Terrace attached to the house - practical, beautiful and comfortable

What could be better than outdoor recreation? Only an organized, civilized vacation in comfort. Most homeowners do not miss the opportunity to arrange such a place to relax in their private courtyard or on a personal plot and attach a terrace to the house (or plan while building the building). Not surprisingly, in the word "terrace" there is a combination of "terra", which means land. After all, a terrace is nothing more than a platform located on the ground or slightly raised above its level and equipped specifically for relaxation. Terraces can be detached or attached to the house. In this publication we will analyze the second embodiment of this universal, practical and beautiful place for organizing outdoor recreation.

By the degree of openness, terraces are completely open, half-closed and closed. But do not confuse the terrace with the veranda (usually a glazed area attached to the house) - a closed terrace is a building with a roof, sometimes fenced with one or two walls of the house, but not glazed.

On the open terrace (flooring without a roof) it is also possible to arrange relaxation segments, places for meals and even children's play areas. But in such cases, it is important to take care of sun protection (especially for terraces located on the south and south-east side of the building) and provide for the possibility of pulling up an awning or using garden umbrellas. Such umbrellas can be portable devices and can be mounted in any place or be part of a table.

Among the terraces adjacent to the house there are not so many variations in shape - rectangular (the most common type), square, asymmetric and enveloping the building around the perimeter. The latter become an effective way to organize outdoor recreation, if the area adjacent to the house is small and the terrace cannot be made wide enough, and you need to place several functional segments on it (for example, not only a recreation area, but also a sector for meals )

Also, terraces are single-level and multi-level, located at the main entrance or overlooking the back patio. But, as a rule, they try to attach a terrace (or plan to make it initially) from the south side of the building. This arrangement allows you to enjoy the warmth of sunlight for the maximum possible number of days in a year.

To date, the following are the most popular styles for terraces:

• modern;
• traditional;
• colonial;
• coastal (beach);
• country (rustic).

Modern style suggests comfortable minimalism. The slogan “better is less, but better” fits perfectly with this style of terraces. Strict lines, laconic forms, simplicity and functionality in everything. But at the same time, the style is not without comfort and coziness. Furniture on such a terrace is simple, but practical, often designer, original. Decorative elements on the terrace, decorated in a modern style, are absent altogether or presented very modestly. Most often, quite functional objects are used as decor - lighting fixtures, additional furniture (coffee tables, coasters). For the execution of a modern terrace, durable, but unpretentious in operation and maintenance materials are used - metal and stone, various composites, PVC (the use of high-quality wood imitation is possible).

In turn, the traditional style is not complete without decor. In the construction of the terrace itself, it can be present in the execution of railings (the use of balusters or forged patterns), the use of baseboards of various configurations.Instead of supports, you can use columns - hexagonal or round. In order to smooth the corners and, as a result, soften the whole image of the terrace, use octahedrons and grooved corners. Most often, in the construction of a traditional terrace, natural materials are used - wood and stone. Wood species with a beautiful natural pattern are selected - cedar or mahogany gives pleasant, cozy shades and lasts a long time.

Whether there will be a railing on your terrace decorated in a traditional style depends on the height of the flooring in relation to ground level, the presence of small children and pets, as well as your personal preferences. If you decide to use the railing to improve the safety of the terrace, then do not forget about the beauty of this architectural element. Carved balusters in wooden design or forged decor for metal railings are a luxurious decoration for the traditional style of terrace design.

Colonial style is based on the application of motives of classical architecture, but with the use of colorful elements. Colonial styling is always practicality, coupled with beauty, symmetry and convenience, flower decoration and borrowing elements of architecture from countries - former colonies. For example, an accent detail of such a terrace can be a pergola, an original bench or a snow-white railing with decorative balusters.

If your household is located on the shores of the sea or lake, then the beach or coastal style will be the perfect choice for decorating the terrace. In such a place, like in no other, I want all the buildings to be in harmony with the surrounding landscape, as organically fit into the overall picture. In the manufacture of the coastal terrace, special attention should be paid to the choice of building and finishing materials. A good solution may be to use gray composite decking or to use cedar in combination with painting in a gray tone. Of course, a terrace in the coastal part must be built with a view of the water - the sea, forest lake or river.

One of the most common options for arranging spacious terraces is to design this space in the fresh air in the form of a summer living room. In fact, a second living room is set up on the terrace, with upholstered furniture, coffee tables and even a fireplace in some cases. The only difference is that for the summer recreation area mainly garden furniture made of wood, metal or wicker models made of twigs, rattan is used. In order to equip a truly comfortable relaxation area, garden furniture is accompanied by an abundance of soft pillows, special seats with removable covers that are easy to wash in a washing machine.

Any dish seems tastier if you try it in the fresh air. Therefore, it is not surprising that most owners of private houses of an urban or suburban type try to provide themselves with the possibility of eating in the yard. So that you can arrange a family dinner or reception, without fear of rainy weather, it is best to equip the dining area on the covered terrace. On the one hand - a meal on the street, everyone enjoys the fresh air, on the other - the weather is not terrible to anyone. Garden furniture is mainly used to equip the dining sector on the terrace, because the presence of a roof over the table and chairs does not protect the furniture surface from the usual effects of dust brought by the wind and dirt from our soles, which can be used to smear the legs of the dining group.

Some terraces, in addition to the design of the eating area, are equipped with equipment for its preparation. A barbecue area under the roof of the terrace is the best option for providing hosts and their guests with dishes prepared on fire in any weather. Obviously, the cooking area is also designed in a general way with the arrangement of the entire terrace.

Not only hanging beds these days are incredibly popular with many owners of private houses and apartments around the world. Hanging sofas (and it’s difficult to call such comfortable seats with soft upholstery and decorative pillows), located on the terrace, allow you to relax in the fresh air with an incredibly high level of comfort. For those who decide to relax on the terrace to the fullest, there is the opportunity to lie on the sofa with a slight wiggle. Next to such comfortable and at the same time original swings, as a rule, they set up a small table-stand for the opportunity to enjoy delicious evening tea or put books and magazines for reading in the fresh air.

How to decorate the design of the terrace? It all depends on its size and your chosen style of arrangement. But there are universal options that are suitable for terraces of all shapes and sizes, stylistic and design designs. Practical decor can be lighting. Lighting the facade of the building refers to the utilitarian or functional types, designed primarily to ensure the safe location of a person near the house in the dark. But the lighting system is quite capable of serving as a decorative element. Beautiful wrought iron elements of wall lights or original, designer designs of pendant lights with shades - each owner, with any size of wallet, will be able to find his own version of a non-trivial design of a lighting device. The lighting on the terrace should be soft diffused - not to hit the eyes with streams of light, but to create a comfortable, pleasant atmosphere, but at the same time give the opportunity to move around the flooring with a high level of security.

Another practical option for decorating the terrace is to install a fireplace. Obviously, the functional background of this structure is not in doubt. And at the same time, watching the flame play is an incredibly relaxing pastime. If at the same time you are sitting in a comfortable chair or on a soft sofa, then rest in the fresh air can be considered highly comfortable.

An ideal option for decorating the terrace is the use of plants - flowering and not only. Floor flowerpots, garden pots and mini-tubs, hanging planters and whole compositions in the form of "living" walls - there are not many flowers on the terrace. Unless you have chosen for the design of flooring with a roof a minimalist modern style of decoration.

Depending on the location of the terrace in relation to the cardinal points, you may need to be able to protect its space from sunlight. You can design a terrace in the form of an oriental tent using light translucent fabrics or stop at a more standard version and choose ordinary curtains on eyelets. The main thing that needs to be taken into account is that the fabric should be easily removed from the cornice and cleaned with machine wash, because textiles on the street will quickly get dirty.

Some terraces have such a small area that it’s simply not a question of arranging a fireplace, a barbecue area or a seating area with luxurious sofas. But on any, even the smallest terrace (more like a wide porch with a visor) there is a place for a couple of small garden chairs or at least chairs with backs. You can decorate a terrace of any size with flower pots or a small floor vase. A beautiful street lamp will not only provide the necessary level of lighting in the dark, but will also become a decorative element. Accent items can be both garden chairs and a bright rug in front of the front door.