Outdoor living spaces have become popular all over the country, not just in warm climates — but in Key West, indoor outdoor living defines the lifestyle. It doesn’t just add add another family room to your home, where you can relax while you read a book in the fresh air, put on some new age music and strike a yoga pose, or host a party – it becomes your main living space.
Of course when planning the layout of your outdoor space, you should spend some time brainstorming all it’s possible uses so that you don’t omit a detail you’ll regret later. Some friends of ours share a vacation home with two other couples. The house itself is lovely, but the outdoor space is extraordinary. It is so well laid out, and inviting that most who spend time there prefer to be out on the patio and poolside. Imagine our shock when we visited most recently and saw that one of them had slapped up a big screen TV in a corner. He had chosen a place where it would be protected from the elements but that appeared to be the only thought put into the installation. Everyone agreed that it was awful and worried that it was going to be a point of contention if the guy who put it up insisted on keeping it. Clearly this is one of the hazards of sharing a home, especially a three quarter of a million dollar vacation home. The problem could have easily been avoided if the group had taken the time to discuss a professional installation.
Dance To The Music
While some people may be content to plug in a portable speaker for their iPhone when entertaining in the backyard, there are more permanent alternatives that will bring life to your outdoor space. A properly installed outdoor entertainment system gives you the ability to fine tune the sound and create just the right atmosphere, whether you are hosting a Superbowl party, an intimate dinner, or roasting s’mores on your fire pit. Just like indoor installations, the placement of speakers is critical to enabling you to experience the music without compromising your ability to have conversations. Anyone who has a proper home theatre system knows it’s not just a matter of volume up or down.
Outdoor Speakers
Carefully placed outdoor speakers allow you to enjoy the sounds without blasting the volume. Consult a sound specialist to determine which type of speakers to get and where best to install them. Outdoor electronics should be wired by a professional for safety reasons. If you already have a home theatre system in your home, you can wire your outdoor area as Zone 2, so that it can be controlled by your existing receiver and remote control.
You can buy speakers that are designed to look like common elements of outdoor decor, like planters, rocks, or tree stumps, and I’m not talking about the ones you find in your in-flight SkyMall magazine. Your speakers and subwoofers can be strategically placed around the yard to create a similar surround sound system to the one you have in your living room. The speakers for the lanai of the home below are recessed into the ceiling and match the interior speakers. (More photos and details this home for sale at 517 Grinnell Street.)
Speakers are recessed into the ceiling of the lanai.
As Seen On
If you are going to add a television to your outdoor area you should consider LCD rather than plasma. The LCD displays handle glare better. You can buy expensive televisions that are made for outdoor applications, or you can set a standard one up under a shelter or gazebo. If you will be using it infrequently, or you close your home for the summer, you may want to install it so that it can be easily taken indoors when not in use.
Steven Peters works with the team at Hooked Up Installs. He enjoys writing about entertainment and activities for children.