors is a wonderful experience.
When you add to the design some comfortable hangout furniture—long modern sofas, soft cushions, easy lounge chairs, and tables for food and drinks—mood lighting highlighting plants, trees and architectural elements, and a quality sound system, you’ll have a lounge that you can’t wait to use and to entertain. The minimalist style lends itself to the use of concrete, wood and natural stone tile with subtle detailing.
We’ve done versions of this concept in residential and commercial designs and it’s always a crowd pleaser.
2. Rustic-Modern Mountain Retreat
In a mountain retreat, the focus of your outdoor space is almost always around the fireplace. What’s better than spending a cool evening around the fire, sipping drinks, roasting sausages or marshmallows and enjoying the outdoors?
Different from sitting around an open air campfire, the covered mountain retreat generally has a feature stone fireplace and chimney to keep the heat in and vent the smoke out. Surround this with cozy furniture and you’ve got the key pieces for a good time. Getting more ambitious you can add an outdoor kitchen, bar, TV lounge to watch movies or the game.
In our projects we choose a local stone for the fireplace, feature walls and floors. This looks appropriate, fitting with the surroundings, and is also suited to withstand local climate conditions. A natural or reclaimed wood is going to be the main design element, linking back to a history of timber framing and log construction. Heavier post and beam details are showcased to give character. Your lighting should be designed for ambiance, (this is true in pretty much all outdoor space designs, where bright lighting or task lighting isn’t necessary.) Different from the minimalist lounge, your light fixtures can me more prominent. A large chandelier, possible rustic metal or wood, can hang above a table. Lamps and sconces can be used appropriately, while mixing in outdoor lighting shining up to highlight plants or trees. Cushions and fabrics can have bright colors and patterns, or warm, earthy tones.
The location and orientation of this outdoor retreat should take in to account views and vista, should shelter you from prevailing winds, and blend with your house and the surrounding environment.
3. Poolside Pavilion + Outdoor Kitchen
The pool pavilion has a great history of adding another level of fun and sophistication to your pool experience. This happens both practically, adding sheltered hangout, cooking and dining space next to the pool, but also aesthetically: a symmetrical pavilion at the end of a pool gives a great vista, often terminating a view from the house, and reflecting in the water. This principle works across a variety of styles, classical, rustic or modern, with materials, furnishings and finishes chosen to complement your look.
This setup creates a central spot for cooking, dining, and relaxing beside the water. A solid roof structure protects from the sun and rain, while open sides keep the breeze flowing. This pavilion can also include practical features, like bathrooms, change rooms and showers, so your guests can dry off before coming back inside.
The outdoor kitchen can include a built-in grill, sink, and counter space, with storage for utensils and tableware. Comfortable dining furniture and lounge chairs make it easy to move between meals and swimming.
Planning the layout with principles of designing an outdoor kitchen helps organize function and flow. Similar principles apply from designing any indoor kitchen, but with a whole new range of possibilities and considerations.
4. Glass-Roof Garden Room
With a history that includes Orangeries and Conservatories found attached to historic British country homes, these glass rooms are a special way to enjoy the light and air of the outdoors year-round. The garden room is a great way to enjoy some plants and greenery, even on a cold winter day.
It’s a type of upscale greenhouse, focused on growing plants and herbs (traditionally citrus fruit), but also bright, clean and tidy to sit in for tea, a snack, to read or to write. You can close it off to protect the plants through the colder months and open it up when you want to bring in a summer breeze.
The modern version of this traditional space can take on any design style, and can use light and radiant heat to boost the warmth and keep you and your garden happy. Balancing the functional garden space with social seating spaces is something you can work on with your designer.
5. Budget-Friendly Terrace
You don’t need to break the bank to make a special place to enjoy the outdoors. A simple, freestanding cabana structure with a fabric roof and sides, or a stylish awning can give you shelter and shade and can anchor your outdoor area. Put it some nice, comfortable furniture, bright outdoor rugs, potted trees and plants and you’re well on your way. Simple string lights give a classic feel and just the right amount of light.
Again, it doesn’t need to be crazy. Great design can make all the difference. Finding simple alignments, symmetry and balance; laying out your elements to optimize comfort and flow; choosing nice color and materials and you’ll quickly transform your nondescript outdoors into a space you’ll use and enjoy all the time.
6. Family Play-and-Work Multipurpose Zone
Can you design a space that works for the kids to play, the family to dig in to family dinner, and that also works to setup a laptop and get some work done?
Sure! Why not? It isn’t a perfect blend of functions, but in the modern world, it’s worth thinking of ways to make your rooms work for your needs.
It starts with finding the location: convenient to the kitchen, if you’re planning to share meals there, is your top priority. Being convenient to the living and family rooms is nice, and you want it quiet enough to focus on your work when you need to.
From there, you need the right furniture, and plenty of storage. It won’t be your main office, from an ergonomics standpoint. It doesn’t need to have all your books, files, storage and furniture. But it still needs to work. You still need furniture that supports you properly, and a place without glare to set up in. You might have to go beyond the most basic outdoor seating, or at least splurge on one or two chairs that are comfortable to spend some time in. Set up or build-in storage to put away toys and clean up clutter. Add some good quality rugs if your kids are playing on the floor.
Convenient outlets to stay charged up are important. Maybe a fan to give you some breeze, and the rest comes down to good design and decor. You’ll be able to pop out there and plug into the office when you want to take advantage of nice days, and put your work away to enjoy some family time afterwards.
As a side note, we have designed a home where the main desk in the office slid out on rails onto a private outdoor work patio, but that’s another story.
Design Tips and Ideas
Beyond looking at the big picture goals for your project, and honing in on what you want your ideal outdoor space to be, it’s also important to get into the small details. These are the things that make or break any project.
7. Lighting Design is an Art Form
There are elements of art and science that go into a great lighting design. Nowhere is this more apparent than in your outdoor spaces. A great outdoor and landscape lighting scheme can be truly magical, while on the opposite side, badly designed lighting can ruin the experience. This is even more evident when using modern LED-based fixtures, which have a vast range of quality. The wrong color temperature, bulb style, fixture placement, or a low Color Rendering Index (CRI) can quickly create harsh, unpleasant conditions or drab, lifeless scenes.
Work with your designer and a lighting specialist to set the stage for your dream outdoor space.
8. Outdoor Rugs, Pillows & Textiles
Textiles bring warmth and personality to modern outdoor living spaces while softening hard surfaces. Outdoor rugs define seating or dining zones and add color or texture. Pillows and throws in weather-resistant fabrics provide comfort without fading or mildew. Coordinating colors and patterns creates a cohesive look that ties furniture and architecture together. Choosing removable covers makes cleaning simple, extending the life of each piece.
9. Lanterns, String Lights & Solar Fixtures
Lighting accessories add charm and functionality to covered outdoor living rooms. Lanterns offer movable light sources for dining tables or lounge corners. String lights draped along beams or railings create a relaxed atmosphere for evening gatherings. Solar fixtures reduce energy use and eliminate the need for wiring, making them easy to install in rental spaces. Mixing different light types is important, with some lighting up your functional areas, while others creating the atmosphere and bringing the landscape to life. Be careful when mixing different types of fixture, with different bulbs, wattages and performance. Make sure they are all balanced and working together, and that they are all the same color temperature. (We recommend going to the warmer end of the spectrum for nighttime outdoor use.) Lights with different color tones will look off.
10. Seasonal Decor You Can Swap Easily
Changing decor with the seasons keeps a covered outdoor living space feeling fresh. Lightweight accents such as cushion covers, table linens, and potted plants can be rotated to match the time of year. In warmer months, bright colors and airy fabrics work well, while autumn and winter call for deeper tones and heavier textures, not to mention warm blankets. You’ll need space to store your extras, of you go this route, so don’t overdo it. But this gives you opportunity to mix up your look and feel without committing to permanent changes.
11. Privacy Planting & Green Screens
Plants can create natural barriers that can give you peace and privacy, and sometimes can also hide things you don’t want to look at—utility structures, mechanical units, and so on. Tall grasses, climbing vines, rows of trees or bamboo can be grown along the edges of a structure to block views and add life. Green screens made from trellises or modular panels allow planting in areas with limited ground space. Some plants thrive when grown this way.
12. Native & Low-Maintenance Plants
Plants that have lived naturally in your area tend to do well and take less maintenance and input. Succulents, drought-tolerant shrubs, and native species adapt well to local conditions while staying attractive year-round, depending on your climate. Drip irrigation systems or self-watering planters can reduce your workload. Grouping plants with similar needs simplifies care and helps them grow more consistently. Guidance from EPA WaterSense on outdoor water use can help in choosing water-smart plants and irrigation methods. Obviously, if they are under the shelter of your covered space, you can’t rely on them taking care of themselves naturally. Designing these systems into your plan will save you time and effort later on.
13. Incorporating Small Garden Features
Compact garden elements bring charm and variety to covered outdoor living space ideas without requiring large areas. Raised planters, small fountains, or herb boxes can fit into corners or along edges. These features add greenery, fragrance, and can be practical. The idea of the ‘kitchen garden’ adjacent to your kitchen, is a concept we’ve had a number of clients put into the program.
Planning & Permitting Your Covered Outdoor Living Space
Local codes, climate considerations, and property boundaries can all influence the final design. For complex projects, or anything that requires permitting and approvals, working with a professional architect can streamline the process. Having someone to help you navigate bureaucracy can save many headaches.
14. Notes on Space Planning
Good design is good design, and good space planning is good space planning. On a new build, we design the indoor and outdoor spaces concurrently. Connections to outdoor dining, living and play spaces are mapped out, starting on early site concept plans, and then refined as the project moves through the design process. Views are captured, daylighting opportunities are maximized, and, in an ideal world, it all works together as different priorities push and pull the design.
On a renovation, the process is different. The outdoor space is still considered as fundamental to the design, but there are limitations, challenges and opportunities to be discovered.
Always remember that your designer is there for you, to help you realize your dreams. Communicate openly and honestly and come prepared to talk through and work through all the details until everything is just right.
15. Permits, Codes & Landlord Approval
Many covered outdoor living spaces require permits to meet safety and zoning rules. This will be a big component of what your architect and designer are working on from the beginning. Your dream won’t get very far if it’s bogged down by rules and regulations.
For a deeper look at requirements, and how you architect manages the permitting and approvals process, see this guide to building permits.
16. Design for Quality and Durability
Managing your budget is key on any project. At the same time, saving money in the short term doesn’t always save money in the long term. It’s important to find the balance where you aren’t compromising quality. It’s often better to simplify the project rather than compromise on design or materials.
17. Low-Maintenance, No-Maintenance: Myth or Reality?
No one wants to do maintenance. Everyone wants their homes and yards to be ‘maintenance-free.’ That’s an exaggeration, but you get the idea. In buildings, durability and maintenance go hand in hand. Quality and durability are linked. Simplicity is more durable than complexity. And there are often decisions between doing less maintenance more often, or bigger maintenance less often.
Confusing? I’ll explain. There are very few things that require zero upkeep. Nature takes over pretty quickly. That being said, you can set yourself up for a lighter maintenance routine with better design and better material selection. Designing for simple and efficient ways to shed water, handle snow and ice, protect against wind and rain, and so on, will set you up for success. This applies to all levels of design, from the big moves to the smallest details. From there, choosing better quality materials will cause you less problems down the road. This may come with bigger upfront costs, so you’ll want to work with your designer to make selections that give you the most bang for the buck.
In some cases, you’ll be making a choice between something that’s easier to maintain, more regularly, or something that takes less regular work, but is a big project when the time comes. An example of this is comparing a natural, penetrating oil deck stain/protector with a modern synthetic stain. The natural oil might need a touch-up coat every year or to, that goes on right over top of your previous layer. The synthetic might start peeling off in 3-5 years, at which point you’ll have to sand off all the old finish and start from scratch. One option might appeal to you more than another, but there are many similar decisions you’ll want to consider.
Integrating passive design strategies can also reduce the need for artificial heating and cooling, needing less mechanical systems and less long-term maintenance. For additional material guidance, the U.S. Green Building Council offers resources on environmentally responsible building products.
Designing for Year-Round Comfort
A well-designed covered outdoor living space can function through every season with the right features. This can make it a bigger, more complex project, but if you want to enjoy the space year-round, it will be worth it for you to make it comfortable.
Protection from rain, wind, and direct sunlight means you’ll need to be able to close it off. This can be done with sliding glass doors, large windows or even fabric walls that can be rolled down. Adding heating and cooling options help. Outdoor heaters go a long way to make you space inviting on a cold day, while large fans help you feel more comfortable on the hot summer evenings.
18. Retractable Walls, Canopies & Screens
Adjustable coverings allow quick changes based on weather or lighting needs. Retractable walls or large glass doors can help you easily adjust to the conditions, while canopies and screens add shade or block wind. These systems are especially useful in climates with significant seasonal variation.
19. Heating, Cooling & Ventilation Options
Outdoor heaters, ceiling fans, and misting systems extend comfort throughout the year. Infrared heaters are great to put over a table or seating area. You can build them in or get freestanding heaters depending on your budget and how much flexibility you want. Fans improve airflow on warm days. In enclosed outdoor living spaces, proper ventilation prevents moisture buildup and maintains air quality. This is important in your garden room or any room with a pool or water feature, where you are constantly adding moisture that can lead to condensation problems. Combining heating and cooling systems allows 3 season or year-round use without major seasonal downtime.
Conclusion
Done right, your modern covered outdoor living space can become one of your favorite places to hang out, entertain, work or play. It can be stylish, comfortable, and a practical way to add square footage to your design without breaking your budget or running into zoning headaches.
Whether it’s a minimalist lounge, a family-friendly zone, or a fully equipped rooftop retreat, the sky is the limit to get creative and make it your own.
FAQ
Do I Need a Permit for My Outdoor Living Space?
Most permanent covered structures require permits, while temporary or freestanding options often do not. Always confirm with your local building authority. Your designer/architect is there to help you through this process.
What Materials Last the Longest in All Weather?
Tried and true, time-tested natural materials are great, when used appropriately. This means wood, stone, to some extent steel. Look at traditional buildings in your area or climate zone and you can see how they will hold up, with few surprises. Modern materials can and finishes can also be great choices, with the caveat that we don’t have the precedent to look back 100 years and know for sure how they will perform. Plastics and fiberglass can discolor or break down in the sun, but hold up well to moisture. Concrete can be great, but has issues with freeze-thaw cycles. Everything has its pros and cons. Your architect and contractor can weigh in with their experience.
How Can I Heat and Cool My Outdoor Space Efficiently?
Infrared heaters, ceiling fans, and misting systems provide efficient climate control without significantly increasing energy use.
Can I Build a Covered Outdoor Living Space as a Renter?
Yes, use freestanding structures, portable furniture, and non-permanent flooring to create comfort without altering the property. Check with your landlord, of course.
Do Outdoor Living Spaces Add Value to Your Home?
Yes, well-designed spaces can increase property appeal and can improve resale value.
