18 Apr Why the Indoor/Outside Design Trend Continues to Impress
When the weather starts to warm up, venturing outside to mow the grass or enjoy a meal al fresco does become much more inviting. In general, opening up your home to let fresh air and natural light flood in through windows and doors can feel healthier and set you up for a great day or week ahead.
Connecting your inside and outside areas is a popular design trend that continues to grow in appeal. As well as making an effort to make the most of your garden, having outdoor spaces to spend your leisure time in, and access to any green spaces from your property, is important. Meanwhile, adapting homes to bring the outside in and blur the boundaries between your indoor and outdoor spaces can also add value to your home and attract interest from potential buyers.
Buyers place a greater value and realise the benefits to both their wellbeing and lifestyle of using outdoor spaces more. Therefore, creating exciting garden zones and cool covered areas to entertain guests continues to grow in popularity.
This article explores the enduring appeal of the indoor/outside design trend, and why it nevers fails to impress if and when you do decide to sell.
Embrace Indoor/Outdoor Designs
Creating a home that feels connected to the outdoors is a concept inspired by the Scandinavian interior design principle of ‘biophilic design’. This approach focuses on bringing more air and light into a home and incorporating natural elements to your inside and outdoor living areas. Biophilic design recognises the health benefits of enjoying nature, which can be easily achieved with a comfy outdoor lounge vibe, or a pretty decked patio extending out from your kitchen.
There are other ways to reconfigure rooms so you can create an amazing indoor/outdoor lifestyle. Start by introducing more greenery into your home with plants and flowers, or using simple wood textures and muted colours that ooze calm and wellness. Key features of biophilic interiors also include having large windows for ample natural light, neutral colour schemes that feel airy and bright, plus minimalist decor to allow spaces to breathe. With additional light and a greener vibe in your property, you can integrate nature into many areas of living space.
Redesign Conventional Spaces
At the heart of the indoor/outside design trend lies the desire to create living spaces that have an open feel of fusing the interiors with your gardens and greener spaces outside. In traditional UK homes, it’s possible to transform conventional rooms across a property to integrate nature and outdoors into the internal fabric of your home. Bringing elements of nature indoors will not only add aesthetic appeal but also creates a sense of serenity within your often hectic family living rooms.
One of the defining features of this design trend is optimising the flow of spaces into the open air, creating functional rooms outside with all the comforts of indoor living. This synergy can be achieved through various methods. One effective approach is to embrace bifold doors, which when fully opened, merge your living space and the garden. Even when closed, these doors offer lovely views into your gardens and landscaped areas, maintaining a strong connection to the outdoors.
This continual flow between your home and garden can similarly be achieved with consistent flooring. Use the same quarry tiles or stone flooring to extend out of your dining room or an elevated patio from a kitchen, to enhance the cohesion between interior and exterior spaces. From lovely decking with cosy seating areas to alfresco dining spaces equipped with BBQs, firepits and stylish dining tables, outdoor extensions become inviting retreats for relaxing and entertaining in. In this way, your garden and outside living zones become an integral part of your home’s appeal.
Maximise Property Appeal
While there are multiple ways to add value to your property with minor and major improvements, bringing the indoor and outdoor space together has the potential to enhance the value of a property and might help to sell your home faster than you expect. Properties that embrace a modern, cohesive open plan style and ‘sell a lifestyle’ are attractive selling points for prospective buyers.
Today’s house hunters are increasingly drawn to homes that offer a connection to nature, that exudes an eco-friendlier way of life. In a challenging market, it’s great to raise your game to attract viewings, and properties that showcase well-designed outdoor living areas can garner more interest.
If you are looking to sell your home, try to introduce extra greenery and plants to the inside and outside. This can easily be achieved with such features as hanging baskets – that will instantly enhance your home’s winning kerb appeal. Alternatively, constructing planters in neglected areas of your garden to create raised beds for growing vegetables or herbs can serve as a unique selling point, promoting healthy outdoor living. Consider replanting new borders, or replacing old rickety fences with lush hedges. Likewise, water features contribute a natural element to your home and with some thoughtful design ideas might elevate the value of your property.
Inspire With Timeless Appeal
The allure of the indoor/outside design trend persists as homeowners seek to cultivate environments that foster a deeper connection with nature. Integrating outdoor living spaces into properties is poised to remain a prominent feature of contemporary home design. By encompassing the beauty of your garden, balcony view and communal green spaces into your home, your living space becomes more inspiring, healthy and welcoming.
This approach captivates homeowners with its compelling combination of blend of aesthetic charm, functionality and added value. Embracing the seamless integration of indoor and outdoor spaces fosters a strong sense of connection and harmony with nature, which is a perfect combination as you look forward to the joys of summer.