Adding Charm and Interest
Features that Add Charm and Interest
Apart from planting elements, many manmade features -- such as pools, shelters, arches and gateways -- play an important role in adding charm and interest to the outdoor living room. Their permanent architectural character places them in a class entirely different from that of furnishings, which can be grouped and moved around at will. Consequently, such features become part of the fundamental design of the garden room, just as a window or fireplace is a fundamental element in the plan of an indoor living room.
Although it is advisable to consider and incorporate the special features in the initial planning stages, they can be added later as circumstances permit. In fact, the first important step after planning is to get the planting established. It really does not hurt to wait in installing special features, because it is after living in one's outdoor living room that one has a better sense of what type of feature would be most suitable and bring the greatest pleasure.
From the standpoint of design, it is good to have a feature of interest as a focal point in the outdoor living room. This focal point should not only attract the eye but it should also have sufficient importance in the scheme to become a real center of interest for family and guests. In the formal garden room, the design is often centered on features such as pools and shelters, making these features an important part of the plan. In the informal outdoor living room, where the emphasis is on plant materials and there are no architectural lines, the feature is more or less incidental. While it is needed just as much as in the formal room to add interest and charm, there is much greater latitude in its placement.
The character of design, whether formal or informal, should influence the design of the special feature. A formal square or oblong pool looks out of place in the center of an informal lawn surrounded by informal planting. Good taste can only be expressed by having the feature harmonious in character and fitting in use.
The choice of features for your outdoor living room is a matter of personal tastes and needs. There can be no hard and fast rules dictating how one should make his selection. Whatever feature one prefers, it should be put to the test of these questions:
• Will the space permit it?
• How will it look?
• Will it add the charm and interest it is supposed to add?