Outdoor areas are more than just an extension of your home. They’re essential spaces for socializing, dining, relaxing, and connecting with nature — particularly when the weather warms up. If you’ve been peering out your window at the sad expanse that just needs a little TLC, an outdoor renovation may be just the solution you’re looking for.
Decks, patios, balconies, and gardens might all be second priority, at least until summer rolls around. These renovations are the catalyst for spending more time outside and making the most of every square foot of your property. Decks can be transformed into two-level oases, patios can melt into their stunning surroundings, and even interior spaces can see an improvement when looked at holistically alongside of your outdoor spaces. For inspiration, take a look at the following projects.
1. A Natural Wooden Oasis
One of the best ways to incorporate nature into your exterior space is using natural materials, such as wood and stone, which better blend into the surroundings. Additionally, keeping sightlines unobstructed helps meld human living spaces with the great outdoors. Our Vista Park El Cerrito deck remodel exemplifies these concepts. The wooden planks and railing are down-to-earth and the select taller beams allow for different shade options, such as laidback fabric sails and sun covers.
2. A Cozy Lower Deck
Outdoor spaces should be a balance of open-air areas as well as more sheltered spots. This doesn’t only protect dwellers from the elements, but it designates spaces for certain activities, like dining, sunbathing, or relaxing. To make these different “zones” feel more homey, take a page from our Trinity deck remodel and add cozy touches like weatherproof lights, outdoor cushions, and hardy plants, which can make all the difference. This type of layout as well as the design and styling makes the most of two-level decks, too.
3. A Sleek Upper Deck with Fantastic Views
While a cozy lower deck is ideal for entertaining and relaxing, you don’t have to sacrifice the views or completely block out the environments you have right outside your door. The aforementioned Trinity Kensington deck project also involves an upper deck. Here, the goal was to maximize space by raising the deck up to the interior floor level and expanding out from the original confines while still keeping the deck safe. Using glass panels and a simple wooden railing, a sweeping panoramic picture of the Bay is always in focus.
4. A Comfortable Garden Escape
With the precise lines, artificial materials, and structural components that often make up patios, decks, and balconies, it’s easy to lose nature in the construction process. Our team ensured natural elements were maintained in the McGee Berkeley deck project. This exterior addition offers ample room for sunlight and fresh air, and the cable wire fencing leaves the view of the backyard relatively unobscured. An abundance of potted plants and functional (but stylish) furniture are the final pieces that pull everything together, making it feel natural but usable.
5. A Modern Indoor-Outdoor Living Patio
This Oakland outdoor space not only improved the interior of the home, but made the exterior more usable — even during the hottest, sunniest parts of the day, thanks to a relocation. An unbearably hot porch was converted into a dining room and living room, and the patio was transplanted to a cooler part of the home. It’s also a prime example of how to improve a home’s design in order to create smoother transitions between an interior living room and an exterior patio space. Not only were the homeowners pleased, but the wider design community recognized this project as it won a NARI 2024 Contractor of the Year national award for residential additions. Oftentimes, an outdoor project needs to consider all moving parts of a home — interior or otherwise — for a successful end result.
This small curation of projects is just a sampling of what our team can design and build. If you’re ready to upgrade your exterior space for optimal outdoor living, don’t hesitate to reach out to us.