6 ways to create your own laid-back luxe
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By Carol Badaracco Padgett
Where do you like to hang out? Indoors? Outdoors? How about both? Just ask an Oakhurst family, who tapped Decatur’s Studio Wythe (Ashley McClure) and Hammertime Construction (Ali Herriot) for an assist in creating the ultimate hybrid backyard haven. “It’s not a detached exterior space; and there’s no hassle to use it,” Herriot says. With so many elements in play, you may just find a design idea that works for you. Here’s a peek inside:
Accordion all-access
McClure and Herriot created a screened porch and outdoor kitchen addition where the indoors is out and the outdoors is in—all with the gentle glide of a door and a window. “By incorporating an accordion door and window in this project, the kitchen opens up to the outdoor space and it really makes a continuation of the living space,” Herriot says. “The homeowner can either cook food in the kitchen and walk straight out onto the screened porch or use the outdoor kitchen to cook there in the Green Egg.” Either way, the transition is smooth and ultra-inviting when guests come over.
Green Eggs and fan
Speaking of the Green Egg—or any type of outdoor cooking or kitchen set-up—homeowners need a fan to blow grill smoke away in both the porch and kitchen. For this outdoor cooking area, an oscillating wall-mounted fan was the ideal choice. And, if you’re looking for a bonus tip: Don’t forget the outdoor kitchen sink. “Make sure you winterize the sink by having a shut-off inside,” Herriot says. “You don’t want to bust a pipe.”
Natural wood
In nearly every Atlanta neighborhood, you’ll spot a natural wood vibe on the exterior of homes. Its neutral good looks also are right for screened porches and patio areas. “The trend is to showcase the natural appearance of the wood species, such as oak, cypress or cedar, with a clear matte sealer to protect it from the elements,” Herriot says. Some opt to skip the sealer, let the wood age naturally, and get a rustic, warmer feel.
In the screened porch at this home, McClure and Herriot created a floating fireplace mantel that showcases a natural patina. If a wood element is under a covered porch of some type, like the floating mantel, Hammertime often opts to use reclaimed wood from the existing house to build the mantel and other elements of a screen porched or outdoor kitchen area.
Low-key lighting
The key to really cool illumination is to have enough to light up the space, but not so much that it compromises the relaxed ambience of the environment. “When there’s a fire going in the outdoor fireplace—the wood-burning variety with a tongue-and-groove ceiling at Oakhurst—you can dim the recessed lighting,” Herriot says. “The fireplace might provide the only lighting sometimes. For other times, small lamps are a nice option for ambient lighting.”
Doggie door
Sit down, get up. Sit down, get up. Repeat. This dance can ruin any relaxed vibe for the dog that wants to be in and out of the backyard, over and over again. Enter a simple dog door on the screened porch, which keeps everyone happy. “A lot of people don’t think about it, and architects often don’t either, but we ask the homeowner if they want one,” Herriot says. “Then, when we do the warranty punch-out, something they can’t stop talking about is the dog door. It’s a good little inexpensive feature that makes a huge difference.”
Beer tap and beverage refrigerator
Let’s face it: A beer tap can be a killer amenity. “It’s a kegerator,” Herriot says, “that is located under the outdoor kitchen countertop. You can also put wine on tap, but we did kegs of beer on this project. Another cool and much-enjoyed touch is a beverage refrigerator.”
