Outdoor Seating Areas

Creating the right outdoor space can really elevate the look of your home. It can also transform the way you’re able to enjoy the space, opening up more opportunities to entertain guests and to spend time with family. You can find success with the right design, the right materials, and the right timing for your outdoor seating area. The designers at Triad Associates can help you figure out what the perfect combination is for your home and your goals.

Adding a seating area to your outdoor space is one of the best things you can do to improve its design. Whether you are designing a new space from scratch or are looking to upgrade your current space, a seating area offers a comfortable place for your guests to gather. With the right combination of design and materials, your outdoor seating area can look beautiful and sophisticated.

Outdoor Seating Ideas

With a little creativity, you can add outdoor seating to just about any space. Some of the most common ways that homeowners incorporate a seating area into their space with the most success include:

Outdoor Seating with a Fire Pit

Most people like to have a central focal point when they are relaxing together, which is why gathering around a meal or a movie is so popular. Similarly, you can create that focal point in your outdoor entertaining space by designing your outdoor seating around a fire pit. The fire feature can serve a beautiful centerpiece, while also providing some needed warmth on cooler nights. When kids are part of the gathering, you can also use the fire pit for roasting marshmallows. 

Outdoor Seating by a Pool

A pool is a great place for family and friends to spend time together. But not everyone wants to be swimming all the time. You can create a lovely place to visit while still relaxing by adding a seating area next to your pool. Think beyond a simple deck with lounge chairs and imagine the possibilities for a more formal seating area with defined borders and more intentionally designed seating. 

Outdoor Seating Wall

Outdoor seating areas can be quite simple. In fact, just an outdoor seating wall can give you the seating options you need and can accommodate just about any space. The wall can be built as a border to a patio or other hardscaped area, providing a clear frame for the space while also offering seating. Be sure to build this type of wall at the ideal height for comfortable seating. Typically, seating walls are wide and can be topped with a smooth surface or even cushions to enhance the seating. 

Designing Your Outdoor Seating Area

You have many options for designing a beautiful and functional outdoor seating area. The designers at Triad Associates bring decades of expertise to the job, and they can help you design the perfect seating area to complement your home and meet your design goals. 

The design process starts with an evaluation of your current space. Is there a current hardscape area that you would like to upgrade? Or are you starting from scratch in designing your space? You’ll need to take into consideration the natural grade of the land, drainage needs, the layout and look of your home, and more. 

The designers at Triad Associates will talk through these and other considerations with you to create a seating area that will elevate your outdoor living space and will give you many hours of comfort and enjoyment. We’ll talk with you about materials, accessories, the overall aesthetic, and more to ensure that we create a finished design that you’ll absolutely love. 

Choosing the Right Materials

You have a wide variety of materials to choose from when creating your outdoor seating area. Typically, you will choose several types of materials to create your space — one for the flooring, one for the seating wall (if you choose this option), one for accessories like columns or fire pits, and so on. You may also decide to use materials like gravel or pebbles to create accents around the space, such as a border surrounding the seating area. 

Many people start with selecting the materials for the base of the seating area. Oftentimes this is the patio, or the area between the seating. Pavers are a great option, as they can be easily installed and are easy to maintain. Pavers also come in a wide variety of styles, including geometric options like rectangles that can be placed in streamlined patterns, as well as rustic options like flagstone that can create a natural look. Concrete is another popular option for the base, as it can be laid in any shape, can be stamped or colored to take on different looks, and is durable and low-maintenance. 

When choosing other materials, many people focus on what kind of look they create. The materials for the seating wall, columns, or other accessories should complement the materials used for the base. Mostly, these secondary materials are aesthetic, as they are placed over a structural base. Options include sculpted concrete, stucco, stone, and veneer. Choices usually come in a variety of textures, colors, and shapes.

Where to Put an Outdoor Seating Area

Traditionally, homeowners build outdoor entertaining spaces or seating areas right next to the back of their homes. You exit the back door, and the seating area is waiting for you. This is a convenient choice, as it makes it easy to go to the seating area whenever you like or to go back in the house whenever you need something.

However, there are many other options for your seating area. Some people like to put a seating area in a back corner of the yard, tucked behind some bushes or under some trees so that there is plenty of shade and privacy. Others build the seating area around other components of the landscape, such as by a pool or next to a shed or backyard cottage. 

Evaluate your current space and determine where a seating area would give you the most benefit.

Benefits of Outdoor Living

An outdoor seating area can do more than improve the curb appeal and value of your home. Such spaces can encourage you to spend more time outdoors, which can have plenty of benefits for your health. Spending more time outside can improve your Vitamin D levels, which can strengthen your bones, reduce your risk of infection, help you regulate your mood, and more. Being in nature can also help you to lower your stress levels, which can protect your heart health and lower your risk of illness.

Spending more time outside is good for your mental and physical health, and creating an outdoor seating area can help you to spend more time outside and enjoy more of those benefits. 

Ideas to Elevate Your Seating Area

There are many ways that you can elevate a seating area to make the space even more enjoyable and to make the design more sophisticated. Some ideas include:

Add a Water Feature

A small water fountain or jets can create a lovely focal point for your seating area and create a peaceful atmosphere for the space. You can spend long hours gazing at the water and listening to its soothing trickle. 

Add an Outside Kitchen

You may intend to primarily relax in your seating area, but occasionally you may want to entertain as well. An outside kitchen will give you the option to prepare food and drinks for small and large gatherings, helping you to maximize use of your space.

Add Outdoor Lighting

Lighting really sets the tone for your space. The lighting you choose for your outdoor seating area can make it seem more intimate, more sophisticated, or more exciting. It all comes down to what type of lighting you choose (low or bright, cool or warm, etc.), where you place the lighting, and what style of fixtures you choose. Our designers can help you make the right choices to produce the desired results. 

Maintenance and Upkeep

Maintenance for your outdoor seating area depends entirely on the type of materials you choose. However, most hardscaping materials are generally low-maintenance, requiring a regular sweep or spray down, but not much more. The key is to keep stains from setting in, and you can usually do that by keeping the materials free of debris. When dirt does start to collect, use a mild cleanser designed for that material to clean it. 

Some materials can also benefit from regular sealing, which will reduce the risk of staining and damage from other environmental factors.

Hire Triad Associates’ Outdoor Seating Area Experts Today

The expert designers at Triad Associates are ready to help you create a gorgeous seating area where you’ll love to spend time by yourself or with family and friends. Call us today to schedule a consultation and start exploring the possibilities for your space. We’ll help you realize the full potential for your home, and we’ll design an outdoor seating area that can improve your home’s curb appeal and give you years of enjoyment.