Renewing Benefits of Personal Outdoor Spaces

The fall equinox has arrived in the U.S. and in the northeastern states the signs of color change are just beginning to appear. The temperatures at this time of year are quite ideal – the high heat from summer is beginning to wane and the cool breezes of fall are refreshing the air. It is so important to find the time and space to enjoy the outdoors all year round. However, this time of year is particularly enjoyable because of the predictability of the weather and the crisp quality of the experience.

Through my entire adult life, I have lived in numerous apartments and rental houses and always made an effort to find places that included some type of private outdoor access. It is not that I am opposed to enjoying public outdoor spaces at parks or nature trails, it is just that I believe the personal outdoor space should be a pre-requisite for one’s home. The reason for this is multifaceted. For one, the outdoor space provides a connection to the environment, whether it is a walled-in courtyard with a single tree and a view to the sky, or a balcony with some potted plants and a view to a water body. The second reason is that our body’s immune system requires some outdoor time, and in some cases, we want to spend that time in self-reflection or with uninterrupted activities such as reading or meditating. Another reason is simply to access natural daylight in the full spectrum for a daily dose of vitamin D and other circadian rhythm benefits. For introverts, having a personal outdoor space to catch some rays is often more desirable than trying to be social at a public pool or doggie park (though socializing has major benefits as well). For the busy schedules that are prevalent in many of our lives, having the outdoor space be accessible as quickly as stepping out your back door is a huge benefit.

The extension of the home living spaces into the outdoors is often more common in temperature climates than in extreme climate locations. However, most locations can accommodate some acceptable outdoor living time at some season in the year. Beyond the personal health benefits of spending more time in outdoor rooms, there are also environmental benefits. The more time we are able to spend in outdoor spaces of our home, the less we have to heat or cool indoor spaces for thermal comfort. With proper design, such as coordinated solar access or shading strategies, the thermal comfort of outdoor living spaces can be extended to more times of year.

Providing good solar access is helpful in colder climates and requires a little understanding of the sun-path and orientation of your home and outdoor space. Combining solar access with warming thermal mass materials, such as masonry or stone pavers that will release the stored heat at night, is a great design strategy for colder days. You can also include an outdoor fireplace or fire pit. Adding a pergola or shade structure over an outdoor space in warmer climates helps to shade the inhabitable zone and keep the temperature more reasonable. It is important to design shade structures with gaps and spaces for air to exhaust upwards, which assists the cooling effect for the space rather than trapping the heat below a horizontal shade surface.

From the perspective of the inside of our homes, the extension to outdoor spaces provides wonderful benefits through visual connection and access to daylight. Courtyards that penetrate the interior core of a house are a wonderful design strategy to bring access to natural light and fresh air to otherwise deep interior floor spaces. This inherently creates dual purpose benefits to our living spaces. I have also experienced some really refreshing bathroom designs that open directly onto outdoor patios and incorporate indoor-outdoor showers or bathing spaces. The combination of water, cleansing rituals, and being in the outdoor air is one of the greatest daily wellness practices that one could hope for.

Porches and decks are also another great way to extend the indoor living spaces to the outside. Front porches give us both the potential to wave and say hello to neighbors that might be passing by, while also maintaining a certain sense of privacy. Decks can open up an outdoor space that extends from a second or elevated story or occurs over a slope on the property, thus providing additional usable square-footage to the home. Incorporating a deck extension could also serve the function of a carport or shading another outdoor space underneath. There is a nice size deck at the house I am currently living in, which looks out upon a large meadow surrounded by pine-tree covered hills. This deck is an ideal place to have my morning coffee while breathing the fresh pine air. I haven’t tried it yet, but I am considering doing some of my yoga sessions outdoors on the deck soon!

Some other wellness benefits of outdoor spaces connected to our homes include the engagement with the sounds and sights of nature. Bird activity and wind rustling the leaves of trees are very calming to listen to and relaxing to watch. These aspects tap into the concept of biophilic design through access to sensory experiences of nature. Having a personal outdoor space also allows the possibility to do some gardening. This can be accomplished in many ways and can be any range of intensity you are up for. Connecting with soils and earth and plants directly by way of gardening is another regular wellness practice. For beginners, having a few potted seasonal plants that are easy to care for is a great start. You can ramp up to incorporating potted herbs, and perhaps eventually become a full-fledged produce gardener creating your own farm to table edibles.

In order to make use of an outdoor space, it is helpful to integrate appropriate outdoor furnishings that will encourage you and your family to spend time there as well as support your intended functions for the space. Designing outdoor rooms with select furnishings is very similar to designing the furniture layouts of your indoor spaces.  The difference here is that you want to choose furnishings that have durable materials that are resistant to weatherization in your climate. You can also purchase outdoor furniture covers to protect your furnishings in off-season or when not in use. When selecting outdoor furniture, it is also ethical to consider the sourcing of furniture materials and the craft, production, and manufacturing loop.

The possibilities for both incorporating and utilizing outdoor spaces that are connected directly with our homes are endless. Perhaps you already have a personal outdoor space, but it is underutilized. Perhaps you would like to add or integrate a new outdoor space with your house and aren’t sure where to start. In all scenarios, you can get some design inspiration and ideas to improve or integrate personal outdoor spaces with your home through the Designing WELL resources. Reach out today with your thoughts and interests pertaining to healthy outdoor spaces.You can always find more information and healthy home resources at Aletheia Ida Design and Architecture, LLC (AIDA, LLC) at www.aletheiaida.com.