Controlling your outdoor environment through the seasons

It’s no secret that New Zealanders enjoy spending time outdoors. We live in a mainly-favourable climate and we love our beautiful beaches, lakes and mountains, while hosting backyard barbeques and dining alfresco could almost be considered a national past time.

However, times have changed and “we’re no longer happy with just having an outdoor table setting and umbrella,” suggests Murray Giblin of Locarno Louvres. Today, sheltered outdoor rooms are increasingly being integrated into house plans at the design stage, with the final concept often developing beyond a simple outdoor room to include a dining or lounging area and an outdoor kitchen.

Designs can incorporate a barbeque and a solid feature wall that has the option to include greenery, a built-in fireplace, or a storage space for firewood. These areas are generally attached to the house and feature varying levels of enclosure, depending on the space available, the site and the available budget.

With the widespread knowledge of the harmful effects that the southern hemisphere’s super-strong UV rays have on our health, Kiwis are increasingly more sun smart. Having an outdoor room with an automated roof louvre system allows you to easily control the level of sun, shade and shelter you desire.

“A fundamental part of the outdoor room is the motorised louvre roof,” explains Murray. “In the summer, the fine profiles of the Locarno systems control how little or how much sun you want to sit in. They also create ambience, by allowing light to filter through and create a beautiful dappled effect.”

“In the winter, a louvred outdoor space allows sunlight and warmth to filter inside the home, and, as the weather becomes cooler, outdoor living can continue with the addition of outdoor fireplaces or heaters,” he says. To complement the overhead louvres, Locarno also offers side louvres or shutters to moderate breezes and create privacy.

To complement the overhead louvres, Locarno also offers side louvres or shutters to moderate breezes and create privacy.

In addition to the increasing demand for complex, multi-functional outdoor spaces, Murray says that more people are specifying free-standing outdoor rooms: “This space is quite separate to the house, such as a lounge area next to the pool – where you can read a magazine while watching the kids play – or it could be set up as an outdoor dining space for multiple people; the options are endless.”

Any outdoor structure needs to seamlessly blend with the architecture of the home and, because Locarno’s sleek, flat roof profiles avoid any exposed fixings, they complement a wide range of architectural styles, from the ultra-modern to the more traditional style of home.

The company works closely with the architect, builder and homeowner at each stage of the design-and-build process to ensure that every project is completed with a high level of specification and attention to detail.

Locarno’s proprietary roof systems are designed in its Auckland studio to the highest standards to ensure each one can withstand the extremes of New Zealand’s weather.

“We are a design-led company that is very passionate about getting the details right,” comments Murray. “Our ethos is a design philosophy adopting clean lines, and this is represented in the details of each of our systems. Our aim is to produce a final result that each party involved is proud to call their own.”

If you’re planning on incorporating an outdoor room into your home, visit Locarno Louvres on ArchiPro to find out more about its innovative range of louvre systems.