Challenged by a property of limited size, one San Diego couple decided on a clever remodeling strategy to maximize their living space and bring the outdoors inside.
Karen and Ed Koijane wanted to be able to enjoy more of the outdoors, even though their home was modestly sized and their backyard not particularly large. Karen explained that most of the older homes in the area are small, and because the weather in southern California allows for year-round outdoor living, they wanted to open up their living space to connect with their yard to have more usable room. They just weren’t sure how to go about it.
Bringing in the Experts
The Koijanes engaged architects Tony Garcia, AIA, and Jessie Whitesides, NCARB, of Asquared Studios to help clarify their design vision. They began by explaining that while it seemed as though the lot wouldn’t accommodate a comfortable outdoor space, that was in fact not the case. In spite of perceived space limitations, they did in fact have sufficient room to realize their creative concept. They just needed to make better use of the space they had.
The design of the outdoor “room” involved multiple features:
- Incorporating changes in elevation within the space
- Adding different flooring materials and built-in planters
- Constructing a small pool
- Creating an outdoor kitchen for cooking and entertaining
- Opening up the indoors to the outside by way of a large folding glass door
Key Design Elements
Fundamental to the realization of the plan was an Andersen five-panel Folding Outswing door. This was installed in the back of the home, looking out onto the yard to create a spacious view of the outdoors. The door was essentially an entire glass wall that could be opened up across the width of the family room, extending it onto an elevated back deck. The decking material was selected to color-match the interior floor, making the combined space visually continuous.
Aside from its aesthetic appeal, this style of door was chosen for the remodel because it slides along a single track and folds up rather than requiring a track installation within the wall — which would have required a considerably thicker wall than what was already in place. This style of door also allows for opening from either side or the middle, with the panels folding against each other accordion style.
Because the Koijanes enjoy cooking and entertaining, an outdoor kitchen was created, including a grill, an island with a sink, a space for food preparation and a dining area. To maintain consistency with the original Spanish design of the home, Garcia incorporated terracotta tile in the outdoor eating area and carried it over to the patterned tile around the edges of the pool. Aquamarine was selected as part of the color scheme, and this bold hue is seen on the frames of the Andersen E-series windows and the door frames also installed.
Tips for Creating an Indoor/Outdoor Space
The Koijanes’ experience can guide others tasked with opening up interior spaces to the outdoors.
First, homeowners should start with reputable architects. These professionals are able to combine a creative vision with the practicalities of remodeling construction to ensure that the results are aesthetically pleasing and visually consistent, yet within budget. In the case of the Koijanes’ remodel, an appealing design was created to blend with the existing style of architecture while simultaneously addressing their desire for a larger, combined indoor/outdoor space.
Secondly, homeowners should clearly communicate what activity they want to foster with their extended living areas. Entertaining is a popular reason for this type of remodel, but client needs may be different — they may simply want to observe and enjoy nature, create a convenient play space for kids, or just desire a quiet retreat for an activity like reading, writing or painting. Knowing this purpose upfront ensures the project will meet that goal.
Finally, finding the right door to connect the indoor and outdoor living spaces is key. Providing an opening that is highly functional yet nonintrusive gives the client the best of both worlds, extending the living space and connecting the interior of the home to the outside world.
