Landscape Architect Articles

Creating an Outdoor Room02-04-10 | News

Creating an Outdoor Room

By Ashley Harbaugh, LC/dbm

Using the natural landscape allows contractors to approach the design of outdoor rooms in a creative way. ''Outdoor rooms don't always need to be a structure,'' said Garret Hergert, owner of G2 Outdoor Living, Inc. The seating areas on the upper deck, the patio directly below the deck, and the lower patio that features a fire pit provide three outdoor rooms where the homeowner can comfortably enjoy the outside. Photos courtesy of G2 Outdoor Living, Inc.

Outdoor spaces allow people to simultaneously enjoy both the beauty of the outdoors and the comforts of the indoors. Garret Hergert, owner and operator of the Washington-based company G2 Outdoor Living, Inc., discusses the importance of incorporating the outside landscape into the design and installation of outdoor rooms.

Outdoor living spaces offer people the unique opportunity to relax and entertain in the beauty of the outdoors while enjoying the comforts of the indoors. But although outdoor rooms are extended living spaces, it is important to integrate the surrounding nature into the outdoor room. Garret Hergert, owner and operator of the company G2 Outdoor Living, Inc., says that working with the natural landscape is the foundation for building and designing outdoor rooms. ''The biggest thing if you?EUR??,,????'?????<

The pool pavillion and surrounding pool area constructed by Hergert's company contain many different outdoor rooms. ''For this project we hired an architectural designer to help design the pool pavilion, which was approximately 1,800 square feet of space,'' said Hergert. ''The pavilion was one large open structure [that] had bi-folding doors in it to open it up to the outside areas.''

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The outside landscape has been a major influence on Garret Hergert's design and construction work ever since he was little. Growing up on a family farm that maintained agricultural, raspberry, and fryer chicken operations, his connection to the outdoors started at an early age. ''As long as I can remember, I grew up in the gardens and fields, working the soil and planting plants,'' he said. ''I built my first greenhouse when I was eleven years old, and started from there.'' Working on construction projects with his father, who was a general contractor, also helped him learn the trade. After building his first greenhouse, Hergert went on to build his first commercial greenhouse at age twelve, get his first business license at thirteen, start landscaping at fourteen, and hire his first crew at seventeen. His work has earned him numerous awards for excellence in the profession, and he has served as the president of the Washington Association of Landscape Professionals (WALP).

Basalt columns and custom iron work support the large timber structure and hold it together by its compression ring and tension ring. ''This structure simply captures the space without an actual roof to keep rain and elements out, but it could be covered later if the customer desired,'' said Hergert.

Using Natural Materials

With G2 Outdoor Living, a client can have the company perform any of the construction operations necessary for an outdoor room. ''I don't like to refer to us as landscapers; we're a design/build firm,'' said Hergert. Since the business specializes in design/build practices, they have their own design/build team that helps them realize their client's vision. ''We can create a project from the ground up,'' said Hergert. ''Anything exterior in the home, pool houses, pool pavilions, amenities on the property, design in all the hardscaping, exterior structure placement, [etc.].''

Since the company uses the surrounding natural setting for their outdoor rooms, this allows them to approach the design and installation of their rooms in a creative way. ?EUR??,,????'?????<

Incorporating the outdoor setting into an outdoor room is one of the most crucial aspects of its design. ''When our projects are finished, the outdoors and the landscape flow together,'' said Hergert. ''We take into account the exterior architecture and landscape architecture as well.''

Constructing an Outdoor Room

When building the structures in an outdoor room, such as pergolas and solid roof covered pavilions, the requirements for building permits may vary. ''It depends on how big the structure is, what kinds of products you?EUR??,,????'?????<

Since outdoor living spaces can contain many different appliances and features that require gas or electricity, and if an outdoor room contractor does not have the certification to do that type of work, subcontractors will be used for their installation into the outdoor room. ''We do use high voltage electrical contractors,'' said Hergert. ''When we build our pool houses and pavilions, in some cases we need a mechanical contractor for heating, ventilation, and things like that.''

For any gas or plumbing lines that need to be handled for the project, Hergert makes sure to work them into the design. ''Those are also designed into the project, whether it's natural gas or propane,'' said Hergert. ''Those are lines that are typically run underground to the various locations. The natural gas company or a mechanical contractor runs those lines for you, but those lines have to be sized in accordance with how many appliances you have.'' It's also important to keep in mind all the different codes that those features follow. ''There are different codes based on if it's a commercial or residential area,?EUR??,,????'?????<

This water feature is connected to a larger pool feature and patio. ''The pool area has a large main terrace area and a smaller, more intimate area, which is for smaller children and parents to play in a bubbling feature,'' said Hergert.

Things to Look Out For

Engineering and wiring outdoor rooms need to be undertaken with care. One of the biggest challenges that Hergert's company has run into was a pool pavilion they constructed and pre-designed for clients, and then had it engineered. ''When we went to get permitting, the local government made us re-engineer it, and we had to go through the process two or three times,'' he said. ''A project you have engineered and ready to go can be postponed, and it can take another six months to get it started again.'' Hergert also says that contractors need to be careful of where all the utilities are placed. One time his company had to re-design the back of a building in order to fit with the easements on site. ''Contractors need to check for existing overhead power lines, underground lines, easements, [etc.].'' said Hergert.

A lower patio is surrounded by a water feature, a dining room, a partially covered patio, and a natural gas fire pit. When constructing an outdoor room, it is important to select materials that fit with the environment. ''The biggest thing if you're doing an outdoor setting is to tie the outdoor room with the outdoor landscape with similar rock products and plant materials existing in those areas,'' he said.

Focusing on the Outdoors in Outdoor Rooms

Although outdoor rooms can come with all the bells and whistles in terms of features and appliances, it's best to focus on the advantages that come from being outdoors in the first place. ''When our projects are finished, the outdoors and the landscape flow together,'' said Hergert. ''We take into account the exterior architecture and landscape architecture as well.''

By embracing the natural elements and using the right people to complete the installation and design tasks of an outdoor room, contractors can make outdoor living spaces truly distinctive works.