The Room Outside: Designing Your Perfect Outdoor Living Space

by David Stevens, Jerry Harpur (Photographs)

Look beyond the back door and discover the outdoor spaces that are waiting to be shaped into natural, relaxing extensions of the home. With gorgeous photographs throughout—many of them full-page—this inspiring guide immerses you in the aesthetics of outdoor living, from tiled gardens to trellised dining areas. Learn how boundaries, from low shrubs to metal walls, are essential to creating comfortable outdoor spaces, and how gardens can achieve the right balance of light and shadow. Also included are instructions for building wood and metal archways, “sleeper” steps, and a continuously refilling water chute; there is even a section on creating the perfect tree house!
A Selection of the Homestyle Book Club.

176 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 2007

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.

This author writes on gardening.

Reviews

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is not as the title describes. It includes gorgeous photos of a wide variety of outdoor rooms but provides little to no assistance on how to create one. David Stevens does a great job pointing out the design issues in the gardens photographed but does not help the reader organize their needs and preferences into an developed plan. How much room is required for a table and chairs? What is the best set up for a grilling and cooking arrangement? Stevens does not answer any of these practical issues. As a result of the book's deficiencies, this volume is best scanned for ideas. Most readers will find the outdoor rooms featured a bit on the high end for practical application but they are pretty none the less.