Expand Your Living Space

Posted: 09 May 2011 by Metricon Homes

Tags: outdoor, trends

Nothing defines modern Australian living more immediately than the effort currently invested in creating the perfect “indoor-outdoor experience”.

Always a nation that has valued our “time in the sun”, it’s clear that the development of ever more fully-featured and attractive rooms attached to the main house - so we can all “get out there” and enjoy our outdoor spaces regardless of the weather - is a major design trend that is going to continue unabated.

So expect to see much more thought going into decoration … we’ll all soon be hanging paintings created on metal or all-weather vinyl canvases, statues of all shapes and sizes are once again popular, there’ll be an abundance of wall-hung plants (creating so-called “green walls”) and plaster, tile or metal artworks adorning fences and walls will be common. Increasingly, in other words, the outdoor room will become a venue for us to express our inner creativity in new and exciting ways.

The outdoor room will still be a major venue for dining, of course, but more often than not it will be of a more informal and relaxed nature than inside the house. Yes, stand alone tables and chairs will still be central in many indoor-outdoor rooms, but we will also see more “built-in seating”, especially along walls, so your guests can graze, sit, stand and move about, and then sit again, at informal party gatherings. Outdoor bars, built-in sinks and kitchenette facilities, and even retro-style bar stools are all part of the mix as people create their perfect entertaining environment.

And look down, too. Whilst timber decking will still be the “choice du jour” for many people, luxurious “inside look” pavers and tiles are increasingly used to blur the distinction between what is “indoors” and what is “outdoors”, with the same tile often flowing out seamlessly from the living/dining area.

Metricon’s Point Cook and Cranbourne displays showcase these trends and also give you the chance to marvel at some outstanding landscaping, too. Why not drop in and have a look? It’s a great way to get your own creative juices flowing...