As Western Australia's long, hot, dry summer drags us along with it into the New Year, most people will take advantage of the generous weather and balmy nights outside of their homes. Patios, decking, French doors, barbeques and the like are now highly sought after and available in all manner of style and prices.
'Alfresco', from the Italian, "in the fresh air", is ideally suited to our climate and enhanced by our recent adoption of daylight saving. At some point in the 1990's the alfresco entertainment area became a standard feature in many new homes and renovations and their appeal and lavishness has only grown since then.
This is an important development for people who want to maximize the resale potential of a new or renovated home.
Ideally an alfresco theme is designed to combine the outdoor and indoor areas of a home in a seamless fashion. Real estate agents report that an appealing outdoor area has become a strong selling feature which for some buyers is as equally important to them as the indoor area.
The irony to this trend is that the land area in modern homes is shrinking and the big backyard has given way to bigger homes instead. However, smaller outdoor areas are now getting much more use now that busy homeowners don't have the time to tend to large yards. In other words, size has given way to quality.
The message in this for people who are building or renovating, is that what you do with your outdoor area is more important than how much land you have.
The contemporary alfresco design can range from a simple all-weather patio that leads directly from the living area, to an elaborate structure that might incorporate some standard indoor features, such as a BBQ cooktop, sink and refrigerator. A typical alfresco structure is generally a continuation of the main roofline.
The ideal is to create a livable and comfortable outdoor space. Important factors to keep in mind include protection from glare and direct sun, shelter from the wind, adequate space for chairs and a table and a preparation and serving area for food and drink. If space and funds permit, you might also include large pot plants, a television area or maybe a spa.
Having gone to all this trouble, it then helps to screen your alfresco living space from the garden shed, garage and clothesline for an aesthetic finish.
The impact of a quality alfresco area in a home should not be underestimated. This is evidenced by the number of homes for sale which are promoted almost solely around this basis, and often the photo which catches the eye of the buyer will be the smart presentation of a home's outdoor living area.
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